New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-01-20
THE soMERs MUTINY
Naval Court ef inquiry.
Reported for The Tribune.

~
street, y. 7. think knew Samuel Cron~ ei "no Wens
ont in the Somers. but not sure. eas 2eue" o
board the Sorers banned John Primrose neSIu 81 Id Id
been transferred The North Carolina TO The soue!s s
went 10 hin. hired boat and WREN soi aionssH.e
was tod could board Tbs w k':o' sGg
made her frs; cruise round the hzrbn went asaio az"
was told be was confined in he brig. aftsxzrds iouSd
that be had been transferred the Norh Carolina again
Soase or days after a. rscnllec TWO Sauos
came into wesbrocas il the BoweE No. a oae OF thetu
said he was Soaisusins Mate OF the SouerS can
ect what period OF the yea this or WneipeF IL
before her first CT las, cruise.
On reference TO The log book, found ihat Cromwell
board she Sonsrs until The 18th OF August.
while the SocEs sailed her last cruise OF iRe ISth Oh
September
On farther reference, j, was found that Primrose bad been
transferred 10 the Norh Carolina from The Sores on Inc
5ih Of July Previous 10 In e aTs, cruise.
The Jadgc Advocate ihercuPcn stated thai All the cos
veraiion declarations made the tine mentioned by
The witness being made previous 10 The Inst cruise Oh inc
brig could not be received evidence OF what had been
the intention previous last cruise, and would be e1-
cnded by decision The Prescas day
being also asceained b. the description OF the man
given by Perry ;ha, had not been
Cromwell but resenbled Phelps, WHO had been on board
Boatswais Mate during the sr cruise but not during
the last the testimony of the witness il was gate apparent
would be entirely Irrelevant and be directed TO retire
The President then stated that the testimony being now
closed The Court would b. cleared which accordingly
done The Court will deliberate and fame their decision
in secret and it viii then be TO Washington for aP
prevail
The following is the Document which Command.
er Mackenzie presented Yesterday:
Nfry it please the Court: prepared to prove that
more than year ago, OF the smuselents CT M
Spencer relate the young children OF one OF the pro-
essos OF Geneva College, in whose family he was dones-
ica,ed, murterous aries and tales o: bood that the
chief and avoriie theme OF his conversation 2ratcai
exploits and pleasures OF pirates l- that The great
obec, o his ambition pirate; that the
book which he oepe read, and which, on leaving Gene
va College embark in whale he presented 10 the stu
dents library, the "Piras's Own Book and that IL
still remains there with his in ii that stepping In
the stage coach leave Geneva, the last words ne sad
to friend who took leave OF him WERE that be would next
be heard OF as pirate.
Witnesses are in attendance upon tie Court to prove
that throughout he period Of his service in the Potomac
from Rio Boston, the possibility Of capturing her, ana The
use 10 be subsequently made OF her as pirate were the
object of bis thoughts and The theme of his conversation 70
three least OF forward officers TO how many oil the
crew he may have uniolded his plans is not Known that
he detailed them in the OF three can be proved
II proved that he explained how the officers might
be murdered in the night and the ship captured-iha al
though he objected the OF the Potomac, II he could
obtain smaller vessel he still DESTROYS of undertaking
his project her-hat he offered the first Lieutrnantcy OF
the Potomac he could obtain possession OF her, TO one Oh
her forward ocerthat with her he proposed 10 capture
some OF the packets of Newiorh-ha from the captured
ally change ard thin of his crew. ant he got perfect
that he proposed also get the track OF outward bound
lnGamen, and made particular inquiry as TO The part OF
those vessels which they slowed the specie for The pu
chase Of their return cargo-that he also inquired me
masters The intameE did Usually carry tnelr families
with thenlhat he went mrteiy into all The details oil the
discipline necessary 10 the OF pirate, the
means OF refDg and watering in remote and unfrequenea
seas.
am prepared prove that during passage OF nearly
nifty days Rio Boston, in the Potomac this consul
tuted Mr. SpenceIs chief topic OF conversation among The
forward officers and among tie crew, and that as ah ute
rior project when be found his plans Tor carrying The Po
tomac could be aured he proposed 10 equip by sonie
MEANS clipper brig Baltimore and arranged ali the de-
tails for manning and arming her after be should be dis
| missed from The naval service.
am prepared TO prove by John Ford former wardroom
steward Of the Somes that the night before The Semers
sailed, Daniel Mckinley told him that there would proba
bly, be nutipy board the Somers.
With regard Samuel \. Cromwell, l am prepared to
prove thar munous conduct he was turned out OF bis
Ship and owed ashore grating-that very shortly be-
fore the departure OF the Somers from New-Yok, he as
serted in barroom Of the Bowery OF that there
would probably be mutny board Of her keore her re
,un Charles A. Wsos being atthe time in his company.
lam prepar prove by Lieutenant Montgomery Lewis
that when employ IN the Florida otla under Lieut. Mc
Laughiu on OCCASION when boat expedition under
Lieut- Rogers Cfenweli, having been put 10 irons ioI
drunkenness ard mutIDouS
by telling him that the next time they tell In win Indians
other shots would he rtceved than those that were fred by
| lndians and that there would be some killed.
BY Ed Alfred seaman now on board OF this ship,
tia, during the greater part The night he paraded before
The of 1t Lewis, with loaded carbne and with the
avowed purpose of Shooting him. should he come on that
he had two separate projects for creating untny among
the seamen o. the expeditions time 10 turn all the
officers ad in b,at with single oar 10 proceed With
the boats Cuba ard the Isle Of Pines with all The
which, and of the negborng coast ne protested 10 be
familiar, and then ~ engage Ia piracy.
the Court may decide 10 the evidence thus
offered TO prove the early pratca propenstes, and the
pratical project in another ship, OF Mr. SpcEcer trust Il
will any depar. sufficiently from It's rules TO receive
The enic testimony offered 10 prove the piraca tenden
ces OF Cromwell He alone, OF the Three mut!neers who
executed persisted to the last in protesting his nno
ceBce Will asking forgiveness OF Leu Gansevcort
Such the secre; character of utny, and the precuu
ton with which practsed pirate especially would hide
his guilty poIings against TIE lives of his comrades and the
honor OF his country, that is Impossible to adduce, even
before this Court, all the evidence which rendered the
gr OF Cromwell palpsbe his officers and niesSnaes
and dvesed CT all doubt, mary thng incidents that had
weight al the tie orgcusn many consisting ofloos
and motions significant enough 10 those VINO see he can
no, be described.
aadpced before the Court prove the guilt OF Cromwell
yet with the OF showing his previous mutnous and
piratca Fropenses hand !, desirable TO 90 step
farther and satisfy Them who are strangers alike TO The
cuar position of ships company alone upon the ocean
the sire necessity that may grow OUT OF condition Of
.a, company, in any navy, and happily unparalleled
la our own,
have the homo. be- very respectfully ohedisnl
servant, ALIEN SLADhLL maLhcNAic.
IT, s. Ship NORTH Caroitaa. l6th jan 1913.
THE SOMERS TRAGEDY.
~ The New World, of this week, Saturday, Jan