Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1851-06-05

the steamship Baltic, during her late
trip TO Liverpool, is from Il letter writ
ten by one Of the officers Of the ship TO
j friend in Fall River. II will be found
quite interesting, and will gi'e the read
er a good idea OF the amusing eXpedients
resorted to, sometimes, TO dspel the
dullness and monotony of sea voy-
age.
"The incidents of the voyage. not.
Withstand ing its roughness. have been
quite numerous and pleasant Among
the most interesting were the Indictment
and trial Of Capt Comstock for very
grave misdemeanor, history OF which
H | propose 10 give you. | should have re-
marked first, that among other eXpc-
dents resortcd TO for amusement, the
publication of a daily paper occupied a
good deal of attention. II was edited
and published by Snooks & Go. Its IL
tie was "Bdiiic RegiJter." Its motto,
"not for day, bit for all time" II was
a most ably conducted journal, full Of
fact. fun, frolic and fancy, and exactly
the thing TO dspel the blues. Well. on
a morning the whole Baltic community
was astonished by the appearance OF
paragraph announcing that our worthy
Captain had been accused of high
misdemeanor, and that at no distant
day he would be brought before a prop
or tribunal TO answer to the charge
| On the morning OF the oath, it was an
nounced by posters in various parts Of
the ship as iolows:-
II rue TRIAL.
Il "The trial of Capt Comstock will take
place tomorrow. Saturday. April 20.
AT o'clock, p NJ, on the spar deck, if
| the weather re fair, otherwise IN the al
ter saloon. IrPBut il will come on. rain
| or shine. The order of the trial will be
announced on the sp-r-deck at 10 a.
| NJ. Passengers will please attend.
Jurors aud witnesses must attend pune
tually."
| Another little bill followed the above
| NOTICE.
"The witnesses for the prose cufion
are requested to attend at the purser's
Office, tomorrow Saturday, at 8 l-2
o'clock To be driHed"
| According TO previous notice the
Court convened in the after main saloon
at O'Clock, p. NJ. on Saturday, Chief
Justice Ashbcl Smith, of Texas, Hons.
Waldron b Post and Horace Brooks
associates on the bench. By direction
from the Chief Justice. w, w. Leland.
Esq CHI Marshal, proclaimed the
prcsencr of the Court and their reail-
ness 10 try cases Whrrrupon, JAS. f..
Brady Esq, of New York. senior coun-
sci Of the state. moved that Capt. Com
stock be brought before that Hon. Court
for trial. The motion being granted,
the Marshal by order of the Court,
brought The accused 10 the bar. might
have remarked that the accused mani
i Tested a urca, deal Of coOIness and col
Iectedness us he was presented TO the
dread tribunal Notwithstanding the
fearful ordeal he nas to pass he exhibit
ted not only perfect unconccrn. but re-
ally seemed to take much interest in the
affair He took n seat near his Coun-
sci. the Hon l.. C. Duncan. an eminent
LAWYER from New Orleans and the Hon
Horace Greeley. Of New York, who is
by the way some pumpkins on an occa-
sion Ike this. Every thing being in
readiness, n jury of ladies and 6 gen
tlemen was empaneled and cfirmed.
1t being signifed by all parties that
every thing was in readiness, it was or
dered that the Indictment be read IL
was as tolows:-
H THE Jurors Of the State OF Baltic on
their oath preseDt-ihat Jos. j. Com
stock Of New York City, Mariner. man
and boy for forty years, not having any
kind Of fear before his eyes. hut being
moored and instigated they don't know
how. did on the 10Th day Of April. 1851
nj the City of New York receive on
II board a certain good steamer called
the Baltic, divers, 10 wit: $50 rassen-
II gers TO he conveyed to Liverpool. in the
United Kingdom OF Great Britain and
Ireland. Yet The said Comstock did
for six DAYS and nights, more or lefs
permit or suffer the wind TO blow from
the f.. the n. f.. n. n. East. n. T.. by
f.. or from some direction in which
there was some Fasting contrary TO
the wishes o the Baltic, and against the
peace of said people and their dignity
Wherefore the said Jurors say that the
said Comslock hath been guilty Of HIM
bug.
To this Indictment the Captain by his
counsel pleaded not gmiiy
\ The Chief Justice thcrcupon in n
b ei' hut very pertinent address TO the
ladies and gentlemen OF the jury, gave
them important instructions for their di-
rection in the trial before them. He
dwelt with particular emphasis upon
the gravity of the offence charged, the
II high character olthe accused, and the
great responsibility resting upon them
to see that strict justice be- mected. His
remarks were made under the pressure
II of an enormous w'g composed OF manila
rope, which assure you added much
To the dignity oi his appearance and the
force of his remarks. The Chief JUS
uce having concluded, Samuel f.. Stokes
Esq. of Philadelphia, opened the case
in "A speech characterized by great
brevity, neainess, point and power lie
doubted not the stale would be able Ia
prove To the entire satisfaction OF the
II Jury that all the declarations of the in
,lciment were true and that they (thc
iury) would give hlm 1.-THE accused,
\ pIrti Hidr goa.
The witnesses were then called foI
. the prosecution separately. And frs
came Eolus, (m character,) n mos
clustering aud swlls Witness. lie affirm
ed that for "A great variety Of reasoni
ne could have ~ doubt that Capt. Com
stock was entirely TO blame ,or the spel
= I. of weather to whlch we had been sub.
jecL
The second witness was Neptune. =