The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-12 00:00:00

THE SLAVE TRADE IN NEW YORK.

(Front the Journal of Commerce.)
We learn_ upon inquiry of the United States' Deputy
Marshals that the fitting put of slavers from this port
continues. In fact, this business was 'never prosecuted
with greater energy than at present. The occasional
interposition of the legal authorities exercises no appa-
rent'influence for its suPpression. It is seldom that one
or more vessels cannot be designated at the wharves,
respecting which there is evidence that she either io or
has been concerned in the traffic ; and within the last
nine months thee alleged slave cases of the character
ref,rred to have been before our courts, resulting, in one
instance, In confiscation. That such is the fact is not
surprising, when it is considered that a vessel must be
procured in the United States in order to secure the
proteCtion of the United States' flag, which prohibits
the right of search; and that New York, as affording
the best facilities for fitting out stave ships with*the least
liability of detection, necessarily becomes the centre of
operations. Add to this the strong appeal Which'this
traffic presents ,to man's cupidity and the ease with
which the law is evaded.

That a large illegitimate trade with the coast of Africa
is carried on from this port is veryevident, for the nunabir
of vessels annually fitted
.out here is altogether, dispri?-
portiOned to the amount of imports and erpOrts, and
quite sufficient to 'do 'the whble business of the country
in that direction.

•
• - The manner of etheducting this 'trade has undergone
, some change within a few months, which it is well to
observe. Parties in Cuba, desirous of fitting out a slaver
have no difficulty in procuringagents in this city, through
certain commercial houses, to negotiate for the charter
of such a craft as may be deemed suitable for an African
'voyage. They come hare with the requisite amount of
funds, and readily effect a charter, with a proviso
that the vessel may be purchased, if desired, when
she arrives at her destination. Toraulg h the potent
influence of said funds, it becomes the interest of all con-
cerned—even to the sailmaker, caulker, shipwright, and
joiner—to say no more about the matter than is neces-
sary, and as regards the cargo, Judge Betts has ruled that
its character, as ordinarily made up, can afford no
evidence justifying the vessel's detention. The vessel
thereforedeparte with the United States' flag at her peak, I
and a proper person on board provided with blank paper
the powers of attorney, sc., so that if an arrangement
can be effected for procuring a cargo of negroes the vessel
is sold at a large profit, and her late° weeis in New York
are no longer responsible for,her proceedings. her flag.
will prot,,ct her from interference by foreign cruisers, and
our own are not so numerous but that they can commonly
be avoided. The vessel is then run to Cuba, the cargo
discharged, and the vessel burnt. Humanity has been
outraged, but a princely fortune has been acquired.
The question is renewed with still more earnestness;
"Cau the•fitting; out of slavers here be prevented ?"
There are officers in the employ of the Government
noted for their sagacity and lung experience in connec-
tion with this subject, who answer that it can, by so
amendine the law relating 'to the shipment of crews
that vessels engaged in the African trade shall take
none but Americans. Though such a law might seem
unjustly oppressive upon that branch of commerce
the exigency of the case may afford a sufficient justi-
fication ; and in fitting out in the manner proposed the
25 er 30 small vessels legitimately employ.l in this
trade no insuperable difficulty can be presented, It is
aro:et' that African slave traders invariably lake fo-
reign crews, mostly Portuguese---men' who are not likely
to be troubled with conscientious scruples, and whose
manner of life renders them difficult to find, whether
wanted as criminals to disclose their participation in any
of these transactions. Americans, and those of other
nationalities, could not easily be induced to engage in
slave trading, except under false representations, and
their deceivers' would be liable to suffer for their teme-
rity before a tribunal of jn;tice. Crews for savers are
not procured in the ordinary way, but picked up as
opportunity may offer. There is a man in the Fourth
Ward who is reported to be an extensive shipper of
crews for the American coast ; and another, a shoe-
maker by trade, who does much of the same kind of
business. It is represented that no difficulty could
arise in determining either the nationality of a
mau or the destination of a vessel ; that the plan now ,
proposed is eminently practicable ; and that its adop-
tion would necessarily be followed by a suppression of
the evils so rapidly increasing and so loudly demanding
a remedy.

THE DOUBLE MURDER IN THE WEST
BIDING. -

Although the police have been incessantly engaged
since Friday last in endeavouring to trace the person
or persons by whom the foul murder of Mr. and Mrs.
White, of Bolton-on-Dearne, was committed on the night
of the 4th inst., up to yesterday (Thursday) no clue to
the solution of the mystery in which the affair is in-
volved had been obtained. As the investigation pro-
ceeds, however, it, becomes more doubtful whether the
deed was committed from motives of plunder. It hat
not yet been ascertained that anything was taken from
the house. The desk on the open shop counter had
evidently not been searched, the lid being found propped
up, and a calomel powder upon it ; while'the contents,
consisting of a cashbook, small tin box, canvas purse,
and other articles, were all laid neatly and straight.
The shop till was empty, but it is known that the dis
ceased had not kept any cash in it since it was robbed,
about two winters ago, and the young man who on-
tained change for a sovereign from Mr. White at eight
o'clock on the night of the murder saw him take the
silver from a purse iu his trousers' pocket, and saw
him put the sovereign into that purse. In the bed,
room over the shop was a chest of drawers, the bottom
one of which was open, and a few articles of wearing
apparel were placed on the top ; but on the day of
the murder Mrs. White had had a woman to wash,
and had therefore probably removed the things from the
drawer herself, for it is hardly likely that a thief in
search of money would have tried that drawer in pre-
ferenee to the others, none of which had been disturbed.
In the same room there i a cupboard, the door of
which was bound ajar, and in it an empty portemenneie,
but nothing was disarranged, and the purse was closed
and clasped as it might have been left by the deceased
about,tnehhvoi mef. In
though
rufsogowlhtta.
found the other
displaced two
dis e
rd e
re nothing
There
were
no
therer
murdered
su
wasodne
r et hdae
ostairsup largel
couple,
oragnu
dai
quantity
tracest tyh ee
of bf egd bloodor or eo r noeli,
foundt ah le
lower part of one of the shop counters. Mr. Mite
had in his trousers' pocket a purse containing 1/. 165.,
which the murderer did not take. The inference from
these facts is, either that the object of the assassin was
not plunder, or that he was prevented from accomplish.
ing his purpose. The barking of the deceased's little dog,
which some of the neighbours heard at about the time
the murders are believed to have been committed, might
have compelled the assassin to beat a hasty retreat be-
fore he could rifle the house, although a man who had
murdered two people for the sake of booty wou d scarcely
be deterred by, any trifling impediment from completing
his object. On the other hand, the very extensive inju•
ries inflicted on the heads of both the deceased seem to
indicate that the person who caused those frightful
wounds intended to do something more gran merely stun
the old people while he robbed them. If his intention
was to murder them outright, he could not have adopted
a more certain method of despatching them. Both Mr.
and White were so generally respected in the village
and neighbourhood that nobody in the place would be
stse entertainingd
iaanbyo
Imi
aa i gs
pn
iarni
tt feefe ienvgesu
gt oewaasr dt
es
much to be regretted that, owing to the ignorance of the
them,
promptsuspected2tuhceohifreldeliberate and cold-blooded murder. It is
en
persons who took possession of the deceased's house on
the discovery of the murder, the officers of justice have
been baffled and impeded in their investigations into
this shocking tragedy. People were allowed to go in
and out of the house indiscriminately, trampling the
blood into the village in all directions. The bodies
were removed from the plpces where they were found,
and the blood washed out before either the coroner's
jury or the plies had had an opportunity of in-
specting the place. At the inquest these proceedings
were severely censured by the coroner, who said all con-
couldtheystables ought to understand that it was their duty in
cases of this description to prevent the least disturbance
of the bodies of persons supposed to be murdered, ex-
poluateeowf
where
ertsbey
doors, when
mustcept takenwbheen
theyt
o
re-
main until after the inquest. In the present instance
he had been quite shocked to hear that the house had
t werehe nearest found
been made a sort of peepshow of. Mr. T. Badger, county
coroner, has communicated with Sir George Grey, the
Secretary of State, and received from him authority to
offer, on behalf of her Majesty's Government, a reward
of 1001. (in addition to any local reward) for such infor-
mation as shall lead to the conviction of the murderers.

A TRIBUTE TO GENIUS.—One of the most popular
political writers twenty years ago, having fallen upon
evil days, has been presented by a literary nobleman
with a magnificent Chatelaine, valued at 400/., and
manufactured by Hunt and Roskell. The gem is to be
converted to the best advantage for the acceptor, and, in
order to achieve this object, the management has been
given to Mr. Sickelmore, and the article is exhibited by
by Mr. Raftery, 82, High-street, Whitechapel.
MADAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION.—During the week
this well-known exhibition has been crowded. by thou-
,33dri of visitors, pertly in c.msequelice of the Annual
Cattle Show, and the great popularity it has achieved
by the life-like, appearance of the figures represented.
We understand many interesting subjects are in pro-
gress for the visitors during the approaching Christmas
holidays,