The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-02-14

Before Hon Judge Belts
CHARGE OF BEING ENGAGED on BOARD SLAYER.
FEs Is i United States u.s. Henry Johnston. pri
sonsr was indicted for Voluntarily serving board
the American ship Martha which engaged in trsf
hoing in the slave trade contrary to the laws OF the
United States.
In conseousnce of the ind,spo.itiou Of Mr. j. p.
Hall, the United States District Attorney Mr. Everts
appeared ~ counsel the part Of the people, and
stated the to the jury He said that the issue
criminal nature upon the prosecution Of the United
States Henry johnson the prisoner who IS
on board vessel engaged in the Slave trade. As ear
ly as the 1900, the government of this country
passed law prohibiting all traiicing OF that kind,
and making 1t punishable by fne and imprison mt
for any citizen OF the United States engage in that
nefsrious trade The general facts OF the to be
presented to the jury that the 9th Of June,
1850, the ship Martha, being = vessel of the United
States the coast Of Africa within about thirty
miles Of Ambrize, noted place for slave tranic she
there boarded by the United States brig Perry
smned, seized and sent home captive to New York
The Martha has by the laws Of the United States been
forfeited The circumstances Of the seizure, and the
appearance and condition OF the ship will be detailed
by the lieutenant Of the Perry When the jury shall
was Engaged in the forbidden traffic the nsxt question
will be, whether the prisoner serving board OF
her and then the only remaining topics will be,
whether he voluntarily served and knew the unla wfu
character Of the trade and the objects Of her voyage
Counsel then cited the "a and Sd sections of the
the United states TO serve beard an American
eel engaged in tho slave traffic and the third make
1t penal for citizen OF the United states to
board any foreign vessel engaged in that traffic.
Madison Rush was then sworn, and deposed II am q
lieutenant in the United States Navy; was on board
the United States brig Perry on the 9th OF June $780,
In about the latitude eight SOUTH on the coast OF Az
rica.
Mr. Betee here suggested that his associate coun
sell Mr. Belts engaged in another cause in the
Supreme Court % prosecution might defer thu ex-
animation of this witness for the present and com
mence their by residing the dispositions Of such
witnesses rs had been taken de bene esse.
Mr. Everts assented and then proceeded to read the
dispositions Of John Ross who Of the crew Of
the brig Perry was In enc Of the boats which went to
board the Martha; picked up writing desk which
dropped from the Martha and to Lieu tenant
RusA there were about 81 OF a crew On board the
Martha; CAPTAIN Merrill was the commander of the
load OF slaves and that IL he had had his load the
brig Perry nor no other vessei would have boarded
her; Johnson, the prisoner was mate on board the
Martha.
George W. Myers deposition, and that of Charles
+. Eastman, were also read the latter stated that
Lieutenant Rush demanded papers from Captain Msr-
I'll. which, alter some hesitation, he gave up.
william Hornby's deposition corroborsted those Of
the former. James Hammond also deposed to the pick
ing up Of the writing desk; he sentry the
crew of the Martha on their way back; heard them
that II the Perry little later they would have
had fifteen hundred slaves on beard. John Weeks de-
posed that Johnston pretended to be Portuguese,
and did not speak English until they had arrived
Sandy Hook. The dispositions OF Q Spaniard oae OF
the crew OF the Martha. stated that he shipped ct
Parinaqua, and that the ain told him the vessel
Was going to Ambrize. The dispositions Of q Portu-
guese board the alleged SLAYER stated that the cap
tain told him the vessel going to Valplraiso and
also proved that Johnston mate on board her.
The dispositions ci Brazilian the others
of the crew of the Martha. Robert Corkran, an
Englishman. deposed that Johnston mate on
board the MARTHA at PariDagua they took in boxes
and barrels and between two and three hundred bar
rels OF water; they shipped several Of the In
PariDagua-Austrisns, Portuguese, English, and
Americans. The depositions of Joseph smith. John
Brown, and another furnished similar evidence; and
the trial was adjourned over to this friday morning
at IL o'clock