New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-19
w-pDgR OF CAPT. FRAYSER OF THE
SHIP SEA WITCH
ARRIVAL. 0R THE First MATE.

The above ship. owned by Messrs. HowIand q AS
ali lsa Ma. York last Spring for Hong Kong.
While at sea, on the night OF 5th june between the
,su,s Of la and O'Clock, Capt y. whie Spg as'eeP
n bis berth it was supposed, on his ei' Side' was
.,,,o, .wo blovs on the front and night side OF his
s,.be.S and his skull broken in. He lived, without
4 having spohen, till 10 clock, when he died.
s,ly.pu, NJ Spencer first mate Of theshp, Is charged
III having committed the act He was sent home by
NJ, Robert Scott, American consu at Rio Janeiro in
a.. Unsa States storeehip Relief which arrived here
an SATURDAY. together with the dctor Of the snip the
.ootd or third mate, the carpenter, sod eleven others
balancing to the vessel Witnesses The three first
u,re bsed in The tum Of e. 900 each to appear and
tes,ify. and the Others )mmitted as witnesses.
Other officers and crew were put on board the Sea
Witch at Ro By the consul and sent on the voyage.
The folio wing sfidasit was made before Comu is
soner Stilwe by the doctor of the chip who appears
10 be gentee vell-bred young man:
SOuibera district of Ner York ss.-JosepS p. Bro
sshy being duly sworn doth depose and say that soma
time between 10 aud a m. Of 5th June, 1855, on
bosrd the Amer ship Sea Witch, on the high seas
ore George w Fray SER the captain OF said snip,
feIoniously murdered, aud thst the said crime was
committed by Sylvanus NJ Spencer, as deponent ver-
" believes and that ths said Spencer has been SAINT
into, and is in the Southern district of New YORK.
JP. BROLASKY, NJ ID.
Sworn before me, &c.
H. 4. sTILwHLL, United States commissioner.
Testimony was taken by the u. S. Court at Rio
It is said that the fret aud the captain had fire.
ouept quaIreis on the voyage and were determined
foes. They had bad severe quarrel a. the supper
table The evening that the evening Of the Sane
MI of this occurrence and Mr.. 8. and left the
cabin in threatening manner. II was Mr.. Spencer's
watch on deck between 10 and O'Clock. At the for
mer hour the captain seen asleep in his STATE
room, his cabin well ighied, and could be seen
through en- outer door. The doctor slept in berth,
or state room, IN a line WITH and adjoining, the
captains cabin. About clock Mr. Spencer reused
up the doctor ana told him that the captain had
BEEN badly beaten, and probably was dying. The
DOCTOR who particular friend, it was said, OF the
captain, INN ediaely repaired TO bis assistance and
attended him sssduously till 10 O'Clock, noon when he
died, having been insensioe when first seen by the
doctor although breathing and did not speak after
wards. His remains were placed in a tight box and
covered with whisky and taken to Rio Janeirc.
thence sent it viii be recoected, to NewYork, and
buried some weeks since from his late residence in
East Broadway. 1t is said that the cabin asuslly
kept light till daybresk but when the doctor called
On this oscasiop, the cabin had been much dimmed.
From the quantity and appearance Of the cosgusted
the wounds had been given an hour and half or
two hours before he was notified Ii was
stated by witnesses that Mr.. Spencer was ssen
to go into the captains cabin several times dur.
ing his watch ard no OF or person seen TO 20 in
there except q lad named McRae, against wnom
here IL no imputation 1t is aso said that Mr. Spencer
after the death of Capt f. took part in placing the
body in the box and was not present. 1t was also
alleged that he appeared TO manifest mach anxiety
while Capt F. lay dying in reference to his recover
ing sufficiently and telling what had occurred.
The ship arrived at Rio Janeiro under command of
DIR. Spencer, and it intimsed to the consul and
authorities that Capt. Frayser had committed suicide.
The consul determined upon pOstmortem e1anina-
lion, at which DIR. Brolssky and other physicians
were present and it decided that the blows could
not have been inhicte' with his own hands. IL was
determined TO arrest Mr. Spencer as the one who he'd
committed the crime. When about to be taken from
the ship to prison he drew small pocket knife which
he had concealed about him. and stabbed himself in
the Left breast Ii tie below the sippk. TWAS not
sufficiently dangerous however TO prevent his being
tai en- on shore and he was conveyed TO prison and
the nc oessary attention pss him, and he recovered
1t is said he never made any inquiry, during the
pssss re to Rio as TO the death Of Capt F., although
il was evident be must have been killed by some per
son. la his stste-room were found it is said, two
mnlDg spikes, one Of which fitted the indentstions
and wounds in Ne captains head. There we're also
found in the same pace a pair Of psntalOons and
shirt belor ging to him. stained with blood and he was
seen 10 wash his hands deck, two three times,
with the rsinwater. II was also said his walsh vas
very quiet that night, aud he did not give an order,
and some of the men wen to sleep, while he usually
WAC vary stirrinO in his watch.
Mr.. Spencer, who is man apparently about thirty
Eve years Of age, somesbst tall active and quick in
bis manner, red face, and rather light h.ir, denies
having committed the crime, and says thathe was no.
present. at the examination at Rio and has not seen
the testimony, although it had been promised he should
see il.
Mr. Dunning has been engaged by the accused as
his couI sell who viii perhaps ask for Gil exsminatoo
but we understand ii is the intention Of the district
attorney to send the directly to the grsndary Of
:hs II. s. Circuit court which is nov In session.