New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-08-06
Case of the Unfortunate Clemens.

avail myself Of your great Kindness IN
the use of your columns 10 furnish your readers
brief sta,emen, IN regard 20 this unfortunate young
man. lie was born IN Belfast, Ireland. and Is not
We, eighteen years OF age He early lost his father
and from the subsequent inermarnage OF his moth
er with another individual, his home became M
pleasant to HIM, and he left while yet mere child
to follow he sea. His sea-going experience has been
III The British Merchant service, until his Inflated
voyage on board the bark Glen. lie Is arioss nat
urally and easily influenced and just the kind Of a
subject for such a man As Douglass TO work upon
The writer has had the very best means OF knowing
The whole series OF circumstances III their conncc-
ton, which have led him into his present unhappy
condition.
soon after the vessel left Valparaiso, and The crew
were known 10 be destitute of WOODEN clothing, SUIT
sble for coming round Cape Horn Douglass began
with the most conSUmmatc adires,, to corrupt The
mind of Clemens, to resist the officers and get The
vessel pm; INTO port, ior the purpose Of furnishing
themselves with clothing suitable Tor the voyage
home Tina, Douglass was operating this way. WITH
otLer> OF the crew, is confidently believed Moth
ing. however transpred for some tame 20 indicate
.hat ANYTHING was intended further than 20 get
themselves supplied with WHAT seemed neccS,a-
N 70 protect them fom the r.sor, Of tie cold al the
HON Clemens. II would seem. could no; De relied
upon altogether ~ the masiersp.rt Of Tie mutiny.
and he was not unwilling iha; be should share The
same fate as the officers and such OF The ere" As were
deemed By HIM ln,racta5le accordingly. when The
a.temp, was made 20 poison the officers and crew,
Clemens was not warned o! IL presence n ;ae soup,
bu' took " freely. and, consequence, was SICK
for DAYS from is effects
The next development IN the plo, was 10 bring
from Tie cabin iWo rifles, which Wa done by Ben
son and Douglass THIS Il would appear. alarmed
the BOYS Clemens and Hutchinson, and Clemens, al
least, protested against il, The lead ball, were
found too large FOR The TifeS and one was gwen 10
Clemens - Douglas u white down 10 proper size,
which he managed 10 drop on the deck. and the
vessel beng The wind, L ran along 10 the leeWdri
and went 0Lt AZ the Scupper The NOISE made by the
rolling ball and the di,tu>. Of Douglass TIA, ihe boy
could not re depended upon, induced Inn 20 a. Al
don pTOie SS6dly The whole project Il may be proper
20 observe here that al TINS time also Douglas, point
cd a loaded rife toward the cabin where the tr>i
and second mates were sitting hui The piece failed
20 90 or The Flie> were then thrown oytrooa5d. ~
The 5es, way 20 conceal the mlgterons intention Of
the leader
Tae next Gay Clemens declares Ina. he told
Haytrs 10 beware o. Douglas, a. ms Vas danger
Ou> man. In ieN nights ailer tls. Douglass, Is
stated On the morning OF las execution say tAat
Benson ana auoiAe! person luOi OleMcnSy came
20 nm when II MAS his watch below, ana urged
That the plan Of destroying The officers should oe
executed. p5Cgng themselves 10 back I'm IN ne
dreadful work, which Il would seem they aiterwart
td and the reason Benson assigned Tor hiS earn
e>fne>S IL the matter that he vas AFRAID the
rifles would De missed rom tho cabin and he.
is steward, would be held rcsponSl5le for them.
The next night = va, DOug.3>e'> trirk az me W4sei,
from Il until y anj dur.ng Ira, time u Was elem
en>> t,es 0nf nom tie bows. Douglass was relieved
ty the french sailor al >, "hen Ae Immediately Ell
Tered The CaJ.l. aroused Benson and brought the
m. asc .taf a
forward 70 the W'nGlasS. AID requested Clemens 10
20 aft 10 TIE steward. WhO wanted 10 see hlm.
Clemens upon seeing The IlI>ket>. supposed = Vas
Douglass intention 10 shoot hLn. expressed alarm,
ana ccgCeG for hi> he Douglass assured him. II be
WOULD 90 told he should lot be harmed. TIL,
statement Of Clemens vas A>0 C0I0DOulDl ~
Douglass o. he morning OF the execution.
TIE boy. Clemens. went back ~ ttc seward
Benson AID receives rom H. hand another mus
SCI. Wiia the requeS' ta. BE- place a. forward y The
Others. which he lid, AID instantly placed himself
en lie larooard SIDE OF TIE vessel. Nth HI hand
upon ~ Shca,h-knIie. 20 protect himself against
Douglass. II was then That the second oicer. Nj
iiaYeD> gave the order 70 haul down tie flying %.
az himself coming forward - see TIE order exc
cUtt1. received from the hand OF fhe man known a.
Eswari I. Douglass. the BAH t.om me muSkel. en-
ter.rg about The -ro.n and passing out on tae Op-
oOSlte SIDE Tbs va> followed Jy stab IA tac
;aigh WItathe 5ayOae ans Subsequently by the blow
With lie >Ga. aX, aimed a. - head, BIT taking e..
:ec. n me ntca.
This terrible de,i 80. charged 1pon Douglass by
both Benson a0t Clemens. Who witnessed IL,
ard confessed tr him Oh The morning OF HI exc
cu,ioa - Res Dir. hO1sc ard Rev Nr Woo. e.,
GtpoSed IS them ia iac-r ,ommn.c atom - the Pres
l0er-.
The scene Epon the vessels decs wa> IL once
both eyc..Is and alarming The French sailor cfi
iae wAcsi u. air gilt. and iae bark eft - Tie
Nlud> ard waves Clemens. seeing that he man
haa le,. me wheel started SO ait On MS way ne
c4I.e upla Tie empt mGske;, which Douglass Lad
thrown down. THIS hc tooA up with Il FleA OF car
. a a u
the French sailor. ASKED hm why he had left TIE
wheel. out GO; 10 answer when. 20 be relieved OF
IRE muSSet himself. he pat Il INTO The fTeachmln>
hand, "a Welt "a the wheel himself, nAlcn Le Ie-
t-i-e1 until order was restored OF board.
5tE Ec.or. Il YOU can make room Tor The forego-
lDs. wGIcn the NrlteT LT.niy believes 70 be rnVar-
ni,aed truth - Al these facts have been corrooo-
~ ri C.taet tJ Benson D DJuSass. All SeFrrs. ol