The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-12
Interesting from Turks Island.
OUR GRAND rURx CORRESPONDENCE.

Interesting from Turks Island.
OUR GRAND TURK CORRESPONDENTS.
GRAND Turk, May Is, 1864.
Outveee On tie american Consul-His hnprison-
+ sssut IN the Common Jail-Histoay Of the Case
Lypeal to the United States Government.
Having been for the last seven years constant
reader and admirer Of your paper, and having seen
both the feeling and ability with which you have
vndcated both your country and its subjects in time
Of need, came at once to the conclusion Of adj
dressing to You a few lines ON q very important
subject that has just transpred concerning no less
aPersonage than the United States Consul, John L.
Nelson, Esq. As the same vessel that brings this,
brings official documents, you may perhaps hear
something Of it from the State Department at
Warrington. Mr. Nelson himself intends to lay the
matter before you in detail, but at present is too
much occupied with papers to lay before his gov
eminent; and being sincere admirer Of America
and her form of government, is my only excuse for
addressing you on this subject.
To-day has witnessed here one Of the greatest in
suits ever offered to the American flag by any ma
tion The Black Warrior case Is not circumstance
to it.
To-day has witnessed the imprisonment, in the
common Jail, Of John L. Nelson, Esq, the United
States Consul. And for what, you would ask? 1t is
question that s impossible to be answered by any
except those who didit. The only way can at all
clear up the matter 49, that having been brought be-
fore the Supreme Court from the Police office, for
An alleged assault on one Of our magistrates, (for
which offence he was punished at the Police Office,
BY paying fine of f2); but in order to carry out
tie designs Of q few persons, who have the law in
their hands, they have stretched it to the greatest
extent, and afterhaving punished him once, by some
means or other-no one knows how-they got him be-
2u flnrrf and ham truix1S
him by jury, condemned him to pay Ell l3s. 3D.,
which he at once refused to do, considering it an
opposition, as 70 does every one else here except
Sew-say seven or eight-who belong to the clique.
This same man, whom Mr.. Nelson was brought up
Dr. assaulting q few weeks ago fogged man until
he blood ran down to his heels, and it was with the
satest difficulty that IA, the poor man could get salts
IL shiliDgs; and now this same man brings Mr. Nei
son into court, and makes him pay Ell 13s. Cd. for
only an alleged assault, not one single word Of it
i've clever men say the whole proceedings
are Illegal In the first place, they have committed
him to Jail forever. That is the committal says un-
sownrisht imposition that he o. never viii pay It,
and, Of course, must remain in jail forever.
Az another instance Of the manner in which jus
tice Is administered here, Immediately after Mr.. Nell
sons sentence was passed, an appeal case came up
from the Police court. The defendant, r. w. Oar
rell, said the reason he appealed was because he
considered the fine too heavy. The offence he COM
u
Die in the discharge Of his duty and it proved by
four witnesses that he did And what do you think
he had to pay? Six shillings sterling and costs,
amounting in all to ell Thisis sample Of the way
justice is administered by censurable set Of Of
1eers as ever administered law.
The reason they have such spite against him,
(Hr. ny is because the other day the schooner Ba-
Anco was wrecked here, Capt. Matthias, and they at
tempted to swndle the captain out Of $500 salvage,
and the exConsul, B. Everett Smith, rather than pay
80 before the court, and, of course, lost it,
On Mr. Nelson's arrival here, he saw the imposition
and attempted to set his countryman right. To this
they took umbrage, and ever since have been en-
deavoring TO ruin him. If you could only be on the
spot and see things as they are and represent them
Yen would do service that the Turks islanders
would never forget you for. Every one is greatly
enraged at these persons conduct to Mr.. Nelson as
he Ii considered here as gentlemanly man % ever
was consul for the United States and belongsto one
Of the olGest families in America. The vessel that
brings this goes TO Boston with SALT the captain has
e 90 without his papers. Mr.. Nelson writes the
State Department by her. and also to his father and
you any way doubt this statement, get your Wash
ineton correspondent to apply either at the depart
Hept, to his father for the necessary information
have seen him this morning; he says II the YES
sel viii wait he intends to write you himself, but
shall ask his friends TO do 80, ct any rate. shall
take the liberty TO send you another letter. to kee
you correctly advised the subject. see nothing
A. e ySsa from tSs
Judge for false imprisonment, as he has condemned
him for an indefinite period Of time anxious were
they 70 get him fast. And now my dear sir, let me
bag Of You TO do the case justice. II b most vii
lanoss piece Of business. In the opinion Of every
one here it is worse than the Black Warrior and
nothing has prevented the inhabitants from taking
hin on. Sy force but the hope thas your govern IN
dismissal Of the Judge. Ills name is Alfred John
Dancomb the Queen advocate is Francis Ellis, and
Ne police magistrate William Hamilton.
schooner Abbie Forrest fs waiting for Mr.. Nelson's
dispatches. She goes to Boston. Last night we
were near having an insurrection, in order to pull
stopped 81 their being assured that the American
government would revenge the insult The people
q Turks Islands are a. loyal people as any the
lag Of England waves over, but they hate oppres.
+ in the United States they do not like to see their
consul thus treated by these mymidons OF the law.
II your government viii not give satisfaction, let q
party Of flbusteros como over, and the Turks
Islanders will receive them well, and show them on
AZ another instance Of their being bent on oppres-
sion, will state case that happened at the last
and battery on the high seas which he admitted or
pleaded guilty TO IT, The case was an aggravated
enc Ut was for logging man sick with the Chagres
feyer) he was fined e. los, with costs Of court and
allowed his own time to pay It. But Mr.. Nelson's
sentence was to pay 1t Immediately, or 60 to the
common jail and Of course he was imprisoned forth
Nyour government does not revenge this insult,
then we shall come to the conclusion that you are
afraid, for the case seems clear az possible that
N action can be brought for false imprisonment,
and not only that but is considered vilanous out
mge. AN EFGLIsHMAs.
LETTER FROM Mr.. NELSON.
COMMON Jan, Turks Island, May rs, 1854
JANE GoRDoN BENNETT, Esq,
DroR or rHn NEW YORK HERALD
ME- DEAR sa-I In hopes Of being able to furnish
ys~ In detail account Of the prosecutions &C. Of
etissns ~ this place, by gang Of Villains and which
have led 70 my being imprisoned but And have not
time the American schooner Able Forest sails in