Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-07-30


f! Frcrcis Ogles5y. charged under the Isi
indictment, was one OF the HTe1StGbLe-
the defence was, lac could not safely leave
her after she wa captured. A special
v~ldict (with few vaTiaiions) similar TO the
rest.
Che court adjourned.
LAST CLASS OF CASES.
Yesterday, the court proceeded TO try
William Chsppels, charged under The
3d indictment with robbing an American
vessel Uhe Superior of Baliimore.) This
Indictment, as will appear from The former
calculations, rests, moi upon the act of
1919. but of 1890. The first, relates
TO Foreign vessels: the last, by tie deci.
sion OF The supreme court, To our own.
Mr.. Siauard on behalf OF the United
S,aies-Ouihat of the prisoner Mr.. W.
Wickham ami Mr.. James Riddle, who AT
the request of the court, assisted in the
defence.
Black, witness ON Ire part of SIC
prosecution, and Who bad beeu frs, L.
on board the lrresis,ab.e, stated that The
captain oi the Superior came on board
the prlvaieer, the captam at WHICH Our
Suson) knew him To be an American capt.
IAN acquaintance OF rs. al Ba,iimureJ
ha' H. American captain told +. lac had
his hoonei aud iha, +. then gave
instructions to his boarding crew, 10
respect the American properly, bui 10
bring with them all the valuables they
coult find on board belonging 10 the
Spa ish passrngers--Biack stated thai he
WAS toM by + ,nai This captain was an
american captain; and saws that lie
himself saw The American register.
he counsel Tor the prisoner asked il he
knew the register 10 he a y, nuine one-i0
which he replied he did not
They then moved the court 10 Instruct
'he jury, Ist, tina, To prove her To be All
American vessel, il was necessary that
her register, or an authenticated copy OF
II should be produced il court; 2dl.
that the capture of Spanish property in
| an American vessel was not piracy under
the act Of Congress.
The Chief Justice observed, he had
little doubt such a capture was an set OF
piracy IN the eye of the law, and as 10
The other point, he should suspend his
opinion. But, if The jury should be iu-
ciined to think, that the Superior was an
American vessel, he recommended il 80
them 10 bring mi special verdict, ,reSergiag'
| the question whether shecould he proved
10 be American properly without the
der seal-And that they might also re-
serve the point as 10 the Spanishproperly
found Ola board OF her.
The jury retired, and brought in YER
diet Of nat gully.
The u. s. Attorney then stated TO the
court, that he had no further business for
jury, and they were accordingly dis
charged-the Witnesses recognized To
appear at the next term of the court in
November next.
The other cases under the Sd mdict-
m ent will lie over until the the prosecu
ton can obtain the register, and other
evidence as To the fact OF American ow-
nership.
The poins growing out of the act of
Congress of 1919, and reserved in the
several special verdicts, will probably b.
adjOurnedt 10 The Supreme Court at Wash.
ing,on.
I'm the case Of Thomas Watson mole
pros. has been entered up by the attorney.
The other prisoners will probabiy remain
IN jail unit the winter, TO await their fate
~ We have taken some little pains to report
these cases to the public. The scenes of out
RACES on the high seas which they develope
belong 10 the history OF the times. Suchscen
ought to he understood. To repress them
should be the wish Of every American, who
values ms country, her character aud her
laws We owe il TO the civilized world 10 ar
rest such lawiess Outrsges, -perpetrateh bV
vessels and by crews who have their equip
meut aud their sanctuary in our own ports If
the law be so weak that pirates can escape
through its meshes, let strengthen il. Let
Congress do their duty and not leave Il 10
Judges and Juries TO do il for them If the law
then be underlined in its provisions let them
give clearer and m'Te practical definitions.