New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-01-31
La " INTELLIGENCE
THE AFRICAN SLAyE-TRADE.
INVESTIGATION OF TIL. CHARGE AGAINST !.
FILLErTI. alias KRAFT.

"
The examination of witnesses in the case OF Capt.
joseph FlIett, alias KRAFT, who stands charged vie
having been engaged in the slsve-trsie, in the
schooner Advance, in the yes- ls5s, was commenced
Yesterday afternoon, before the above named Con-
missioner. Mr. McKeon appeared for the Govern
ment. and Mr. ID. B. Eaton attended on behalf Of the
accused. A large number of Italians were present
during the proceedings tie sccused being native Of
Trieste Austrian Italy.
RAYMOND Knowles was the fret witness called By
the L. 5 Distrct-Atorney. He deposed that he wss
pisno forte maker by trade; had worked on vessels
as & carpenter; was on the U. \. ship Germantown
on the coast of Africa in September, 1882 was On
beard from 1850 till 1883 during that time she was on
the Coast of Africa: saw the vessel called the Ad-
vance or the Coast OF Africa during that period
Tie witness was requested to stand aside In order
to permit the examina alton of the following witness,
who was obliged to leave town Immediately.
George W. Rogers being sworn, sid: lam LIED
tenant in the Navy aud served on board the Ger
mantown: she vas cruising on the Coast OF Africa
from Madeira TO Loando in 1889; | saw YES
rel cruising of that coast in 1882 she was called
the Advance; We found her az place called Port
au Praya when we came up from the coast; we aus.
pected she engaged IN the slave-trade, anu
while there trying TO get under weigh, she wsnt
ashore ard went on board with a boats crew ana
Got her OF that evening; after that she was seized.
and Sc mt home ss pnze; che the Advahce was
small tore and AFT schooner she was sent nome 10 tne
United Ststes in charge of Mr.. Walker, Passed Mid
sbipmsn: was ON board of the Advance about two
or three hours.
O. Who was on board Of thu Advance A. There
was a captain and crew; she carried the American
flag; saw the captain on board; think she hailed
from New Orleans had not much conversation win
the captain he did not speak hardly any Engish az
all | should Judge, from what little conversation
had with him; he was very uch excited, owing 10
his vessel going ashore think there had been some
trouble about the there, ard Is my Impression
there were some negroes composing the crew think
-. ,ha t.l of : A. hat
sey exactly: the time alluded to az coming up the
cosst aud tine ing that vessel there was about tho lat
ter part Of October ls52i we renamed az ror'a a
Praya TIL March, 1888.
% What WAS the name Of the captain Of the Ad-
vancel Understood to BIO Le Kraft, or DE KRAFT.
Q. Can you recognize that Capt. kfst now N.
Nv impression is that that is Capt. KRAFT sitting on
your lett hand, 10 MIR. Eaton, abiding to the pris-
Cross. examined By Mr.. Eaton-The Gsrmantowa
called from the United States in April 1851; wesallef
from the port of New. York under the ooinuitnd OF
Capt KNIGHT. but carrying Com La Naette; sos
was 10 be the flag ship of the squadron on the Cost
of AlIics: she fret touched the Coast Of Africa IN
June 1851; should judge good voyage from New
York to Port au Preya about from 20 70 % days;
something about 30 days would be a fair aversgs Tor
the return; the voyage from New Orleans out 20 thA
place woui be much longer could not say nov
long it would take with sny degree OF accuracy
Port an Praya is about lio, something over, north;
ihs Advance was In the harb)r when first saw her.
| mad never seen her before, to my knowledge she
Rad two mas,s and think she was painted a LEAD
color; | am confident that she was painted mink
che had q black stripe upon her.
O Did Won think this was prstcal vessel at tbs
time Won saw herr A. did not think anything about
her at the time before she left the coast formed tne
mpress sion that she intended Tor the siave-uade
there was a painted on the stern OF the vessel
think. cannot say whether il wis on the sides; l
am not CO rtan that the word New Orleans "a paint
ed on under the name, but think 1t was; don know
whether the builders name was on her. we statn ~
Al. uhn ola hAQtN
Walker came home with the Advance; the Dale and
the cambridge were lying there u the same fime
with us when the Advance got asSore; have souso
recollection of the captain Of the Advance hsvsg
tax IN passage in some yessel-I think the Wiilism
NJ Roeers-for some place | do not know; cAnnof
say positively that he did take passage IN nat vessoi
but nv impre scion is that he old; went on bosrd
the Advance when she went Hhore; do not remeni.
ber thar had seen the captain before that time; l
think il was in November, lsJ2, that w6nt on besfu
of her; The boats crew Of the Germ intown went On
board with me; there were al least Twelve IN INC
crew. cannot tell the names OF any OF them, or tne
name of the boat we remained on board, thnk,
three hours; ] went in command OF the Doct "c
uistrusted at that time that she was oaed
out as SLAYER; cannot ten now many po''ons go
on board of her; there were more thah two AM 49,
tIan a dozen; il wac ia the forenoon oi' 40. s0
below az all some Of my men didi 90 %, resoi ecs
how many black men We found on Dosro, nH DOW
mary whites except those have me1tioned Seicre;
thoss on hoard were dressed in sailor 'astics; l
learned the captains name from me general co'i~r-
satiop and not from any particular informauoas Vse
Advance was in considerable danger al me uoss; 1
and nv party spoke the American languages tha
cantaibis language had a strong foreign aSs mt
| had no conversation with him, except s@ tell
him TO keep quiet there may nave - =
few words spoken; bat the convefsa'ssa, any.
wss very sielt I cannot say thst saw the % plain
since until TO day; the Advance sailed Tor the United
States think in that same month-lNoyemf .er "a
the best OF my recollection had never beF OF the
name OF sea-captsin called Kraft before, aor have
;,ca exoent hat one did not take any jarticl iar
notice Of the mans Kraftsl dress, With q view IA
reeolect him tbs first time ray attention called
N identify the was in the present onth wlea
| ! received message from Mr. hchs mi had 4
conversation with Raymond Knowles OF tbs subjsct
but cannot say on what day; l CONVEX sed with him
two or three times; he talked about the captain Of
| he Advance; he told ne that tho captain of the
schooner Advance was building b ig and 80 on
| as to what kind Of a brig sho was. Hs dit
not say any thing about how the ca tain looked b,
did rot mention the name Kraft r., my reco ieetion
cannot tell who mentioned the nI ne Kraft; Knowis
told me be had given information az to Krs N, and
| saw the affidavit in the pspen; Knowles was on
poy ed a. a cooper the Germ snt1wn W zen viewer
on the Coast Of Afics; can't tea whe kbss be wen
in the boat for the relief Of the Advanc ., do not "a
member that the captain of the Adv Ancs csme o
board our weasel; Knowles remain ID With us tn
whole voyage don't think that an Of the Advance
men, except the mate, came On b. ard our vessel;
cannot ssy whether no the CO. tain Of the Advsnc
the pupil Of one Of his eyes 'scolored; If 1t were 9
did not take notice Of ii; Is my impression that
Vim. N. Rogers ssDzd sr,ms time after the Advanc
In correction Of his CORNER statement, that thu
was no officer u the bat with him when hs ecsrd;
the Advance The witzsss said that therein b tAessi
be had ben mistaken On secoad thought be tmprs
sion w,s that II there was not another osaess ~
} him ~ ssat Tor one.
Oviog to como Of Tie Witnesses Tor tie dsfsrse bs'