Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1822-09-03
The Csurt tried JESSE, the slave
of Mr.. Thomas Blackwood.

The Csurt tried JESSE, the slave
Of Mr.. Thomas Blackwood.
The testimony against Jesse WAS ve-
ry ample. His activity and zeal in
promoting the views Of Denmark Yes
sey, in relation to the plot were fully
proved. He had engaged with Massey
to 90 out of town IN, Sunday the 10th,
to bring down some negroes from the
couatry. to aid in the rising on that
night; and. remarked to the witnesses,
on his way to Hibbens' ferry, ''ifmy
father does not Assist l will cut off his
head" All the particulars in proofa-
gainst him, he confirmed, after receive
Ing his sentence by his own full and 50.
confession, which will be
found IN the appendix, marked CID
This man excitad no small sympa.
thy, not .only iro.r The pparent since.
rity of his con tion, out from the
mild and uno entatious composure
with which he met his fate.
Sentence o death was passed on
these six men, on the 28th of June, and
they were executed on the Cd Of July.
With the exception of Jesse and Rolla,
they made no disclosures; all Of them,
with those exceptions, either explicitly
or implicitly affirming their innocence.
It-is much TO be lamented that the sit.
uatlon of the work house at this period,
precluded; after their sentence, their
being separately confined at least.
that vessey could not have been SUBJ
jected to the gloom and silence OF a 30.
litary cell. He might have been soft
ened, and afforded the most precious
confessions, as his knowledge aud agen
cy in the nefarious scheme very far ex
ceeded the information Of others, who !,
however guilty, seemed but the agents
of his will. But these men mutually
supported each other, and died obedi-
ent to the stern and emphatic injunc-
ton of their comrade Peter Poyas)
T" Do not open your bps! Die silent,
as yoa shall see me do I" 1t was, per.
haps, alone, in Denmark Vessey's pow
or to have given US the true character,
extent and, Importance of the cores
pondence, it was afterwards proved was
carried on with certain persons in San
Domingo.
On the LIST of July the Court procee.
ded to the trial of MONDAY CELL,
who, together withC HARLES DR. ~
TON, had been apprehepded. tho first.
on the eth Of June, and the latter on
the Cd of July.
By referring to the appendix 3D.
and (E the nature Of the testimony a.
gainst these individuals will be seem
In reference to the case of Monday Cell
it was established that he had been q.
very important ringleader, and that his
shop in Meeting street, was place at
which many meetings were held atall of
which he was present, lending the most
jealous aid, and affording the strongest
countenance and if any confirmation
of his guilt should be sought for, it may
be found in his own confession in the
appendix tK). After Monday Cell and
Charles Drayton were convicted there
appeared to>be pause in our further
discoveries, and some prospect of the
investigation closing with their execu-
tiop, thatof John Horny, Harry Haig
and Gullah Jack, (for the guilt Of the
latter, see Appendix d. E and F
On the 9Th Of July, however. these
five men were called before the Court
to receive sentence, and after it had
been pronounced, with the most i'm
pressive solemnity, they were with
drawn to common ward in the work
house, for half an hour, until separate
cells could be provided for them. It
was at this moment that Charles Dray-
ton, overwhelmed with terror and guilt,
went up to Monday and reproached him
with having induced him to JOIN in
scheme which had placed him in such
a miserable and perilous situation. To
this appeal Monday not only confessed
his guilt. but observed to Charles, that
their present fate was justly and pre-.
cisely what they had a right to expect,
after their detected and defeated pro.
iect. On which there Immediately en-
SUED between them conversation on
the extent of the guilt of others, in
which Monday gave Charles the names
of manv accomplices whom he had not
Il