Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1843-01-07


be subject to The brutal lasts Of the cap
tors before being put TO death.
On or about the 7,h Of December inst.
the whole plot was disclosed to Captain
Mackenzie by one Of the crew, who had
refused to join III the mu;iny Spencer,
the Goatswaln's rate and the quarter
master were Immediately arrested, and
papers were found upon them discosin.
the horrible purpose III foil, and signed
by so large a number OF the crow rs
would have enabled them 10 obtain the
mastery in u molncn, Of surprise. In
deed, the whole plan is said to have been
in writing; in part, in hieroy'yphics, TO
prevent discovery, and in tho oath were
the words-'.You swear that you have no
fear Of shedding bood.''
After these horrible disclosures, court
martial was held upon Spencer and those
most prominently connected with him
II was impossible TO know how far the
contamination had spread, though it had
evidently spread to IL most dangerous OK.
tent. 10 crush il ut all hazard was in
dispensab!c.
The court martini determined that no.
thing short OF the p:ompt execution ol
the ringleaders would ensure the safety
Of the brig. Spencer and the two pet
~ officers already mentioned were
ihereupon ordered 10 be HUNG AT THE YARD
ARM, as stated above. Whether this exc.
cuton was in s,anler, or not, we have not
the means Of saying, as the reports are
conflicting. One OF them states that the
sentence was pronounced in the evening,
aud carried into effect the next morn.
ing.
Another account states that it took
place for,hwilh--that Spencer prayed for
u short delay that he might write letter
to his father; but the request was retus.
cd-the young mutineer being told that
his intention had been to murder his
commander and officers without yivin.
them moment for preparation, and that
they now meted out 10 him the fate he
intended for them.
IL was moment cf fearful Importance
when the disclosure was first made, as i,
was necessary 10 decide the question oi
mastery insianter, officers could not
then know the exact strength Of the mutt
neers.
The captain Immediately ordered all
hands on deck and ordered those oil the
crew who were opposed,o him to 90 upon
the forward deck. Mldshipman Spencer
the boatsWalns rate and the uaster-t.t
arms Immediately led the way. and were
followed by thirteen apprentices, aud some
OF tho crew.
/ These arraycd themselves upon the
forward deck, without doubt supposing
that they would be followed by great
proportion oil the crew Twenty five oil
them remained loyal 10 their ilag and
commander, and these, with The officers
! succeeded after a conillct will! the mutt
+ neers, according TO Que OF the accounts
IN VIII CHI some o. them were severely
4 wounded, III SURPRISING the revoi, an1
d putting all the muilneers IN irons.
Inc Solacrs saiied from Liberia Oh the
night OF November llth. and from ST
Thomas on the night oi, the 5ih Decem
Der. There is reason TO believe that the
/ conspiracy Was formed before they lief
The African cost.
According 70 ole Of the published ru
lnors: the disclosure OF the po, l,,uk p nc,
on THIS vase. Sprnccv offered his paper
OF roll oil tho conspiraors To the master
alarms 20 sign, who signed it TO que
Z their suspicious. and then i'm aeliate!,
! revealed The facts TO the commander
lie momcn, the consrlrators found tina
they We're discovered, they met il body
and went to the commander, demandin.
possession OF the ship. and young Spence
presented Il pistol III his head
All this was at night, and the chic
part Of the crew were below, when til,
officers on deck, not knowing the ex,en
of the conspiracy. Immediately closes
the matches and kept all confined wiz
were below, until those above, who wcr,
consplratoss, had been secured aud ;hei
ring leaders tried and executed.
Spencer was only about nileteen year.
Of age, and received his warrant as ;
, midshipnan on the Goth of November
Like his brother, who figured in the pa
pers so largely Tor his misconduct some
months ago, he has been sad fellow
lIoUl Ills UoJ uOOu. we presume ina
official accounts Oi this astounding atlai
I w.!l be speedily given, when more oil it.
particulars will be spread before the pub
lie. 1t has been thus far KEEP, secret here
we presume, in order that it might no
first reach the car of his parents through
the columns Of the press.
The unhappy young man was las
spring attached to the Brazilian squadron
Having upon that station committed some
offence for which he was arrested AM
would doubtless have been cashiered, the
affair was compromised by sending him
home, under y pledge that upon his ar
rival in the United States he would immc.
diately resign. This pledge was not KEEP,
land beingin commission, he was order.
ed to the Somers, on board which vessel
his brief and sad career has been ended
under the circumstances already related
The mu,ineers We're unfortunate in
having such commander to rise upon as
Commander Mackenzie. Though Of! q
humane and exemplary Christian ci,arac.