The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-05-21 00:00:00

SEIZURE OF A SUSPECTED SLAVER

BREMEN, MAY 10.—Yesterday the Bremen ship Julia St.
Edward, Captain R. Sidenborg, jun., was brought into the
Weser, under the care of a lieutenant of the English navy,
on the pretext alleged by an English cruiser, that it was to
be employed in the slave trade. This has caused a great
sensation here, because the detestation of that scandalous
traffic is . here too general for any ship under the flag of
Bremen to engage in it directly or indirectly. The following
is a simple narrative of the affair :—When that ship sailed
from Rotterdam to the Hhvannah, there to obtain a freight
in preference for an European harbour, and if that could not
be had, to purchase goods on account of the owners, the
captain received through his correspondents, Messrs. Mooyer
and Co., in the Havannah, an offer from an American house
in that city of a freight to Cabenda, on the African coast,
with lawful merchandise, and having received the assurance
both of his correspondents and of the consular residents in
the Havannah that it was a perfectly honourable transaction,
be accepted the offer, as he bad received at the same time the
offer of returned freight with salt to the West Indies, to re-
ceive which he was to sail from Cabenda in ballast. When
he arrived in the road of Cabenda, the ship was detained by
the English brig Persian, and though the examination, which
took place on board, showed nothing which could character-
ize the ship as suspicious, yet the young officer commanding
the English brig thought himself justified in ordering it to
the Weser, under such a pretext as the following :—That 200
demyohn (water bottles cased in•straw-bands, a common ar-
ticle of trade) were among the goods entered on the invoice ;
that the number of water-buts was too great, thqugh there
were only twenty, the usual quantity on board the ship, the
contents of which would scarcely have sufficed for the use of
the crew during the long voyage ; and that it was possible
that some packages which he could not get at might contain
something suspicious. The owner of the ship has at once ap-
plied to the magistrate to have the whole matter thoroughly
investigated, and both to do him justice, and at the same
time to clear the flag of Bremen from every, suspicion, that
it could lend itself to the carrying on of a scandalous traffic.
—Harnburgh paper, May 14.

A most effectual method of cleansing public sewers was
last week put in practice by the board of health in White-
haven to a considerable extent. The instrument made use
of was one of the fire-engines, by which a copious supply of
water was driven through the gratings with such force as
completely to wash away the filth which had accumulated.

EXTRAORDINARY STORY

(From the St. Louis Republican.)

We have never before had to record such a complication
of crimes in a single transaction as was presented to our ap-
palled citizens on the night of Saturday last. About one
o'clock the alarm of fire was given by the flames bursting
out of the windows and various parts of the large stone store
at the corner of Pine and Water-streets. At the time of the
discovery it was evident that the building had been fired in
several parts, and the flames bad made such progress, that it
was impossible to save either the house or any of its contents.
That it was the work of an incendiary was soon apparent.
Several gentlemen who arrived early after some difficulty
forced open the door of the banking-house, and through
the smoke discovered a body lying on the floor near the
stove. The body was taken out before the flames had
reached it, and found to be that of Mr. James Weaver, a
young man, a clerk in the store of Messrs. Von Phul
and M‘Gill, who usually slept in the room immediately in
the rear of Mr. Pettus's banking-room, with Mr. Jesse Baker,
the clerk of Messrs. Simonds and Morrison. Mr. Weaver was
found in the dress he had worn during the day, but his head
dreadfully mangled. He had been shot through the head,
the ball entering above the left eye, and so near had the wea-
pon been to him that his face and left hand were blackened
with the powder, and the little finger nearly cut off, appa-
rently by the ball. His head was also cut open in several
places, the wounds appearing to have been made with a bowie
knife or hatchet. Near to him, in the same room, were found
the hat and handkerchief of Mr. Baker, but no traces of his
body could be discovered. It is conjectured that he had
been killed either in the bed-room or some other part of the
store, and that his body lies buried in the ruins. In the
banking-house there was a large fireproof vault, in which
there is at all times a large sum of money, and it is supposed
that the murder was committed with a view of entering the
vault. Mr. Baker left his boarding-house about nine for the
store, and has not been seen since. Mr. Weaver was in com-
pany with a number of young gentlemen until about eleven
o'clock, when he went to the store, and about the time he
arrived the reports of two pistols or guns were heard in that
direction by the people in the vicinity.
Some suppose the murderers had concealed themselves in
the store, and had previously despatched Baker, and killed
Weaver when he entered. Our own belief, from all the cir-
cumstances, is that they entered with Weaver, and that the
struggle and death of both followed immediately. After the
murder they doubless fired the house in several places; with
the hope of consuming the bodies and in the expectation that
their crime would not be discovered. _ _ _

So far as there has been any means of judging, it is believed
that the murderers failed in their principal purpose—that of
entering the vault. Owing to the heat, up to a late hour
yesterday, the door could not be approached ; but when it
was it was found to be locked, and could not be unlocked.
The safe of Messrs. Simonds and Morrison, in which there
was some money, was undisturbed, and it was therefore pro-
bable that little booty was obtained. The loss, including the
goods and the building, may be set down at from 40,000 to
50,000 dollars.
From the house of Simonds and Morrison the fire ex-
tended south to the adjoining building, occupied by Messrs.
Kennett, White, and Co., the roof of which was partially
consumed, and for a long time we thought it impossible to
save the building or the row, but by an exertion demanding
of all the highest praise, the house of Messrs. Kennett,
White, and Co. was saved with the loss of the roof only.
The goods in the store, however, were greatly damaged by
the water, and the stock was very large. The amount of
damage is variously estimated at from 10,000 dollars to
15,000 dollars, fully covered by'insurance.
The store of Mr. Bernard Pratte, on the opposite side of
Pine-street, was several times on fire, and some of the win-.

dow frames were considerably burnt, but by the exertions of
those within, and the aid of the engines, no injury was done
to the building, although Mr. Pratte's goods suffered consi-
derable injury from the water.
About the break of day the interior of the first building

having all fallen in, Mr. Kimball, first engineer of the Union
Fire Company, was standing on the side walk in Pine-street,
playing on the fire through a window, when the wall sud-
denly gave way, and fell outward into the street. A gentle-
man with him made his escape, but Kimball was caught and
crushed beneath the falling mass. His remains in a few mi-
nutes were disinterred from the ruins, but the vital spark
had fled.
Mr. Weaver was a young man, about 22 years of age, of
excellent character, and had the entire confidence of his em-
ployers, and the esteem of all his acquaintances. His pa-
rents reside in the city.
Mr. Baker was a young gentleman of about 22 years of
age, the soh of a respectable family residing in Worcester
county, Maire.
It would be impossible to describe the intense feeling
which pervaded the community during the night and ensuing
morning, and, in fact, the whole day. Every one was
shocked at the enormity and boldness of the deed, and felt
that while such crimes could be committed in our midst and
the guilty escape detection, there was no, security to any
one.

The city and country were patrolled during yesterday and
Last night, and the citizens generally are using all the means
in their power to detect the guilty.

THEATRE-ROYAL, LIVERPOOL,

Under the Management of Mr. CLARKE, Sole Leseee

THE PERFORMANCES DURING THE SUMMER SEASON,
WILL COMMENCE AT HALF-PAST SEVEN.-DOORS TO

PE OPENED AT SEVEN.
FOR THE BENEFIT OF MR. WRIGHT.
Second Week of Mr. and Mrs. YATES, Mr. PAUL BED-
FORD, Mr. WRIGHT, Mr. LYON, and Mr. WIE-
LAND.
In addition to the above, the celebrated BOLENO FA-
MILY are engaged for a limited Number of Nights, and
will make their fifth appearance this Evening.
Third Night of Miss C. WEBSTER and Master WEB-
STER, of the Italian Opera House.
THIS present FRIDAY, the 21st inst., will be performed,
an Old English Drama, founded on the Papers of the
Spectator, called
SIR ROGER DE COVERLEY;
Or, THE OLD ENGLISH GENTLEMAN.
Augustus de Coverley Mr. Yates.
Sir Roger de Coverley.. Mr. Paul Bedford.
White Moll..
Helen
In the course of the Evening, the BURLESQUE CRA-
COVIENNE DANCE, by Mr. Wright ; and the popular
Duet of NIX MI DOLLY, by Mr. Paul Bedford and
Miss E. Honner.
To which will be added, a Drama, in one act, called
HALF AN HOUR FROM HEVIPHREY'S CLOCK;
OR, THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP.

Mr. Yates.
Mr. Lyon.
Mr. Wright.
Miss Herbert.
To conclude with, for the third time here, :1 new Comic Bal-
let, arranged by the Boleno Family, called
L 'AMOUR ET LA FOLIE ;
Or, The Disasters of a Bridge.
Henri .
Finick.
Popolino Madpate Signor Boleno.
Grille... M. Masson Boleno.
Annette Miss C. Webster.
On MONDAY NEXT, the 24th inst., will be performed,
for the first time here, an entirely original Drama, called
ROBESPIERRE ; or, Two DAYS OF THE REVOLUTION.
Robespierre, Mr. Lyon ; Cato Boze, Mr. Paul Bedford ;
Gracchus Guyot, Mr. Wright.—After which, will be pro-
duced, for the first time here, with new Scenery, Tricks,
&c., HARLEQUIN AND THE FLYING LADY; or
the WITCH OF THE MAGIC KITCHEN. Harlequin, M. Deu-
lin Boleno; Pantaloon, M. Masson Boleno; Clown, Signor
Boleno; Sylph, Mr. Wieland; Columbine, Miss Webster.
In consequence of the Preparations for the Performances
of Monday Evening, there will be NO PERFORMANCE
TO-MORROW (Saturday).

Quilp.
The Grandfather
Dick Swiveller
Nelly