The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1902-01-31
KIDNAPPED A PRESIDENT.
THE RECENT DEATH OF THE ONLY
MAN THAT EVER DID THE TRICK.


TO 90 down in history as the only
person who ever kidnapped a presi.
dent Of the United States should be
enough for one man, and this distinc.
tion belongs TO Captain T. G. Cole.
man, who died yesterday. The cpl
sode makes one of the most interest.
ing stories Of career fruitful Of anec.
dOtes.
That vas 10 those old days before
the railroads had bounded the land
with steel, the days just after the
Mexican war, when the Mississippi
was the grand water road 0f the
country's progress, and the floating
palaces that piled from Louisville to
New Orleans were famous on two
continents. Zachary Taylor was the
President OF the United States, and
Captain Coleman kidnapped him and
ran away gayly up stream with the
official steamer Of conveyance struz.
CLING far in the rear after the river
Vreyhound, Saladin. That was on
Zachary Taylor's tr,umphal tour Of
the country, and the fame OF the ex.
plot brought thousands and thous.
ands Of dollars to the Colemans and
established their lines ri steamers as
the foremost In the river trade.
The first Thomas G. Coleman own.
ed line Of fine packets plying from
Louisville to New Orleans. They
were the big floating palaces of that
day and the pride of the lot was the
Saladin. Nothing that beat water on
Two rivers could hold her when Capt.
Coleman chose To turn her lose--"with
"a nigger squat on her safety valve and
her furnace choked with rosin and
pine" Young T. z. Coleman com.
lnanded her. There was boat be.
longing TO il rival line that sometimes
disputed with the Saladin the sway
OF the river. The rival always had a
chance, but the Saladin always got
there hrst.
President Zachary Taylor was on
his famous tour OF the country. To
command the boat that carried him
on the Mississippi was an honor covet.
ed by all the captains. "Old Rough
and Ready" was a Kentuckian and a
warm friend OF the C0lemans, so they
expected. of course, to be chosen for
the honor Of conveying the president.
However, the wishes OF General Tay.
lor we're not consulted. He was at
VIcksburg, Miss, and the reception
committee there decided 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
Saladln was the more intense, for 1t
was the loss Of a sure thing, while
the joy on the rival boat was, Of
course, the greater from the unexpec.
tedness Of the victory.
Big monsters of gloom and Joy, the
steamers pulled away frcm the New
Orleans dock side by side.
Anyhow, boys, we'll show them
the Saladin Is the better boat" said
Captain Coleman, and his crew aus
wered with a will.
The Saiadin began to draw ahead.
Then together lickety.split up the
river they came, and the people on
the levees and the hands In the fields
stopped to watch and to wonder, for
they never before had seen two boats
going up the Mississippi that way.
And every landing for the Saladin
was a winning landing.
The whole Of Vicksburg was gath
cred o. the bluff to see the president
of. The old soldier stood in the
midst Of his escort committee and
erowled and bowed. He was heartily
tired Of SO much ceremony, and wait
ed anxiousiy the coming Of the boal
that was TO carry him on to Memphis
At last, far down the river could b,
seen the puffs Of a hard-driven steam
er.
There she comes!" "There sh
comes!" yelled the crowd and begal
cheering the President OF.
Putting and snorting the big rive
greyhound rushed up to the dock
, The gangway came down In an 10
, stant. She was right under the bluf
and the people above could only lool
down upon her. They were yellinl
aud cheering, shouting enthuiastit
good.bys to the president. And II
\ the midst of the excitement the sol
!, dicr and his escort committee wenl
:, aboard. They went straight up u
{ the cabin and then as II BY magic
/. without waiting to unload cargo o.
anything, the big flyer tore ava!
from the dock.
B Al she strengthened out In the rive
and began p0undIng away under ful
pressure for Memphis, the smoke O.
! another steamer desperately driver
came Ii sight arouod the last bend
dOWnstream.
They had been going half 40 houl
when the esc0rt c0inmittee sent fol
f. the captain OF fths b0at:
!, s'I'll call Captain Coleman" replie(
I tfha mafa ad6roesofl.