The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-05-12
From he Salem Gazette Of Friday last.

From the Salem Gazette Of Friday last.
T'HE MuRDER. The Grand Jury, on
Tuesday, after spending two days in the
examination of a great number of witness
es, returned Bills of Indictment against
Richard Crowninshicld, Junior, George
Crowninshield, Col. Benjamin Selman. and
Daniel Chase, charging the first as princi-
pal and the others as accessories, in the
murder of Joseph White.
The first two reside in Danvers, and the
other two in Marblehead ;they are all young
men of respectable appearance, and about
80 years of age. Selman is now in COM
mission as Lit. Colonel in the Militia.
The suspicious, that gave rise to the pros
ecution of these persons, were first excited
by disclosures made by convicts, two of
them in our State Prison, one in Exeter
gaol, and Hatch, then in New Bedford gaol.
On the morning of the murder, as soon
as the tidings reached Boston, two gentle
men Of that city visited the State Prison to
make inquiries what convicts had been re-
Gently discharged who would be likely 10
commit such an offence. One of the con-
victs, by the name of Fisher, native of Sa-
lem, was inquired of: his disclosures point
ed attention toward Hatch, who had been
discharged from the State Prison in De-
cember last: Fisher said that while he and
Hatch had been fellow prisoners in Salem
gaol, before their conviction about two years
talked of and contemplated, for the puipos
of getting the money in the iron chest
Inquiries and search were then set on foot
TO attempt to find Hatch it was ascertain
ed that he and one Gunner of Beverly, an
other discharged convict, had been seen in
Salem during the past winter; but where
Hatch was at the time of the murder could
not be readily discovered.
On Saturday night week after the murder,
letter was received here by mail from the
gaoler at New Bedford, informing that a
man in gaol there, by the name of Hall, had,
on reading in newspaper a notice of the
murder, remarked that he thought he could
tell who had hand in it. An express was
sent on the following day, Sunday from
this town to New Bedford, to ascertain the
particulars, and conferences were had with
Hall, who it turned out was the same per-
son formerly in gaol here with Fisher and
convicted by the name of Hatch. Hatch
related the particulars of his being in Sa-
lem, and IN company with Quiner and some
others, during the past winter-mentioning
the places of their resort. and who were
present-and of this murder having been
NSASSiNCA a. INCL ilCStiDGS tllc IDdDilSE Vi
committing it arranged, by one entering
the house at an early hour before it should
be fastened then killing Mr. White, by first
knocking him on the head so that they
should not be smeared with blood, taking
the iron chest and carrying it on board a
boat, if one could be had, otherwise to re-
move it in wagon: that these converse.
tons took place in February, and that they
were to wait till the snow should be of, 50
that their tracks could not be traced.
Before the time when the murder of Mr..
W. was committed, which happened in the
night of 9th April, Hatch and Quner had
both been arrested Cor other offences, and
Hatch committed to New Bedford gaol, and
Quiner to Exeter gaol.
The evidence of these convicts would be
entitled to very little weight, unIess con
firmed and corroborated from other sources.
Hatch was the only convict examined be-
fore the Grand Jury he was brought in
chains from Taunton gaol; and on We'd
nesday he was carried back in the same
way. We have understood that he at fist
supposed he was himself brought here to
be tried for some offence, though his keep
ers told him he was wanted as a witness
only; and at Ipswich he was at first rather
backward in answering questions He said,
while on the road from Taunton, that if
they wanted him as witness, it was uot
treating him very well to put an ox-chain on
him.
The prisoners have been confined in sep
arate cells in our gaol. On "Wednesday
morning, at o'clock, they were taken, in
handouts, in two coaches, to Ipswich, and
carried before the Supreme Court now hold
en- there, by the Hon. Samuel Putnam, AS
sociate Judge, and were put to the bar, and
an Indictment, charging the said Richard
as principal, and the others as accessories.
in the murder of Joseph White, ESQ.,, at Sa.
lem, on the sixth of April last, was read to
them. In the first count mortal wounds are
alleged to have been inflicted on the head
Of the deceased with hatrhet by Richard
Crowninshield, Jr., the other prisoners be-
ing present, aiding and abetting him. The
second count alleged that said Richard
made several mortal wounds in the breast
and near the heart Of the deceased with
dirk, the other prisoners being present, &c.
The engagements of the Judges on the
several Circuits render it impossible for
them to meet earlier than the next term of
our Supreme Court, which will sit in Salem
Nov. 9, and we understand that the trial is
fixed for that time.
Hatch says he is a native of New Bruins
wick, and 80 years of age.
ANOTHER STEAM Boar DISASTER. An
other terrible accident arising from the
bursting of a steam boats boiler, has hap
pened on the Mississippi