The Nevada journal., 1855-12-07
The Schooner Water Witch.


Piratieal conduct Of a Captain n-Descrtion Of
men on an island--Arrest and escape of the
eulprit, &C., &c.,
The following account taken from the 7own
Talk of the unhuman desertion. of three men
or an island, will be read with interest BY those
who are acquainted with the gentlemen who
suffered.
Ames, Elliott and Gilmore formerly resided
at Cherokee in this county, and are highly es.
teemed by all who know them.
The schooner Kate Hill, Can't. Parker. ar.
rived in the harbor yesterday morning from
La Paz, bringing as passenger, Mr. George N.
Elliott, one Of the late owners of the schooner
Water Witch, which sailed from this port on
the 10th OF June, for ports in the Gulf of Cali
fornia. MIR. Elliott gives US the following in =.
teresting particulars:
The Water Witch was purchased by Mr..
Elliott and Mr.. Orville T. Ames, and filed
with cargo suitable for the market Of the
Gulf OF California and Lower California. They
hired man named Charles B. Young to take
coEnand Of her, and had besides a crew of
three sailors, employed by him in this port, and
mate, Mr.. Gilmore, shipped by them
selves. The cook was an Indian boy who had
lived with Dir. Elliott a long time in this State
On the 10Th OF July the schooner arrived off
the Island of San Marcus, il the Gulf, which is
near the port of Malege, some two hundre d and
nifty miles above Cape st. Lucas. On some
pretext the captain induced q party, consist
ing OF MIR. Ames, the mate, himself and one of
the sailors, to go on the island to explore i.
Shortly after landing, himself and the sailor
int tbn i,ooA
the schooner, leaving Mr.. Ames and the mate
on the Island. These latter had with them a
large Newfoundland dog which they killed,
and with thongs from his hide made u raft on
which they succeeded in reaching the main
land, fourteen miles distant This Was un.
known to those on the vessel, ard Mr.. Elliott,
after much PERSUASION. induce Capt. Young to
send boat next day to another part Of the
Island with provisions for the men thus desert.
Cd the island being rocky and very barren
one
The captain, two scamen and Mr. Elliott
went to the Island, and as soon as the supplies
were set ashore, the former drew his pistol and
told Mr. f. he was going to leave him, remark.
ing that he might think himself lucky, as he
intended to have made way with him in a diff
ferent manner. They Immediately left him,
and Mr.. Elliott had nothing to do but make
himself as comfortable as circumstances would
allow. He spent much time in searching for
the other two, and was at considera BILE loss to
account for not finding them.
Mr.. Anles and the mate, meantime, had
made their way along the coast to Malege
where they gave notice of the affair to Senior
Icent Mexla. the worthy Aicalde at that port
and ne took means to arrest the captain and
crew IN case the vessel came in. Some three
or four days after the Water Witch made her
appearance oil the harbor, and a communica-
ton was received from the captain stating be
had experienced storm, and lost two men
overheard, and desired to procure admission
into port. lie was ct once invited in. when n
guard immediately took him and a sailor named
Richard Johuson into custody. He was much
surprised to meet Ames and the mate, and
hndlng himself caught. made clean breast OF
the whole matter, stating that he had determin.
ed 10 get possession Of the schooner by any
means, fair or foul
"A boat was Immediately dispatched to the
Island for air. Elliott. who had experienced
four days of solitary life, but having a good
supply OF provisions on hand to keep him
lhe captain and Johnson were then sent to
Loretta, and then, by order of the Governor of
Sonora, were conveyed to La Paz, to await the
SAILING of the Kate Hill for this port. Before
tins vessel sailed, however, he had succeeded in
briblng his iailor, and made his escape to
Magdaiena Bay, where he shipped on whaler
and thus escaped.
loung is about thir ty'two years Of age, a |
powerful built man, native of Canada. and
said to be perfect desperate. Mr. Elliott
was informed he had been in prison at Quay.
mas and some other places in Lower California,
charged with various crimes The seaman.
johnson. was brought up and will be pushed
for his offense