Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1844-07-06


Piracy AND MURDER Papers received
by Yesterdays mail bring US accounts of a
dreadful piracy and murder, committed OH
board the English bark Saladin, which was
discovered lying stranded near Halifax, No
va Scotia, on the 2Ist ult. At that time the
vessel was boarded by Captain Cunningham
of the schooner Billow, who having received
information that a large ship was on shore at
the back ofone of the Islands in Halifax Bav,
manned his boat and proceeded to the place
designated; wien he perceived her to he the
SaIadin, Of New Castle, from Valparaiso
bound to London, with the remnant of her
crew ZIG men) the remainder, including the
Captain and the officers, being missing,
Captain Cunningham went aboard and found
her to be a beautiful craft Of about $50 tons,
with a cargo consisting principally of guano,
but having also 10 tons of copper, IS bars Of
silver, each of about $50 lbs. weight and a
large quantity Of specie, about $4,000.
The men were all well dressed, wore fire
linen, and had TO all appearance been "Earing
sumptuously every day." They stated that
tho captain had died some seven or ejoht
weeks previous, the first officer three DAYS
after, and subsequently the second officer, and
others had fallen from aloft and been drowned
or killed.
The ships cabin was sunnptuonsly furnish
ed. Every description of valuable property
was lying about in most admired disorder.
A chest of dollars full to the brim was in the,
after cabin. Bottles were strewed about
in every direction. The crew had fDrsakcn
the forecastle and taken TO the cabin, and
were living in high style, surrounded by lux
ury and magnifcence. The richest wines
were delt out with unsparing hand, and the
scene was one Of riotoas excess. On refer
renee to the log, Capt. G. observed that the
ship had sailed from Valparaiso on the 9Th of
February, aud the log had ceased on the 18th
of April. He also o~bsergedsthat the appren-
tees had run from the HI Valparaiso.
Captain c. remained on board six hours,
and during this time despatched a letter to
the nearest magistrate cut The sails off the
yards, hoisted out the launch, got all the val
uables together, took an inventory of them,
and finally gave the whole in charge to
Charles Archibald, Esq, J. P. The bark has
since fallen over, bilged ia several places,
and become a total wreck. The six seamen
were subsequently arrested, the vessel hav-
ing such a large treasure on board, it was
supposed that a desire to appropriate it might
have led to the murder of the officers and
passengers. Subsequent revelations have
proved these suspicious to have been correct.
Two of the prisoners, the steward and cook
of the Saladin, have turned Queens evidence
and, disclosed a tale Of blood which makes
the heart thrill with horror. We COPY the
confession as given in the Halifax Journal:
1.-THE Saladin, Capt. Mckenzie, sailed from
Valparaiso on the 9Th of February, with thir- |
teen persons, including Capt, Fielding, a pas.
senger, who had his ship seized at that place
for smuggling, and his son a boy about fifteen
years of age. Nothing remarkable occurred
from the time Of sailing until the 10Th of
April. when Capt. Mckenzie and Fielding
had a serious quarrel, and did not afterwards
sneak to each other. Fielding then, it ap-
pears, laid the plan, in conjunction with four
of the men now in Jail, viz johnson, Ander- .
son, Junes and Hazen, to get possession of tie !
ship, to accomplish which this series of the
mast deliberate and cold-blooded butcherjes |
were. committed.
On the night of the oath of April, the mate
BqerIy, while lying upon the hencoop, was
murdered with an axe, and his body thrown
overheard the carpenter was then called
from the half-deck where he slept, and az
soon as he reached the deck was felled with
an axe and also throwned into the sea when
this was done they proceeded to murder
Capt. Mckenzie, who was asleep in The cabin.
but finding his dog by his side, became al
armed and returned. Fielding shortly after
went to the cabin door aEd called ont "a man
overheard which instantly brought Cap |
Mckenzie from bis berth, and while ascending
the ladder and in the act of giving orders to
put the ship about, was struck with an axe
on the shoulder; he succeeded, however, in
reaching the deck and gFappIed with the
man (Anderson) who struck the blow, and
while struggling with him two others at
tackled him, and Fielding killed him with an
axe; his body was disposed of in the same
manner as those Of the mate and carpenter.