THE KIDNAPPING By J. H. OF Rockwell. THE PRESIDENT.
CAPTAIN THOMAS C. COLEMAN, who died some months ago in Louis ville, Ky., had the distinction of being the only man in the world who ever kidnapped a President of the United States. Coleman was one of the old-time Mississippi river steamboat captains, and the remarkable in cident that gave him a reputation from Louis ville to New Orleans, occurred at the close of the Mexican war, when Zachary Taylor was President. In those days railroads were few, and the Mississippi was the great high way of travel. Naturally there was intense rivalry between steamboat men, and Cole man's exploit brought thousands of dollars to him and his brothers, and established their line of steamers as the foremost in the river trade. They were the big floating palaces of that day plying between Louisville and New Orleans and the pride of the lot was the " Saladin." Nothing on the two rivers could beat her when Captain Coleman chose to turn her loose. There was a boat belonging to a rival line that occasionally disputed with the " Saladin " the sway of the river, but was always beaten. President Taylor was on his famous tour of the country. To command the boat that carried him on the Mississippi was an honor coveted by all the captains. Old " Rough and Ready " was a Kentuckian and a warm friend of the Colemans, so they expected, of course, to be chosen for the honor of carrying the President. But the wishes of General Taylor were not consulted. He was at Vicksburg, Miss., and the reception committee there de cided that the rival boat should carry him up to Memphis. When the word came to New Orleans, where the two boats were tied up, the disappointment on the " Saladin"
was the more intense as it was the loss of what they had thought a sure thing, while the joy on the rival boat was the greater from the unexpectedness of the victory. Big monsters of gloom and joy, the two steamers pulled away from the New Orleans dock side by side. "Any way, boys, we 'll show them that the ' Saladin ' is the best boat," said Captain Coleman, and his crew answered him with a will. The " Saladin " soon began to draw ahead. Then, under a full head of steam, licketysplit, up the river they came, and the people along the levees and the hands in the fields stopped to watch and wonder, for they had never before seen two boats going up the river at that speed. But every landing for the "Saladin " was a winning one. The entire city of Vicksburg was gathered on the bluff to see the President off. The big old soldier stood in the midst of the escort committee, growling and bowing, for he was heartily tired of so much ceremony and awaited anx iously the coming of the boat that was to take him to Memphis. At last, far down the river, could be seen the twin puffs of a hard-driven steamer. "There she comes! There she comes!" yelled the crowd, and began cheering the President off. Puffing and groaning the big river grey hound rushed up to the dock; the gang plank came down in an instant. She was right under the bluff, and the people above could only look down on her deck, and they were all shouting and cheering as the Presi dent and his escort went aboard. As soon as the party was on the boat they went for ward to the cabin, and then, as if by magic,
