New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-01-08


such is the tradition-snd that il is partially
If not mainly true, is established by the fscs,
thai when this island Was discovered BY the
snapisrls. IL was named Cage Hxssssa, or Bose
E,v. by reason Of the large Quantities OF human
bones which covered its surface
Ata later period. Key West became no'ou-
ors as the favorite resort Of Pirates This ana
the neichboring Keys furnishing safe retreats tos
| these highwsymen of the seas; and ucre recent
". and even az this present writing, me repata-
ton of Key West is associated, lIguriclsiy Win
! fraudulent and co,lusive rrsokizg or qsas'
piracy.
United States, 8 more law-abidins, order-loying,
moral and religious community, than these Is
lsnders. Society here is as highly educated ana
ACCOMPLISHED as in any town in the unlen--the
| LEADING residents are unsurpassed 10 those eie-
g.nt and liberal hospitalies which elevate and i'm
nrnve the standard of social intercourse and pro-
mote ard cherish good neighborhood. Their
duaIj;ngs are tasteful and comfortable, and their
GARDENS and grounds are beaatiied with the CO
! eosnut the orange, lemon, lime, tamirind, ban
sna. plaintain and other tropical fruit trees,
while the healthful sea-breezes are ever scented
with the grateful odor OF numberiess flowers
which never cease to unfold their petals.
Thus. this lovely little island, now the most
populous town in Florida, has become one OF the
most attractive and delightful spots OF earth,
and for the invalid, especially, by reason OF It's
uniformly temperate and heath-restoring and
| life-preserviDg climate, IL should De the spot,
above all others, the most TO be desired as
/ residence.
Wreeking is the principal business Of the isl
ard. and upon the savages, commissions and
perqusites. the inhabitants rely, mainly, tor the
means of living While il is as honorable, as
| now conducted as any other occupation, u Is
far more exciting and dangerous than most 9th
ers. and always results in the savlngol lives anu
nroperty:-it is therefore, when honestly tol-
| towed business that commends itself to the
most favorable regard. But as every other
trade. profession and calling is too often iraudu-
! lently and dishonesty pursued, so is ereeS'Hg'
! frequently, equivalent TO quasi piracy ..
Hen. WM. MARvIs is now and tor about III
| teen wears has been the United States Judge ut
! tbis mace He has exclusive jurisdiction in all
Admiralty cases, and his decisions are final in
all eases where the amount is less than two
| tbousand dollars The business of his Court Is
almost entirely devoted 10 matters growing out
| of wrccking; he awards salvage and the amount
thereof; he settles cOns0rtships, and apportlons
| the salvage moneys among the owners, masters
! and crews of vessels and all this without the
| Intervention of jury. His office Is therefore
not only responsible one, but it hasa direct and
personal responsibility, which is neither shared
! or relieved by the nterpoSlton oil jury be-
tween himself and the parties litigant And 1t
is due 10 Judge MARVIN to say, that his honest,
fearless and able administration the ,oreckiag
juusprudenee at this place, has hal most
| potent and remedial influence upon the wreck
! inc business. He boldly ferrets out, exposes
and denounces collision and fraud and in
stances of quasi piracy, formerly so common,
are now ONLY occasional. When you bear in
mind that nearly every man on the island ia d.
rectly or Indirectly interested in every wreck,
| and in the award of the most liberal salvage, IL
REQUIRES n Judge of great neral courage and IN
corruptbe integrity, Co resist the influences by
| which he il surrounded and aSsailed. ThatJudge
| MARVIN is that man, an instance has occurred
within nv own observation, and as the shpOwn-
ers ard merchants in the Atlantic cities are di-
rectly interested in the administration of icreeh-
ipp Justice, ] will briefly state the case.
In the month Of August last, the bark EN-
press proceeding from Havana % Boston
ireiahted with valuable cargo went ashore
upon the Florida Reef; and assistance was
rendered by various wrecking vessels, for which
they were awarded (by arbitrators, the Judge
being absenD about seven thousand dollars, OF
which the sum of SLIP was awarded TO the
owners master and crew OF the smack j. A.
Latham The schooner Champion, it was
claimed, was consorted with the smack, and en-
titled 10 a share OF the SLIP, in the proper
ton Of "man for man and vessel Tor vessel"
The consuItship was denied on the part Of the
smack, and a suit was brought alledging it, and
asking decree for prOportionate share of the
SLIP which the arbitrators had awarded 10
the smack The only point at issue before the
IuIC Of fstl
being established. the schooner was entitled TO
her share otherwise not. BY the proof it APP
pcared that the smack was at Havana while the
Empress Was there taking in her cargo Of sugar
ard cigars: that the smack returned t0 this
place on the 9th of August and made ali agree
ment of censorship with the schooner TOR the
period of -four days aud 20 share in the pro
portion Of man for man and vessel for vessel,
and not " ton for ton as Is usual. That the
two vessels left this port together on the 18th,
and the smack proceeded direct 10 the Empress,
living ashore upon the Reef I'D miles from
Havana
The Judge, in an able and elaborate opinion,
decided that the smack and schooner were
consorted at the time Of the rendering salvage
service TO the bark Empress in the manner al
legged" But, said the Judge, there is another
view Of this case, not pat in issue by the parties
or discussed BY the counsel, which ought not to
be, and cannot be, overlooked blythe Court. It
is this The testimony, which proves cOnsort-
.hip between the parties in this case, proves
also, that the bark Empress, whence the salvage
was derived, was wrecked upon the coast, in
pursuance OF fraudulent and collusye under
standing between the master Of the smack aud
the master of the bark Empress" that the
smack could not, therefore, earn salvage in the
wreck, and that the money in dispute can neither
belong 70 the owners, master and crew OF the
smack, nor Of the schooner, but belongs TO the
owners of the bark Empress, or cargo, or
TO both" After commenting, at length,
upon the circumstances tending 20 prove the
fraud and COLLISION, the Judge remaTkei-"it
may be said tha, this suit does not involve that