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Show 68, Jeffries, Islamorada [Section 2] laid over for repairs in the new city, took up wrecking, and got a reputation. In particular with the federal court. "Avoiding a certain judge, Housman sailed up our way and became king of Indian Key. Along came twenty other wreckers and their broods, and Housman soon had himself a prosperous little village out there: three streets, a post office, a mansion, Key's first hotel, the Tropical, and he's married too. "He lops off a piece of our north Monroe County and calls it Dade County, and escapes that judge. "Seminoles started fighting to the south and up in the Everglades. Housman got it in his head that he could get up federal money, to kill Seminoles at $200 a head. "There was a fleet of seven government ships based here at Tea Table, the Florida Squadron. A bunch of rummies. Florida Squadron was up on the mainland after a false alarm, and Chief Chekika and his warriors came at night to loot Indian Key and to look up Housman. Leastways he was supposed to of been there. They didn't want no contract killer on the Seminoles. Burned every building but the post office. "Busted, Housman drifted down to Key West as a mate working salvage. Nine months later, he was killed boarding a vessel aground." |