The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-01-06


the officers, which was a. once accorded
10 him. He then obtained permission 10
address the crew, which he did. warning
them against permitting themselves 10 De
seduced as he had been, into the commit
tai of the crime for which he was about
to suffer death.
SPENCER asked respite of ten minutes for
himself and companions in guilt. in order
that they might be prepared to die. This
was granted and he was asked if he
vishedfo ,crite, to his father or mother;
but he replied that he did not lie then
acknowledged his guilt and The justice
of his punishment, and remarked that he
would rather meet such a death there
lat sea- than be subject to the infainy of
exposure on shore. The ten minutes
asked for by Spencer were extended to
upwards of one hour, nearly the whole
of which time was employed by him in
endeavoring to obtain forgiveness Of
Small. for having seduced him into the
commltlal of crime for which he was
so soon TO expiatc with his life. Small
withheld his forgiveness for length OF
time; bnt a, last in reply to Spencer's Off
reiterated request of "Do forgive me,
Small" he said tina! he fully pardoned
him.
Every thing being in readiness, the
moose was placed around the neck Of each
OF the culprits, and the officers were sta
toned about the decks to see that every
man had both hands on the ropes. About
one o'clock (sea time) on the LIST Of
Dec, the signal for execution was given
by firing gun to eeward, and the guilty
men were run up.
After hanging about an hour the bodies
were lowered down and delivered to their
several mess-males 10 be laid out and
sewed up and in the evening they were
committed TO the deep, Capt. Mackenzie
reading the service as usual on the occa-
sion Of 6urialS at sea. Smal's last
words were TO invoke a blessing on the
American flag, and to ask forgiveness for
having so dishonorcd it; but the others
died without any marks of peni!encc. I'M
media,ely after the execution all hands
were called to cheer ship; and three
hearty cheers were given for the Amer-
can flag, which was then waving at the
gait; after which all hands were piped
down and the usual duties Of the vessel
were resumed.
-Four Of the men who appeared to be
mos! deeply implicated, were placed in
irons immediately upon the discovery of
the projected mutiny but the others sus-
pccled to be concerned, were permitted TO
go on duty until they reached this port,
when they were also ironed and sent OIL
board the North Carolina.
The following are the names of The men
and boys now confined on board the re-
ceiving ship, and awaiting The action Of
the Navy Department:
Charles A. Wilson, sail.maker's mate.
Danic! Mckinley, landsman.
BENZ. F. Green, ordinary seaman (apprcntIce.)
Alexander Mckee 2d class apprentice.
Geo. W. Warner, ordinary seaman (apprcntice.)
Sha'' W. uoiderhah, lahusman (appreht!ce.)
Eugene Sullivan, LIST class apprentice.
George Kneavah, landsman (apprcntice.)
Richard Hamilton, LIST class apprentice.
Chs. Won Velsor, ordinary seaman (apprenticc.)
Henry Wal,ham (mullalo) wardroon steward.
Edward Gallia, (mulato) Storage cook.
These are unqueslionably the material
facts attending this attempt 10 seize upon
national ship and CONVEX, her into Pr
rate, and the consequent prompt and Just
punishment Of the ringeaders. What
adds greatly to the disgrace(ul character
of this dangerous aud daring attempt to
obtain possession of national vessel,
is the fac! tha, one Of the officers of the
ship devised and was at the head of the
projected mntiny and when we bear in
mind that Spencer informed Wales that
he had a confederate on The Isle Of Pines
where the Somers had not been, and
that his chief confedera,es, Cromwell and
Small, shipped on board after Spencer
had joined, there can be no reasonable
doubt but the mutiny was arranged in this
port. What confirms this suppostion is
the fact now ascertaincd, that Spencer de-
cIared before his departure. that he would
never return to this city. and on The pas
sage out assumed to be able to tell mems
fortunes, and assured his fellow midshp-
men IN tire Storage, that they had not long
to live words which at the time were
treated as badinage. but which were doubt
less based upon knowledge of his des-
perate schemes.
All the petty officers who remained
frio IN the,r n,r h,yn bol,,aJ -. H..