Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-21
THE CASE OF CAPT. W. M. GIBSON.
rnoa rHr " UNION" or MAY 10.


National Inteigencer Of yesterday calls attention TO the
of American citizen, w. M. GIBSON captain Of
the American schooner Fir who appears TO have been
detained in prison under judicial for some alleged
violation of law in the Dutch East Indies BY the fol-
lowing documents, comprising, we understand, all the
official information received in relation to the case APP
pears that the affair received the prompt attention Of the
naval officers of the United States the East India sta
ton 1t would appear ALSO by the statement OF Captain
Gibson that he remains in prison bounds of his own
choice with view to investigation OF the anecedents
of his voyage by the authorities Of the United States
The Case Of Capt W. ~ Gibson, Of the American
schooner Fiirt.
Under date of the 18th of May, 1852 Commodore AU-
LICK writes to the Department as follows:
so soon as the ST. Marys shall have refreshed her
crew &C.. shall direct her commander to touch Mt Ba
taya for the purpose Of afordng such reef as may be
in his power unfortunate countryman OF ours,
Mr. w NJ Gibson who writes me from the prison Of that
place that his vessel the schooner Frt, of New York,
has been seized by the Dutch authorities there and him
self and crew thrown into prison His communication
does not enable understand clearly the nature of
his difficulties and had been at liberty to leave this
place should have gone myself to his assistance mme-
dately receipt of his letter
Commander MAoRuDER, on his arrival in the ST. Marys
at Philadelphia the 9Th of December 1852 reports
follows:
on the 18th of july after TEDIOUS and harassing passage
of thirty seven days Having saluted the authorities,
and received in return like number of guns, proceed
ed to wait on Governor General in order to present
nv official respects and to lay before him the of Mr.
W. NJ Gibson, captain and of the American schoon
err Firt who, under charge exciting the Malays of
the district Of Paembang in the island OF Suma-- tn
revolt and throw off the Dutch yoke, had been thrown
into prison with his early in February, 1852, and
his vessel seized the Dutch authorities of the island of
Java In the absence of the Governor General was re-
.,l.ola alxrn htA 1Ynra
Wonder Platt and assured that the Governor General
would be happy to at his palace IN Bintenzorg,
thirty miles in the interior and would send his
rage for many of my officers as might thlnf proper
to accompany The carriage accordingly sent in
charge of his decamp and after presentation to his
Excellency, the affair Of Mr.. Gibson Immediately
brought to his notice. was happy to find DY the
plies of the Governor that he disposed lay open
nv investigation all the facts and
ed with the imprisonment of Mr. Gibson and his crew,
and the seizure Of his vessel but the having passed
into the hands of the judicial authorities hs had
power to arrest proceedings After patient nvestiga
ton Of the documentary evidence (Which in obedience to
the order of the Governor promptly laid before me-
had several conferences with Mr. Gibson himsdf whom
found in very comfortable quarters, though prison
bounds.
You will perceive that before. the arrival q the St
Mary's at Batavia the of the Frt had been dis
charged froL prison, there being evdenc, against
them Mr. Gibson represented that the had suffer-
ed from sickness during their unjust Imprisonment and
were discharged without indemnity for their suerings
and long confinement. Any within the doninons of
the Dutch in India is liable according to thdr code Of
laws) to seizure and Imprisonment suspicn, and
redress can be obtained The authorities of the Neither
lands in India acknowledge foreign connls, which
be regarded grievance to those Powers whose
citizens resort there for purposes of traffic Citizens Of
the United States, either resorng temporarily to the
Dutch possessions trading voyages residing Shore
are liable any time to be thrown into prison, and no
one is allowed to speak officially in their behalf / am
sorry to say that the gentleman appointed act
consul Batavia Mr.. Ready is complained Of by Mr..
Gibson having preudiced the authorities and public
mind in Batavia against his 1t is alleged against
Mr. Read that he expressed the opinion publicly that he
Mr. Gbson) ought to be hung and that be prejudced
the and proclaimed his condemnation without hear
ing 1t certainly the duty of Mr. Read to visit Mr..
Gibson and hear his statements but it appears that this
done until repeatedly sent for and it is to this
conduct the part of Mr. Read that Mr. Gibson attr
butes his confinement in loathsoe dungeon for the first
three days after reaching Batavia Mr. Read absent
visit the United States during the visit the St
Marys at Batavia but the testimony or several respect
able Americans seemed to confirm the truth Of the sega
tons against him. During the absence OF Mr. Read q
Dutch gentleman by the name of Cramerus acted Uni
ted States consul and rendered Mr. Gibson every service
in his power consistent with that caution necessary
protect himself against ceusure and punishment from
jealous and suspicious Government The tone Of public
opinion lat first very much against Mr. Gibson had
ed in his favor before departure and il believed
by good judges that Notwithstanding the serious
of.hs case, he would be acquitted have endeavored
to do my best to counryman from his painful
Imprisonment but have found much difficulty in repair
ing the serious injury which he had done to his own
by unguarded confessions in writing, tending to crimi
nate himself
U. s. SLoor.oF-wAR ST.. MARfs,
BATAVIA ROADS, July IL, 1852.
SIR In obedience to my instructions from the COM
mandern-chef of the naval forces of the United States
in the China seas, had the honor to solicit at your
palace at Bntenzorg friendly conference in regard TO
the seizure of the American schooner Frt" and the
imprisonment Of the captain her mate and crew. the lat
ter of whom had been discharged from custody latter
imprisonment Of four months before my arrival take
this early opportunity tender your Excelency nv
acknowledgment for the prompt friendly, and open
in which all the documentary evidence and other
papers laid open for my inspection and through
cessary full understanding Of the case far known
up TO the present time.
Your Exceency is doubt fully aware that the Gov
ernmsn Of the United States would by desire
impunty for any of her citizens enoyng the hospitality
aud protection Of the laws Of Holland in this archipelago
who could wilfully and designedy Violate those laws
but after having read with attention the testimony bear
ing Immediately the in point and well considering
all the attending facts and circumstances have hest
ation in expressing my full conviction Of the innocence
Of Mr. W. NJ. Gibson, late commander and of the
Americas schooner Fir Of the high crimes alleged against
him, for the following reasons
lst Ii is in evidence that the commander Of the Frt
had no intention Of going TO Paembang (where the d
cules occurred, but bound to Singapore, having
stopped at Mntok in the straits Of Banca, for water
I'd IL is in evidence that the Frt is small, unarmed
merchant schooner, with commander mate, six men,
and boy and was induced by the persuasion Of Others
to go to Palembang.
3D. II is susceptible Of proof that the mate, Charles
Graham, regularly discharged from the Frt and no
longer considered part of her complement that he
went at his request being Of adventurous turn OF