The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-01-07
The S0mers Tragedy.
Mr.. BENNETT


The combined efforts of several of the large news
papers of this city, to direct the public opinion favor
ably to the conduct of Mckenzie, in taking the
lives by hanging of three persons board the u.
s. brig Somers, at time when they were unresist-
ing, helpless, and manaced prisoners, deserve, and
to the extent of my observation, receive, gene
raj condemnation. These papers were foremost to
declare the proprety of abstaining from the express
sion of any opinion the subject, until all the cir
cumstances connected with it should become known
by means of the Court OF Enquiry, now in session,
and then the first to renew their lame and impOtent
justification Of the awful tragedy. In this conduct
the sinister motive Of availing themselves Of the
temporary silence OF others, in compliance with
their recommendations, to command the undivided
attention OF the public to their Gwa preudced and
shameful ISLANDERS upon the minor press, whose for
bearance thus far in commenting upon this shocking
deed, has been nctorious-a degree OF meanness,
hypocrcy and turpitude is exhibited seldom witness
sed. The attempt Of the American to foist upon
an intelligent community the case OF Lord Camel
ford, in shooting Lieutenant Peterson, in time Of
open and forcble resistance to his authority at
fording parallel and precedent to the hanging Of
three manacled prisoners on board the Somers, is
sufficiently absurd to be well worthy of emanatIng
from the brain Of the apologist OF the Dartmoor
massacre
The court has now been sitting five DAYS, and de-
~ any rational honest minded person 10 discover,
by the strictest examination into the testimony ELI
city. the least plausible circumstance to Justify the
summary and high handed measure adopted by Nc
Kenze. In regard to Midshipman Spencer, there
can be but very little doubt that he was aboring
der hallucnation of mind. Whether this was the
result of his isolated position on board the vessel
(where, from the prejudice OF his commander, and
the circulation OF report that he had induced ser
want of the ward room to steal spirits for him, he
was probably generally stunned by the officers, a
large portion Of whom, it is understood, were rela-
tons of that commander,) there is not now, and
likely never will be, any means of determining.
Has not the idea occurred to you that Spencer
was insane during the period Of his strange conduct!
II certainly cannot have escaped your attention that
some of the early statements OF this melancholy af
fair, declared that Mckenzie has, on several occa-
sions, expressed his belief that he was insane or
crazy to Lieutenant Gansevoort or some other per-
son. Will the court omit to enquire into This par
ticuarl am fully OF the belief that Spencer was
aboring under partial insanity, and tor TINS rea,
son am solicitous to obtain the truth In regard
to McKenzies having remarked IT IN conversan.o !
at any period previous TO, or even alter naa OF nus
having put him to death me c eniow;ns, 'p'"
Mckenzie SAYS Spencer usually passed the DAY
"sulenly in corner OF the steerage, an annatural
habit TO a young man like nm. lie passed Jokes
with the men, and it was only on such occasions
that he was observed to smile, and sometimes with
a strange flashing Of the eye" When the men
were aIoft clearing away the wreck OF the main
royal mast, ne observed that Spencer gave many
of those strange and steathy glances which have
before noticed" Again, he SAYS Just before hang
ing Spencer he told him that Cromwell had sta
ted that he probably would allow Spencer to be his
secretary This information efiectually aroused
Spencer. His counenance immediately assumed
demoniacaI expression" Cat this time OF banter
ing young Spencer he stood the brink OF eterni-
ty, with but the passing moment allowed him in
which to prepare TO meet his Creator and but short
time previous sitting with his face buried IN
his gregg and when raised, It was to be seen bathed
in tears.'D Even Spencer appeared TO have some
gmmering Of the state OF his own mind, and IN re-
gard to the project of seizing upon the command Of
the vessel, he tells Mckenzie that ne 'nougnt II
was with him mania !" and to Lieutenant Ganse-
WORT he says, in regard to the same object, that
he knew il would get him into difficulty that he
had tried TO break himself OF 1t, but 1t was lmpossi-