New-York daily tribune., 1858-12-02
FROM BOSTON.
TRIAL OF THE JUNIOR MUTINEERS FOR
MURDER.
N Correspondent.

Prom Our Own Correspondent.
BOSToN, Nov. 20 1858.
The Circuit Court of the United States sitting
here has been engaged for eighteen days in the
trial of Cyrus w. Pumer, William H. (aliss
R'cbord) Carther, William Herbert, aud Charles
II. Stanley, alias John w. Ballard, for the murder
OF Capt Archibald Meilen of the New Bedford
whale ship Junior. Plumer is indicted prin-
cipsl, and the others as accessories. Judge
Clifford has presided at the trial. assisted during
portion OF the time by Judge Sprague. The Gov
erpmept side has been managed by Charles Levi
Woodbury. United States District Attorney, and
Milton Andres, Assistant Counsel for Plumer
B. +. Butler and G. Z. Chandler: for Carther, +. +.
Heard and +. w. Pelton; for Herbert, Thornton
X. IOthrOp and j. q. Adams; for Stanley, j.
HARDY Prince and Samuel NJ. Quincy. Mr.. Prince
and Mr. Butler have not agreed very cordially
during the trial Stanley is reckoDed the least cul-
pable, and it probably seemed to his counsel wise
IL endeavor to get verdict of acquittal for his
client, although the other three were hanged. Mr..
Butler apply compared the position OF the PRISONERS
~ that of four at floating on single plank,
and each trying to push the others OIL Tor the sake
OF his own lie. / do not know, however that any
sf the counsel, except Mr.. Prince, are fairly
amenabe to this criticism. y.
The number of witnesses in this case has not
been large; but the examination and cr0ss-eXaml-
nation have been ntoerably tedious, and but few
persons SUI pose, have had patience to follow the
entire course of the trial. The ship Junior sailed
from New Bedford in July, 1857. The officers
were: Archibald Millen. captain; Nelson Provost
(Oitener called Nelson by the witnesses), first
mate; Henry I. Lord, second mate; and John
Smith. third mate. On the nightnf December -,
while the vessel WAS i'll the Indian Ocean, the
captain and third mate were killed. aud the ship
taken possession of by Plumer and his conted-
crates Plumer killed the captain and Carther
shot at and wounded Mr.. Lord. Smith Was Killed
By Cornelius Burns, and Provost was wounded by
John Hall Burns and Hall died in Australia.
There is nc evidence that Herbert did any violence,
except lis voluntary confession Ia Provost that he
threw a hatchet at him; and Stanley, with some OF
the other cons prators, on deck while the work
oi death was going on below. The most IN
telligite account of The conspiracy is given
by Charles l.. Fifed, who was engaged in IL.
He saws that some five or six weeks after
leaving New Bedford he heard Pluner speak of
taking the ship. He said he would not 90 the
yoyaqe and would take the ship 10 get nd
of II. Other c0nversa lions of the same Kind took
place Pumer was evidently the chlei lnstlgator,
but Hail. STANLEY, Fiheld, Carther and Burns were
aiding him. 1t was at last agreed that the second
mste a. Ord) should be knocked down, by tlhcld,
and the other officers should be- secured. But
part, saying that he could not strike man when
be would fall oyerbosri. Nothing more was done
until Christmas night, when Plumer, standing on
deck with Fiheld. Stanley, Carther and Herbert.
said, BY God il has got to be done" He then
explsined what he meant, aud produced cocOanut
shell, fixed in bottle, and gave the men some
hQuor. Fiield aud STANLEY guarded the companion
way and the mizzen-hatch, while the others went
below, and the murders were committed.
Lord and Provost were called rs witnesses and
described with ninutrness the attempts made upon
their lives Lord identified Cartier as being in the
cabin when be was fred at Lord soon aiterward
went upon deck, and was bound by Plumer. Pro-
vost, after being wounded, sought shelter IN the
lower hold where he remained several days, and
6ualy came up, the mutineers promising thar his
HE should be- spared if h. would tako charge OF the
ship. On the 9th OF January, when the Junior
was about twenty miles f-om Cape Howe, on the
coast of Australia, Pumer. Cariher. Herbert, Stan
hey, Hall and Burns, with four others named
Brooks Sampson, Cannon and Rike, LETT the ship,
and made for the Australian coast Before they
kit, Plumer, Hall, Csrther, Burns and Herbert
placed upon the log-book statement, signed by
Themselves certifying that 1--WE Cyrus Plumer
Richard CARRIER Cornelus Burns and William
Herbert did, on the night Of the 18th of Decem.
Der last, take the ship Junior. and that all others
are quite innocent of the deed They proceed to
detail some OF the facts Of the ease praise Provost
for his management Of the ship, and say that he is
under oath not Ia follow them, but to 60 straight
away; Il H. Gocs rJ. ;.oy say tlvy s..ii .O...5 "a
bvsId aad .iEA ile slip. Ihe statement oloses by