The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1827-08-02


selfand associate by the assignment ofthe
Court.
Edmund Dobson, the first witness called
{ was the MATE of the brig Crawford Fron
his testimony we collected the tuiiowino
facts, which we give, without pursuing the
order of his narrative ar extending. the
statement by pursuing the cross exsniipa
tions that were had. The brig Crawford
; was built at Troy, and registered last al
Providence. from which port she sailed a
bout the 9TH of April, for Natanzss, in the
Island of Cuba. Captain senry Bright.
man, master, himself matc, and Joseph
Dolliver, Oliver Potter, Asa Blcknel, Ma
thaniel L. Deane, and Stephen Gibbs, (col-
ored cook mariners. Ailer dscharglng
their cargo at Matanzas, the captain told
hlm he expected 10 have some passengers,
who were foreigners. About week be
fore they sailed, Alexander Tardy came on
board and staid all night, but returned to
shore the next day. But while taking on
board their homcward cargo, Tardy re
manned on board several days. Tie thinks
1t was about three days before they sailed,
the prisoners Felix and Couro came on
board bringing a small iron bound box, said
TO contain money. The witness was or
dered to put II under the captains birth IN
a locker, which he accordingly did in the
presence of Felix, who seemed satisfied
with this disposition Of it. From that time
tlll the vessel sailed Felix remained on
board, during which time much of the car.
90 was taken in. In the course of the ties
tlmony the history Of this box seemed To
have an important bearing on the TRIALS
| and the witness was cross examined rec
| pcctlng IT. lie said he never saw or knew
any thing of it afterwards ; and did nor
| think that IL could possibly have been
| brought from below, put on board the boa
and sent ashore, without Felix or hinsci
knowing It. lie had understood from tho
cook, who was black man, that il hat
been remoyed-And by consent, this hear
say testimony was permitted to be related
and the witness said, he was told by The
cook that Felix had caused the box to be
removed 10 q locker under the cupboard
and afterwards to Felix's own apartmcn,
and that this occurred before they left
the bay of Matanzas. Pepe cane on board
The day before sailing. The passenger
being all on board, the vessel was moved
out little from among the other shipping,
where she remained until her papers were
obtained, and there was no longer any cause
OF delay. She sailed on the 2Stl ,f HAY.
Nothing remarkahlc occur,sl r-.e fttf
morning of the lst June. They break
tasted about O'Clock. Tardy ecened to
be somewhat ofiiciou5 on the occasion. lie
helped the witness to some fried ergs and
ham and bowl of chocolate. Witness
split some Of tho chocolate. Tardy insist
ed upon IT, and actually replenshed the
bowl. After breakfast he retired to the
state room TO get some rest, having been
up all night. lie soon felt very giddy in the
head and sick at the stomach The Cap
tam soon came down, and when he ascef-
famed his situation, invited Tardy, who
proiessed to be "A Doctor TO come down
and sec hm.--T. did so said that he was
bilious and proposed an emetic. MIR
Robinson, the superCaTgo, advised him Ia
have nothing to do with his medicine, and
he determined TO defer II until tAe next
morning. lie came on the deck and laid
down on a mattrass where he remained all
day quite sick, and vomiting occasionally.
In the evening Robinson told him he had
no doubt that Tardy had given them all
poison and that, for ihs future they must
eat nothing but what was served up by
their own cook that Couro had come on
board IN the capacity of a servant. and that
he must be made TO cook for the Spa
The witness had no suspicion Of that time
Of being poisoned, as the cook had not told
him Of Terdy's agency IN cooking the
breakfast. In the evening about 2 O'Clock.
ne went into the cabin, and found the Can
tain quite UNIV ell with the asthma and q
cough who invited him 10 sleep along side !
Of him. and said that Robinson would stay
IN the same cabin with tbem.--As the /
weather was warm and he felt some solic- !
itude about the vessel, he declined, and
came on deck where he lay sbou, 4 hours
or until about IL o'clock kwhen Dolliver one
of the seamen, came to the relief the man
at the belm. There was no moon aud the !
night a clear star light night. lie gave
ID. orders TO apprise him ofany change in !
the weather, and then slept, he thinks un- |
ul between and z O'clock, when he was
suddenly swoee oy a noise the cause of |
which he did not understand. I1eran for |
ward, and 1s soon as he got little beyond |
the wl.idlass, he saw q man standing with /
a k.iiie in his hand by whom he was sc. \
.erely stabbed IN the shoulder, (the witnes. /
ses' arm was still in sliDg.) In state of |
great excitement and alarm, he ran across .
the vessel where he found Pottera sailor, |
standing in a reclinpd position, who said \
he was stabbed, and asked II they could .
get no assistance The witness siezed a
handspike from the long boat and attempt
ed to get into the main rigging. lie found
Deliver and Potter had both ascendcd be
fore him. and the blood from Their wounds
wss streaming down like rain over him and
the rigging. He saw man abont this
time leaning against the railing, who in q
short time fell az ne believed dead--He
IL was the captain and spoke 10