Litchfield enquirer., 1843-01-12


 slon fell to me. On the lst December the First Lieutenant presented me with the fol- lowing letter VI
 U. s. BRIG SoMERS, Dec. ], lSf2.
 SIR: In answer your letter requiring our coun- sel 10 the best to be pursued with regard to the prisoners, Spencer, Cromwell and Small, we have the honor state, that the evidence which has come to our knowledge after the most careful, deli berate and dispassionate consideration which the ex- igency would allow, is of such nature as to call for the most decided action. We are convinced that in the existing state o things 1t will be impossible to carry the pr oners to the U. Z. We think that safe ty, lives, and honor to the flag entrusted to our charge, requires that the prisoners be put to death, presson upon the rest of the In this decision trust we have been guided by our duty to God to our Country and to the Service.
 Respectfully, your obedent servants
 Lieut.. GANSEvooGT and others.
 Con- Mackens,e.
 I at once concurred in the justice of this opinion, and made preparations to carry the recommendations into effect. Two other conspirutors were almost as guilty as the three singled out for execution tbey could be kept confined without extreme danger to the ultimate safety of the vessel. The three chief mutineers were the only ones ca pable of navigating and sailing the vessel :: by their removal, all motives to capture the vessel and carry out the original design would be at once taken away. Their lives were justly forfeited and the interests of the country, the safety of the seas, and the hon. or of the flag required the sacrifice. In the necessity of my position found my law and in that necessug trust ,for just5fcalion. l thought it best at this time to arm the petty officers on this point only the First Lieutenant differed from me; and found that he was of the same opinion with some of hn off I that since could not tell whom to trust, it would be best to trust no one. made up my own mind, and judged of the characters whom l could trust and determined to arm them. l ordered to be issued to each cut lass, pistol and cartridges. 1 ordered preparations also to be made for the exccu- ton of the three. All hands were called to witness punishment. The whips were ar- ranged, the officers were stationed about the deck, and the petty officers were directed to cut down every one who should let go his whip or fail to haul when ordered.
 put on my full uniform, and came on deck and proceeded to execute the most painful duty that ever devolved upon any of ticer in the American Navy-the announce ment to the prisoners of the fate that await ed them. I approached Spencer and said to him: You were about to take nay life, MT. Spencer, without provocation, without cause or the slightest offence. You intend ed'to kill me suddenly-in the night while was buried in sleep, without giving me single moment to send one word of affection to my wife, one prayer to God for her vel fare. Your life is now forfeited and the necessity of the case compels me to take it. l do not intend, however, to initiate you in the mode of claiming the sacrifice. If there be in your breast one feeling true to nature, you will be grateful for the premature disclo- sure of your horrible designs. You surely ought to be thankful that you have been pre- vented from the terrible deeds you medita- ted. If you have any word to send to your Father, any satisfaction to express to him, that you were not allowed to become Pirate as you ought to do, you will have ten min utes grantedin which to write it." Midship- man Thompson was the directed 10 note the time and inform mo when it had expired.
 Spencer seemed overcome with emotion He burst into flood of tears, sank on his knees, and said he was not fit to die. l re- peated to him his catechism, and begged him to offer sincere prayers for the divine forgiv- ness. I recommended to him the English Prayer Book, assuring him that he would find in it something suited to all his necessi- ties. Cromwell fell upon his knees, protest ing his innocence, and invoking the name of his wife. Spencer declared that Crom- well was innocent, and begged that this might be believed. This, confess, stagger- ed me : but the evidence of his guilt was conclusive. Lieut.. Gansevoort said that there was but shadow of doubt of it. The petty officers said that he was the one man from whom real apprehension was entertain ed. He was at first the accomplice of Spen- cer, and was then urged on by him, and had been by him turned to his account. tried to show him how Spencer had endeavored to uss him, and told Spencer that he had made remarks about him he would not con. sider flattering. He expressed great anxiety to know what they were. told him Crom- we'll had said of him and another person that there was "d-d fool on one side and d-d knave on the other," and told him that Cromwell would have allowed him to live only so long as he could have made him use- full to himself. This reused him, and from that time he said no more of Cromwell's innocence.
 Subsequent circumstances made me be- lieve that Spencer wished to save him, prob- ably from the hope that he would yet get pos- session of the vessel and carry out his origi- nal design and perhaps that Cromwell would in some way effect his rescue. He en. deavored at the same time to persuade me that Small was only an alias for some one else, on his list-though this was proved to be false. Small alone was the one we had set down as the poltroon of the three |; yet he received the announcement of his fate with great composure. He was asked what preparations he wished to make. He said he had none "Nobody cares for me-" said he, "but my poor mother, and would rather