Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-01-19


gave orders to make immediate prepnra-
llon- for hanging tho three principal criminals
al the main yard-arni.
All hands were now called 10 witness the
punishment. The AFTER. guard and idrrs 81
both watches were mustered on the qnartrr-
deck nj the whip INTENDED icr Mn Spencer ;
iue 'orecaste inen ard iore'rpmrn at that of
Cromwell, To whose corruption they hnd been
chiefly exposedt the mnlntopman ui both
watches nj TINT intended for Small, who for
a month ur more had filled the situation oi
Captain of the maintop. The officers were
stationed about the decks according 10 the
watch bill had made out The night before
md the petty officers were similarly dsirIbu-
ted. with orders to cut down whoever should
let go the whip with even one hand .: failed
TO hnul on il when ordered.
The ensign and pennant being ben, on and
ready fur hosting, now put Oh my full uni'
form, and proceeded TO execute the most
painful duty that has ever devolvrd on an
American coio,nander-'hat Of announcing
To the criminals their fate. informed Mr..
Spencer TINT when hc had been about To
take my lite, and TO dIshonor me as nn officer
when IN the execution Of my righinl duty,
withou, cause of offence TO him, on spccud-
tion. II had been his intention To remove me
suddenly from the world, in the darkness Of
night, in my sleep. wihou, a moment 10 utter
one mrrmur Of affection 10 my wife aud
chlldren-one prayer for their welfare. liz,
lite was now forfeited to his country aud the
necessities Of the case, growing out of his
corruption Of the crew, compelled ne to take
II. ] would not, however, initiate hs lntcn-
dcd example az 10 the manner Of claiming
the sacrifice. II there yet remained 10 him
one feeling true to nature It should he graft
/ fed. IL he had any word to send to his pa
rents it should be recorded, aud faithfully
delivered. Ten minutes should be granted
him for this purpose and Mldshlpman f..
Thompson was called to note the time, and
inform me when The ten minutes had elapsed.
| This iDtlmatiun Overcamc him entirely. lie
snuk, with tears, upon his knees, aud said hc
was not fit TO die. | repeated 10 him his own
caechisni, and begged him at least To lie,
the officer set TO the men he had corrupted
and seduced the example of dying with de-
corum. This immediately restored him To
entire sGlt-porsrssOn, and, while he wns en-
gagged in prayer, went aud made III sncces'
sion the same communication Ia Cromwell
and Small. Cromwell fell upon his knees
completely unnamed, protested his inno'
cCncc, and invoked The name OF his wife
Mr.. Spencer said 10 me, AS these are the
last words have to say. trust they viii be-
believed: Cromwell Is innocent !" The
evidence had been conclusive, yet ] was
staggered.
sent fnr Lieutenant Ganscvoort and con-
suited him: he said there was not shadow
Of doubt. ! told him 10 consult The petty
officers. He was condemned by acclanInlion
by the petty officers. lie was The one man
of whom they had renl apprehension the ac-
compllce at first, and afterwards the urger on
of Mr.. Spencer, who bad trained him to the
net by which he had intended TO boneh'. ]
returned TO Mr.. Spencer. ! explained Ia
him how Cromwell had made use OF him. !
TOLD him that remarks had been made abon,
The two, not very tlatterng to him, and which
he might not care tn hear, which showed the
relative share ascribed to each Of them in the
Contemplated transaction. lie expressed
great anxiety 10 hear what was sad. One
had told the first Lieutenant, "ln my opinion.
sir you hn,e the damned fool on the larboard
Iarm-chest, and the damned villain Oh the
starboard." And another had remarked, TINT
after the vessel SHOULD have been captured
by Mr.. Spencer, Cromwell might allow him
TO live, provided he made himself useful he
would probably make him his secretary.
remarked: 81 do not think this would have
suited your temper" This efirctually aroms
ed him, and his countenance assumed o d,
nuuiacal expressl on. lie said no more of the
innocence OF Cromwell. Subsequent circum
stances too surely confirmed his admission of
his guilt. lie might perhaps have wished to-
save linn, in fulimcni of some mutual oath.
lie more probably hoped he might yet get
possession Of the vessel. and carry out the
scheme of murder and outrage matured he.
tween them. Ii was in Cromwell that hr
had apparently trusted, IN tulhImcnt of some
agreement, for n rescue, and cloqHeuily
plead To Lieut.. GansevOort, when Cromwell
was ironcd, for his release, as altogether igno-
rant Of his designs and innocence. tie en-
dcavOred 10 make of the "E Andrews" np-
pearlng on the list OF the certain, on alias
for Small. though his name rs Small appeared
also in the list among those TO effect the
murder IN the cabin, by falsely asserting that
Small was fcIgucd lame, when he had cvl
dence in o letter addressed by Small's mother
to him, that Small was her name as well as
his.
Small alone, whom we had set down as the
poliroon Of the three, and on that account had
AT first determined not to IRON. received the
announcement Of his fate with composure.-|
When asked If he had any preparation ioI
make, any messages 10 send, he said, 81 have
nobody TO care for me but my poor old moth
or, and ] would rather that she should not
know how have died"
returned 10 Mr.. Spencer, and asked him
# he had no messages TO send To his friends
lie answered, None that they would wish
to receive" When urged still further loI
send some word Of consolation in so great an
affection, he said "Tell them die. wishing
them every blessing and happiness. dc
serve death for this and many other crInres.-
There are few crimes that have not com
milted. ] feel sincerely penitcnt, and my
only fear Of death is, that my repentance
may be too late" | asked him if there was
any one whom he had injured, to whom hr
could yet make rcparailun any one who was
suffering obloqny for crimes which he had
committed. lie made no answer, but soon
after continued. II have wrvnycd many per
SONG, but chiefly my parents" lie said.
"Thls will kill my poor mother" ! was not
be fore aware tina, he had mother. When
recovered from the pain Of this announce
mcnt asked hun If IL would not have been
still more dreadful had he succeeded IN his
attempt; murdered the officers and the
greater part OF the crew Of the vessel, aud
run that career of crime which. with so much