Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1807-08-31


The four Scamen-On the third inst
we published an article from the Ma
tional Intelligencer, the object Of which
waste show that the four seamen claim
ed by Capt. Humphries from Commo-
dore Barron were Americans. This
article appearing in the government pa
per, was allowed something like the
weight Of an official document and it
was therefore supposed to put the con-
troyersy about the men at rest. In a
late Boston paper the birth place Of
one Of the men who aliedged he was
born in Massachusetts, has been traced
to one fthe West-India Islands and
We have just seen a copy of letter
to Mr.. Gallatin, from a gentleman in
this place, if we are rightly informed,
which at any rate goes to destroy all
credit in the statements of the men
themselves.
In note to the article above referred
to Commodore Barron is said to have
reported, doubtless taking the facts
from the Parties) that William Ware,
Daniel Martin, and John Little, alias
Francis, were sailors on board the brig
Neptune, Capt Crafts Of this place, and
that they were pressed out Of her by
the British frigate Melampus in the bay
Of Biscay.
On application to capt. Crafts BY the
Secretary Of the Treasury, he has
made particular statement respecting
these men, which we have seen and
now feel it our duty to avail ourselves
Of the information it contains, so far as
to let the public know what sort Of peo-
pie these four men are, and what credit
is due to them.
Capt. Crafts STATES, that he sailed In
the brig Neptune from New York for
Bordeaux in Aug. 1905. On the 18th
Of November following, he was taken
into the Bay of Biscay by the Melam-
pus, then commanded by capt. Poynts,
and sent into Plymouth, England. All
the crew excepting himself and boy and
all the passengers were taken out, and
an officer and 9 men put on board to
navigate the vessel. He arrived at
Plymouth on the 27th The vessel
and cargo were liberated, but he re-
NAMED there to complete some re- PAIRS,
and for want Of his crew, the MeIam-
pus not having arrived. On the first
Of January following the Melampus
did arrive, and Immediately delivered
up the whole crew, among whom were
the aforesaid William Ware, Daniel
Martin and John Little, or Francis, all
men Of colour. These 8 men, with
one Sidney Jackson, being also a col
Cured man, went a shore without Hber-
ty, and strong suspicious being enter
tanned that they had stolen bag Of cof-
fee, which was missing, and cut open
and robbed another, on their return
about midnight they were charged
with the felony on which Ware swore
he would do no more duty, but being
intoxicated it was passed over. In the
morning Ware and Martin were order
eel ashore with the long boat for water,
when they both deserted and left her on
the beach. On the captains going a.
shore he saw Ware with some Of the
crew Of the Melampus, and asked him
why he had not filled the casks to
which he gave a saucy answer, and said
he would not FIJI them. Neither he
nor Martin ever returned on board the
brig again during the day, Jackson
likewise deserted, and in the evening
Little did the same, getting into the
boat of the Mclampus as she Law alone
side-The next day Capt. Crafts asked
Capt. Poynts about the men, telling
him their loss would distress him On
which Capt. Poynts SAID Ne did not
antthc men, !orAe hadhis son,rl;,,,s,.