The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-09-25
RIVER PIRATES
OF THE OLD DAYS
A Thrilling Adventure Of the
Past Century.

During the early part Of the last CEN
fury many families were enigrating
from Virginia tt Kentucky. Their usu-
i'll route was down the Ohio river by
means of f1atbOatS.
Among the enigrantS of that day
was Colonel Alan MacMinn of Scotch.
Irish descent. His tatI'oat load con-
sisted. besides stores. of his wife and
daughter and three mel and two WON.
ell 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 fa.
mi!iarly called lite.
The Ohio and mississippi rivers were
infested in those days by some very
rough people. Piracy was not uncom-
mon. and there was no government
force to check it. One day when the
cmi@rant party We're nearing a settle
ment which is now the city of Louis
vile they saw a boat put off from the
vnOn rs it drew near it was plain it's
occupants were bent OF no good. They
were Il hard featured lot. dressed in
coon skin cups and buckSkin clothes.
and were 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 be,ow. where they were
placed under guard. The negro men
they required to work the boat.
The slaves were all devoted to their
master and his family. and went about
their work with no cheerful DISPOSE
ton. lite declared that he was de-
lighted with the capture. since by serv-
ing the pirates he might earn his free
dom. 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
civ IN what are called the falls Of
the Ohio, a part of the river where the
current is very rapid. 1t was night
and a 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 hu-
man life. Among the stores on the
boat was Il 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 n 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 passed the word to his fellow
slaves that he was about to attack
the pirates. and they promised to help
him. Since the blacks were without
any arms whatever. the attempt was
hazardous and If unsuccessful would
result In their death and possibly that
of the family. When lite spoke the
pirates were separated, but before he
could act two Of them had joined the
captain. However. lite made up his
mind to proceed.
Approaching the captain as If to
make a suggestion. he seized him
around the body. The other two men.
quickly taking warning. sprang for
lite and ~endeavored to pull him of.
One Of them drew a pistol. but dropped
it on he deck. While he was looking
for it lite succeeded in kicking his
cOmrade in the stomach. which para
lyzed his efforts, and the negro, putting
forth all his gigantic strength, raised
the captain in his arms and threw him
into the river. Then. taking up the man
lie had kicked. he served him like
wise. BY this time the man looking
for his pistol found it. but lite seized
it and shot him dead.
Meanwhile the other two negroes,
whose enemies were separated. ran to
he nearest pirate. seized him and
threw him overheard. The other two,
seeing danger. got together and were
attacked by the two blacks. One of the
blacks was wounded by a shot. and
the other was getting the worst Of it
when lite came up and. selling first
n pirate. hen the other. threw both
overheard. At the moment the man ON
guard below. having heard the scuf-
fling. came out and was served in the
same name
All this had scarcely been accom-.
plished when the captain was discov-
cred climbing over the stern. but lite
pushed him back into the river. Two
others of the pirates attempted to
climb aboard. but they were served in
the same manner
The colonel. being left unguarded,
now came up from below. expecting
that the pirates had concluded to MUIR
der the party and had commenced with
the negroes. When he found that the
boat was in possession Of his faithful
slaves. that the lives of himself and
his family had been saved. his graft
tude knew no bounds. He gave every
n of them his freedom on the spot
and promised an additional reward in
the future.
lite and his assistants successfully
navigateh the boat to Louisville. and
| tho cOlOnol WIN ho1 hoH .N,o,,rh -