New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-07-09

RoBBING THE DEAp-The case of Frederick
Tresca Captain of schooner George Lincoln John Thomp
son, William Quail and Charles Swan, charged with hay
ing robbed certain dead bodies the victims of the espo
sion and sinking of the steamer ST. James, and which
bodies floating in the Lake up for examination
Yesterday before Recorder Winter.
The first witness lones Persons who testified
as follows: was on board the schooner George Lincoln
at the time the bodies in the Lake was
passenger When we first saw them there was a dis
pue, and betting proposed as to whether they were
bodies not One of the passengers itche got into
small boat with the Captain CTrescas) consent to see
what they He was in my sight and near the vessel
all the time Articles got from the bodies and given
to Tresca who asked what he should do with them. We
told him to take them to the Picayune office and have
them published, that their friends might get them
This he did do There four bodies discovered by
The first not touched but the other three The
first we heard of the explosion from fishing smack
Nothing Of further Importance was etched from TINS
witness. EL
James Mitchell sworn sad-I was passenger on the
schooner George Lincoln when she across the Lake
Some eight ten miles from the landing went out in
the small boat the bodies The first we touched
had evidently been overhaued the pants torn and
the pockets turned inside out The body dressed in
blue linen pants and white shirt, having the name Of
Jones it. On this body observeaa gold chain and
told the with me, one OF the crew, to take it of,
which he did. We also found on the body gold watch,
porte monra 81 80 and note written by b. H. Pratt to
j. NJ, Jones Thetrs body passed without touch
ing The third dressed in black coat buttoned up,
etc On this body was laying large brass ring, unat
tached. This took Ills pockets We're also searched,
and found, think sovereign and medal or some
thing of the sort The fourth could not examine AS
we were called to return by the captain Crresca) On
reaching the vessel gave these articles to the captain
who asked what he should do with them We told him to
take them to the office of newspaper in the city, and
publish them This done by him, may be seen by
reference to the Picayune of last evening The captain
had nothing do with the matter than have rel
ted We advised the captain give the 81 80 to the men
who aided in recovering the articles All except .ne
porte oa 81 80, two knives and the sovereign "eie
| published. $40 -, +bo rt;
Crus-examined- i positive these were all e a. "
Giles taken from the bodies by U.S. ana winch "" s ~
the captain do not think the sovereign was sren :;
the captain What things he got were lmineultey Ia.
on the table and the sovereign was not among p w
DR.. b. Bledsoe sworn-Corroborated the testimony y
the preceding witness except as to inc VII;
he never saw lie only the searching OF the boole
az +. distance The captain did not get the sovereign
ano,In. Griffin sworn-Was passenger on the schoone
aud nnrroborated the statements OF Dr. bedsoe Al th
stare the proceedings the testimony closed for the day
md the case was adjourned to Monday next
far as the case progressed there is not particle
of testimony against Captain Tresca nor in our view
AGAINST the others Our report of the matter yeserda,
anppars to been founded in mistake and did
Injustice to Captain Tresca Our information derived
from parties the police, who said much more than WI
yentured iterate We learn from the best sources tina
Captain Tresca old trader to Tampa Bay. and ha
hitherto sustained an irreproachable character.
One thing l. certain-that the bodies have been out
ragged by man ends-whom is yet to be discovered