The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-09-03
OUTLAW LAF|TTE.
Old Time Patriot Pirate of the
Gulf of Mexico.
he WAS C0URTlY AND BRAVE
And as Mild a hammered Man as Ever
Scuttled Ship or Cut a Throst-Hs
Boldly Faced Andrew Jackson, Won
His Friendship and Fought For Him.

! fittc. the patriot pirate of the gulf.
ruled over little outlaw Kingdom Of
his own within u fcw miles Of the city
of New Orleans.
a picturesque figure was Jean La
fitte. with u graceful. courtly delivery
about him which made him popular
with many of the most eStmablc
jewellers in New Orleans Handsome.
able. AYERS, tn the shedding of blood
and even EUSScSS,sl of loyalty tn the
government whose excise laws he
made II his business To break
I.aiittc wa< French lie ,lriftcd tn
Louisiana In the early years Of the
nineteenth century AMI set up in pira-
cy in the hay of Earataria. Il shelter
ed hnrbor on the gulf of Mexico. pro-
tecte,t 10y II long island called GRAND
Tcrrc. where Jean I.alitte dwclt in
house of brick. with broad and com
fOrtp Bile v"randaS. where one might
ioil at ease in II hammock. smoking
ami drinking laaily. while pirate chiefs
| filed IN to bring reports of plunder
taken AMI prospects ahead.
No crude or common pirate WAS this
joan l.niitle. lie held II privateer's
commission from the republic of Car
tagcna. which had been recently cS-
tablisllcd in South America and has
long since bcpn forgotten and this
commission gave him the right to plum
der SpaniSl ships. laiitte'S followers
were II motley collcctiun-hlack. white,
| Itul lals
rovcrs of the sea. l.alittc traliicked in
silk AMI gold and negroes and sold
his goods openly ut auction even in
the city Of New Orleans.
Ilc WIS popular. too: there is no
doubt of that. Had it been otherwise
lie would not have been permitted to
| remain five years in liarataria. As
early as 1909 we find governors of Lon.
! isana laundering against him. but la
fitte went calmly about his business.
Occasionally II revenue officer was Kill
ell in II brush with the pirates. lnva-
riably lAfittc expressed his sorrow that
blOohshcd had become necessary. \
case WAS brought against him in the
federal court The district attorney was
man named GrymeS. l.alittc went
to see GrymcS. and the result of the
visit WAS that the district attorney re-
signed his office and undertook I.atittc's
defense. He and the lawyer who as
sisted him were promised S20.WO
apiece for their services and get it,
After the case was dismissed Grymes
went to Barataria to receive his fee
AMI spent II week fcasting with the
pirates. who treated him with princcly
hospitality and escorted him back Ia
the Mississippi in Il handsome yawl,
laden with Baskets of gold and silver.
Repeated attempts had been made to
organize II military expedition Ia de-
strOy IaiittesS pirate colony. but mp to
the wear 1914 they had always come
to nothing. In September of that year
u British brig anchored six miles from
Raraiaria pass. and its captain came
ashore and offered Latitte captains
Commission in the British navy aud
$4,000 If he would join the British in
an attack against New Orleans.
LATTE pretended to consider the Of
fer sending word mcantime to mem
her of the Legislature Of the British
captains offer and declaring that he
would never accept II. He sent anoih-
e. letter To Governor Claiborne, who
had offered 5000 for Lalitte's bead
aud for whose head Iallile Ia feIiif. !
IN spirit of gay bravado. had offered
n reward Of $4,000 Laiitte suggested
that The governor extend clcmency TO
his pirates. who in return would aid in ,
the defense Of the state against the
British. Tile 0her WAS rejected. and !
an expedition uilier Commodore Pat |
teIson OF the United States navy !
swoOped down on Barataria unexpect- |
eddy. tore down the brick house. con
fiscaled much plumber and drove ont
the pirates
Jea" i-alitte and Ibis brother Pierre
escaped and established themselves on
;he lower Mississippi. Meanwhile An
drew Jackson had arrived Ia under
take the defense Of New Orleans. lean
LATTE went boldly into New Orleans
Ia see him. although the Fiery general
had declared he would have nothing to
uo WIN these pIfdIeS ana ncliiSh buh- |
dltti.' There must have been n Pc
culiar charm aud responsiveness about
Jean l.aiitlc. for after the interview
Jackson changed his miiid. accepted
the aid OF the pirates aud showed the
utmost trust In them AMI throughout
the siege OF New Orleans the followers
Of I.niiite showed themselves worthy
OF confidence. They were excellent
gnnners. AMI two ~ I.aitte's captains.
Dominique You and man named lee
l'rhe. We're put in charge of ships.
When the British had been driven
away Jackson recommended that La
fiiie and his men he granted pardon
for ali previous mls,lemeanors. and the
hing was done.
NIb"dy seems 10 know exactly what
became or Jean I.alitte and his brother
la iSiG we lind Jean In Galveston.
Eek whence be was chased by the
Spanish government In 1920. Later
here f..lnla sinri..s nf 1.ruisas I'm th..