Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-09-30


tence by which that poor man (Estevan
MartiDez) is about to be hung, 10 most
unjust: Tor lie had no coocern with Us,
who were the pirates; he murdered no
one, and he robbed no one; 1t 10 most
wicked to hang an innocent man. He
ia not guilty; no, he is net; by God be
IS not am guilty, and SO are tho 9th.
ers, but not Es,eyan Martinez, who 10
upjas,iy judged. murdered the 9TH
cert for | killed him after we took
him and had tied him to tree, and 1
am suffering Justly, but poor Martinez
is undergoing this death for the crimes
of us. Now and ever I'll declare his
innocence; and again he invocated the
name of the Almighty in attestIng the
truth Of the innocence of Nartinez,f
hoping that some good persoa would let
his friends in Cuba know, that be was
not guilty.
jose Maria de los Santos also con.
fessed his guilt; but strenously asserted
the innocence of Martinez.
Esievan Martinez was decent look.
ing man. and of rather prepossesslDg ap.
pearance. He several shines declared
that be was innocent; and when the cap
was drawn over bis eyes, he begged it
should be Withdrawn; and as it fearing
that death would prevent the expression
OF his feelings, with rapid utterance,
and shivering he exclaimed, An inpo.
cent man dies for what he never did
my last words-Oh God =
The drop then fell.
Calisto Morales also said he was in.
nocent.
Another said he was thief and mur.
derer, but no pirate.
The other cuiprits confessed their
guilt, and acknowledged the justice of
their sentence.
Esteyan MARTINEZ died instantaneous.
ly, but several of the others were much
convulsed. One of them, q very old
man. seemed TO be long in pain, for his
hand. were clenched; ill the nails en-
tered the flesh. Just before the drop
fell. the general trembling of all the
prisoners, and their shrill eJaculations
TO their patron Saints, manifested the
horror with which they anticipated the
death, to which they were SO Justly
doomed.
Previous to their execution, one OF
these criminals stated, that there were
several hundred pirates on the Coast of
Cuba, and this would always be the
case while the merchants and store.
keepers of that Island purchased from
the pirates their plunder and various
autho rities permitted. and secretly en-
couraged them in their nefarious acts.
This was stated in the presence of
Spanish priest.
The Rev. Isaac Mann, was most as.
siduous in attending oD, and offering
spiritual consolation to these wretched
outcasts.
tMost likely Lieut.. Layton, who it appears
from the evidence given at the trial, was seen
tor the last time, by one Of his sailors, stand.
ing at the stern OF his boat, and refusing to sur.
render himself to the pirates. Midshipman
Strobe was killed by the first fire, bail pass
ing through his head.
martinez was convicted o. being an acces-
sary before the murder 1t was deposed to by
one of the witnesses, his own friend and part
ner, that Martinez had carried letter from
one piratical Ghetto the other; that he was a.
ware of the acts committed by the pirates, and
of their abode. Other witnesses proved, that
he was in possession of part OF the booty
plundered by the pirates; and others stated in
evidence that by knowingly and deliberately
giving false information to the British cruizers,
he had luIled Lieut.. Layton and his party into
that fatal security which cost their lives. 1t
is evident that Martinez we'll deserved his fate.
SHIPWRECKS.
CHARLESTON, Sept FL The British
ship in the offing. dismasted. is the John
4. Mary, (of L,v,rpooD Lawton, from
Honduras, bound tor Cork for orders, She
lett Honduras in company with the fleet OF
which the barque Wilding, on shore at
Siono, was one. She took the gale on the
18th inst. and during the night lost tore
and main top masts, most OF her sails, aud