The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-01-11

Y mong the disaffected. individuals whom
: had not supposed TO be implicated were founc
r closely associated with several who were
: known to be among the disaffected. and sew
t eral times there were symptoms that they
! were about TO strike the blow. Mr.. Vale,
r once detected G.. A. Wilson in drawing ou
, hand-spike from its place; and on presen.
3 ting his cooked pistol at him, he only offer.
} ed some lame excuse. | became exceed.
ingly anxious, and remained constantly on
deck. At II O'Clock the watch was called.
Mckinley, Green, and one or two others
missed their muster: they could not be a.
sleep. and why they should be absent Just a.
that time, when they never had been before.
was not easy TO be seen. When they ap
peared. they oil had some lame EXCUSE
They probably had agreed to meet at that
time and 10 commence some act of vic.
lence. Green said he could not get AFT
| sent him forward and ordered him 10 take
the forward lookout for four hours. d.
rected close watch TO be kept up and dis
tributed the others in similar manner.
At o'clock others missed their muster.
| heard ofthis with great uneasiness. Where,
| asked. was this 10 end ? If the men upon
bright night like this seem mutinous and
disposed TO undertake the rescue of those
confined, on bad night, in storm, in the
midst of utter darkness, how much greater
will be the probability Of a rescue? If all
suspected should be ironed, would the dan.
ger be over? What sympathy might not
be felt for the prisoners? These matters
crowded upon my mind. considered the
imminent peril which hung over the lives of
the officers and crew {; thought Of the seas
traversed in every direction oy merchant.
men, unframed and defenceless thought
of what was due TO the interests of COM
merce, TO the safety Of the lives of thousands
upon the deep, TO the sanctity of the Ameri-
Gun Flag entrusted 10 my care, aud TO my
own honor. All these considerations i'm
pressed me with the absolute necessity of
adopting some farther means of security
for the vessel which had been given to my
charge.
took counsel with the First Lieutenant,
and was fortified in my purposes by finding
his opinion identical with my own. 10 so
grave a case, involving SO many interests
and such high responsibilities. felt desi-
rous of having the opinion of all my officers
upon the matter, though not shadow Of
doubt remained on my mind of the guilt Of
the prisoners, should their execution be dee
med necessary. did not forget that the
officers were still boys, and that all the re-
sponsibiIity of;he proceeding must rest up
on the older and high her officers. Still felt
DESTROYS 10 have their opinion, and accord
iugly addressed them the following letter:
"U. S. BRIG SoMERs. Nov 80, 1912.
Gentlemen am DESTROYS of availing
myself Of your counsel in the very response.
BILE position in which find myself placed.
You are aware of the circumstances which
have resulted in the confinement of Mid
shipman SPENCER. of Boaiswain's mate
| CROMWELL, and of Seaman SMALL and
purposely abstain from entering into details
concerning them. Necessarily ignorant,
as am, of the extent of disafection among
the crew who have 80 long been tempered
with, and knowing the suspicion which at
tachos to some of the crew who are al large,
| address you and ask yonr united counsel
as to the best course now TO be pursued; and
call upon you to take into deliberate and
dispassionate consideration, the Conduct
which win be necessary for safe coniinu
ance of he remainder of our course, and to
enlighten me with your opinion as TO the
proper method 10 be pursued.
am, your obedient servant,
ALEX. SLIDELL MACKENZIE,
! Commander.
Lieut.. Ganseooort. and others.
After had written this letter. but before
| had sent il, at about o'clock, Wilson, be-
ing foied in his attempt 10 get up an out
break at night, and feeling that he was mar
rowly watched and was no longer left al lib
erty, came forward and made some lame and
worthless confession, and requested that he
might no, be put in irons. told him that
if he had made any real confession, in SIM
cerity and truth, he should not be molested;
but that it was an insult TO his officer 10 Of
| fer him so lame story as that he had told.
Nothing more could be got out of him, and
he was Immediately put in irons. While
on the African coast knew that he had pro-
cured an extraordinary knife, broad in the
middle, and running TO point. He had
made it very sharp on both sides. II was
singular weapon. of no use except to kill.
He had been seen also the day before shar-
pening his bai:le-axe with file, and had
brought one part Of it 10 an edge. This
was thing never allowed or known before
on board. Mckinley was now arrested -
He was evidently the individual in every
wav the most formidable Of all concerned.
Mckee was also put in irons. They were
made to sit down and when the irons were
out on, walked around the batteries, follow
ed by Lieut.. Gansevoort, and made care
full inspection.
On the receipt of my letter the officers
Immediately assembled and entered upon
the examination Of witnesses, who were
sworn and their testimony written DOWN
ln addition TO this each witness signed The
evidence he gave. 10 this employment the
officers passed the whole day without inter-
rup,ion, and without taking the least 1000
remained, myself, IN charge of the deck.
The officers were excused from watch duty
and the watches we're so arranged that two