New-York daily tribune., 1843-01-05
THE TRIBUN
THE somERs MUTINY.
Nnxa, Capra on Iuauiry.


az =, 9, ,,,e-s we're handed into Court oJ
oon;s Ge.sarv. found on the person of Watham,
.psta ae 10 srsapscted persons. Waltham, II was
a..,ad said that they were letters handed 10 flihi
LIONS ia Liberia, addressed 10 their frenos ~
- country. The Court decided that they hao
,o,bpg 10 do with them, ard they were ore'efeu -
10 forwarded 20 their destination. -
~ r prppY was then called, and sworn. he
testified as follows
,,,. =, boarS the Soners on her late cruise, IN
.hs csnacitv Of Acting Master. The discipline on
aoard after leaving Madeira, was good untii
re,ch;ng Porto Prays--after which time, Until
-bo exse,,.;on of slidshipran Spencer, II was nos
80 eood The elder portion OF the crew were
s,I,iy and rYlorose in their manner Oroers aao "
be repested several times before they were ooeyed
There was marked difference in their manner
though il s not easy 70 describe IL. II uhiy gre"
wo.se until the execution ] first heard of the in
tended snutiny Immediately after evening quarters
mn the 2G,h OF November. Iwas told OF 1t by Md
shipman Rogers Of whom had made inquiry
This was on the same evening that Spencer was
arrested, and while they were putting the IRONS
upon him. The Log-Book of the vessel is 'inoer
my charge. THE LogBook was here produced.
This book contains and faithful account OF
the occurrences Of that voyage, so far as know.
Nearly ali the entries are in my hand-wrtng-aii
those since the Goth November. hey were en-
,sered at the end Of each sea-day. he book mas
not been out of my possession, nor have any al
tera,ions been made in it, since that time On
the evening of the 26th, the Commander ordered
roe TO take the wheel--wbich did, and then saw
ali the officers coming aft except Mr.. Hayes. L
then saw the Commander address Mr. Spencer,
though | heard nothing of what ne said. Mr.
Gansevoort took his swera from him and brought
him aft, close by my side. Mr.. Spencer said"
don't remember what | told HMM fact, cannot
fell'' or words that efect-tho1gh did not hear
the question TO which this was answer. Small |
and Mr.. Wales were brough aft and questioned by
the Commander separately. When the retreat was
beaten gave up the wheel to one OF the crew, and
asked Midshipman Rogers what was the matter.
He told me, and went below and conversed with
Mr. Wales on the subject, and understood that the
Commander did not know of the paper in Spen-
GERS handkerchief. | went on deck and told him
of it, | then relieved the officer of the deck, as
INV watch came on and received brace OF pistols
and cutlnss with orders to put the prisoner to
death if he made the least attempt to escape, or
any one who should attempt his rescue. These
orders were passed to me by the officer of the
deck, Mr.. Hayes or Mr.. Thompson, forget which
At the end of my watch | was relieved and re-
ceived orders to be constantly about the vessel
The next day in the afternoon the maia top gal
liant mast carried away at the upper part oi
the sheave-hole of the top gallant yard rope. Mr..
Spencer alone was then in confinement. was in
the ward and merely the mast carried
away through the sky-lgh,. went forward and
let go the main weather top gallant brace. no.
ticed that Wilson, Cromwell and Small were aloft,
and thought then that it was very singular that
Wilson should be there, as he was sailor and
was then doing nothing. | soon went below again.
Pdo not know how the mast carried away
Mr.. Gansevoort soon came below and Seve me
pistol and ordered me on deck to take my station |
in the starboagd gangway: and to shoot down any
persons who should attempt rescue, os he was
going to conhne Cromwell. remained on deck
until about 8 o'clock, and saw Cromwell ana
Small in confinement. After this each officer had
two pistols, cutlass and cartoHch box with orders
TO shoot any of the prisoners If they were seen
forward OF the mainmast. On the 2Sth MIR. Can
sevoort asked me if thought it safe TO take any
more prisoners, and whether, if necessary to do
So Spencer Cromwell and Small ought first TO be |
disposed Of ! came to the conclusion that the OF
fcers could not take care of any more than the |
FIRST three, and if they had to take any moro prs.
the safety of the required that the FIRST
three should be put to death.
On the S0th, in the forenoon, Wilson, Mckinley, |
Greene and Mckee were confined in double irons, |
on suspicion of being concerned in the mutiny.-
The Commander soon after addressed letter TO
the ward-room officers and the midshipmen, re-
questing their opinions as to the proper disposa!
ef Spencer, Cromwell and Small. The officers met
in the ward-rooul, snd spcRt the day till dusk In
examining wtnesses-when the Commander sent
down word that he wished TIE officers to be NOV
ing about the vessel. During the night was in
the Commanders watch and had orders to shoot
down any of the prisoners who should be seen for
ward and TO see that every body was quiet. The
officers kept watch and watch through the night
-b,, ~, how, ,ba
watches. About 8 of the 1st | took charge OF the
deck, and remained there ill the other officers had
made up their opinion, when | was relieved, went
below. snd conceded in their opinion, which was
the same that had expressed bcfoie. / went on
deck and took charge Of the forecastle. heard
the Commander tell Cromwell that he allowedhim
Ten minutes to live, and that he should then hang
him 10 the main yard-arm. Cromwell said am
innocent-Lord of the Universe look down upon
met went forward to my station. The whips
taken aoft and secured, two to the starboard
yard-arm and one to the larboard. In abeut an
hour saw the prisoners brought forward TO the
sangway. l ,hen saw Spencer and Small speaking
To each other, but heard nothing. They were then
lifted on tho hammock netting and the ropes
secured 10 their necks. Tho Commander then
told me that Mir. Spencer would give the order TO
fire the gum and directed me to have live Goals at
make the crew clap on with both hands TO the
whips obeyed all these orders, and told the
crew not to let go, ba, when they got forward to
stand still and hold :he rope till ordered to belay.
The Commander sooa after called out I" Stand oy
took the apron of the gun-drew q pistol and
cooked It thinking that some of tho crew would
!. attempt rescue. He then gave the order 'hrc. !"
The gun was fired, the prisoners run to the yard
arm, Snd the ensign and pennant hoisted. All