The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-08-29
Key West
Correspondence Of the Herald.l

Correspondence of the Henld.l
KEY WEST, August IL, 1872
-arrirat Of the Steam Ship Missssippi-Hr points
Of peed, S-c.-A UTeck-Sppposed Rascality, &c.
Nix DEAR SIR
The steam ship Mississippi, Captain Salter came
into this port in gallant style on the 9th instant, and
during her stay visited by large portion of our
population. she was nine days coming from New
York, and during the passage had encounte red some
heavy weather The impression of her officers
seems TO be, that she is too heavily spared and
rugged, and that were the necessary alterations in
this respect made, she would be one Of the fastest
ships of her class afioat. When off Cape Hatteras
under steam, against a top-galant sail breeze, she
made but little Roadway against the Gulf Stream
and this attributed Of course to the great re-
slsance offered by her spars and rigging So far as
an unpractised eye could ascertain, she had stood
the voyage as well as sailing ships could have done
and looked as il she had just left your port. I I'M
derstood from her officers, that her destination was
Vera Cruz, but the day before the one which had
been fixed upon for sailing.
Mr.. J. l.. Dorsey, bearer OF dispatches from Mr..
Waddy Thompson, arrived here on his way TO
Washington, having been thirty-three days from
Vera Cruz, accompanied by two of the Santa Fe
prisoners. He Immediately had an interview with
Captain Salter, and it then understood that the
ship would proceed forthwith 20 Pensacola She
sailed on the Ilth instant.
The schooner Pequot, which touched at this port
ABOUT tnree weeks ago, on her voyage from New
Orleans 10 Charleston, subsequently, got ashore on
the Florida Reef, and the master employed wreck
ers, who saved the cargo, worth about Two thousand
dollars, but finding that the vessel was filling with
water they supposed she had biged land left her there
She was subsequently sold by the MASTER after being
dismantled, for one hundred and ninety dollars, and
her purchasers have brought her to this port and re-
paired her. Upon the trial of the case, the cargo
having been lbelled for salvage, some circum.
stances OF the induced abelief that the master
had purposely run his vessel ashore, and the Court
Instituted searching investigation which is
not yet brought TO close A reasonable doubt
may certainly be INDUCED of the fairness of
this transaction, and the testimony so far as
1t has yet been taken, dscoses a state of things
which impcate the master But it is so difficult to
obtain decisive proof such subject, so difficult
10 show what the intention of the master was that
the really guilty may frequently escape The cir
cumstances which "tell" principally against him,
are that before the vessel left this port he told some
persons who inquired about his voyage, that he "was
bound TO Charleston, If he could keep clear of the
Florida Reef And also, that il was known and
spoken of publicly here, that he intended to run his
vessel ashore-and one gentleman who was about
10 write, or had written by him was advised not TO
do go, as she would not reach Charleston.
The case creates considerable excitement here,
and when closed you shall have the particulars.
Respectfully, l..