The Kidnapping of the President. without waiting to unload the cargo, the big flyer tore away from the dock at the top of its speed. As she straightened out in the stream and began pounding away for Mem phis under full pressure, the smoke of another steamer, desperately driven, came to sight around the last bend in the river. They had been gone something like half an hour when the escort committee sent for the captain of the boat. "I 'll call Captain Coleman," replied the mate. "Captain Coleman? " asked the leader of the escort committee. " Why, what boat is this?" "The ' Saladin,' bound for Louisville," came the prompt response. "My God! Stop the boat 1 Turn around! Stop, quick! Here, all of you, we are on the wrong boat." "Who? What? What is it? " cried the other members of the committee, as they came running up. "We are on the wrong boat," and at that the committee in a body rushed for Cole man, who appeared in the midst of the ex cited men. "Is there anything I can do for you, gen tlemen? " He was the only cool man in the lot. They pressed about him. The cabin was loud with their oaths, demands and de nunciations. But Coleman remained calm and unruffled. Then the escort went crazy. They drew their pistols and threatened the captain with personal violence.
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"Do you know, sir," cried one excited man, shaking his pistol in the face of the smiling captain, "do you know, sir, what you are doing? You are kidnapping the President of the United States." "And do you know, sir," retorted Cole man, "that the President of the United States is riding on my boat without my in vitation and without my permission?" The escort committee could make no reply, — there was nothing to say. "He came on here," continued the cap tain, " of his own free will and accord, and, certainly, I am not going to put the Presi dent of the United States off my boat unless he asks to be put off. Now, gentlemen, there are only two men in the world who can stop this boat — the President and my self. I won't stop her. It 's up to the President." The committee fell back. They might kill the captain, but that would not stop the boat. Then they went to General Taylor. The President came out looking very solemn. "Tom," he began, and walking up to him he shook his finger in Captain Coleman's face. " Tom, you scamp, what do you mean by getting me into this?" Then he turned to the angry, sulky com mittee : " Gentlemen, I reckon about all we can do now is to take a drink." And thus ended the kidnapping of the President of the United States — an incident much talked of in steamboat circles at the time, but never generally known until now.
