The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-08-16
August 18th, 1859.
GFrOm the San Francisco Bulletin, J,lu 20 !

THE CASE OF THE BARK MESSENGER BIRD.
We have gone to considerable trouble for the
purpose OF placing before our readers a statement
of facts in relation to the missing bark Messenger
Bird, Capt. John H. Delee, which 'tturned up'7 at
Tahiti about the middle Of May last. There has
been about this vessel and the mysterious proceed
lngs OF her master great deal of speculation in
the commercial community, and every fact or even
rumor in relation to her will be read with interest
1t is known that the captain has run off with the
vessel; that he has appropriated the CARGO and
traversed oceans unlawfully; he has committed I'M
authorized acts, which jeopardize the rights and
property of Others and some of the most compli-
Gated questions OF mercantile law arise out of his
transactions; that, should the Messenger Bird be
seized and broughtinto court, her name would be
known almost as long as admiralty law and the
name of Delee handed down to posterity as one of
the greatest barrators of modern times. For these
reasons it is interesting to give all that can be
CLEANED concerning the wanderer and her bold
captain.
mate of the vessel and the steward, who left her at
Tahiti and arrived here in the ship William on
Tuesday evening, are not very well posted. and it
is evident from their conversation that Captain
Delee attended to his affairs himself-making few
confdants, and entrusting no person with his Sc
crets. Some points, however, can be made out
from their accounts of the matter, and we give
them as they were given to US. The steward a
young man, states that he shipped at Providence
for voyage to Rio de Janeiro, and other parts of
South America, and back to the United States He
is not able TO give the length of time for which he
shipped nor to state any but few particulars of
the contract made with him. He saws that the
vessel proceeded to near Richmond and took on
board 5000 barrels of -four and $50 half bar
rels and proceeded to Rio, where it lay about five
weeks, in the neghborhood of Christmas time
There the flour was unshipped and a cargo of coffee
taken on board, besides quantity of money.
At that place the mate, second mate, carpenter
and several sailors were discharged, and several
others taken on board. sailor who had shipped
ted in that capacity till the vessel reached Tahiti
From Rio the vessel proceeded to Terra del Fuego
where she stopped to take in wood, and then pro.
ceeded to Valparaiso, where some 600 bags of cot.
fee were disposed OF, more money taken on board,
and the vessel proceeded to Tahiti, where she ar
rived about May IA. 1t was supposed by the crew
that she was bound to San Francisco: but it soon
became evident that this port was not her destina-
ton, and the steward left her, and here his story
ends During the whole course of the voyage he
knew nothing of the captains intentions. He
merely what took place as it passed before his
eyes. He saw large quantities of silver on board
but that was all he knew about it.
The mate, who could tell much, probably if so
disposed, thinks that Capt Delee will s'turn up all
right" in the course of few months in one of the
great commercial cities of the Atlantic though he
admits that the proceedings were not exactly law
full ones. He says that Deee had "pile" of money.
and will soon have much more, and that will cure
deal that is rank; but it may be remarked that
late spree has somewhat muddled up his perception
and consequently his views must be received with
grains of allowance. According to the little he has
been pleased to communicate, he shipped at Nor
folk for Rio and the western seabord of South f?l
America. At Rio he was promoted to be mate
He received and receipted for a large amount of
bullion and coin at Rio and Valparaiso, but the
amount he is unable to give. When in the South
ern Pacific, he supposed that he was coming to San
Francisco, (for which port the vessel cleared at
Valparaiso;) but, upon weighing anchor at Tahiti
the captain took him aft, and gave him "some in
formation, Whereupon he replied by telling the
captain to order round the boat and put him ashore
This information is supposed to have been the
intended voyage of the captain and liberal offer
provided he would proceed on the proposed vov,
age but the mate answered that he was going to
San Francisco, and would not proceed further in
the affair. In the meanwhile portion of the car
go of coffee-said to be l,200 bags of 100 pounds
each-had been transhipped from the Messenger
Bird to the William, and in this vessel the mate
took passage for this port, leaving Captain Delee
to prosecute his voyage without him.
The mate states that the captain used him well,
pald him promptly, and paid his passage, as well
as that of the steward, to San Francisco, and it
seems to be chiefly for those reasons that he docs
not like to say much that might compromise him.
1t seems from his conversation, that he brought
package of papers to this city and left them at
certain place. but that is all he is willing to state
about it. 1t is his impression that Delee was in
VOWED IN some manner in this city, and did not
wish to come here.
The report that the vessel proceeded from Tahiti
to Sydney, he laughs at, but does not know or is
unwilling to state where she did go. All that could
be gathered in relation to this part of the subject
was that the captain had sold the vessel, that he
would soon leave her, that she would be seized and
sold, that her cargo of coffee would amount to
nothlng-ior it seems that it was not good in the
beginning, and not damaged at the Horn-and that
the captain would take another CONVEYANCE to the
place at which he might choose to STOP There
was one passenger, who went by the name of
chesterfield, and he seems to have had a hand in
the business.
Captain Delee is said to be Virginian an edu-
Gated, good business man, and was once a lieuten-
ant in the United States navy. He was accompa-
MED by his wife and two daughters, one about
fourteen ard the other about ten wears of ape He
is said to have relatives in this CITY, and ii is sun
posed that the package above referred to was in
tended for them. The Sact nature and extent of
his offences are as yet unknown; but that much il
wrong is plain At Tahiti, it is reported he rubbed
of the word Bird, and his bark sailed under the
name of the Messenger; but this NAV have been
due to some repairs, involving the destruction of
that portion of the vessel bearing the word Bird.
1t is estimated that he left Tahiti with nearly
$500 bags of coffee, and in the neigbborbood of
O,O00 in money. How he is to make the addi
tional 'pile" which the note speaks Of remains to
be seem 1t is stated, however, that his crew is all
Dutch, ana say "1 aw' to everything he orders, so
that, whatever may be his plans, they are likely to
be carried out.
As for the coffee, which arrived in the William
and for which Captain Deiec is said to have recei-
we'd an advance at Tahiti, replevin suit has been
commenced against it in the Twelfth District Court
py John Gallop, and it was seized last evening,
under process by the sheriff. Mr. Gallon alleges
that there are 200 bags that they belong to him.
and that they are worth f25,0O0.
THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB AT NEWPORT.
~ Correspondence Of the Ne,U York Tip,esl
NEWPORT, Thursday August IL The arrival of