Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-12-10
MURDER AND PIRACY.

Ner Orleans, tOr PhitaGelphia
Early yesterday afternoon, Il report
was circulated in New York, that 10 I
men had been arrested on suspicion oi
Piracy, and were lodged III Fla,bnSh
Jail, on Long Island, about five miles
tom the city. Accordingly, the edi-
tor Of the Standard and Gazette dcs-
patched messenger tu ASCERTAIN the
facts, who returned last evening aud
reported the following particulars,
which he learned from one of the men
In confinement, who states his name to
be John Browning, of Whitehaven, En-
gland, and says, that he shipped at
New Orleans on the 9Th or 9th ult.
aud sailed from that port Tor PhiIndel-
/ phia on tine same day, in the brig Vine
yard, Capt. Thornbee, (or Thornton)
OF Boston that they arrived off the
Capes of Delaware on Tuesday night,
November Odd, and expected to get
pilot on the following morning. that on
that night, about twelve O'Clock, he
went alott to clear the clewlines of the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. while aloft he heard
cries of oh! oh! oh !" hut did not sup
pose them to proceed from any one in
distress.
AS soon as he descended 10 the
deck, one Of the crew, whose name is
Charles Gibbs, of Rhode Island, and
who represents himself to be son Of
the Governor of that State, said 10 him,
"Jack, have taken charge Of, he ship"
and on enqulrlng where Capt. Thorn
bee was, was Informed that be had
been murdered by the stewart, who
is mnlatto man, about feet Oinche S
hIgh, OF athletic figure, and SAYS his
name Is Thomas Williams TAprotec-
tion was found IN his possession, dated
al the district of Norfolk and Ports
mouth, Va. February 18th, 1880,
signed by Moses Myers, Collector, and
filled up IN the name of Thomas j.
Wansley, mulatto, born in Milford,
Del. aged twenty-five. 1t describes
the person of the steward, who is also
prisoner al Fiatbush.1 Browning re-
ates the following particulars
Inc Captain was killed while on the
I quarter deck bya single blow on The
/ head with pump brake-altcr which
ne was thrown overheard The mate
VIM. Ii. Roberts (or Rpber,son) was
below, aud hearing a stir on deck ran
to the cnmpanlpn-way and was struck
with the same implement, dragged up
on deck and subsequently, thrown over
board, still alive. On his arrival upon
deck as stated above, he was threatened
w'thinsiant death, If lie did not 90 a bout
his duty, and that he accordingly uni
tel with the conspIrators, who imme-
dIateiy altered the course Of the brig
and steered towards Long Islahd. The
following morning they set about ma
KING bags, to uansier the specie
there being in the run of the vessel 10
Kegs each containing $4,000, which
he understood belong t. Stephen Gil
rard OF Philadelphia.
After completing the bags, the money
was divided among the crew and pla-
ced in the bags-the papers were all
overhauled, and, together with some
blank bills found on board, were burnt.
No ether event ofimporlancc took place
until Sunday night last, at which time
the brig made Fire Island Light, situa-
ted on the south side OF Long-Island,
30 or so miles from Sandy-Iiook. when
it was determined to set fire to and scLt-
tie the brig. Accordingly, about IL
o'clock that night, two boats were
iaunc he'd from the deck Of the vessel,
aud the specie placed in them about
S3o,GOO in the long-boa,, and the ie-
malnder III the jolly boat. The brig
was then set fire to in the cabin, and
scuttled in one other sides al the water
edge The crew then took to the
boats and made Tor the shore, the wea-
Their being pleasant at that time, with a
light easterly wind and smooth sea.
After leaving the brig, they saw her on
fire and have little doubt but she was
destroyed.
The following morning, Monday
last, the wind commenced Blowing We
ny fresh, on account Of which, they a
greed 1T was imprudent to attemp, to
land, and determined to keep on their
course along the beach. towards tie
: city. In doing so, the jolly boat was
swamped on Rockway bar. Browning
suPposes the crew were drowned. They
were three IN number, whose names
are, Henry AtweIl Tor HartwelI)
| Church. a, black, and Jim native OF
\. Providence, bahama Islands.)
Previous to landing, they struck on
an outer bar, aud were compelled to
throw overheard all the money, except
a or 5000 dollars. The money $50.
coo, was consigned to the United
St1tes Bank in PHILADELPHIA and in.