The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-06-17
From, ne Nsw Orleans Bee, june I.
SHOCKING AND ATROCIOUS OCCUR
RENEE

RENEE.
The entire community was yesterday morning
thrown into the utmost CONSERVATION, by the re-
appearance at the Levee, of the ship Charles, OF
Bath, Me, Captain Gorham, which left this city
for Bordeaux, on the evening Of the LIST June
with cargo OF $4,000 slaves 10000 feet of lum
Der, lot Of heading and wheelspokes. She was
brought back 10 the city by the lowboat Tiger.
We have made careful inquiries into all the cir
cumstances connected with the horrid business
which we are about TO relate, and the following
details may we think, be relied upon.
| The Charles cleared on Tuesday last 1st in
slant, and went down TO the Balize the same
evening, crossing the bar and getting well into
| the Gulf on the morning following. During the
whole OF "Wednesday and Thursday, the Charles
as well as the Louis Quatorze, which went out
| al the same time, was distinctly visible from the
| Balize, the weather being rather calm though
| il was observed that the Charles steered to the
west, while the Louis Quatorze headed to the
east of the S. w. Pass. On Friday morning at
an early hour the captain Of the towboat Tiger
noticed vessel apparently steering for the S.
w. Pass, and looking at the distance as if her
studding sails were set. Presenting that the
vessel was in want Of steam, he directed the Ii
| ger towards her. On nearing her he discovered
that il was the ship Charles. She was in the
following condition Nearly all her sails were
set, and the jb, which was flying loose, appear
ed to have been cut, probably TO make an awning
| for one of the boats.
| Not a solitary living being was on board. On
descending into the cabin, several bottles which
had contained porter and had had their necks
knocked off, were found on the table some of
their contents had been spilled, and the froth
looked quite fresh Every particle of luggage
had disappeared. Not trunk, nor bedstead,
nor an article of clothing. save an old pair Of
| boots, was 10 be seen. The apparel and bed
i limo nj he mi min md mas prc hal
entirely disappeared
| On examining the vessels deck, spots of blod
having the appearance Of being recently she,
together with or 10 handspikes, were seen O
| the starboard side On the larboard was a sma
pool of blood running towards the scuppers, an
on the same side on the outward part Of the yes
sci, were eight stains of the sangune hui
which had apparently flowed from some wound
ed person carried or forced over the ships side
/ II must be borne in mind that this appallins|
discovery was made at an early hour in the morn
| ing-about A. M. After ascertaining the cir1
cumstances just related, the Tiger very properly
put to sea and cruised about for some five or sill
hours. In the course of the morning about II
miles distant from the Charles, boat recognized,
as one attached TO that vessel, and containing
dog said to belong to one the passengers, wa
picked up. The dog appeared by no means ez
hausted, and had evidently not been long adrif
as when offered water, he did not lap very es
gerly. After searching some time longer and
finding nothing whatever to elucldate the my
| terry, Capt. CRowELL returned to the Charlie,
took her in tow, and returned to town where he !
arrived yesterday morning at o'clock.
| IL is needless to state that this singular affair
has given rise TO innumerable speculations.-
| Honid rumors Of murder and piracy, mutiy |
and assassination flew from mouth to mouth |
with incredible rapidly. The most prevalent
upposition-though about as vague as other,-
was that the crew had risen, murdered the cap
tain and passengers, seized the baggage and
money on board, and escaped in one of tie
| boats, which, 1t seems, is missing. In the al
sence OF positive information, or even plausible |
date upon which to base conclusion, we fer
bear INDUCING in onjectures which may be DIS
proved by the earliest intelligence.
| We are happy to learn that the city authGi
| ties, on the receipt of the news, assembled and
adopted prompt and vigorous measures for tao
| ing the mystery to It's source. 1t is more than
probable that some clue will be shortly obtained
| by which this atrocIous transaction may be I'M
yelled and its authors discovered and delivered up
| to justice.
The following is the official list of the pas
| sengers, FOR which we are indebted to the polite
| ness of MIR. DAVIS, the French Consul There
may be oilers, but as the law requires that eve
ry passenger should provide himself with pass
port, and as these are obtained only at the
French Consul's, we presume the subjolned list
will be found substantially correct:
| Don Juan Campo, Spaniard.
Joseph Bernhard, Frenchman, cooper by
trade.
Nicholas Dabon an American, or naturaz
ed citizen.
Robert Vesseron, from Paris.
| Madame Widow Petit, from Bordeaux and
two young ladies, her daughters.
Pierre Guinberteau, a Frenchman, stock
maker
ST. Hberiy, Frencbman.
The following is the list of the crew;
Names. ehere from. age. height compiler. hair.
Capt. w. Gorham jr. US.
Fredk. Gorham, Maine, l6 ST Ia light brown
Albert Dantorth do. IS 5 l-2 dark dark.
David E. Baxter, Mass. l6 7l2 freckd. brown.
James NeviI, Penn'a. 26 6 light. brown.
Michael Pearce, r. l. 81 IA do. do
| Pernel Bishop, Conn. 10 5 5l-2 dark dark
Rich'd Williams N, Y. 30 5 8 l-2 black woolly.
Darius Sewall Maine 81 5 6 African. do
| William Brow,
james Miller, -,
Chas Drummond, :" p'oo'
Defoir
| +. 5. Since the above was in type, we learn
that meeting of the Council Of the Second
Municipality was held yesterday, at which de-
clsive measures were adopted for the discovery
OF the clue to this dark transaction. The steam
ship Neptune was Immediately chartered 10 go
on cruiZe in the Gulf, and sixty able bodied
seamen engaged as her crew, fully armed and
equipped the whole under the command Of
4 Captain Butler, harbor-master of the Second
Municipality. large number of citizens offer
ed their services as volunteers, but the Neptune
having her full complement, the prefer was de-
cllned. We have seldom behed a more ami
mated spectacle than that witnessed at the de-
parture of the Neptune. The Levee was throng-
ed with spectators, and the tone and feeling ma
infested were honorable to the humanity and
spirit Of our citizens.