Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-09

8, 10000 PAGES.
broke from the crowd and ran to the after
part Of the deck some forty feet from
where Wesner stood.
When clear of the crowd he halted and
raised his weapon. Wesner had not lowered
his and as Somes halted. fired. The ball
shattered Somes' arm and his weapon fell
into the river.
I'm DONE" was all he said, and sank on
the deck.
Wesner stepped up to the captain.
Captain, as there is no sheriff here 1
demand you to arrest me, take these mig
gers to the next landing, take care of them
| these villains. If they live. they can be
| tried and hung. l expect that scoundrel
| pointing to Babbage) is dead-he is the
| Test one. however"
The whole affair, from the first shot
| until the last. had not occupied more than
| three minutes. and by that time, especially
| as the danger was over. the passengers be-
| gan to recover from their panic, and the
| gentlemen gathered around Wesner, who
| explained to them why he had n,istrusted
| these men and also that he had understood
| their conversation, although in Acadian,
| and had determined to rescue the negroes
Now. gentlemen. am your prisoner.
Turn me over to the first sheriff if you wish
| or bring these men to trial.
Men on the Mississippi were not arrested
in those heroic days for deeds like this, and
George was the lion of the day.
|
| Baton Rouge, where they persisted when
| the prison burned.
The negroes were sent back to Floyd
| &C unity. but never got there. for Wesnar
| left the boat at the next landing. went back
| to Memphis, intercepted them. and in forty
| days from the day of the fight they We're
safe in Canada. and the money for them
was in our hands.
| CHAPTER XVIII.
Our next venture was without incident
| worth relating. 1 went through with eight,
| taking only one canoe 1t was late in July
| before We started The weather was very
| dry, the water low and it was difficult to
| get the canoe through some of the shoal
| places.
| While in New York Entwissle read me
| pc rtions of a letter from Shreveport, La.
| In that letter the writer denounced the in
| stitution of slavery very bitterly and urged
| an organized system of raids similar to the
one we were pursuing. He was a southern
| man and spoke OF the mysterious dis appear
| ance of the negroes from Attakapas, but
doubted that they had gone north. His
theory was that they were stolen and sold
in Cuba, slaves at that time bringing very
| good prices there. In this theory he was
not alone. l had heard the same theory
advanced before and had encouraged it all
| L dared. Entwissle'S idea was for to go
| home by way of Shreveport, find the writer
| of the letter and see what chance there was
\ of successful operation. This letter was
|
| was to direct to box 81, Shreveport, La.
This l replied admits of two conclu-
| sions. 1t is either a simon pure letter
| the man who penned it suspects that your
| these raids. If the last he will wait for
| your answer. If the former, and he is in
earnest, you will hear from him again
| Meantime, write him that you are not doing
| business that way. l will get ready to
start about the time you should receive
| your answer"
En,wissle, wrote as requested, and In
| about ten days received an answer. 1t was
very philanthropic. The writer deplored
| the existence of the institution, and his
abuse Of the STAKEHOLDER was as vituper-
alive as ungrammatical, and was too zeal
Gus to be genuine.
l suggested to Entwissle that I get a
few days start toward Shreveport. and
that he write to box 81, inclosing his letter
| in fancy envelope so / could detect it at
glance in the box.
He did as l desired. l Immediately pro-
ceeded to Shreveport, disguised as drum
mer, selling goods for big patent medi-
cine concern in New York. Entwissle had
made the arrangements, and II l sold any
goods they were to forward them and also
acknowledge me as their agent, for never
knowingly left any holes for suspicion. En-
twisse was to write me by the same mail
that carried the letters to box 81.
l had been in Shreveport a few days. and
| mad really sold quite bill Of goods to the
drug store, and had seen the proprietor of
| box u The mail at that time arrived
d
| o'clock pm, and l was always on the
| lookout for the mail boat l never missed
being at the post office and watching my
| man.
He was a difficult piece of humanity to
| pronounce upon, and my opinion was di-
| vided as to his being a Methodist preacher
| on circuit or a gambler on a vacation. 1
| finally decided he was a "pasteboard
| banker. His countenance was pleasant
| yet he had a cool. determined look about
| him that showed he was no child to deal
1 a xrara hat
| proceed with caution if l would ascertain
| his object and views without exciting sus-
PIGEONS. There were boxes in the post
| office in Shreveport numbered up to 1870
| These boxes had glass fronts, and letters
| could be plainly seen from the hail. but
| as they We're usually put into the boxes
| fiat it was difficult to see the address
AT length my patience was rewarded. and
I caught the address. Mr.. Alvin Beatham
Shreveport" Now. Mr.. Beatham. who are
| you? My curiosity was soon satisfied for
l found Mr.. Beatham was a small planter
| sometimes slave hunter. something of
| gambler and at present deputy sheriff for
the Shreveport district; My next move
was to make his acquaintance, for l had
| no doubt that he scented the Attakapas
| business through the shooting at White
river, or else from rumors or information
| from below. How to ascertain more was
| another thing. 1 could stay there but a
few days without attracting notice, espe-
cially if loafed around the post office.
| l was the hotel books as j. p. Ma
| comber. and letters were of course directed
to that name. Envelopes that received
were all o. K. my drug house ad., on the
face, all honest and square.
| One day l saw Beatham talking to
| stranger, tall. solid-looking chap in the
| neighborhood Of forty years of age. Not
| liking his looks l came to the conclusion
| that that Internal White river affair had
been exploded and would ruin us should
| we be suspected. l knew George was max
| ing up another lot for the same route and
about ready to start. Mason and Obed
were both in Attakapas. How many ne
groes they had hidden away l did not
know, but l must get word to George be-
| fore they were off. Not daring to risk a
| letter my only course was to go to New
Iberia.
Next day I took the steamer On the
way down l remembered that it was neces-
sary for George to visit New Orleans be-
fore leaving for the north, and as it would
| cause me but little delay, concluded to go
there also. l usually stopped at small
| hotel in Lafayette, and George at the ST.
Charles. AS my object was to see him, 1
went to the St. Charles.
AS 1 left the carriage, to my great sur
prise and joy he was standing the hotel
steps. watching the new corners and smok- |
Ing.