Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1839-09-12

claimed protection for himself and Don Pedro Mon.
Ten, the only two white men on board. The pro.
lection WINS Immediately granted and the vessel
brought TO New London.
Many Of the events which are detailed in the
narrative were omitted in the evidence as having
no bearing on the guilt or innocence Of the accused,
in the present state of the proceedings.
Senior Don Jose Ruiz was next sworn, and te.tt
fed as follows. | bought 40 slaves in Havsns,
and shipped them on board the schooner Amistad
We sailed for Gaanaja, the intermediate port for
Principe. For the four fret days every thing went
on well. nthc night heard a noise 10 the iorecas
tie. All Of us were asleep except the man at the
helm. DO not know how things began; was awoke
by the noise. This man. Joseph. | saw. Cannot
teli.how many were engaged. There was no moon,
1t was very dark. | took up an oar and tried TO
quell the muiiny; | cried no no. | then heard
one of the crew cry murder. ! then heard the cap
tain order the cabin boy to 60 below and get sorse
bread TO throw tothem, in hope to pacity the ne
groes. | went below and called on Moutez to follow
me, and told them not to kill me | did net see the
captain killed. They called me on deck. and told
me | should not be hurt. ! asked them as a favor
to spare the old man. They did 80. After this
they went below and ransecked the trunks of the
passengers. Beforedoing this, they tied our hsnds,
We went on our course-dnn't know who was al
the helm. Next day | missed Capt. Ramon Fer
rers, two sailors, Manuel Pagille aud Zacinto -,
and Selestino the cook. We all slept on deck.
The slaves told US next day that they hal killed all;
but the cabin boy said they had killed only the cap
tain and cook. The other TWO he said had escaped
in the canoe--a small boat. The cabin boy is an
African by birth, but has lived a long time in Cuba.
His name is Antonio, and belonged 10 the captain,
From thi. time we we're compelled to steer east il
the day; but sometimes the wind would NOT allow
us to steer east, then they would threaten us with
death. In the night we sieered west, and kept To
the north MS much as possible. We were six or Sc.
ven lengues from land when the outbreak took place.
Antonio is yet alive. They would have killed him,
but be acted as interpreter between us, as he
understood both languages. lie ls now on board
the schooner. Principe is about two days sail from
Havana, or 100 leagues reckoning 3 miles to a
league. Sometimes when the winds are adverse,
the passage occupies Is days.
Senior Don Pedro Montez was next sworn. This
witness testified altogether in Spanish, Lit. II. w.
Meade. interpreter.
We left Havana on the cath ofJune. owned
4 slaves, 3 females and | male. For three days
the wind was ahead, and all went we'll. Between
II and IL al night, just As the moon was rising, sky
dark and cloudy. weather very rainy, ON the fourth
night, | lay down on a mattress. Between 3 aud
4 was awakened ty a noise which was caused by
blows given to the mula,to cook. ] went on deck,
and they attacked me, | seized a stick and a knife,
with a view to defend myself. | did not wish to
kill or hurt them. At this time the prisoner woun-
ded me on the head severely with one of the sugar
knives, also on the arm. | then ran below and
slowed nyself between two barrels, wrapped up In
a sail. (Here the prisoner motioned for his snuff
boxj The prisoner rushed after me and attempt
ed to kill me, but was prevented by the Interference
OF another man. | recolleot who struck me, but
was not sufficiently sensible TO distinguish The man
who saved me. ] was faint from loss OF blood. !
then was taken on deck and tied to the hand of
Ruiz. After this they commanded me to steer for
their country. | told them | did not know the way.
| was much afraid, and had lost my senses, 80 !
cannot rctollect who tied me. On the Cd day after
the mntiny, a heavy gale come on. | still steered,
having once beer master of a vessel. When reco-
vered ! steered for Havana in the night by the stars,
but by the sun in the day, taking care to make no
more than possible. After sailing fifty Leagues, We
saw an American merchant ship. but did not speak
her. We were also passed by n eclroner, but were
unnoticed. Every moment my life was threatened.
] know nothing of The murder Of the captain. All
i know of the murder of the mulatto is rhst ! heard
The blows. lie was asleep when attacked. Next
morning the ncg~'es washed the decks. During
the rain the captain was at the helm. They were
all glad next day, ut what bad happened. The
prisoners treated me harshly, and but for the inter-
ference Of others, would have killed me several
times every day. We kept no reckoning, | did not
know how many days we had been out, nor what
| 10y - INV WIN ~ nd1 NntH tU' lit Autif tII
board. We anchored at least thirty times, and lost
an anchor nj New Providence. When at anchor we
were treated well, but at sea they acted very cruel
y toward me. They once wanted me to drop am
Choir in the high seas. | Ind no wish 10 kill any of
them, but prevented them from killing each other.
The prisoner was now sent 10 his quarters, AMI
the court adjourned 10 the schooner that she might
be inspected, and that Antonio when making his de-
position might recognize those who murdered the
Captain and the mulatto cook.
adjourned hrestigatioa on Loard the A,nistod.
Antonio, the slave of the murdered Captain, was
called before the Court, and was addressed in Spa
nish, by Lieut.. Meade, on the nature OF an oath -
He said he was a christian; being sworn, he thus
testified.
1--WE had been out four days when the mntiny
broke out. That night it had been raining very
hard, and all hands been on deck. The rain cea-
sed but still it was very dark. Clouds covered
the moon. After the rain, the Captain and the
mulatto, lay down on some mattresses that they had
brought on deck. -Four Of the slaves came aft,
armed with these knives which are used TO cut su-
gar cane they struck the Captain across the face
twice or three times; they struck the mulaito ofte-
ner. Neither Of them groaned. BY this time the
rest OF the slaves bad come on deck, all armed in
the same way. The man at the wheel, and another,
let down the small boat and escaped. was awake
and saw II all. The men escaped before Senior Ruiz
and Senior Montez awoke. Joseph, the man in
irons, was the leader he attacked Senior Montez.
Senior Montez fought with them and wanted them
to be still. The captain ordered me to throw some
bread amongst them. did so, but they would no,
touch it. After killing the captain and the cook
and w~ounding Senior Montez, they tied Montez and
Ruiz by the hands till they ransacked the cabin
After doing so they loosed them, and they went be
low. Senior Montez could scarcely walk. The boz
dies of the Captain and mulatto were thrown over
board, and the decks washed. One Of the slaves
who attacked the captain has since died. Joseph
was one, two OF them are now below (The boy
then went on deck and picked out the two negroes
who had c~onspired TO Kill the Captain and mulat-