Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-12-24
From Me Nsw York 7ftex&k
important InteiI,gepac--.fptiny - Board
Z. =. Brig of VIM

Ia
important Intoii,genec--,fy<inyu - BOARD n
T. :. Brig Of yvnr-
Ws received Information yssietdsy u y inos, i'm.
7o-enl Transaction on hoard the q. S. Big Of
War somers, Capt. McKBSsJe, which cur readers
win recollec, arrived at ,his port on Wednesday
last from the Coast cf tfrica, where she had been
cruising for sore nnnihs, tn order 10 protect A.
ncrcan merchant vessels from the Interruption
nf British cruisers searching fr slaves The So
Tnr'a left Liberia on the 9Th Of November aud
t1rcl Il 81; 8. Thomas on her vsysgo hither. She
e't q. Tn ,1naa eu the sih Of December ; and on
that ~ The cap,siF observed disorderly movements
ninonE the crew, which excited his suSp iohs of
intended muNny, He saw nothing dcfnhc, how.
ever, or sufficient TO warrant the arrest of anv. He
corten e3 bimsef therefore, with ordering all his
Officers to wear theu sidc-arms, and proceeded on
hi, voyage.
He h7d teen out hut two davs when some OF the
c'es Informed him Of the existencs Of q plot on
soa'J which Immediately to be put ia execu
sion. The plan was TO murder the Captain, the
higher o6icery and all others sho acouid ROT join
thsm,-to seize The ressef and concert her into a
pirate ship. She 10 one Of the swiftest sacrs in
the service : and it wa. thus supposed that she
wsud lie most coIpplzetys fitted for the purpose to
which they designed she should be applied. They
intcaicd frs, to wateifios como one OF the Liver.
pool pseko.s--expecsedt % bsiog out large guam.
hty Of specie--to s'ize upon and plumber her, and
theE s,il for some remote portion Of the SEQ.
This information was given to the Captain by one
of those WAC had heen originally engaged in the
plot, but had subsequently repeated and betrayed
their murderous design.
This was on the 9TH ofDeecmher The Cap
tsn Immediately ordered all hands on deck, and
ordered those of the crew who were opposed to him
10 go upon the forward deck. Passed MdShip.
man SrEScEn, son Of John C. Spencer, our Secre.
tary Of War, the Boats,soin's Mate end the Mas
Ter at Arm's Immediately led the ,cay, and were
followed hy thitteen apprentices, and about sixty
Of the c'ew. They uryayed themselves upon the
forward deck without doubt .upposing that they
v'gj je followed by great proportion of tht
~. Cap,ain McKensie instantly ordered then
'o he uut in irons They were ahack d and secure
ly confined.
In tne evening a Court Martial was summonej
Spencer sud his two compsn ma, the three ring
irndsrs tried, conpacted, and sentenced amc
7art morning wERx; nuso AT TIRE rARp.Ana
The rest were brought in irons 10 this port. wher
they sre sdl kep, in shackles and close confns
ucnt d
Thus, by tAe prompt, fearless decision and energ,
Of Capt. McKense, one OF the most bold and darini
conspiraces ever formed vas frustrated and crush
cd. Tic whole crew on board numbefed we be
levr, not fai from four hundred; and had the pio
heen succcssful, s. days delsy might have mad
it, deeds a tljod and ef fearful s,rccity, seid,i
parasled 10 the horril recorls Of pr0cy and mur
der would have black ned the sea and carry terro
20 tho heart Of the world. We presume that ofTi
cia accounts Of this astounding affair will lie spec
dly given, when more II lie particulars will b
spread before the public.
linn diatey upon the arrival Of the Somers, "
understand, messenger was desP,tched 10 w ash
inston with the Intelligence. Il has been thus f.
kept sccrct here, we presume in order that
might no Fl st reach thee Of Nr. Spencer rhrouC
lhs columns Of the press. An official Investigate
viii Of u.se 10 Immediately ordered, and all III
p,rticulars Of the matter be soon made known
There are soms portions Of this account which lea
us to suspect It's entire accuracy but we Civ
deen most reliable.