The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-01-18
KIDNAPPED PRESIDENT TAYLOR.

Distinction of Late Mississippi River
 Captain.
 To go down in history as the only per son who ever kidnapped a president or the United States should be enough for one man, and the distinction beiongs to Captain T. c. Coleman. who died re- gently. The episode makes one of the most interesting stories of career fruitful of anecdotes.
 That was in those old days before the railroads had bound the land with steel the days just after the Mexican war, when the Mississippi was the grand water way road of the countrys pro gress and the floating palaces that piled from Louisville to New Orleans were famous on two continents. Aacn- ary Taylor was president of the unlteu States. and Captain Coleman Kidnapped him and ran away gayly up stream with the official steamer of conveyance struggling far in the rear after the nv CT greyhound Saladin. That was Zach ary Taylor's triumphal tour or the country, and the fame of the exploit brought thousands on thousands Of dol lars to the Coemans and established lIcll iiilGo VI olSAAfS'~ N'" ~' in the river trade.
 The first Thomas c. Coleman owned a line of fine packets plying from Louls- vile to New Orleans. They were the big floating palaces of that day. ana the pride of the lot was the Salad1n. | Nothing that beat water on two rivers 1 could hold her when Captain coleman l chose to turn her loose-"with a. nlgger squat on her safety valve, and her fur mace choked with rosln and pine. l Young T. c. Coleman commanded ner. | There was a boat belonging to rival | line that sometimes disputed with the | Saladin the sway of the river. The IT. val always had chance. but the sala- ] din always got there first
 President Zachary Taylor was on ms famous tour of the country. To com nand the boat that carried him on the Mississippi was an honor coveted by all the captains. "Old Rough and Ready was a Kentuckian and a warm friend or the Colemans, so they expected, of course, to be chosen for the honor oI conveying the president However, the wishes of General Taylor were not con- suited. He was at Vicksburg, Miss, 1 and the reception committee there de- 1 cided that the rival boat should carry him up to Memphis. When the word came to New Orleans, where the boats were laid up, the disappointment on the Saladin was the more intense, for 1t was the los of a sure thing, while the jay on the rival boat was, of course, the great CT from the unexpectedness or the vic- tory.
 Big monsters of gloom and joy, the steamers pulled away from the eW or leans docks side by side.
 Anyhow, boys, we'll show them the saIadin fig the better boat" said Cap tain Coleman, and his crew answered him with will.
 The Saladin began to draw ahead. Then together, lickety-split, up the riv- CT they came, and the people on the le- wees and the hands In the fields stopped to watch and wonder for they never before had seen two boats going up the Mississippi that way. And every land ing for the Saladin was winning landing.
 The whole of Vicksburg was gathered on the bluff to see the president off The old soldier stood in the midst of his escort committee and growled ano bowed. He was heartily tired of SC much ceremoy, and waited anxiously thecoming of the boat that was to car ry him on to Memphis.
 At last, far down the river, showed the twin puffs of a hard-driven steamer