Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-19
OUTLAW LAFIT:TE.
Old Time Patriot Pirate of the
Gulf of Mexico.

LII
httc. the patriot pirate of the gulf. |
ruled over a little outlaw kingdom of
his own within q few miles of tine city
Of New Orleans.
\ picturesque figure was Jean La
ftte. with a graceful. courtly delivery
about him which made him popular
with many OF the most estlmab BILE /
jewellers in New Orleans. Handsome /
able. ayerse 10 the shedding OF blood
and even possessed Of loyalty 10 the
government whose excise laws he
made u his business to break.
Iahtte was French. He drifted to
Louisiana IN the early years OF thei
nineteenth century and set I'D in pira-
c. in the bay OF Barataria. a shelter.
ed harbor on the gulf OF Mexico. pro-
tectcd by a long island called Grand
Ierre' whore Jean Lafitte dwelt IN a
house or brick, with broad and COM
Portable verandas, where one mirbt
Toll at ease in a hammock, smoking
and drinking lazily. while pirate chiefs
Med In to bring reports of plumber
taken and prospects ahead.
No crude CT common pirate was this
Jean LATTE. He held a privateer's
commission from the republic Of Car
tagena, which had been recently es-
tablished in South America and has
long since been forgotten, and. this
commission gave him the right to plum
der Spanish ships. Lafitte's followers
were motley collection-black, white.
yellow and red-restless and reckless
rovers Of the sea. LATTE traficked in
silk and gold and negroes and sold
bis goods openly at auction even in
the city OF New Orleans.
He was popular. too: there is no
doubt Of that. Had II been otherwise
he would not have been permitted TO
remain five years in Barataria. AS
early as 1900 we find governors Of Lou
asiana laundering against him, but La.
ftte went calmly about his business.
Occasionally a revenue officer was kill
ed in a brush with the pirates. Inva-
Tiably LATTE expressed his sorrow that
bloodshed had become necessary. A
case was brought against him in the
federal court. The district attorney was
a man named Grymes. LATTE went
TO see Grymes. and the result of the
visit was that the district attorney re-
signed his Office and undertook Lafitte's
defense. He and the lawyer who as
sisted him were promised $4,000
apiece for their services and got Il.
After the case was dismissed Grymes
went TO Barataria to receive his fee
and spent a week feasting with the
pirates, who treated him with princely
NJ II.
the Mississippi in a handsome yawl.
laden with caskets of gold and silver.
Repeated attempts had been made to
organize n military expedition 10 de-
stroy Lniitte's pirate colony. but up 20
the year 1914 they had always come
10 nothing. In September OF that year
o British brig anchored six miles from
Earataria pass. and its captain came
ashore ana offered LATTE a captains
commission in the British navy and
$4,000 II he would join the British in
an attack against New Orleans.
LATTE pretended TO consider the Of
fer, sending word meantime to a mem.
Der OF the Legislature Of the British
captains offer and declaring that he
would never accept II. He sent anoth-
or letter to Governor Claiborne, who
had offered $1,000 for Laftte's head
aud for whose head Laftte in return.
In a spirit Of gay bravado had offered
a reward of $4,000 LATTE suggested
that the governor extend clemency to
his pirates. who in return would aid IN
the defense OF the state against the
British. The offer was rejected, and
40 expedition under Commodore Pat
terson OF the United States navy
Bwooped down on Barataria unexpect-
eddy, tore down the brick house, con-
6Scated much plumber and drove out
the pirates.
Jean LATTE and his brother Pierre
escaped and established themselves on
the lower Mississippi. Meanwhile An
drew jackson had arrived 20 under
tnke the defense OF New Orleans. Jean
LATTE went boldly into New Orleans
70 see him, although the fiery general
had declared he would have nothing to
do with these pirates and hellish ban
ditti." There must have been a Pc
cuiiar. charm and responsiveness about
Jean LATTE. for after the interview
jackson changed his mind. accepted
The aid Of the pirates and showed the
utmost trust in them. And throughout
the siege OF New Orleans the followers
OF LATTE showed themselves worthy
nf confidence They we're excellent
gunners. and two Of Ladtte's captains.
dominique You and n man named Be
fuche. were put in charge Of ships
When the British had been driven
away Jackson recommended that La
rite and his men be granted pardon
for all previous misdemeanOrs. and the
thing was done.
Nobody seems 10 know exactly what
became Of Jean LATTE and his brother
In 1916 we End Jean in Galveston.
Tex, whence he was chased by the
Spanish government in 1870. Later
there came stories OF cruises in the
Caribbean. The call OF the sea was
too strong for the one time Barbarian
kansas City Star.
Willy KING EDWARD I.
H.