Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-09-10
The Captured Slave nrig.

brig is the Putnam. These letters area
partially erased and covered over by
those of the assumed name Echo. aud
would doubtless have been restored. had
success crowned the enterprise in which
she was engaged when taken. Sine is of
the Baltimore build. and of-about ESQ
tons burtheu. As We stated yesterday.
she was built at this pore bat Subsequent
ly sold to New Xork 6fn. The Charles.
ton Mercury says: ~ EE
On the 9Th Of March last she, cleared
from New Orleans with captain. two
mates. eight seamen. cook. steward aud
one passenger o. the 8 b July" she
stripped D cargo of ass slaves on the
wesI coast Of Africa, Al Kabenda. situated
in latitude 5 80 south. Longitude i2 go
east 1t is in Lower Guinea, 10 Tue south
ern part OF the District Of. Isaugo. and
not fan from the river Congo or Zaire.-
These slaves were purchased in circuit
Of 500 miles. and assembled at barrs.
coon near the point of shipment. The
brig set sail with them. aud in forty seven
days made the trip. reaching the point Of
destination on the morning Of the 2lst
instant. In this space of time one hun.
bred and forty -one negroes had died.
leaving but three hundred and fourteen
alive. A bay on "Cay Verde" enc Of The
keys on the north coast of Cuba. latitude
23 80. longitude 80 20 was the Ian~ing
place. where she was detected by the
Dolphin.
Lieut.. Mafitt had his suspicious that
she was a SLAYER confirmed by observing
that a number Of launches near shore
had thier sails set 90 come out to the brig.
On boarding her no papers were found.
bu: a signal of black cross on a white
ground; which had probably just been
used to notify the party on shore by pre-
Vious agreement. The" crew. nineteen
in number protested 10 be all passengers
wirI,nuA captain or officers, but Lieut..
Maffl: selected the prisoner who appeared
10 be at the head Of the enterprise. add
took him aboard the Dolphin. with sick
seaman and cvmrade TO tend him. The
rest were brought to Charleston by L..
Bradford. Their names are as follows:
i umInica de Ia Pene, Juan Brevera,
Jose Francisco. R. l. Bates, John Basco.
Alexander Rodgers, Frank CIeary. JJhn
E. Cspell. Archibald Scott; George Pla-
ken. Antonio Almera. Thomas Under,
Antonio Som+z. Jose de Jave Vital de
Miranda, Antonio M,lanaoish, Wm.
Henry Scno, Jose Gonzalez Seno.
One is Greek. one an Italian some
Of them are Portuguese, some Spaniards
and some English. Some Of them talk
about New York, but none now admit
that they are Americans. or have a
whereabouts in this country. The Mer
curry adds:
These smugglers are a desperate look
ing set Of fellows. Under the laws of
1919 and 1920 they will be tried for their
lives as pirates sailing on an American
bottom under the American flag. They
were committed 10 Jail on Saturday after
noon. Their trial will take place at Co
lumbis, s. G. before his Honor Judge
Wayne. circuit judge. The court begins
to ait the 4 b Monday in November.
Being curious to see the cargo and ar
rsngement of the Echo. we obtained a
permit from DR.. W. C. Rayennel, the
port physician, and with one or two 9th.
ers accompanied Lieut.. Bradford in a
small boat ION the wharf. Upon clam
beriug 10 the side # the brig a strange
aud startling sight presented itseIf-a
deck covered with native Africans in a |
state OF complete nudity, with rare instan
ces Of narrow strip Of rag an inch wide
round the waist. These people were seat.
ed for the most part with their legs
stretched out fiat or drawn up in front or |
doubled up; some squatted on their ieet
and hands. A few were standing about
aud few lying down. None were tied
or fastened in any way. The maturity
were very young. apparently from eight
10 sixteen years OF age-some younger
and some older; scarcely one. however,
over twenty i've. Svms Of them were
able bodied. good sized and in good case.
but the greater part were half grown
children only. weak and worn.
2. Many were much emsciated. and show.
ed plainly the effects Of their long and
crowded passage in a confined ship. A
few were evidently i'll and soon 10 die.
All were pure black in color except the
drOpsical. whose skins we're tawny from
disease. Their hair is very shut and
crisp. those Who were well appeared
curious aad pleased. some OF them ogliny
aud giggling and chattering. ami others
smoking tobacco ont Of short clay pipes
with cane stems. just as our town negroes
do. Thuse that were. thin and sick look,
ed dull and british. but there was MOTH
ing wild or ferocious in their aspect. They
looked amiable and docile. and readily
Obeyed the commands OF the person who
had charge of them. They are great
thieves. however. and appropriate what.
ever they can on every occasion. There
were 246 males and 60 females, who were
kept separate on deck and in the holds.
The men and boys were kept on the Tor,
ward deck and in the for " ard hold, which
later is 55 feet long. l9 reet wide in the
bIoadesL part, and narrow at the head.