The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-09-05
OUTLAW LAFiTTE.
Old Time Patriot Pirate of the
Gulf of Mexico.
HE WAS COURTLY AND BRAVE
And as Mild hammered Man as Ever
Scuttled Ship or Cut a Throat---He
Boldly Faced Andrew jackson, Won
His Friendship and Fought For Him.

His Friendship and Fought For n i'm.
In the brave days of old Jean La
fitte, the patriot pirate of the gulf,
ruled over Il little outlaw kingdom Of
his own within few miles of the city
of New Orleans.
A picturesque figure was Jean La
titte, with Il graceful. courtly delivery
about him which made him popular
with many of the most estima Bile
dwellerS in New Orleans. Handsome,
able. averse to the shedding of blood
and even possessed of loyalty to the
government whose excise laws he
made it his business to break
Lattte was French. He drifted to
Louisiana in the early years of the
nineteenth century and set up in pira-
cy in the bay of Barataria. shelter
ell harbor on the gulf of Mexico, pro-
tected by Il long island called Grand
Tcrre, where Jean Laiitte dwclt in Il
house Of brick. with broad and com
Portable vcrandaS. where one might
Toll mt ease in Il hammock, smoking
and drinking laHily. while pirate chiefs
filed in TO bring reports of plumber
taken and prospects ahead.
No crude or common pirate was this
jean Latittc. lie held Il privateer's
commission from the republic of Car
tagcna, which had been recently es-
tahliShed in South America and has
long since been forgotten, and this
commission gave him the right to plum
der Spanish ships. Latte's followers
were Il motley cOIiection-bIack. white.
yellow and red--reStless and reckless
rovcrs of the sea. LATTE tratticked in
silk and gold and negroes and sold
his goods openly at auction even in
the city of New Orleans
He was popular, too: there is no
doubt Of that. Had it been otherwise
he would not have been permitted to
remain five years in Barataria. AS
early as 1909 we end governors of Lou
isana laundering against him, but La
titte went calmly about his business.
Occasionally revenue officer was kill
ed in brush with the pirates. Inva-
riably Laftte 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. Lalitte went
to see GrymeS, and the result of the
visit was that the district attorney re-
signed his office and undertook Laftte'S
defense. He and the lawyer who as
sisted him We're promised 100000
apiece for their services and got it.
After the case was dismissed GrymcS
went to Barataria to receive his fee
and spent Il week fcaSting with the
pirates, who treated him with prnccIy
hospitality and escorted him back to
the Mississippi in a handsome yawl.
laden with Baskets Of gold and silver.
Repeated attempts had been made to
organize Il military expedition to de-
strOy Latitte'S pirate colony, but up to
the year 1911 they had always come
to nothing. In September of that year
n British brig anchored six miles from
Barataria pass. and its captain came
ashore and offered LATTE a captains
commission in the British navy and
100000 if he would join the British in
an attack against New Orleans.
LATTE pretended to consider the of
fer sending word meantime to Il men,
Der of the legislature of the British
captains offer and declaring that he
would never accept it. He sent anOth-
err letter to Governor Claiborne, who
had offered $1,000 for Lalitte's head
and for whose head Lattte in return,
in spirit of gay bravadO. had offered
a reward of 100000. LAtitte suggested
that the governor extend cemency to
his pirates, who in return would aid in
the defense of the state against the
British. The offer was rejected. and
an expedition under Commodore Pat
terson Of the United States navy
swooped down on Baratama unexpcct-
eddy, tore down the brick house, con-
fScatcd much plumber and drove out
the pirates.
Jean Latitte and his brother Pierre
escaped and established themselves on
the lower Mississippi. Meanwhile An
drew Jackson had arrived to under
take the defense of New Orleans. Jean
Latitte went boldly into New Orleans
to 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 pc
culiar charm and responsiveness about
Jean Laftte. 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 Lafittc showed themselves worthy
of confidence. They were excellent
gunneFs. and two of Lafittes captains.
Dominique You and n man named Be
luche, were put in charge of ships.
When the British had been driven
away Jackson recommended that La
titte and his men be granted pardon
for all previous misdemeanors, and the
thing was done
Nobody seems TO know exactly what
became Of Jean LATTE and his brother.
In 1916 we find Jean in Galveston,
Tex. whence he was chased by the
Spanish government in 1920. 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.
Our lives will be 10 higher than OF: