Litchfield enquirer., 1843-01-12
THE SOAIERS MUTINY. NAVAL COURT OF INQUIRY.

NAVAL COURT OF INQUIRY.
 From the W. Y. Tribune
 On Thursday, Dec. 29, copy of Capt. Mackenzie's narrative was brought into the: Court of Inquiry, now in session on board the ship North Carolina, and read as follows :-~
 us. BRIG SoMERs, NEw- YORK, Dec. l9.
 Since my arrival at this port have been. diligently engaged in preparing for the De. partment at Washington full and detailed narrative of all the circumstances connected with the mutiny on board the U. s. brig -of- war Somers on her recent voyage from Afri- ca-but having been frequently interrupted. especially by the solictude of friends, l have been forced to reliEquish my first intention and to confine myself entirely to sketch of. the principal occurrences. After leaving ths Azores and Madeira in October proceeded, according to orders, to Teneriffe and Porto Pray. Thence went tu biberia expecting to find the U. s. sloop- -of.war Vandala. Bug on arriving there learned that she had sail. ed on the 9th of October for the U. s. as |. understood. The despatches with which I! was entrusted for her being thus rendered of no use were left with the U. s. Agent. On | the lith of Nov. sailed for the U. s. via S,. Thomas, where I thought it necessary to take in supply of bread, water, &c On Saturday, the 18th of Nov. It. Gansevoort came into the cabin and informed me that be had learned from Midshipman Wales that 6 conspiracy existed on board the ship to cap- ture the vessel, to murder the Captain, bring over aS many of the crew as possible, mur- der the rest and convert the vessel into a pi. rate-and that Midshipman Spencer was at the head of the conspiracy. This, Lieut.. G. said, had been told to him by Midshipmalps Wales, whose narration was as follows:
 On the night of the 25th of Nov. between and o'clock in the evening, Wales said he was aroused by Spencer, who asked hina to go upon the booms, as be had something to say to him. He got up, and. on arriving at the booms, he was asked by Spencer, " Do you fear death ! do you fear a dead man !! do you fear to kill man?" Wales, with admirable coolness, induced Spencer to go on, took the oath of secrecy, and entered irto all his plans. Spencer told him that he had about 20 men in his plot that they would easily get possession of the ship, murder the Commander and officers, and commence pi- racy. He gave Wales all the details of his plan, which were admirably suited for his purpose, and arranged much better, Mr. w. said, than he could have done it himselt.- As an inducement to embark in the enter- prise, Spencer said that large box of wine on board contained a large amount of gold and other treasure. His object was to go to the Isle of Pines, where one of his associates, who had been pirate before, had a confede- rate; and that he would attack no vessels that he could not capture, and destroy all he captured; that he would select from them such females as were proper, use them, and then dispose of them tha: he had all the de- tails ot the plan drawn out on a paper, which was in the back of his cravat. He showed money to Mir. Wales, and, before separating, threatened him with instant death if he ever revealed what he had told him.
 Such, proceeded Capt. Mackenzie, was the purport of the information which received from It. Gansevoort. To me the whole affair seemed so monsttous that treated it with ridicule, and believed that Spencer had been amusing himself and Wales with some story of piracy he had learned from some novel or tale of murder. Still could not help feel.- ing that it was sporting with serious subject and that my duty required me to be on my guard, and resolved closely to watch the movements of Spencer. l directed the first Lieutenant to observe him very narrowly I learned that in the course of the day,- Spencer had been in the ward-room for s0n1e time, and busted himself in examining Q chart of the West Indies, and that he had made some inquiries concerning the Isle of I llCS. uC A1ICuICuouS thuS u0 UCo lieved it was place much frequented by pi- rates, and drily asked him if he had any ac- quaintances there! Spencer passed the day sullenly, and was often observed to be exa. mining paper. and writing with pencil,, and making rings with his penknife. Lieut.. Gansevoort soon after made some excuse for following him to the foretop, where he found, him engaged in working some love devices. upon his arm. He expressed desire to- learn the rate of the chronometer, and was, referred to the Master of Marines. He was. frequently seen engaged in holding secret conferences with BOatswain Cromwell and Small, and was known to have given money to different persons of the crew. He had aI- so melted the steward to steal brandy, which he had given to the crew, and with which he had once or twice got drunk himself.
 Capt. Mackenzie thought it due to the ward-room officers to state the circumstan.. ces connected with their having brandy on board. When the vessel was first equipped.