The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-07-27
NEW YORK. SATURDAY MORNING. JULY 81. 1874

TRIAL OF THE SALApIN PIRATEs.-We have re-
ceived Halifax journals Of the 18th instant, which
contain reports OF the irial OF Charles GustaVus
| Anderson, w lillian Travasgus, alias Johnston, Geo
Jones and w illiam Hazelton, tour OF The crew Oh
the Saladn, tor the piracy committed on board
that vessel. The trial was before a special Court
Ct mixed commission, Sir Charles Adam, Presi-
dent.
After the jury had been empan .eed and the in
diciments read, Two OF The prisoners, Johnson and
Anderson, expressed a wish 10 plead guilty; but
Anderson beng foreigner. and tor other reasons,
the Court preferred that then hrs plea Of not guilty
should stand and the irlal go on
The principal evidence against the prisoners was
their conles but there was some preliIni-
nary testimony showing the condition VI the YES
sci when discovered ashore at Country Harbor-,
Captain O'Brlen, who saw her flrst, went on board
with Captain Cunningham.
The after cabin was In great confusion books
aud clothing and various articles were scatei eu
about without any order; saw no specie al that
time at another time when he went down he saw
number Of loose dollars lying in The alter M he
afterwards saw great number Of dollars iylns III
box in the after cabin Mr.. Sellers, gentleman
who had coms on board, Was counting them over
and putting them In bags, assisted by Johnston
the dollars were In no p ace oil safety, but appear
ed 10 be entirely exposed he had set the bars OF
silver; there were thirteen Of them these appeared
to be III the places where they had been originally
put.
Mr.. SELLERS. an intelligent, gentlemanly young
man, from Guys orOugh, was next examined
Captain Cunningham and Capt OBrlen were both
| on board the vessel when witness got there; the
cabin was IN disorder q, melancholy CONDITION J;
a number OF trunks were broken open and lying
about it, and the floor was covered with straw !;
| the prisoners in the dock were on board );
| they told him their names Johnston appeared 70
have the whole control; he told witness he had
| taken charge since the captains death; that ne
could not keep the men from getting drunk the
| crew said that the captain died alter lew days
Illness shortly alter leaving Valparaiso; That nc
| mate had long been in i'll health, and oied about
thrDa Iuya att fhp fam IA
mate and three men he been washed oil The main
yard in gale OF wind all the ships papers were
lying scattered about IN various parts OF the CABIN;
witness collected them together Johnston assist
ed him heard no mention OF Capt. Fielding by
the crew, until after some letters were found. ad-
dressed TO him; they then said he had died at al
| paraiso, and his things were put on board TO b.
taken home TO England witness did not hear TINS
from the prisoners themselves, but from some othi
people saw clothes lying about, suitable Tor boy
about IA or Is years Of age.
/ The Halifax Herald does not give the COMES
| sions VERBATIM but makes coplous abstract OF
| them, as follows:-
| When the Saladn was about leaving Valparaiso,
Capt. Fielding, whose vessel had been conflscatec
| for breach Of the revenue laws OF the country,
| applied to Capt. Mckenzie Tor passage 10 Eng
land tor himself and his SON. and they were taken
| on board cabin passengers. Shortly after get
ting to sea, Fielding occasionally spoke 10 the mel
unidvorabiy OF Captain Mckenzie, told them OF
| the valuable cargo that Was on board, and ques
toned them 10 their courage and resolution, II
| they were called on to act In desperate clrcun-
stances All his dlscourses with them were 81 pa
| ratey, he never speaking 10 more than one at ii
time He finally told them, still speaking in this
| cautious manner, TO only one at time, that the
crew were about TO des roy the officers, and take
| the ship out OF their hands. That the one whom
he so nddre ssed had better join them, or his own
| life would be III danger. In this diaboilcal man
| ner he succeeded III seduclng them one after an.
other, into mutlny, before they were aware Of
/ the true state OF the Case; and in incredible.
Il 4hn une at al To- llf
plans, he succeeded IN obtaining the engage nenl
TO take part with him Of a sufficient number 10 car
| ny them INTO effect. The whole Of this was ct
tected In ii days and those who were IN the plot,
being the prisoners, were OF one watch, and con
sequently all being on deck together, they had
no difficulty pnt'ing the plans into execution
The night OF the 18th April was first proposed foi
the tragedy, but one OF the mutincers, not being III
his place Oh deck, and perhaps, the whole OF them
vet being deficient OF that hardihood which alone
prepares the heart of man tor such dreadful deeds,
the thing was delayed. Previous to the next nigh,
| Field ne had an opportunity 10 farther lnfuse nis
spirit into them, excited their tears, named then
cupldiiy, and got them fully prepared tor the deecs
| OF blood. The mates watch, including all the
mutineers, were then on deck and Fielding. pre-
tending that he was irrltaled by All argument which
| he had with Captain Mckenzie, remained on deck
| in conversation with the unsuspectlng mate who
repeatedly asked him why he did not 60 down into
the cabin 10 his rest This he evaded and still re.
| NAMED on deck. Finally, it now being neal
twelve at night, the mate went to the man at the
helm and told him to steer as well he could, ana
| as he was unwell, he would lie down a spell on
the hen coop. Here then was favorable opportu
nifty for them all their victims in their full power
The captain IN sleep and fancied security in hi
cabin; that half the crew who not in the
plot reposing below in their hammocks, and the
only object that was in their way had now lalc
himself down, and sunk into slumber amcng the m
This opportunity they but too well improved. Tn.
work Of death was commenced by Johnston takInf
an axe, and in darkness and in silence approaching
n
Sensation was Immediately suspended and with
out the least noise they threw the feless body into
the sea. Their next plan was to XII the captain
| and Jones and Anderson were sent down into tn,
cabin tor that purpose but the sleeping mans do.
| was keeping watch for his safety, while his brothe
man plotting his death This dumb ANNA
made them too fearful to proceed, and they return
ed on deck. Their plan was then temporarily al
| cred they proceeded aft and called up the carpen
ter, and as soon as his head was above the compa
MON he received blow with hammer which stun
ned him. One of the consplrators then placed hls
hand over his mouth, and two others threw hin
| stored animation, and he called out "Murderp
| This became the accidental cause OF calling Capt
| Mckenzie on deck on the drowning mans cry
ing murder, Fielding, then near the entrance Il
the cabin. called out with loud voice "a maj
| overboard!' when Capt Mckenzie, with the be
nevoen; design Of saving some OF his crew, rushet
up on deck and no sooner had he got there
but he was attacked with axe by Anderson
/ The blow, however, did not take effect and III,
assaulted man grappled with the murderer, who j
would appear retreaed, for it was some distance
from the cabin stairs when he was seized by Hazel
ton, and Johnson, who was commanded from Ill,
helm by Fielding TO assist, running to the scene o
action, took hold Of one OF his captains hands
In this situation, with three Of the murderers hold
ing him. Fielding gave him repeated blows on tn,
back part Of the head with an axe, which mad,
him corpse. All this was done in much short o
a minute noise was uttered, and the on,
word spoken by their victim was when FIeldnl
ton then appearing evident he cried out, 80
Capt. Fielding 20 As soon the fatal blows sus
pended animation, the body was cast into the sea
aft, and, by The way Of arousing the watch below
they lowered the jib the noise which this made
together with the calls Of Fielding and others
soon brought the poor wretches on deck and will
perfect security 10 themselves, in the darkness o
midnight, and with weapons Of destruction in lhei