The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-09 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 0, 1864.

Charge of Murder and Piracy on the High
Sea,

BOW-STREET—(Tats DAY).

This morning the ten seamen, charged with the above
serious offence, were placed at the bar before Mr. Henry.
The names of the prisoners are John Lyons, a Malay,
Borcelia la Santo, Moratio Duran°, and Francisco Palirodo,
Manilla men, Frank Power, a Spaniard, Marco Varto, a
native of the lonian Islands, Marciliano de Lacro;x, a
Greek, Miguel Lopez, a Malay, George Carlos, and John
Williams. Lyons is said to have been the ringleader,
the crimes with which they are charged.

Mr. Welsby said he had the honour to appear from the
Treasury to prosecute charges against the ten prisoners
for the murder of six persons, fur piracy, and also for the
wilful destruction of the ship Flowery Land. They formed
a portion of the crew of the vessel, and amongst whom were
Mr. Carswell, first mate, Taffer, second mate, a Chinese, name
unknown, a Frenchman named Candcrot, a boy, the lamp-
trimmer, Anderson, the ship's carpenter, and the steward ;
but he could not tell the exact number of the whole.

Mr. Henry—l suppose they all signed articles before
they went on board.

Mr. Welsby—Yes. The ship Flowery Land sailed from
London for a voyage to Singapore, under the command of
Captain George Smith. After a short time there were some
complaints about the prisoners being lazy, and they on
their side made some trivial charges, but they were in-
stantly redressed. On Sept. 10, the boy, whom he should
call as a witness, and the two men who occupied the house
on deck with him were aroused in their beds by hearing a
groat disturbance on deck, and one of them, the lad
Early, went forward to ascertain what was the cause
of the disturbance, when the first thing that met his
view was the body of the captain's brother
lying dead by the companion ladder. They afterwards
found the dead body of the captain in his cabin, and the lad
would be able to identify some of the prisoners who were
then present in the cabin. The prisoners had subsequently
murdered the first mate, and the steward, whom they had
compelled to take to one of the boats, was so pelted with
missiles that the craft went over, and he was drowned, as
it was supposed, as nothing had ever since been heard
of him. They afterwards scuttled the ship, and at the time
the vessel was being wilfully destroyed the cook and lamp-
trimmer were known to be on board, and as the prisoners
refused all escape to them, it was supposed—and there un-
fortunately appeared to be little doubt in the matter—that
the illfated individuals went down with the ship.
Mr. Henry—Where did this take place ?

Mr. Welsby—lt was not known for certain, but it was
within seven days sail of Monte Video. When the pri-
soners, with Early and Taffer, the second mate, got to
Monte Video, the boy and the second mate made their
escape, and they wandered about for more than 20 miles
inland before they could meet with any person to whom
they could communicate the horrible tragedy. Fortunately
the boy Early met a person to whom he was able to com-
municate the affair, and the authorities at Monte Video
having instantly been made aware of the transaction,a guard
was immediately sent ouc and the whole of the prisoners
were secured. On the present occasion he should only call one
or two of the witnesses who were examined before the
Naval Court at Monte Video, with a view of asking
for a remand. He should prove that the prisoners
were all on board the ship at the time the murders
were committed, and when the proper witnesses were
in attendance he should establish the case clearly against
the whole of them. He should have proceeded fur-
ther that day, but when he informed the bench that two
of the witnesses and three of the prisoners only arrived
last night from Liverpool, he felt the course he proposed to
adopt would be quite sufficient for his worship to grant
him a remand.

Mr. Henry—Quito sufficient.
Mr. Welsby then called the following witness :

James Early, an intelligent lad, who said—l am 17
years old. I shipped on board the vessel Flowery Land
as ship's boy in July last. All the prisoners formed part of
the crew. They shipped from the Wells-street Home. I
remember being on the look out on the forecastle
on the 10th of September, and also hearing the
chief mate singing out. His name was Carswill.
I saw Moratio Durano strike him with a handspike.
I did not see any other men then strike, but the mate told
me to go and speak to the captain. When I returned I saw
Durano striking the mate again, and the mate told me to go
and tell the captain. I was going to do so, when Durano
told me to go into the house on deck. I and the carpenter
and the Frenchmen lived there. I went and told the
carpenter they had killed the mate on deck. I was in
the helve about three quarters of an hour. Marco Varto
came and called the Frenchman out of his bed. Varto had
a capstan bar in his hand, he told the Frenchman to come
and take the wheel. I remained in the house with the
carpenter the whole of the night, and did not go
on deck. The Frenchman did not want to go to the
wheel, as it was not four o'clock, but Marco forced
him on deck. He threatened the Frenchman if he
did not go. I don't recollect what he said. The French-
man went. When I and the carpenter went on deck, about
half-past 5, we found a quantity of blood about the poop.
I ran down into the cabin and saw the captain's body lying
dead, wrapped up in canvas. The second mate was sitting
in the cabin crying, and Lyons was also present. The
second mate asked what they were going to do to
him. Lopez, otherwise Joseph Chances, and some others
of the prisoners, were also in the cabin. Lopez fas-
tened a rope round the captain's body, and sang out to
those on deck to pull up. Tho body was hauled up and
thrown overboard. I got to land at a place called
St. Mary's. I, Taffer, and Canderot went ~,,before
the Naval Court at Monte Video. We were
all sworn. The prisoners were present. I made a state-
ment, and signed it.

Mr. Henry—Was the statement made in English ?
Witness—Yes, and it was translated to the prisoners. I
came to England by the Parana mail steamer. Anderson
also came by tho same ship, which also brought five of the
prisoners, viz., Marco Varto, Williams, Carlos, Marciliano,
and Joseph Chances, or Lopez.
Mr. Henry (through the interpreter) asked the prisoners
whether they wished to put any question to the witness.
Blanco said there was enough of lies in the boy's state-
ment.

All the prisoners were asked if they spoke English. They
replied "No," but it was evident that they did not speak
the truth.

Mr. Welsby said that was as far as he intended to pro-
ceed that day ; and he had now to apply for a remand.
Mr. Henry at once remanded all the prisoners till Wed-
nesday next.

TREASURES AT ONE'S BANKER'S.—The money,
bullion, plate, jewellery, deeds, law instruments,
and other invaluables of depositors are, at least, of some
importance to themselves, who number thousands. Besides,
public confidence, the growth of many centuries, suffers a
sudden shock, very mischievous to all parties, when one of
these parties come to grief; life preservers, strong boxes,
bars and bolts, insurance companies, and safeguards against
fire go up to a premium; and even those who do not directly
share in the calamity, button up their breeches' pockets
against the convenience u banker would afford them ; whilst
those who go on trusting sleep the worse for it in their beds
at night. Twenty-four millions are thus disposed of among
the twenty banks of Scotland only, where the system
flourishes certainly in luxuriance. The thrifty habits of
the North Briton have urged him to devise a means of ad-
vantageously disposing of the fruits of his economy; so
that the common opinion, that the institution of deposit
banks fosters careful habits among the people of Scotland,
is taking the stick by the wrong end. However, to be one
of those whose savings go to make up the million which at
this figure is somewhat less than the treasure in the keep-
ing of but one of these institutions, makes even a Scotch-
man nervous when ideas of a banker's insolvency enter his
head.—Once a TVeek.

THE EMPEROR'S LANDING AT GENOA.—M.
Gaidin's remarkable picture of the Emperor's land-
ing at Genoa in 1859, just before the commencement of the
memorable Italian campaign, which is still on view at his
atelier, No. 20, Rue Balza°, is in every way worthy of this
eminent artist's reputation. The colour is wonderful, and
the general style reminds one of Turner, but without any of
Turner's extravagance. The water is admirably depicted;
you can almost see it rippling against the bows of the
ships, dressed with myriads of flags and crowded with
thousands of cheering spectators. The mist hangs over the
mountains in the distance, while the broad glare of the
Italian sky sparkles nn the water in the foreground—the
centre of which is occupied by the Emperor in his State
barge. Tho whole picture is full of power, life, and ani-
mation. It would be difficult to conceive a more splendid
rendering of a splendid scene.—Galignani.
RAILWAY ACCIDENT NEAR WAKEFIELD.—The
express from London, due in Leeds at 10.15, Was
two hours and a half late on Thursday night, in consequence
of having run into another train in the neighbourhood of
Wakefield. The particulars of the accident have not
reached us, but we believe that the engineman and fireman
in charge of one of the trains were rather severely injured.
—Leeds Mercury,