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AFITT
BY ARY 0EVEREUX
CHAPTER XX
The following day Lafitte accom
panied by Pierre and Nato made a
hasty trip to Shell Island where he
fourfd all as he had left it and re
ceived a hearty welcome from all his
followers But when early in the aft
ernoon he returned to Grande Terre
it was to a scene of great excitement
An English warship a brig was to
be seen in the offing and a boat from
it bearing a white flag was approach
ing the island
Lafitte went himself in a boat to
meet the stranger which as he saw
through a glass held besides its
crew two officers in the English nav
al uniform
The officers introduced themselves
as Capts Lockyer and McWilliams of
His Majestys navy bearers of a mes
sage from Col Nicholls commander of
the forces in Rlorida to Capt Jean La
fitte Commandant at Barataria
I will take the message gentle
men said Lafitte when they had stat
ed their errand as it is not quite
possible that you will be permitted to
land oh the island
At this the officers conferred with
each other in low tones then the one
who had introduced himself as Cap
tain Lockyer and who was the senior
of -the two addressed himself to La
1itte
We cannot do this Our orders are
to see Capt Lafitte himself and to
place the message in his hands
Very well gentlemen be it so re
plied Lafitte But in that case I must
insist for your own welfare that you
go ashore in my boat leaving your
own to lie off the island
The Englishmen consented to this
and the boats were brought side by
side so that the officers might board
the Baratarian craft
The outlaws wondering and excited
and with arms ready for use stood
watching the returning boat wherein
the hated English uniforms showed in
JJSCBSANA
mm ILLUSTRATIONS BT DOM C WL50N
eaten
place and I invite you on the following
terms Your property shall be guaran
teed to you and your persons protect
ed in return for which I ask you to
cease all hostilities against Spain or
the allies of Great Britain your ships
and vessels to be placed under the or
ders of the commanding officer on this
station until your
pleasure is known but I guar
antee their value in all events
I herewith enclose you a copy of
my proclamation to the inhabitants of
Louisiana which will I think point
out to you the honorable intentions of
my government You may be a useful
instrument in forwarding them there
fore if you determine lose no time
Should any inhabitants be inclined
to volunteer their services into His
Majestys forces either naval or mili
tary for limited service they will be
received and if any British subject
being at Barataria wishes to return to
his native country he will on joining
His Majestys service receive a free
pardon
When he finished reading which he
had done with a rapidity suggestive of
carelessness Lafitte refolded the
papers placed them in their cover and
slipped the package inside his coat
Capt Lockyer was the first to speak
Now Capt Lafitte what have you
to say to us that we may report to
Col Nicholls
He spoke cheerfully and confidently
as if there could be no doubt of La
fittes ready acquiescence in the pro
posal
Do these papers cover the entire
matter demanded Lafitte ignoring
the question
Not altogether began Capt Mc
Williams then he paused and looked
at Lockyer as if preferring that the
latter should explain
This he did by enlarging upon the
manifest and great advantages to re
sult for the Baratarian commandant
and his followers by acceding to the
MaNnlaaMMniiiliMMwMMMiBMMaaiMaaMiMiMB
Are we to understand sir that this is your decision
seeming friendliness with their own
fellows and leader But when Lafitte
stepped ashore he bade them disperse
and motioned his guests to precede
him up the pathway leading from the
beach
They lost no time in doing this scru
tinized keenly by the resentful and
still puzzled outlaws who when the
scarlet uniforms disappeared inside
the fort with Lafitte began muttering
among themselves as to the meaning
of this strange proceeding
Lafitte going to a buffet at one end
or the room took from it several cut
glass decanters and glasses which to
gether with a large silver box filled
with cigars he placed upon the table
Permit me to offer you a glass of
wine or brandy gentlemen he said
Then you may proceed to talk for 1
am at your service I am Jean Lafitte
the commandant if such I may be
called at Barataria
Both officers stared at him in undis
guised amazement Then they again
looked at one another but now as if
for mutual comfort while they began
to mumble confused apologies
Proceed Lafitte repeated paying
no heed to their discomfiture What
do you want with me what can any
English colonel have to say to Jean
Lafitte of Louisiana that Jean Lafitte
can care to hear
Leaning back in his chair he folded
his arms and looked steadily at the
two men
Capt Lockyer rose and drawing
from the pocket of his coat a sealed
package laid it upon the table near
where Lafittes arm was resting
There said Capt Lockyer resum
ing his seat Is a most important
communication intrusted to us by Col
Nicholls for conveyance to your
hands We have orders to await your
answer
The paper ran as follows
I have arrived in the Floridas for
the purpose of annoying the only ene
my Great Britain has in the world as
France and England are now friends
I call on you with your brave fol
lowers to enter into the service of
Great Britain in which you shall have
the grade of a captain lands will be
given to you all in proportion to your
respective ranks on peace taking
proposition entering the service of His
Britannic Majesty and placing all
their vessels under the control of the
English He added with much
vpressiveness that besides the rank of
captain in tne British navy he was
authorized to promise Lafitte the sum
of thirty thousand dollars in gold
Lafitte instead of replying walked
to the fireplace and standing beneath
the pictured face of his idol Napoleon
whose eyes seemed to be regarding the
group with cold intelligence looked
down at the two seated men His
hands were clasped behind him and
his eyes held a glitter that was menac
ing
Gentlemen he said I agree with
you in saying that the matter is a
most important one for me as well as
for yourselves so important to me
that I cannot decide it as speedily as
you seem to expect but must have a
few hours in which to give it proper
consideration
Both officers looked annoyed and
Capt McWilliams expostulated
How can you possibly need to re
flect upon a proposal promising so
much for you in the way of wealth and
position as against an enemy who has
proscribed you and branded you with
infamy It is very important that we
lose no time in pushing the operations
already planned against lower Louisi
ana We must act at once and as
soon as we obtain possession here our
army will penetrate into the upper
country to make a junction with our
forces from Canada
It would appear said Lafitte as
he threw the remnant of his cigar into
the fireplace and took another from
the box that you count upon no pos
sible failure in your plans
Failure repeated Capt Lockyer
his face glowing with confidence In
deed no Our plan of campaign is
perfected and we are certain of suc
cess Regarding our chances I will
tell you that we expect excellent re
sults from an insurrection of the
slaves to whom we shall offer freedom
as the reward for aiding Great Brit
ain
The cold indifference of Lafittes
face turned to sudden sternness
Do you know anything of the negro
nature and how it would show itself
under such- circumstances he de
manded adding before they couhl an
swer him I do and Iwarn you that
what you propose- doing would be
equivalent to unchaining the demons
of hell
The Englishmen looked uncomfort
able but Lockyer muttered something
about the fortunes of war and Mc
Williams said But the cruelty of the
negroes can add little after all to the
punishment it has been decided to in
flict upon New Orleans The city is
to be given over to fire and pillage
This announcement made with
something of a dramatic air did not
seem to make the expected impression
upon Lafitte for he passed it by and
said somewhat impatiently and with
unmistakable decision I repeat that
I cannot answer you before morning
and such being the case I must re
quest that you remain here over
night
The two officers had risen and now
stood before him their faces showing
mingled consternation and anger
Are we to understand sir that this
is your decision demanded Capt
Lockyer excitedly
You are unless you see fit to give
up all further negotiations with me
In case you accept what I suggest
answered Lafitte you will send an or
der for your crew to return to the brig
and to come for you at noon to-morrow
The tone of quiet authority accom
panying the words appeared to leave
no alternative for the British officers
who could only nod fheir assent evi
dently deeming it more diplomatic to
check the anger showing in their
faces
Lafitte smiled and moved toward
the door
Now I must leave you but I will
place you in the care of Scipio a
faithful old servant who will attend
to your comfort
They bowed stiffly and he went out
closing the door after him and the
officers heard him lock it and remove
the key
Scipio soon appeared with a lighted
lamp This he placed upon the table
and taking notice of those present
proceeded to work with the result
that in a few minutes a cheery fire
was blazing And as the Englishmen
drew their chairs to the hearth the
old negro closed and barred the heavy
shutters besides placing for the night
an iron bar across the already locked
door
We seem to be prisoners rather
than guests remarked Capt McWil
liams in a tone too guarded for his
words to reach the partially deaf ears
of Scipio who was busy at the table
It is a cheap price to pay after all
if it results in bringing him over to
us said Lockver in the samfi low
- i
tone Those hands of his and his i
manner the whole cut of his jib
suggest the idea of his being quite able
to hand a lady her fan with the grace
of a courtier but they also suggest to
me at least his ability to clutch an
enemy by the throat and hurl him ovei
a cliff or make him walk the plank
To be continued
GOLD IN THE EAST
Immense Amount of Precious Metal
Waiting for the Miner
I believe that from Halifax to Ten
nessee in a line winding around
through Maryland Virginia and the
Carolinas there is going to be a re
habilitation of gold mining said Col
A B Ituss of Montgomery county
Md at the National last week says
the Washington Post When the
miners went West in 1849 they left
this very field I am speaking of and
after that field was explored they
came back to a richer field in Colo
rado which they had entirely over
looked After a time they went to
Alaska and just a short time ago rich
fields were found in Nevada from
which millions have been extracted
But it seems to be little known that
right around this neighborhood of
Maryland and Virginia there are rich
deposits of the precious metal I
think it would surprise many people
to know that not long ago in my coun
ty some god was assayed that yielded
236 to the ton while the average
was 8 to 10 In another place there
2000 was dug up in one day and all
this by entirely crude methods It
runs through a vein of quartz some
eighty feet down Near Great Falls
seven veins have been opened from
three to twenty feet wide Six Colo
rado mining capitalists a day or two
ago bought 600 acres of land in that
locality for the very purpose of ex
ploring this It is not confined to
that locality either I have driven in
my buggy 600 miles from Maryland
down through the Carolinas and have
found many places where the same
conditions prevail In South Carolina
there are mountains of iron ore that
have never been touched I tell you
the mineral resources of the eastern
South are unknown
Berlin at Night
Berlin is at its best at night says
a traveler They have discovered the
secret of electric lighting and when
people step out from their offices and
shops at eight and nine oclock at
night it is into an enchanted city
Tho solid palaces the monstrous stat
ues the enormous houses and wide
spaces of the long and stately streets
are then soft and gracious with a
fairy radiance It is a city not only
of prosperity but of pure delight The
heaviness of the buildings and the
rigidity of their lines are blurred and
softened In the clear northern air
the million lamps blazing from the
walls of houses snining across the in
terminable streets and glowing in a
straight line down the whispering av
enues have something of the magic
gentleness and sensuous inspiration of
an Arabian story You begin to think
Berlin is the greatest city in the
world Montreal Herald
LEGISLATURE
of NEBRASKA
A Synopsis of Proceedings of the Twenty Ninth Gsiv
1 O
era oession a
SENATE These bills were read a
third time and pased in the senate on
the 14th S F 04 allowing any one
whether an officer or not to seize a
seine or net being used illegally S
F 79 to provide that inebriates and
those addicted to the dope habit be
confined in the asylum for treatment
40 providing a penalty for overwork
ing a horse or mule and for unneces
sarily tormenting any other animal
S F 41 providing that corporations
shall act as guardians trustees etc
This bill was objected to yesterday
because it was argued that it would
place all of the probate business of
the state in the hands of foreign cor
porations but today there was no ob
jections to it A large number of bills
were
many
reported tor general file and
recommended for passage
HOUSE The house on the 14th
took up bills on third reading and
passed To give to cities and villa
ges the right to foreclose tax sale
certificates immediately after their
purchase and to provide rates of in
terest in such tax sale certificates
Providing for a state accountant at a
salary of 2000 a year Giving to res
taurant and boarding house keepers
the same legal protection against
fraud as is accorded hotel and inn
keepers Providing for the payment
of the entire county road tax in cash
To make the penalty for breaking
and entering apply to buildings of all
characters Providing for construction
of plank brick stono and concrete
sidewalks in cities under 50000 popu
lation Making the open season for
deer and antelope August 15 to No
vember 15 on prairie chickens sage
and grouse Sepember 1 to November
30 ducks and other wild water fowl
September 1 to April 15 jacksnipe
and yellow legs September 1 to May
1 wild pigeons doves and plover
June 15 to August 1 trout April 1
to October 1 other fish April 1 to
November 15 prohibiting killing of
quail during 1905-6-7 and fixing open
season on them after 1907 from No
vember 1 to November 30 limiting
number of geese or brant to be killed
per day by a single hunter to ten
game birds twenty five and prairie
chickens ten during the month of
September The bill imposes a fine of
55 a bird or sentences of ten days for
each for all birds killed in excess of
the legal number Providing that the
proceeds of inheritance tax shall be
used for the construction of perma
nent roads and go into the road funu
Vesting in the State Banking Board
discretionary power as to the integ
rity and responsibility of persons ap
plying for banking charters Appro
priating the 15000 balance from the
Worlds Fair state fund to enable Ne
braska to paricipate in the Lewis and
Clark exposition in Portland Ore
and providing for the appointment by
the governor of a board of commis
sioners to carry out the provisions of
this act A call of the house was
necessary to secure the twothirds for
an emergency clause
SENATE The Shreek rraternal
bill providing for an elected member
ship of 95 per cent to control the af
fairs of lodges was killed in the com
mittee of the whole in the senate on
the 15th House roll No 30 was recom
mended for passage giving the frater
nal societies the right to incorporate
All the orders were included and sen
ate files Nos 10 and 12 were inde
finitely postponed House roll No 102
by Ward to give 3000 to the South
Bend hatcheries was recommended for
passage House roll No 146 was re
commended for general file The bill
regulates the speed of motor cars
Senate file No 169 the Shreek drain
age bill was recommended for gener
al file House roll No 128 by Rouse
regulating the payment of hotel bills
and providing a penalty for neglect
thereof was read for the first time in
the senate Senate file No 7 by Shel
don was passed without the emer
gency clause The bill provides a 1
mill levy to pay the state debt Senate
file No 21 by Vore to regulate the
passage of traction engines over
bridges was recommitted to the com
mittee Senator Gifiins reapportion
ment bill was recommended
HOUSE When- the house met on
the loth Jones of Polk called up his
resolution calling for an investigation
of the action of the state board of
public lands and buildings for having
used to build cottages at the Norfolk
asylum 100000 that was appropri
ated two years ago to rebuild the west
wing of the asylum which had been
destroyed by fire A motion to table
the resolution was defeated House
roll No 133 by Jouvenat to provide
a guaranty deposit fund on interest
bearing deposits in state banks by
an annual tax of one fifth of 1 per
cent on deposits to be paid by the
banks was defended by its introducer
and opposed by Howe of Nemaha
Ferrar of Hall Wilson of Pawnee and
other members The bill was recom
mended for indefinite postponement
These bills wrere introduced To per
mit state officers in case of emer
gency to purchase stationery costing
less than 25 without intervention of
the state printing board To redistrict
Nebraska into senatorial and repre
sentative districts To amend chapter
43 of the Compiled Statutes of the
etate of Nebraska of 1903 by adding a
new section To prohibit the stealing
of or attempting to steal rides on
trains engines or cars or any part or
portion thereof or climbing thereupon
while stationary or in motion and to
provide a penalty and punishment not
exceeding sixty days in jail and 25
fine Authorizing county boards to ac
quire title to land to be used for pub
lic road purposes To amend sections
5 and 45 chapter 28 of the Compiled
Statutes of Nebraska for tho year
1903 relating to the fees of sheriffs
and other county officials Fixing the
salaries of sheriffs and the manner of
appointing and paying their deputies
To fix the minimum number of trains
and regulate the running time on rail
roads in the state of Nebraska
SENATE The senate got busy on
engrossed bills on the morning of the
16th and passed these measures S
F 107 transferring 264615 from the
penitentiary special labor nind to the
general fund S F 104 allowing coun
ty courts to dispense with administra
tion of estates and to enter decrees in
certain cases S F 128 providing
when a husband or wife is competent
to testify for or against each other
S F 113 to prevent the illegal ex
penditure of public funds S F 123
to repeal the statute providing for the
appointment of county attorneys S F
106 to transfer 693945 from the in
heritance tax fund to the general fund
of the state S F 129 to provide for
suspended sentences in cashes of wife
desertion S F S6 district cleric fee
bill S F 116 providing for the pay
ment of road taxes in cash or labor
A motion by Sheldon of Cass was
adopted to not consider H It 49 pro
viding for the establishment of a
binding twine factory at the state pen
itentiary until the appropriation bills
had all been considered
HOUSE In the house on the 16th
H R 20 by Richardson of Madison
appropriating 35000 for general re
pairs at the Norfolk Insane asylum
including the rebuilding of the old
wing was favorably acted on despite
the protest of Jones of Polk who
wanted the bill to lay over until the
investigation committee appointed un
der his resolution yesterday reported
H R 62 by Ernest of Johnson pro
voked much discussion being an ap
propriation bill It provided 10000
for an agricultural pavilion at the
State fair It was recommended for
passage H R 110 Junkins anti trust
bill was amenled so asto have suits
brought under this act for its enforce
ment in the state and not county
courts The bill has been recommend
ed for passage H R 1Q5 by Rouse of
Hall requiring saloonkeepers to give
guaranty bonds of 5000 was recom
mended for passage but Horton moved
to except it from the committees re
port and have the bill recommended
for indefinite postponement Burns
moved to except H R 169 his bill to
allow university regents to condemn
land for university purposes which
had been reported for indefinite post
ponement and recommended it for
passage S F 198 by Epperson of
Clay and Meserve of Knox To estab
lish a State Engineers Examining
board S F 199 by Gilligan of Holt
To amend an act to regulate the pur
chase of supplies and to create a
Board of Control therefor The Board
is composed of the members of the
Board Of Public Lands and Buildings
and is authorized to purchase supplies
in wholesale quantities S F 200 by
Cady by request To allow the state
board to grant certificates to osteo
paths when latter have diploma from
a school of osteopathy
SENATE On the 17th S F 60 in
creasing the salary of the game war
den and fish commissioner was pass
ed Standing committees reported as
follows for the general file S F 181
allowing a township road district or
precinct to vote a tax of 25 mills for
the improvement of public roads S
F 51 making state warrants draw 4
per cent interest school district war
rants 5 per cent warrants of town
ships or sub divisions less than a
county to draw 7 per cent interest S
F 50 51 52 and 53 bills to amend
the present decedent law H R 52
legalizing the use of voting machines
H R 29 to pay to former Attorney
General Prout 240 which he paid for
a bond H R 98 to provide jury trials
in justice courts H R 97 to provide
for a change of venue where cases
are to be tried in justice courts H R
100 to provide for payment of cost
in changes of venue from one justice
court to another H R 99 to fix fees
for jurors in cases tried in justice
courts Among new bills were the fol
lowing Establishing a standard for
state printing To label penitentiary
made goods and to regulate the sale
thereof A judicial apportionment bill
recently printed herewith To make
justice of the peace outside of towns
overseers for the poor and to compel
county boards to employ physicians
for country districts to be paid not
more than 200 yearly To authorize
the leasing of the home for the friend
less when vacated To fix the salaries
of deputies to state officers at 1S00
The present law provides that the de
puty secretary of state and deputy
state superintendent shall each re
ceive 1500 a year Each is now get
ting 1700
HOUSE On tho 17th IL R Ill by
Copsey of Custer providing for tho
distribution of tho temporary school
fund on tho basis of tho number of
school districts instead of population
was indefinitely postponed Jackson of
Antelop made a strong plea for tho
bhl urging that it was needed in the
western part of tho state where tho
sparsely settled communities did not
get their just share of this fund Ono
item of business was to henr and act
on committee reports on forty bills
The general file containing forty
three bills was entirely cleaned up
All the bills which sifted through tho
strainer of the committees go direct
ly to the general fUe Casebeer of
Gage won his fight to compel mem
bers to sign applications for supplies
before receiving any at the first of
each session The bill provides- that
at the end of each session the State
Board of Public Lands and Buildings
shall invoice legislative property left
over and hold it for the next session
and that no member shall be supplied
until he shall have made written ap
plication on regular blanks furnished
for that purpose McCIays bill appro
priating 10000 to re imburse T P
Kennard was recommended for pas
sage The bill says M Kennard as
secretary of state under Governor Fur
nas expended out of his own pocket
10000 in the prosecution of claims
on the sale of Indian lands Ho was
to receive -50 per cent of tho money
thus collected The house revenue
committee reported for indefinite post
ponement the fusion caucus revenue
bill and the report was confirmed by
the house The bill was rather volum
inous and made sweeping changes in
the present revenue law
Senatorial Districts
The apportionment bill introduced
by Giffin of Dawson was amended by
the steering committee as follows and
placed on general file on the 13th
Following are the senatorial districts
as arranged by tho measure
District No 1 shall consist of tho
counties of Richardson and Pawnee
and bo entitled to one senator
District No 2 shall consist of the
counties of Johnson Otoe Cass and
Nemaha and be entitled to one sena
tor
District No 3 shall consist of the
counties of Saunders rnd Sarpy and
be entitled to one senator
District No 4 shall consist of the
county of Douglas and be entitled to
four senators
District No 5 shall consist of the
counties of Cumins and Burt and be
entitled to one senator
District No G shall consist of the
counties of Thurston Dakota Dixon
and Wayne and be entitled to one
senator
District No 7 shall consist of the
counties of Pierce Madison and Stan
ton and be entitled to one senator
District No S shall consist of the
counties of Cedar Knox and Boyd and
shall be entitled to one senator
District No 0 shall consist of the
counties of Holt Wheeler Garfield and
Antelope and be entitled to one sena
tor
District No 10 shall consist of tho
counties of Boone Merrick and Nance
and be entitled to one senator
District No 11 shall consist of the
counties of Dodge and Washington and
be entitled to one senator
District No 12 shall consist of the
counties of Platte and Colfax and b
entitled to one senator
District No 13 shall consist of the
counties of Hall Howard and Greeley
and be entitled to one senator
Distrct No It shall consist of the
counties of Polk and York and be en
titled to one senator
District No 15 shall consist of the
counties of Butler and Seward and be
entitled to one senator
District No 1G shall consist of the
county of Lancaster and be entitled to
two senators
District No 17 shall consist of the
county of Gage and be entitled to ono
senator
District No IS shall consist of the
counties of Saline and Fillmore and be
entitled to one senator
District No 19 shall consist of the
counties of Jefferson and Thayer and
be entitled to one senator
District No 20 shall consist of the
counties of Hamilton and Clay and be
entitled to one senator
District No 21 shall consist of the
counties of Adams and Kearney and
be entitled to one senator
District No 22 shall consist of the
counties of Franklin Webster and
Nuckolls and be entitled to one sena
tor
District No 23 shall consist of the
counties of Phelps Harlan Gosper and
Furnas and be entitled to one senator
District No 24 shall consist of ths
counties of Frontier Red Willow
Hitchcock Hayes Chase and Dundy
and be entitled to one senator
District No 25 shall consist of the
counties of Buffalo and Dawson and be
entitled to one senator
District No 2G shall consist of the
counties of Sherman Valley Custer
Loup and Blaine and be entitled to
one senator
District No 27 shall consist of the
counties of Rock Brown Keya Paha
Cherry Sheridan Box Butte Dawes
and Sioux and be entitled to one sena
tor
District No 2S shall consist of the
counties of Lincoln Perkins Keith
Deuel Cheyenne Kimball Banner
Scotts Bluffs McPherson Logan
Grant Hooker and Thomas and be en
titled to one senator
Force of Dynamite
Dynamite explodes so rapidly that
its force is exerted in the direction
from which the greatest pressure
comes That is if the dynamite be
placed on the ground the explosive
force is down if it be hung against
a wall its force attacks the wall if it
be hung under an object its force is
upward
Cost of Capital Punishment
France was on the verge of abolish
ing capital punishment because of tho
expense Yet the salaries of the exe
cutioner and his assistants amount to
only 3S0O a year with fees of 4 for
each execution outside of Paris and
it cost 300 a year to stable the
guillotine
London Births
The average of births in London Is
11000 a month It is computed that a
single months births of male babies
would nearly suffice to replace the
men lost by England on the Boer bat
tlefields
