From The New-York Times April 30, 1861:
PIRACY ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
CAIRO, Ill., Monday, April 29.
The people of Helena, Ark., seized the steamer Mars and a Cincinnati packet on Friday, and took from her 400 barrels of molasses, a large quantity of sugar, resin and turpentine, all for Cincinnati, The boat is tied up there, with a cannon placed on the shore directly opposite her. The Helena folks say the Cincinnati people can have the the boat when they take her, and not until then.
A most unjustifiable attack was made on the steamer Westmoreland, a New Orleans packet, at Napoleon, Ark., on Thursday night. It appears, from the statement of the Captain, that he rounded to at that place for the purpose of taking in freight. As soon as the boat was tied up the clerk went on shore. In a moment he returned, and said the wharf-master informed him that the mob was going to take the boat. This information was immediately followed by a volley from the guns and pistols of a crowd of fifty or sixty persons. The boat was crowded with passengers, many of them were ladies. A passenger named HENRY HAMMER, of Memphis, was shot through the heart and died instantly. One fireman was wounded. The Captain had the wheels set going, breaking the line and go off. A straggling fire was kept up for some time.
The boat arrived here last night. The holes in her look as if made by grape-shot fired from a cannon.
I guess the people really do rule in Arkansas.
