New-York daily tribune., 1842-12-30
THE soMERs MUTINY.
Naval Court of inquiry.
SECOND DAY.. THURSDAY, Dec. q, la4
Reported for The New.York Tribune.

olina.
Commander MAcKEsz1E said he wished it dis
,inctly understood that he asked the aid of Mr.
Hone only to assist in taking minutes of the pro-
ceedines, as it had been said he had asked for
Counsel.
The Court said that Mr., H. could be retained for
any purpose Capt. Mackenzie might require
Capt. MACKENZIE said he asked no assistance
in cross-examining witnesses for any other Pur-
pose than in taking minutes of the proceedings Of
the Court.
Capt STEWART then presented the papers that
had been received from the Navy Department.
The JUDGE ADVOCATE read the minutes of the
proceedings of yesterday.
Capt STEWART asked if Capt. Mackenzie had
yet prepared narrative of the transaction.
Capt. MACKENZIE: have but forwarded the
original document to the Department at Washing
ton. have seat out for copy of it which will be
here in few moments.
Capt. STEwART-No narrative has been re-
ceived from the Department. Are there any wit
nesscs in this case present?
Capt. MAcKENzIE-None but one or two sum-
moned to prove matters not connected with the
transactions on board the ship.
Capt STEwART-All witnesses present will be
required to retire from the Court.
Capt GREGORY was requested to detail an
officer to attend the Court for the preservation of
order, &c. A packet of papers was produced by
the Judge Advocate, which had beenfreceived
from the Department; but on examination they
were found to have nothing to do with ths Case
and we're ordered to be sealed and returned
Capt. Stewart handed to Capt Gregory list
of men and officers of the Somers, whose attend
ance he was directed to summon. He ordered
also proper watch to be kept up on the Sorners
where the prisoners were in irons.
The copy of Capt. Mackenzies narrative was
then brought in and produced.
The Judge Advocate proceeded to read it, which
he did in low tone Of voice and with great rs-
pidity. AS the Court decline to allow either this
or any other official document to be copied for the
press, only present sketch of 1t, from such
notes as we could take under the unfavorable cir
cumstances already mentioned The narrative
was substantially as follows:
US. BRIG SoMERs, NEw.YoRK, Dec. 10, 1872
Since my arrival at this port have been dill
gently engaged in preparing for the Department at
Washington full and detailed narrative OF all the
circumstances connected with the mutiny on board
the U. S. brig-ofwar Somers on her recent voyage
from Africa; but having been frequently inter-
rupted especially by the solcitude of friends, l
have been forced to relinquish my first intention
and to contne myself entirely to sketch OF the
principal occurrences. After leaving the Azores
and Madeira in October | proceeded, accord
ing to orders, to Teneriffe and Porto Pray.a-
Thence went to Liberia expecting to find the U.
s. sloop-of.war Vandalia. But arriving there
learned that she had sailed on the 5th Of October
for the United States as l understood. The des-
patches with which was entrusted for her being
thus rendered Of no use were left with the U. s.
Agent, whose receipt for them is enclosed. On
the 11th of November l sailed for the United
States via St. Thomas, where I thoug ht it ne
cessary to take in supply of bread, water and
other refreshments. Oa Saturday, the 25th OF
November, Lieut.. Gansevoort came into the cabin
and informed me that he had learned from Mid
shpman Wales that conspiracy existed on board
the ship to capture the vessel, to murder the Cap
tain, bring over as many Of the crew as possible
murder the rest and convert the vessel into Pl-
rate; and that Nlidshipman Spencer was at the
head of the conspiracy. This, Lieut.. G. said, had
been told to him by Midshipman Wales, whose
narration was as follows
On the night of the 25th of November, between
and O'Clock in the evening, Wales said he was
aroused by Spencer, who asked him to go upon the
boons, as he had something to say to him. lie
got up, and, on arriving at the booms he was asked
by Spencer, 9. Do you fear death ? do you fear
dead man do you fear to kill man? Wales,
with admirable GOODNESS, induced Spencer to go
on took the oath Of secrecy, and entered into all
his plans Spencer told him tha, he had about 90
men in his plot; that they would easily get pos
session of the ship, msrder the Commander and
officers, and commence piracy. He gave Wales
all the details of his plan, which were admirably
suited for his purpose, and arranged much better,
MIR. Wales said, than he could have done it him
self. AS an inducement to embark in the enter
prise, Spencer said that large box OF wine on
board contained large amount of gold and other
treasure. His object was to go to the Isle OF
Pines where one Of his associates, who had been
a pirate before, had confederate; that he would
attack no vessels that he could not capture, and
destroy all he captured that he would select from
them such females as were proper, use them, and
then dispose of them that he had all the details
of the plan drawn paper, which in
the back of his cravat. He showed money TO MIR.
Wales, and, before separating, threatened him
with instant death if he ever revealed what he
had told him.
Such, proceeded Capt. Mackenzie, was the pur-
port of the information which received from Lieut..
Gansevoort. Tome the whole affair seemed SO mon
strous that treated it with ridicue, and believed
that Spcscer had been amusing himself and Wales
with some story of piracy he had learned from seme
novel tale Of murder. Still could not help feel
ing that it sporting with serious subject and
that my duty required me to be upon my guard, and
resolved closely to watch the movements of Spen-
Ger. | directed the first Lieutenant TO observe him