The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-09-17
LAF|TTE
Old Time Patriot Pirate of the
Gulf of Mexico.
HE WAS C0URTLY AND BRAVE
And az Mild . hammered Man az Ever
9outtIsd Ship or Cut q Throat-Hs
Boldly Faced Andrew jackson, Won

Boldly Faced Andrew jackson, Won
His Frisndship and Fought For Him.
In the brave days of old Jean La.
fltte, the patriot pirate of the gulf.
ruled over little outlaw kingdom OF
his own within a few miles OF the city
Of New Orleans.
A picturesque figure was Jean La
fitte. with graceful. courtly delivery
about him which made him popular
with many OF the most estimable
jewellers in New Orleans. Handsome.
able, averse to the shedding Of blood
and even possessed OF loyalty to the
government whose excise laws he
made 1t his business to break.
LATTE 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.
ed harbor on the gulf Of Mexico, pro-
tected by a long island called Grand
Terre. where Jean LATTE dwelt in
house or brick. with broad and COM
Portable verandas. where one might
Toll at ease i'm a hammock. smoking
and drinking lazily, while pirate chiefs
filed in to bring reports Of plumber
taken and prospects ahead.
No crude or common pirate was this
Jean LATTE. He held Il 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. Latltte's followers
were motley collection-black. white,
yellow and red-restless and reckless
rovers of the sea. LATTE traflicked in
silk and gold and negroes aud 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 1909 we find governors OF Lou
isiana laundering against him. but La
titte went calmly about his business
Occasionally a revenue officer was kill
ell In Il brush with the pirates. lnva-
bloodshed had become necessary. A
case was brought against him In the
federal court The district attorney was
a man named Grymes. l.atitte went
10 see Gryines. and the result of the
visit was that the district attorney re-
signed his office and undertook I.utitte's
defense. He aud the lawyer who as
sisted him were promised $4,000
apiece for their services and got It.
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
hospitality and escorted him back to
the Mississippi in n handsome yawl.
laden with Baskets Of gold and silver.
Repeated attempts had been made to
organize a military expedition to dc.
stroy Lafitte's pirate colony. bnt up TO
the year 1914 they had always come
to nothing. In September Of that year
a British brig anchored six miles from
Barataria pass. and its captain came
ashore and offered LATTE captains
commission in the British navy and
$4,000 IL he would join the British in
an attack against New Orleans
Latte pretended to consider the Of
fer. sending word meantime to mem.
Der Of the legislature Of the British
captains offer and declaring that he
would never accept ii. lie sent anoth.
er letter to Governor Claiborne. who
had offered 5000 for I.aiitte's head
aud for whose head I.afitte 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
an expedition under Commodore Pat.
terson Of the United States navy
swOOped down on Barataria unexpect.
eddy. tore down the brick house, con-
tiscated much plumber and drove out
the pirates.
lean LATTE and his brother Pierre