Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-12-23
THREE OFFICERS OF THE u. &. MA.
Wy HUNG FOR MUTINYi

ing the recent voyage Of the u. s, Brig of war
SOmers, Captain Mckenzie, with about 400 men,
from Liberia via. 81. Tbotnns home, part of tho
officers and crew formed q design Of inutinying
numbering the superior officers taking the ship
und turning pirates. Their first business nfter
getting the ship, was to capture some OF the Liv-
erpoOl packets. One oi the crew informed the
Captain On The 7tlI instant, then being iwo dnys
out from 81, Thomas. The captain Immediately
ordered all hands on deck, and commanded all
Who were opposed TO him to 70 upon the forward
deck. Passed mhshipman Spencer, (son of the
Secretary Of War; the Boatswoin's mate, l3 ap-
prenliccs aud G3 scamen Immediately marched
forward, undoubtedly surprising that most Of the
crew would follow. Capt, Mckenzie imnedi-
a,ely ordered them to he put in irons aud conliu-
cd, and il was done. In The evening court mar
iinl was summoned, Spencer and his Two cninpan-
ions, the three ring leaders, were tried, convicted
aud sentenced, and the next morning uil three
were hung at the yard arn Thus was the mutt
ny qucled. On the l4,li the ship arrived at New
IorR, and special messenger was Immediately
sent To Washington. Such, snys the Tribune, are
the material fartS, bat other accounts vary
We copy the following from The New York
Commercial Advertiser Of Saturday afternoon
We have spent the entire morning in vain Mt
temps TO obtain information vt more minute
aud reliable character hau is ordinarily found IN
the first iionng repUrs of startling events Cnpi.
Nlnckenze las been SO circumSpect in his CONVEX
city had heard syllable upon The subject, previ.
Gus to his departure To visit his family at Sing
Sing last evening. Meantime the morning papers
have giycn various HccounIs of the dreadful affair,
from which we compile the particulars appearing
the most authentic.
The Somers is Il very fine sniler, has ten guns
and Il crew Of about twenty able men, aud TORY
apprentice hoys, milking with The officers some
seventy five persons on board. The conspiracy,
u appears, had bcen IN prepai alton for some tine.
The SCmeIs Icing on her way home, it was
known would Put into ST. Thcmns Tor supplies
The design Of the munGers was 10 delay The ex-
cculion 81 their purpose until after these supplies
had been laid n and tie ship Was again at sea-
MI things being ready, at given signal the
mutineers were to have scuflu on the iorccas-
tic IN the night, while the captain aud first cnicn-
ant were asleep. On the appearance OF the lat
ter To qpcIl the dlsu hancc, lie was to be seized
and thrown overheard. They were then to muir
der the commander aud the ward room officers
with the exception Of tie urgeon--who was to
he kept for their own use--aid take possession of
the vessel.
The obligations they had entered into we're of
the most desperate kind. They had sworn that
they were not afraid of blood; that after the brig
had been wntereh and was prepared for n cruise,
tley woud rice, aud kill every officer except the
surgeon. VINO might lie necessary Tor them; that
they wOud then proceed off tue llouk Of New
ork hnfh0r, and capture the hOmeward bound
packcts, which they expected would contain large
Sims in specie. OF The people Gu board the cap
iured vessels they swore that no should he
left to tell tales Tie females to he sdhect to the
brutal lusIs of their captUrs before being put to
death.
Ga or abou, the 7ih OF December instant tho
whole plot was disclosed TO Captain Mackenzie
hy one OF the crew, who had refused TO Join in
the muliny, Spencer, the bon,swaiu's mite mud
the quartcrmnslcr were inmedlnlrly arrested and
a; II,
rbc purpose in full, aud signed 10y SO large
number Of The crew as would have enabled them
to obtain the mastery in n moment Of surprise.-
Indeed, the whole plan is said 10 have been in
writing, written IN part, in hierogyphics, to pre-
vent discovery, and IN the oath were the Words
/" You swear that you have no fear OF shedding
blood.'
After these horrible disclosures, court martial
was held upon Spencer and those most Ironn-
eddy connected with him. 1t VAS impossible 10
know how far the contamination had SPREAD
though il had evidently spreud to n most danger
Gus ex,cut TO crush it at all huzaids was indis-
pensible.
The court martial determined that nothing short
of the prompt execution of the rlngleadcrs would
ensure the safSy Of the brig. Spencer and the
two petty officers already mentioned were there
upon ordered to he HUNG An THE YARD ARM, MS
stated above. Whether tins execution was in
santcr, or not, WI have not the means of saying,
as the reports conf citing. One of them states
that The sentence was pronounced in the evening,
AMI carried into effect The next morning.
AnGther account states that it TOOK place forth
with that Spencer prayed Tor short delay that
lac might wrl n letter to his father bur the re-
quest was rcluscd-ihe young mulineer beiug
lold that the intentions had been to murder his
commander and officers without giving them n
moment Tor preparation, and Ilat they now melted
out 10 him the fate he had intended Tor them.
Ii was moment of fearful importance when
II
TO decide the question OF mastery insanter, aud
The officers could then know the exact strength
OF The mulineeIs.
The captain Immediately ordered all hands on
deck and ordered those Of the crew who were
opposed to INN 10 go upon the forward deck
Alldshipman Spencer, the bonswans mate and
the master at arms Immediately led the way, and
were followed by 10 opprenlices&parl ofIhe crew.
These arraycd themselves upon the forward
deck, without doubt surprising that they would 10
followed 10y great proportion OF the crew.
Twenty-Five Of them remained loyal to their flag
and commander, and these, with the officers, sue
ceedod after conflict with the mullneers, accord
ing 10 of the accounts, in which some Of them
were severely wounded in SURPRISING the revolt
and putting all The uulneers IN irons.
The Somers sailed from Liberia on the night
Of November ] lin, and from ST. Thomas on tho
night OF the 5ih December. There is reason 10
brlieye that the cons 'iracy was formed before
they left the African coust
According to one of the published rnmors, the
disclosure of HE plot took place oh this wise.-
Spencer offered hrs PAPER roll OF the spira-
Tors to lie master q, arms to sign, who signed il
10 quiet their suspicious, and then Immediately
revealed the facts TO tho commanders The mo-
menl the conspiralors found that they were dis
covered they met in body and went 10 the COM
mander, demanding the possession of the ship,
aud young Spencer presented pistol at his head.
| All this was ut night, and the chief part of tho
crew were below, when the officers Oh deck, not
knowing the extent Of the conspiracy, immediate
! ly closed the halches and kept all confined who
! were below, until those above, who were consplr-
uors, haG been secured and their ring leaders Tried
| and executed.
| Spencer was only nboul nineteen years of age,
! mud rpceil ed Lis MnrrnuI midshinmnn the