Litchfield enquirer., 1833-11-21
CONFESSION OF CHARLES DAVIS.

CONFESSION OF CHARlAES DAVAS'
Made the 24tk IF October. 1883.
In February last l shipped on beard the
sloop AJAX, Of New. York, then at M"hiIe.-
The captains name was John Tishew-the
mates name l.. Stafford. There were three
men before the mast, and the cook, making
IN all six. One Of the meO was named ROD,
eTt Sleeve, but he shipped IN the name OF
Robert Wilson. Another Of the crews name
was Charles. hut don't remember his cir
name. The cook was a Spaniard--tls name
/ also forget. In February last we sailed Tor
Rrassos de Santiago-the cargo consisted o.
humber taken in at Mobile. We arrived al
Brassos in twenty or twenty one days--alter
rpr,aining there two or three weeks, we tOoN
IN h.lIast and sailed for Mobile thlnk the
captain had the proceeds ofthe cargo 10 mon
ev. The second day we were az sea- we
n;clked an a boat with two oars, ana having
sak.r( II an hoard, we then had two boats,
one on each side of the deck.
What arm now going to tell IS told only
On condition that it shall not operate against
me, or go to my injury.
Refore we left Brassos, Sleeve told me that
fhe CAPTAIN and he had fallen out. but said at
The same time never mind, 81 I'll keep up
good heart vet !" this was before the vessel
sailed. and when within two or three days
sail of Mobile, Sleeve asked me would un-
tlertake to destroy the officers answered
would have nothing to do with It. Sleeve
then said he would do it alone. On Tuesday
l., had had the mainsail down repairing the
GAIT, when Sleeve again saidto me you bad
better help me- The captain was at this
time sitting on the quarter deck. and the mate
mending the gait. Sleeve then said watch
me, and when begin il do you come and lend
me hand, for ann determined to go through
it before sun set-meaning the destruction OF
the captain and mate. About hall past two
in the afternoon Sleeve, took up hand spike
and laid il down again-he then took a top
mall. large hammer, and struck the mate
on the head, who fell speechless. He spoke
afterwards, hut did not understand what he
said. Bob however said, that the mate cri-
ed Oh have mercy on me Bob After stri-
king the mate two or three times more, Bob
then few at the captain. but whether he
struck him with the hammer or hand spike
/ cannot say. but saw the blood on the
hand spjke afterwards. All this time ! was
by the mast-I then we' by the quarter deck.
when Sleeve said you have got here have you!
He then asked me If knew what he would
have done to me If had sat still. answer
ed no, and he said he would have served me
in the same way as the others. Charles, the
cook, shipped at Brassos. was then 10 the cab
in and jumped up and got a gun. hut wheth-
er TO help the captain or Sleeve don't know,
but expect it was 10 help Sleeve. The cook
then said, the captain is not dead and hit
him blow on the head with.a bar or hand
spfke--Stecye th@p fold me to mend the gait.
which did. and then Charles, Sleeve and
the COOK threw the bodies oyerbOard--l can't
say whether they were dead or Motive then
washed the blood off the sails and deck. and
Sleeve asked If any of us kneWsnavlgation, TO
which we all answered, No. Sleeve then
said. I'lltake her where want her, land stood
in for the land. On Wednesday at 10 O'Clock
he took the sun and said that we were with
in 10 miles of Pensacola, and then tackled
ship and stood of until about o'clock on
Wednesday evening. and then stood IN FOR
the land again. On Thursday he said we
were near enough TO the land and sent me up
olook for it. Invent up and saw land ahead.
and then all hands went to work to get the
boat over the side Of the vessel, into which
we put provisions and water. Sleeve then
went into the cabin and the men brought up
chest of clothes and some money. which
Sleeve said came from the captains chest.
The chest and money were put into the boat,
and then all on board but myself went below
and with augers and axes scuttlcd the vessel,
put her head of shore and lowered the sails.
Sleeve then went into the cabin and brought,
out gun and a pistol, and called me out of
the boat and told me TO shoot Charles, say
ing . T have sailed with him before, and he
" IN Tell when he gets on shore" said that
he had better let him GO on shore; ard Sleeve
then told me to shoot George, the cook, and
insisted on it, and said / must. ] then took
the gun and shot George; Sleeve went NJ to
Charley and said /" You villain, ] owe you a
gradge this long time," and shot him down.
George, the man whom shot, was not hurt
much, and Sleeve and / threw him and
Charles overheard. Sleeve and then left
the sleop which had foot or two Of water in
the hold, and went on shore and remained all
night on the beach.
On Friday morning we started along the
shore with the boat, and remained the next
night also On-the beach. On Saturday we a
gain went along the shore and remained ,du-
ring the night on the beach. On Sunday
morning we saw pilot boat, and Sleeve said
that we would 60 on board Other, and that
was tossay nothing but let him speak. When
we got on board the pilot beat we asked
where ApalachicoIa was, and were told it
was twelve miles from us. We were then
asked were we from st. Marks. and Sleeve
replied. yes.a Sleeve and ] then went on'sh0re'
IN our boat and got the things which we had
left on the beach, at which time Sleeve told
me that II he thought would ever mention
any thing OF tho circumstances, he would