The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-10-12
A TITAN
lOriginal.!


al route was down the Ohio river by
means of tiatboats.
Among the emigrants of that day
was Colonel Alan MacMinn of Scotch
Irish descent His fatboat load con
sisted, besides stores, of his wife and
daughter and three men and two wo
men negro slaves. The colonel's right
hand man was an enormously strong
negro whose strength had Won him the
name of Titan, though he was familiar
ly called lite
The Ohio and Mississippi rivers We're
infested in those days by some very
rough people. Piracy was not uncom-
mon and there We're no government
officers to check it One day Wien the
emigrant party were nearing u settle
ment which is now the city of Louis
vile they saw q boat put off from
the. shore and head directly for them.
As soon as it drew near it was plain
its occupants We're bent on no good.
They We're hard featured lot, dressed
in coon skin caps and buckskin clothes,
and We're all armed with rifles and pis-
tolls. However. the settlers were often
thus dressed, and Colonel MacMinn was
not sure of these men until they had
boarded his boat. Then they at once
took possession and ordered him and
his family below, where they were
placed under guard. The negro men
they required to work the boat.
lite made it appear that he was de-
lighted with the capture, since by
serving the pirates he might earn his
freedom. This surprised his fellow
slaves, but as soon as he was able he
told them that this was to prevent
suspicion, and he would watch for an
opportunity to recapture the boat.
The pirates seven in number, soon
after taking their prize found them
selves in what are called the falls of
the Ohio, part of the river where the
current is very rapid. 1t was night
and very dark night. Their captain
was somewhat anxious as to the safety
Of the property he had become possess
ed Of, though he cared nothing for hui
man life. Among the stores on the
/ boat was a barrel OF rum, which his
men appropriated lite watched, them,
hoping that they would get stupid,
but they stood an enormous quantity
Of liquor and were rather inclined to
dance and sing on deck. Their cap
tain cursed them for idiots, then ignor-
ed them, trusting to lite and the two
negroes to navigate the boat. lite
stood at the big steering oar secuped to
the boat by wooden pin, while his
fellow slaves were lodging the drunk
en- pirates, who were amusing them.
selves hurting whatever they could
dnd at them. The captain was at thu
front Of the boat peering down the
\ river.
lite passed the word to his fellow
slaves that he was about to attach
the pirates, and they promised to hell
him. Since the blacks were withou
any arms whatever, the attempt wa.
result in their death and possibly tina
Of the family When lite spoke tn.
pirates were separated, but before b.
could act two Of them had Joined The
captain. However, lite made up hi:
mind to proceed. He left the tire,
pirates to his three men and went for
ward.
Approaching the captain as If t,
make suggestion, he seized hin
around the body. The other two men
quickly taking warning, sprang 70
lite and endeavored to pull him off
One of them drew a pistol, but dropped
it on the deck. While he was lookin,
comrade in the stomach, which para
lyzed his efforts, and the negro, putin,
forth all his gigantic strength, raise,
the captain In his arms and threw hin
into the river. Then taking up the MAJ
he had kicked, he served him like
wise. BY this time the man lookin
for his pistol found it, but lite seize
1t and shot him dead
Meanwhile the other two negroes
whose enemies were separated, ran t
the nearst pirate, seized him an
threw him overheard. The other two
seeing danger, got together and wer
attacked by the two blacks. One Of tn
blacks was wounded by shot, an
the other was getting the worst Of
when lite came up and, Selling frs
one pirate, then the other, threw bot
overheard. At the moment man o
guard below, having heard the scu1
fling, came out and was served in til
same manner.
All this had scarcely been accom-
plished when the captain was disco,
cred climbing over the stern, but Tit
pushed him back into the river. Tw
others of the pirates attempted I
climb aboard, but they were served !
the same manner, and at last the bos
was free.
The colonel, being left unguardet
now came up from below, expectin
that the pirates had concluded to mul
der the party and had commenced wit
the negroes When he found that th
boat was in possession Of his faithf,
slaves, that the lives Of himself an
his family had been saved, his graf
tude knew no bounds. He gave ever
one Of them his freedom on the spc
and promised an additional reward l
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