Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-04-28
THE WOODBINE.
From the Ne,c- York american.

statement of his mate. Those whom
it concerns, will doubtless make the
proper inyestigation-towards facili-
tating which, it may be useful for US
to mention, that sailor named John
|. Brown, late of the Wocdbine, called
voluntarily at our Office on Wednesday,
to confirm the mates statement, and
left his address, which is at the SER
vice Of those who may have any inter-
est to know it.
TO THE PUBLIC.
The base and unprincipled attack on
my character, published in the New
York American, of the / th inst. under
the signature Of Joseph Blunt, demands
from me a reply. That l should be
dragged before the public by orea-
ture so wicked and abandoned as this
Joseph Blunt, is to me source OF SIN
cere regret. 1 will not attempt to fol-
low him in detail, but boldly pronounce
his statement false, from the beginning
to the end; foul fabrication, got up for
the vile purpose Of assailing me in hope
Of saving himself.
In April, 1924, while at Havre with
the ship Woodbine under my command,
being in want of mate, l engaged the
only one then to be obtained in Havre,
and THIS happened to be the above 10
seph Blunt. He was out Of employ,
and took him as my mate. We sail
ed from Havre bound to Havana. 1t
was soon apparent to me, that Blunt
was addicted to drink, and that little
reliance could be placed on him. He
had repeatedly conducted himself in an
improper manner on the voyage to Ha-
vana.
On arrival at Havana, while was on
shore experimenting the weighing Of
the return cargo, John Smith Of New
York, a fine lad Of eighteen, was Sc
verely beaten by Blunt. The poor lad
left the ship, and came Oh shore to
seek me, but being stranger in Hava-
ma, he knew not where to find me; was
taken Ill and died. The physicians in
Havana expressed strong opinion
that the death of Smith was accelerat-
ed if not caused by the blows received
from Blunt. BY the time l received
information where he was, and reached
the hospital, Smith had 6reafhed his last.
Mr. Mountain, vice commercial agent
of the y. S. at avana, is npossession
Of some Of the facts relative to this at
fair. Here l might stop, and leave the
acorthy Mr.. Blunt; but, as he has sought
notoriety, he shall be gratihed.
1t may be said why take such man
again in your ship. | answer, that the
outrage being committed on board an
American ship, Blunt is amenable to
the laws of the United States. /
would not have been justified in leav-
ing him to be dealt with under the
Spanish laws. My ship was then
bound to Europe. 1t was incumbent
on me to load and sail, with all dis
patch. Diunt was mate OF the ship
1t is not easy in Havana to obtain Off
cers-I could not avoid taking this
with me. We proceeded
to Rotterdam. Aware that he had
much 10 fear for his treatment to
Smith, he behaved tolerably well on
the voyage to Rotterdam.
We left Rotterdam in October last,
bound for Philadelphia-the ship then
we'll stocked with provisions and wa
ter. The weather soon became boiste-
rous; we had continued gales. When
about seventy days out, being off Ma
deira; l deemed it prudent to put in for
part Of our water was stove
in gale in the channel. Before we
went into Madeira, Blunt was frequent
ly overheard consulting with the crew,
endeavoring to excite them to mutiny,
take the ship from me, and carry her
to Lisbon. We replenished our stores
at Madeira, and in three days proceed
ed on our voyage to Philadelphia
After leaving Madeira we experienced
a series of gales.
About the middle of January, in lat.
IS, long. 70, to the best of my recollec-
ton, the ship suffered greatly, and was
in distress. About this time Blunt
came to me, and urged me to abandon
the ship, saying not one in FIVE hundred
would remain on board of her in her
then situation. l told him he was a
bad character, and did not
feel disposed to consult him on any sub
iect whatever. He then went forward
among the people, cried like a child, and
told them that unless they compelled
me to abandon the ship, they would all
find watery grave. The Confidential
man of Blunt was seamen named John
Shears. Even Shears would assist the
rest of the crew in working the pumps,
but Blunt refused to work. At length
matters approached a crisis with Blunt.
He severely struck Emmanuel, one Of
the best men in the ship. When / re-
with him for this he struck
me in the breast, declaring he would
rather go to the gallo,os than be dro,Cned.
then turned to, logged him soundly,
and broke him. The same night we
fell in with the ship Lewis,