The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1834-11-05

for the murder of Capt. james Crosby, late master
of the brig Juniper, which sailed from this port OH
the 4th OF August last came Tuesday morning
at the U. 3 Circuit Court, before Judge Story The
case was opened by Mr. Dunlap on the part of the
government, who, after a few preliminary remarks,
proceeded to call the witnesses Mr. James +. Pc
terson was first called to the stand who related all
the circumstances in detail attending the perpetra-
ton of the horrid deed and whose evidence full
ly established by q number of other witnesses sub
sequently called. His statement follows
On the night Of the l4th, rather the evening of
the 18th of August, about 10 minutes past o'clock,
then steering for Surinam, w,th light breeze and
clear star light, it being his watch on deck in COM
pany with Otis and one of the crew at the helm.
The rest of the crew, four in number asleep in
the forecastle, as were the Captain and chief mate
(Mr. William Eldred, in the cabin. While on deck
and near the companion way, saw the cook in the
cabin, apparently in the of extnguishing a lamp
in a few moments the light was extinguished and,
at the same instant, heard loud scream from the
cabin-sprang forward in that direction, and on
reaching the cabin gangway, met the captain from
whose breast was pouring copious stream of blood
asked him what the matter and the reply was,
81 don't know" and fell into my arms. On find
ing his strength had failed took him the main
mast and laid him down-saw Mr.. Eldred in scuf-
fe with cook, the latter with bayonet in his hand
Otis at this time in the fOrecastle-told Otis to
bring me hahdspke and assist me, cook had
mate-Otis rendered no assistance-knew he heard
me call him-mate out of the cabin pursued by
the cook, who stabbing him behind-(an after
examination found he had inflicted thirteen severe
wounds,) IRAN across the deck, caught up an oar
struck cook one blow over the head-cook caught
one end of the oar-saw it was no use-ran forward
to get something elsc-cook followed me-slipped
and fell-saw Otis in the fore-rigging makug a
motion to go up as fast he could-sprang to lar
board side to get axe-found it was gone-sez-
ed half royal yard-by this time cook was afou
of me-struck him two blows with the royal yard
could not strike him third time-clinched cook
who called on Otis for his knife-Otis said he conld
not find it-Eldred then left me-was so far gone
that he could not stand-tried to make a turn with
rope round the neck of cook-got the rope round
ms neck-threw the rope round the fore-rigging
and hauled him up and made fast-caled on Ootis
said to him for Gods sake save one life if YOU
can-he neither made answer or helped me-called
all hands on deck-Otis flew to the starboard side
for the axe-did not find it-found it by daylight on
cask-cook was on starboard deck, against a gal
ley-Silver, the man at the helm, came at my call
and brought some spun-yarn, with which we made
cook fast-told men to go below and see to Eldred's
wounds and see if Capt. was alive-men came back
and said Captain was cold and stiff went and saw
Captain, found he was dead-a few minutes previ-
Gus to the commencement Of the affray, Otis was
seen sitting amidships busily smoking a segar The
captains body was afterwards thrown overheard
The dirk with which he was stabbed was broken of
In the body, and the part never extracted. The
part which remained in the cabin together with the
bayonet, was produced on trial, and the dagger was
known to have belonged to the cook by the sheath
being afterwards found i'm his berth. To proceed
with the evidence :acook acknowledged he did it,
but was instigated by Otis but said he was sorry-
next morning covered the body with canyass-put
cook in irons, and made him fast to the maiumast.
Afterwards put his feet into the stocks and confined
A. Il. a. e l. =
castle and the crew deck, fearing from the prev-
conduct of Otis, their lives in danger. The
remaining part of the testimony is of unimpOrtant
nature, merely describing the locality of the indvd
uals the time of the Transaction and the conduct
of the prisoners till the time of their arrival Mr.
Eldred the first mate, received lS severe wounds
from the hand of the cook, before his captivity and
from the effects of which he has so far recovered as
to appear in Court at the trial. This trial occupied
the Court during the whole of yesterday, and at u
bout O'Clock the Judge gave his charge. The Jury
brought in a verdict of guilty against both the
prisoners. = They to be sentenced on Saturday
..-. Boston Bulletin.
SENTENCE DEATH URoN JosEPH AND Or1s
Henry Joseph and Amos Otis were brought into
the U. S. District Court Saturday, to receive
their sentence for the murder of Capt James Crosby
on board the brig Juniper. The spectators poured
into the courtroom like food and stood wedged
together during the customary ceremonies.
The District attorney, after few predatory re-
Marks relative t. the trial and the verdict of the ju-
ry, requested the Court to pass sentence upon the
prisoners.
His Honor Justice Story called for Henry Joseph
and Amos Otis; and they severally, and re-
sponded to their names. The Judge informed them,
that II they had any thing to say, why the sentence
of the law should not be passed upon Them they
had now the opportunity. The cook, in a very bro
ken and indistnct manner, evidently much agitated,
and wiping away the tears with his handkerchief,
stated the innocence Of Otis; absolving him from
all participation in the plot, and assigning rea-
son for the deed, his revenge for some fault found
with HIM about the cookery by the captain. He al
so observed, that Otis and himself conversed in