The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-09-09
From tie New 1ork Evening PEI.

Fyon tie Ms,y.7orG Evening PEI.
THE FOUR ,zAmrN.--On the third inlan. we re-
pubhihed an article from the National In,elligcncer,
the OF jea Of which flow that the four ieameu
claimed by Capt. Humphreys from Commodore Bar
were Americans. This article appearing i'll the
government paper, was allowed fonlethng like the
weight OF an official document ard it was therefore
fuppoied tn put the controversy about the men reh
In late Boaon paper the birth place of one Of the
men who a!ledged he was bora in Mafachuietts, has
been traced to one of the Wef-Ind lilands and we
have JUN feen the copy Of letter to MIR Gallatin,
from gentleman In this place, If we rightly IN
formed which ut any rate goes TO deroy all credit
III the natemsnts of the men theMfeves.
In to The article above referred to, com. Bar
ron d 30 have reported doub,Ies taking the fae:s
from the Parties) thai William Ware, Daniel Martin
and John Little, alias francis, were iaiors on board
the brig Neptune capt. Crafts, of this place, and that
they we're preil-d OF her by the Bf.sit irigstc
Meiampus in the bay of Bifeay.
On application Capt. Crafts by the Secretary of
the Treaiury, he has made particular aa,ement ref
pceting theie men, which we have .een and now feel
It to be duty avail ourieves of the information
it contains, 70 far let the public know what fort
OF people thele four are, and what credit is due
TO them.
Capt. Crafts iate,, that he fled in the brig Nep-
tune from New-York for Bordeaux in AuguR, 1905
On the nth of November following, he was ia
ken in the bay of Bicay by the Melampus, then
commanded by capt. Poynts, and ient into Plymouth,
England. All the crew except himielf and boy and
all the paiengers taken and an officer aud g
men put on board 70 navigate the vele. He arrived
at Plymouth the 27th. The velIel and cargo IL
bersted, bu, remained there 10 complete fcme re
pairs, and for oe his crev, the Melampus no,
having arrived. On the fra OF January following
the Malampus did arrive and Immediately delivered
mp the svbO!e ers7v, among whom the aforci,id
VIM. Ware, DAME, Martin and John Little, or Fran
els, all men of colour. Thele three with one
Sidney Jackion, being alto a cooured man, went aiore
without liberty, and nrong falpicions being enter
tanned that they hSd ftolen bag of coffee, which
was milling, aid open and robbed another, on
their return about midnight they charged with
the felony which Ware fwore he would DO no
more duty, but being intoxicated, it palt over
In the morning. Ware Martin ordered a.
fhore with the long boa; for water, which they both
deierted and left her the beach. On the captain:
going aihore he faw Ware with lome of the crew OF
the Melampus, and a1ted him why he had not filed
the calsi TO which he gave faucy anfwer, and faid
he would no: fill them. Neither he nor Martin evei
returned on board the brig again during the day
Jacfon lilewiie delerted and in the evening Ltd,
did the fame, getting into the boat of the Mciampu
as The lay along Ede.--The day Capt. Crafts ak
ed Capt. Poynts about the men, telling him their loft
would diifrels him which Capt. Poynts fad h.
did not want the men, for he had his complement
and bsides they cooured people, aud he itrong
IL iufPeaed great icoundrcs but that if they did en-
ter they ihouid expect capt. Crsfsto pay their wages
which he refuled Since that time captain Crafts ha
never ieen nor heard any thing of the men till h.
lately iaw their names in the papers, being the
Perions whee account the public inereit had beer
10 frongy excited. He lays they had American pro
teaions and he incline the belief that they are
niericans he has heard Ware boat of his deicent 8
fay that his father Scotchman, though his mo
ther was Squaw. Martin is dark mulatto, Listl
alto mnlatto, and ]acklon negro. The captain
1ays, no Provocation given them to induce then
to deiert the Neptune, but that they well treat
ed in all re(pe6s.
Such is the information contained in capt. Craft
letter TO MIR. Gallatin We communicate it TO th
public without comment at prefent.