New-York daily tribune., 1842-12-31


petty officers were directed to cut down every one
who should let go his whip or fail to haul when
ordered.
put on my full uniform, came on deck and pro-
ceeded TO execute the most painful duty that ever
develved upon any officer in the American Navy
the announcement to the prisoners of the fate that
awaited them. approached Spencer and said ts
him: Y ou were about 70 take my life, Mr.. Spen-
cer without pl ovocation, without cause or the
slightest offence You intended to kill nae sud
denly-in the nigh. while / was buried In sleep,
without giving me single moment to serd one
word of affection TO my wife, one prayer to God
fer her welfare. Your life is now forfeited: and
the necessity of the case compels me- to take 1t.
do not intend however, 10 initiate you IN the
mode Of claiming the sacrifice IF there be in
your breast one feeling true nature, you will be
grateful for the premature disclosure of your hor-
rible designs. You surely ought TO be thankful
that you have been prevented from the terrible
deeds you medita,ed. If you have any word to
send to your Father, any satisfaction to express 10
him that yea were not allowed to become Pirate,
as you ought to do, you will have ten minutes
granted in which TO write it." Mdshipman
Thompson was then directed TO note the time and
inform me when it had expired.
Spencer seemed overcome with emotion. He
burst into a food Of tears, sank on his knees, and
said he was not fit to die. l repeated to him his
catechism. and begged him to offer sincere prayers
for the divine forgiveness. l recommended TO
him the English Prayer-Book, assuring him that
he would find in it something suited to all his ne
cessties. Cromwell fell upon his knees, protest.
ing his innocence, and invoking the name of his
wife. Spencer declared that Cromwell was inno-
cent, and begged that this mi ght be believed
This, confess, staggered me; but the evidence
of his guilt was conclusive. Lieut. Gansevoort
said that there was not shadow of doubt of it.
The petty officers said he was the one man from
whom real apprehension was entertained. de
was at first the accornplice of Spencer, ard was
then urged Oh by him, and had been by him turned
to his account. tried to show him how Spencer
had endeavored to use him, and told Spencer that
be had made remarks about him he would not
consider aattering. He expressed great anxiety
TO know what they were. | told him Cromwell
had said of him and another persen that there was
a I'D fool on one side, and id knave on the
other" and teld him that Cromwell would have
allowed him to live only so long he could have
made him useful to himself. This reused him,
and from that time be said no more Of Cromwell
innocence.
Subsequent circumstances made me believe that
Spencer wished to him, probably from the
hope that he would yet get possession of the yes
sci and carry out his original design; and perhaps
that Cromwell would in some way effect his res
cue. He endeavored at the same time to per-
suade me that Small was only an alias for some
one else, on his list-though this was proved to
be false. Small alone the one we had set
down as the poltroon of the three; yet he received
the announcement of his fate with great comPo,
sure. He was asked what preparations ne wished
to make. He said he had none: Nobody cares
for me, said he, but nay poor old mother,
and would rather she should not know what has
become of me-"
I returned to Spencer. I asked him what mes
sage he had to send to his friends. He said "None
Tell them that 1 die wishing them every blessing
and happiness. deserve death for this and my
other crimes. There are few crimes have not
committed / sincerely penitent for them
all. I only fear my repentance Is TOO late. L
asked him if there any one whom he had IN
iured to whom he could make reparation-any one
who was suffering obloquy his account? He
said g No. but this will kill my poor mother.
did not know before that he had q mother, and
was touched by his allusion to her. | asked him
If it weuld not have been far more dreadful il he
had succeeds! in his attempt-if it were notmuch
better tode as he would than to become pirate and
steep himself SO terribly in blood aud guilt He
said, 3. do not know what would have becenle oi
me if I had succeeded" told him that Crou,-
we'll would soon have made way with him, and
that Mckinley would probably have destroyed
them both He said he feared this would inJure
his father ''H Had you succeeded" | rephed,
| :" the injury you would have done him would have
been much greater If it had been possible TO
take him home, as at first intended, |
told him that he would have got clear. as
in America man with money and intiuen-
tial friends would always be cleared; that
the course l was taking would injure his ia
ther less than if he should go home and be con-
dcnncd yet again escape. He said that he had at
| tempted the same thing on board tho John Adams
| and the Potomac; but had been unsuccessful. He
asked if had not exaggerated the danger. told
| him No; that his attempts to corrupt the crew
had been TOO widely successful; that knew of the
| existence of the conspiracy but did not know how
extensive it was" ,ecaptuated to him his acts.
| He was startled when | told him of his stealing
| brandy. He admitted the justice of his fate but
sked me if was not going too far and too fast.
| Does the law justify you y said he. replied
| that his opinion was not unpre JUDGED; that had
consulted all tho officers and they had given their
opinion that it was lust-that he deserved death.
He asked what would be the manner of his
| death" | explained it TO him. He requested
! that he might be shot. | told him that it could
| not be--,hat he must bs hung. He admitted tina,
it was Just. He objected to the shortness Of the
time and requested that an hour might be given
| to pare. made no answer to this but allowed
| much more than the hour he asked for to elapse.
He requested that his face might be covered.
granted his request and asked him what it should
be covered with He said handkerchief. In his
locker was found black one which was put on his
face. Cromwell and Small made the same re-
quest, ard frocks were taken from their lockers
with which their heads were covered.
Spencer asked for Bible and Prayer Boc!,