The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-07-24

hand entirely entered him Custom house as Of
tho crew and paid hospital money for him. Tue negro
says he hss wife, faibev and mother and children In
africa and wants 10 return. From nexphined
CAME be IL IN mcmeptary fear OF being murdered and
even ds1asts the coiosed interpreter because nc talks
with the white men, He bears the front Of hs fore
head and down his The brand Of the Kroomap and
has also rs teeth filed. These he points at continually
u,teriDg the words "Enesh nae slave me no African
ne kpgkh kroomsn' me anug that he is English
subject and secure from being carried on into slavery
He goes bare footed and al the slightest alarm endcavors
when once Stripped pretty Difficult, matter 50 catch
him. lie will with the interpreter at No. SO Third
street New York, until he is shipped for Africa
The Murder ON Board the Brig Gen. Pierce
STATEMENT or THE PRISONER, JOHN SMITH, CON-
pBMFBD TO BE HUNG FOR TIE MURDER OF THE
COOK.
one Of the smentaole cssee OF judicial injustice
seems to De the of John smith, alias Antonio Frank
fen:enoed tn death by hanging the 18th of August
pext for the murder Of the Of the brig Gen. Perse
win Do recoIlected that four Of the crew-smi,h Ned'
De Costa and Bownwere indicted for the murder Of the
captain In IN ARRAY which took place the 10th Of Febru
airy last the high seas, and all convicted of
slaughter They then placed trial for the murder
Of the cook in the arsy, and Smith convicted Of
murder, while the rest were only convicted OF man
slaughter though the evdence brought to bear
against them all According to all evidence appears
that Smith the least guilty Of the four, and
,eems a. II be selected unjastly a. the
sole victim OF the law, 70 atone for tho dread
full deeds Of HE shpmates in that eventfal tragedy.
Smith IL rcw confined 10 the Tonne. He s Portuguese
by BIRTH only "a years Of sge and Of apparently very
mild temperament. He has relatives friends in
% country, and without the Interference Of executive
cemency die the desah Of feion for crime
which there DO doubt that he intended TO
commit; and which ne did commit, in the heat OF
passion, and IN desperate struggle TO prevent the cook
from carry ing arms 10 the captain with which 70 MAIN or
kill the crew. The following ia his simple story ~ sccu
ra.ely could be gstherei from his broken EGG ish
cslect, and 1t painfully illustrative Of the hardship
which the rerdess sailor Is too often compelled To en-
dure:-
STATEMENT OF JOHN SMITH, ALIAS ANTONIO FRANK.
am u Portuguese by birth, and have sailed from New
York city about three years. ] shipped the 22d Of
beard the brig General PIERCE bound for Non
rovs, on the coast OF Africa, for cargo OF palm OIL
There board the captain, first and second mates
cook and six men before the mast. After We had
got few days Of New York and crossed the Gulf the
slaves ssd, "Nc' had been once on board OF SLAYER
when was but ten years old and 70 horrhed that
would not again The captain asked the other men on
board they would op him In getting cargo Of slaves,
and they said No' when he found that would not DO
that he began TO treat ms very badly he struck us with
his fat shssed US about ana slapped our f.ces an ed
O'Clock in the morning. the mate sent into the roretop
TO haul the top rigging tighter went up and stayed there
I'll about ten O'Clock, when the captain Gale down
and 10 relieve John Morris the wheel he told
TO teer torthwes, and did the captain shortly n
terwads came on deck, and rays Show do you steer
said, al steer southwest he said, "teer straight"
swered al do sr' after this he said "You must steer
straight keep south ves by south 20 and that If did not
Ss he nd oa ~ e
south by southwest BE did not awe chance TO do
20, but hit me right across the lace said, why do
BOARD" tsid nothing al all. could not no "a to make
anything by striking the captain. Toe mate stood by and
say all ihs Al twelve O'Clock John Brown relieved me,
and went dinner with the of the crew. The
then tot Mat had killed the captain would have
got clear, bccause was ct the wheel said "No xii
man" A. went TO the forecase 10 my dinner, the
sailors sad, What the matter with your did no.
answer. John Dc Gotta sad after there had been some
s,ruck men he he could spsak Engsh and tbe'
Use in talking 10 tho captain Portuguese, a. he did
not understand After ths John Ned went 10 his trunk
and rot knife and put In bis pocket Be then spoke TO
De Costa. and Norrs and myself and Andre and got
US 10 or deck with him to AK the captain why beat
the crew They went on deck and asked the Captain thai
and grabbed him BY the throat and struck him In the
face John Ned struck the captain on the back Of the
rot up quickly sung out r The cook TO bring him his
ps,ol went NY the cook and told him not 70 bring the
pistol, becasse the captain would shoot some OF the
The cook sad he would 20, and told him he should mo-,
He stuck me and we had 4 Eight, and whipped him tie
wen! inside to get Knife, and came out 1t with
knife his hand he cut me so much ths. shou,ed for
knife and fel, my belt find one and cut hi with Il
This 10 the door OF the gangway. he cut through
The bend aad stabbed him. J left then and went
tain, with the mate and second mate. Tne captain asked
wat they we're going to do they said f be would give
duty. The captain sad DO, he would not do il. and
hey nigh take the ship The men told the mate
10 take charge OF the ship, but the captain said
John ars then relieved Brown at the wheel the captain
wanted the mste to help him, but be would not; John De
Costa then the captain tho head with HEAVIER
s q yoGs about TX feet 0Ss and or ~ aSSSs
Brown took knfc and stabbed him twice In tho left sde
the cry VI. men Overheard vim aim, and John Ned,
Andrew and the frat and second mate took the captain ADD
threw him overheard the captain was then alive the SO
oond mate Andrew and De Costa then went after the cook
and hove hin overheard be was alive t,o; all tho men
then gave their opinions 10 what should be done with
the ship said, "sink her, and take the boasp
wanted 10 do other things, but l. finally agreed
60 TO 81 Thomas 10 ret mate and coos the first mate
acting captain some wanted 10 20 10 the coast OF Africa
brt ven; 10 - Tbomaf; the mate said thai the
who spoke lcsst would be best on. the mate went
bore, and In about two hours returned and arrested
all but the second mate John Morris and Andrew whom he
sad were good men and the rest rsscals
Of mate we're S so - ON
days. and then brought 70 New York. No prove
that ed the cook because DID not help 10 throw him
overheard, and he alive when he thrown
board. the best friend Of the captain when we lef
New York but sfter refused 10 Nt slaves be abused
me; The ship vas a'ssd out |. ,l.ver. There were
t0ns board, and some hnfs we're taken OF Sandy
Hook, ster We left New York seems very hard that
should he most punished when did no, do much the
others. have always been sober man, and was
in row, or in prison before
such s.tne simple story Of the condemned II his story
be true he viii die nom the evidence OF the very men,
who according 10 ~ led him and encouraged him and
The other 10 do what hey did NO witnessed hts
The ev,depce thai he cook .ss alive when Inc oshs,,
threw him overheard He tels his story 10 a simple i'm.
pressive msnnc-, aud exhibits great deal Of feeling
his situation. lie quite mild and harmless in his
nor, and Ike who could commit violence only
under the greatest pvovocatou Il 10 be hoped thai no
On .se or hs sv e. ,s S
that OF bis comrades who conspicuous in the ar