The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-08-31
. Romance of Real Lifs-The Es-
cape Of Capt. Gibson,

lhe New York Tribune Of Thursday
devotes nearly three columns to a nara.
OF Capt Gibson, Of the schooner Flirt.
VIC was some time since arrested aud i'm.
prlsoned by the Dutch authorities in the
East Indies. and who subsequently effect
his escape. After various adventures.
he was denounced as an intriguing Amer.
lean, and was imprisoned in Batavia. The
OF the story, which is quite no.
mantle. is as follows:
"Ater several days of confinement in
tbs fortress, he was transferred to the war
snip O%roloono, which took him and his
to Batavia. There he was transfer.
red to the guard ship Borenas, where he
remained in close and horrible c%onfne.
ment for some length of time; and ulti-
mateiy was sent TO the city prison Of Bata.
via. During this period, almost daily, he
was brought before a Commission OF
Judges, to take preliminary instructions
IN his case, and these, after a careful in
vestigation, declared, on the 25th Febru.
ary, '52, that they could find no founda-
ZION for the charge of High Treason,' and
ordered Captain Gibson and his men to
be set at liberty; but the Governor-gener;
al of Netherlands, India, and his Council
had resolved otherwise, and ordered their
immediate re-arrest. Captain Gibson was
now cast into a worse sell than he occu-
pied before, this being only 6 feet by 10 in
size-from which after a while he was re.
moved to a somewhat better one. By the
energetic interference of Captain Bassett,
Of the American ship Rambler, he was
next removed to the fortress of Weltevre.
den; here he remained about five months
until the arrival Of the ST. Mary's u. S.
ship Of war, which resulted in his obtain.
ing greatly improved accommodations; but
40 regarded the important matter ofhis lib-
GRAFTON, Capt. Magruder, ofthe ST. Mary's,
was toll, alter a lengthy and useless cor.
respondence, that he could not be treated
with by the Governor-general and that the
United States must correspond with the
Hague relative to the case-so that the
visit OF the 81. Mary's resulted in effactins
nothing for this unfortunate gentleman.
After this he remained nine months in
psison-appeared no less than fty-three
times before ajudicial tribunal, and lastly,
ansr . public trial, commencing on the
18th Of February last, and continuing thir-
teen days, he was fully acquitted by the
local court OF justice of Batavia, which or.
dered him to be set al Liberty-..thet the
Government should pay the costs of the
suft-tIiat his property should be restore |
TO him, and that he should receive dam.
ages TO the amount of 500 rupees a day
from the time OF his incarceration" which
in all would amount to 90. 900 dollars.
hut the relentless Governor-general Van
Twist and his Council had resolved TO sus-
tain the action of their officers in Sumatla a,
and to condemn Capt. G. 10 death. Here
j must be mentioned that the Courts o!
Justice Of Java are composed Of creole or
native born Judges who are anxious for a
change in their government, and their ap.
parent sympathy with Capt. G.. made the
superior authorities the more resolved to
have him destroyed. (
On the goth of April last, by an arbi,ra-
ry decree Of the Governor and Supreme
Council, he was condemned to die This
being communicated 10 him, he resolved
TO make an effort for his life, and being
assisted by some generous friends outside,
managed to disguise his person, SO as TO
pass the guard Of the inner wards of the
prison: then leaped two outer walls, and
passed the moat-beyond which he found
. fast horse, that conveyed him to the wat
er's edge, where the boat Of the vessel thai
has brought him hither, was in readiness.
He went on BOARD without delay, and Yves
secreted until the 24th day Of April, when
the vessel sailed.
There are many Interesting incidents
connected with his imprisonment, one Of
which. as it intimately refers to his escape
We will narrate:
While in the interior OF Sumatra he
made the acquaintance oftha Chief De.
snang Sapiedem and his family. The old
chiefshad an Interesting daughter, of the
age Of IS, with whom the Captain became
intimately acquainted, and TO whom he re-
lated much concerning the wonders OF his
far of home. This young lady bore the
name Of Sahiepa, and when Captain G.
LEFT the residence of her father, they parted
wsrm friends. Some three or four months
previous to his escape from prison. this
lady left her fathers home and came in
Disguise to the city Of Batavia, where she
took up her residence. BY her influence
many persons were secretly interested in
behalf of the prisoner. She was unremit-
ting in her attempts to obtain an interview
with the Captain, and finally succeeded in
her sndsavor. Many interviews followed
and 10 her he was indebted for much o
me comfort which he enjoyed during the
remainder Of his stay in prison. And fol
his escape, she furnished the horse, and
Disgusting herself as a man. held it until
he was astride IFS back, when, with a hur.
ried embrace and a waive of his hand, he
dashed off, leaving her a%nxiously watch.
ing his retreating figure till lost in. the dis
lance.
We are informed that the matc and one
ofthe Gamer ofthe FIirt are still in Java
Two American seamen died in prison, ant
the remainder were shipped off, as oppor
tunity afforded, lest they should die while
in the hands of the Dutch, one of then
died at Padang, a few days sail from Ba
tavia. It is 10 a matter Of surprise tina
the poor fellows should be thus debilitated
since the only food furnished them was fish
and rice. and not enough of that; while til.
dungeon in which FIVE of them were KEEP
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