American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1827-06-22
Copy Of a letter to the Editors Of the Baltimore
American, dated

Fortress Monroe, June i3.
Piracy and Marder.--The Brigantine Crawford
Capt. Henry Brightman. belonging to Troy. Mass.
sailed from Matanzas on the cath ult. with cargo
for New York, and eight passengers, four of whom
Ia Frenchman and three Spanish sailors) on tn.
LIST of June about midnight, rose upon the captain
crew, and remaining passengers, and slaughtered
all except three, viz the mate MIR. Edward Dob
son. Of Somerset, (Mass.) the cook, and French
gentleman passenger; they also stabbed the mate
but he having run aloft where he remained during
the night, they spared his life in consideration o.
the assistance he might render them as navigator
After completing their bloody and revolving task
the Frenchman took the command of the vessel
destroyed her papers and coors, and substituted Q
complete set of Spanish papers which they brought
on board with them, purportng that the vessel wa.
Spanish, and that she had cleared at NlatanZas fo
Hamburg. Aware that it would be necessary tt
increase their stock of provisions for European
voyage, they tried to get into st. Marys to obtain
supplies, but the wind setting them Oft, they were
unable to fetch into port until they made the
Capcs of Virginia, which they did on Tuesday
morning, when they were boarded by pilot, WIN
understanding their object to be to obtain provisions
with the least possible delay, advised them to put
in at Old Point Comfort as tile most convenient
place, and they accordingly anchored there about
o'clock on Tuesday evening.
Mr.. Dobson, the mate, from whom the foregoing
particulars were obtained, states that on anchor
ing, the pirate captain ordered MIN to have the boat
lowered and brought alongside, as he intended to
go ashore at the Point He accordingly cot into
the boat, and as soon as she was lowered to the
water he cast off the tackle, seized oar and soul
led away for the shore, the pirate calling after
him and asking if he was going to betray him
On landing, the mate related the above particulars
to several of the officers of the fortress, who were
some time doubtful as to the probability Of the
story, but on his mentioning that the name of the
vessel on the stern had been obliterated, Capt
Dana ordered boat and rowed OIL to the vessel tu
ascertain if such was the fact. Before he had
reached the vessel, however, he was hailed from,
her by the pilot and informed that the pirate cap
tain had cut his throat The three Spaniards had
little before, by some finesse, got possession of
boat from neighborlng vessel and made thei'
escape to the Elizabeth City shore. where all dill
gence has been used to effect their apprehension
Capt Dana and his boats crew boarded the vesse
and kept possession of her until she was delivered
over to the custody of Mr.. Westwood, the custom
house officer at Hampton, to whom Col. Cratic
had in the first instance sent Information. She has
been sent up to Norfolk and an inquest was hell
on the body of the pirate captain, (Whose name
was believed, from his papers, to have been .atea
ander Tardy,) which was the next morning inter
red on the beach.
OF the victims to the bInodthirsty monsters who
wrought this horrible catastrophe, The following
particulars are obtained from Mr.. Dobson, thu
mate of the Crawford captain Henry Bright
man, of Troy (Mass.) stabbed and thrown over
board; Asa Bicknell, seaman. of Connecticut, sho
and thrown overheard; Joseph Deliver, seaman
of Salem, throat cut and thrown overheard Olive
Potter, seaman of Westport, (Mass.) stabbed des
perately but escaping from their clutches, had rul
up TO the mast head where he remained until ex
haustcd by the loss of blood he fell to the deck AM
expired Nathan -, seaman, jumped over
board, and was some time afterwards heard calling
for plank or barrel to be thrown to him, but thu
demons regarded him not; Mr.. Norman Robinson
of Connecticut, passenger, and part owner Of thu
cargo, jumped out of the cabin windows, and wa
drowned; an Irshman, carpenter by trade, from
Providence, (R. ~ who had been following hi
business for some time at Matanzas, was killed
and thrown overheard.
alexandria, June 1S.-We learn from the Nor
folk Herald that the three Piratica Spaniards wht
made their escape in Hampton Roads, from the Brl:
Crawford, have been arrested and lodged in thu
jail at Hampton. Gaxpttp.
$50 REWARD.