Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1932-03-17
HIST0RY,S
MYST cries
The Fate of Jean La6tte


THOUGH less spectacular and SEN
1 sational than Capt. Kidd, Morgan
and the other raiders Of the Spanish
Main. Jean LATTE built up name
and a reputation for himself. which
was close second TO those OF the
master pirates. In spite OF the fact
that he confined his operations to the
vicinity of the Gulf Of Mexico nearly
a full century after Kidd's exploits
had passed Into history.
The name LATTE. however. Is more
or less unfamiliar. principally on &C
count OF the mystery which surround
ed the man. for no one knew whence
be came, just what he did nor what
finally became of him. AS the namo
would indicate. Lantte WAS French
man and we'll known In the extreme
South for nearly score OF years dur
Ing the early part OF the last century.
He Hrst attracted attention when No
and bis brother Pierre opened black.
smith shop In New Orleans, principal
~ as 4 blind. for neither Of them
looked the part Of blacksmith nor
made the slightest effort - a10ear
like enc. They prospsrsd. however.
for they secured negroes to handle tia
hard part Of the work, Ahils they d.
rectsd larger and more lucrative ester
prises.
II was not long. however. bsfofs
Lantte's real occupation became
known. he was pirate who would
frequently sally forth under cover ct
the night to the Gulf OF Mexico ana
return by no means empty handed
But It was not by piracy alone that
the Lanttes made themselves rich.
They worked out an even cleverer
game.
Realizing the great opportunity for
money making through the tmp0rtA-
| tion OF negro slnve~. tho I.afttes bit
upon the idea that 1t would be an
economy for them to seize the Span
| ish slave ships of the Cuban coast
/ and capture the slaves, thereby get
! ting them without cost and practical
iy without danger. for the blacks could
not be traced or identified.
Jean himself did not participate In
such piratical work. for he was the
brains OF the organization. cap
tain OF industry OF his time who ac-
knowIedged inferiorlty to no one. Ac-
cordingy. he gathered around him m
army OF no less than thousand men
and. after financing the purchase OF
small feet OF ships. Lafltte stayed
home and posed as a gentleman while
his employees carried out the plans
which he had laid. returning with car
/ go after cargo Of slaves. valued At
anywhere from 500 to 5000 each.
4 In order successfully to carry on the
work, Lafitte built harbor and for
tilted town Of his own at Barataria.
and 1t was here that he made bis
headquarters.
Finally. the government became cog
infant OF the Legitimate business
. which LATTE was conducting but, AZ
, have his counterparts OF more recent
| years the master smuggler kept out
OF the clutches OF the law for some
! time by means OF brides judiciously
applied. Then. just rs word was about
to be sent out from Washington that
Lafitte and his men must be swept
from the Gulf. the War Of 1872 broke
ont and the pirate slave trader was
ignored for larger game.
I When the British undertook the cap
9 tire of New Orleans, they offered
. Jean LATTE q large sum OF money Tor
his assistance aud that OF his men, but
instead OF accepting the offer Lantte
informed Andrew Jackson OF the en-
emy's plan and offered his services
which were gratefully accepted. Ii
: revenge the British burned the LanttS
plantation at Barataria and seized al
the slaver's ships, but the Unite<
| States. approaching his assistance
| hardened him for all the crimes which
he had committed, and when the wa
Ind ended Lafitte went back to his Oh
pursuits, settling on the land now oc
cupied by the city OF Galveston, Tex
AS. Finally, however. ne became .
andacious In his defiance OF the gov
eminent that his entire camp wa
seized in 1920. but not before the pl
rate himself had sailed away on
well-loaded treasure ship, never TO D
heard OF thereafter.
For a brief space of time the mas
ter criminal. the pirate king. had com
to the assistance OF the nation VINO
had sought to ruin his business an
nut him In irons. Then, after receiN
Ing a full and complete pardon, ne n
turned once more to his old habits
again to attract the attention OF On
forces of law and order. What TAI
finally overlook him Is riddle Whic
has never been answered.
t6G by the Wheeler Syndicatei