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

Wilson having tailed ~ MS h'tcmpt 10 g'
up IN on,hreak IN the n'pht, and finding hlm'
rrlr narrowly watched; feeling, Indeed, that
he could be no longer ief, a, large. had come
forward with some hmc and absurd ronfrs'
sion. and the r, quest that he should not be-
ironed. immediately told him that II he
would make a real confession he should not
be molesicd and ,hNt IL was only all insult Ia
uifer me such lame stony as that which had
been already reported io me by Lieut.. Gansc
wort. Nothing more could be- go; from him
aud Mt quarters he wns ironcd. IN his sail
bag was found an African knife, of an extra
ordinary shape, shor, mud gradually expand
ing in breadth, md sharp on both sides; II
was Of no uso lnr any honest purpose; II was
fl only 10 kiln II had BEEN secretly sharpen
ed by his own confession, the day before,
with file. to perirc, edge. lie had begun
also to sharpen hts battle axe with The sam"
assistant Ono part of II he had brought to-
an edge the sharpening of battles axes had
never been allowed or practiscd on board the
Somcrs.
Mckinley, also down among the certain.
and beyond doubt correctly, was now nr.
rested. Hitherto he had kept n, large by his
admirable siradlness and command of coun-
tcnnncc. lie, in fact, IN the individual who.
if the mutiny had been successful, would
have mnde way with all his competitions and
risen To the command. Remembering Grcen'>
dcnean nor during the past night. | sent Tor
him, Intercepted him, and ironcd him. Alex.
ender Mckee, who was To have taken the
wheel, and who was entirely IN the conf
dcnce Of Cromwell, was also ironcd.
These individuals were made to sit down
rs they were taken, md when they were
ironed walked deliberately round the bat
terry, followed by the first Lieutenant, and
we made together a very careful inspection
II The crew. Those who, though known 10
be very guilty, were considered To be The
least dangerous, were called out and lnterro-
gated: care was taken not To awaken the
suspicious Of such M from courage aud ener-
Nv were really formidable. unless It were IN.
tended To arrest them. Our prisoners now
Amounted 10 seven, filing up the quarter
deck, aud rendering Il very difficult To keep
them from communicating with each other
interfering essentially with the management
Of the vessel. The last prisoners taken
we've those To " HON reference is made in INV
letter TO the officers, written before, but mol
sent until after their capture.
On the receipt of my letter, the officers
immediately assrmbled in the wnrdroom and
commenced the examination of wtncsses.--
The witnesses were duly sworn and the ies
iimnny accurately written down; IN ad,Itlon
20 The oath, each witness signed The evidence
which he had given after It had been read
over To him. The officers passed the whole
day IN this occupation without interruption
Hnd without food. | remained in charge of
the deck with the three young Mldslupmcn
nn constant duty. The officers were excused
from evening quarters. AT Olghtiull. orders
were sent To them TO discontinue their de
libCratIons and resume their watches, as the
present safety ut the vessel must be attended
10.
The risks and uncertainty of The preceding
night had determined me that another such
should not b" pa-sed. drew mp watch bill
Of all the ofhccrs, idlcrs included. dividing
them into two watches, and assigning each
separate station IN different paris of the vessel.
| took charge OF The slarbvard watch myself,
aud assigned the larboard to The first Lieu
tenant. This brought inc with two watches
on detk; but The first Lieutenant had been
Ms much on duty rs myself Even this, how
ever. wgs n grea, rcllct, as ! obtained al in.
tcrvnls during the mid watch an hour or Two
ot refreshing sleep.
In the course Of the morning of Thursday.
the 1t of December, The first Lieutenant |
presented to nc the following letter. IN
answer Ia MAT which ] had addressed on the |
previous morning To the ofhcers:
L. 5. Brig SnMERs, December |, lS42.
SiR: In answer To your letter of yesterday,
requesting oar corrscl rs Ia the best course
,u BE- pursued with the prisoners. acting Mid. |
shil man Philip Spencer, Boa'swnin's Mate
Samuel Cromwell, aud seaman Elisha SnInI,
we would state, that the evidence which has
Come to our know ledge is of such nntutc
that. alter as dispa> sionate and deliberate n
consideration oi the case as the cX,gency oi
the time would admit, we have come To
cool. decided, aud unanimous opinion that
they have been guilty of n full and determined
Iuienirn To commit a nlnilny on board OF this
vessel ui o most alrocious nature, and That
the revelation OF circumstances having mndc
u necessary 10 cUntinc others with them, The
uncertainty 0s To " hat extent they are lcagucd
with others still at lurgc, tho inpnssiblly OF
guarding against the contingencies which
~ day or an hour may bring forth" we are
convinced that II would be impossible to
carry ih' 10 10 The United States, and that the
safely %! the public property, The lives OF our
selves, aud Of those committed TO our charge. |
requires that giving them sufficient iinc
to prcpare) they should be put TO DEATH III n
manner best calculated rs an example tn
make benc6cial impression upon the DIS
affected. THIS opinlnn we give, bearing IN .
mind our duty 10 our God, our country, and
To The service.
We arc, Sir, very respectfully,
your ubediCnt servants,
GuERT GANsfvooKT, H., uicn0ni.
X. w. LrrcoCX, Passed Asst Surgeon.
ii. NJ. l!IEsKELI., purser.
NJ &. PrRRY, Aciug Master.
HENRY RopGEEs, MIdshIpman.
EGBkKT THOMPSON, MIdshIpm0n.
CHARLES w. HAYS, MdsbIpnon.
NJ once concurred in the Justice Of their
opinion, and in tie necessity of carrying us
recommendation into Immediate effect
There were two others of the coDsprn'Ors
almost as guilty, so far rs The intention was
concerned, as the three rngleaders who had
been first confined. and tn who's, gases the
attention OF the officers had been invited
hui they could not be Kept IN confinement
pRhout extreme danger w. the ultimate safe
ty ot ,he vessel. The three Chief consprn.
tors alone were capable of navigating and
sailing hrr. BY their removal, the motive TO
L sesru'. capture, and carrying out OF the
original design al piracy, was at once taken
nNGp. 1hrr lives were Justly forfeited TO
iio eI.,nlry W,rh they had betrayed; and