The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-12-03
Conviction for PIRACY and Muraer.


The Key West (Fia) correspondent of the
Charleston IS. C.) Courier reports to that paper
the conviction, on the 23d Nov, in the u. S.
Circuit Court of Key West,so Alejiandro Car
Ger, and Geuillot Faustin Eloy, two of the
crew OF the American schooner Enterprise,
for the murder of A. B. Morantes, the captain.
racy and murder:
about the 5th of June last, bound on voy-
age to New Granada for cargo of natives, to
be taken to Cuba as apprentices, with crew
OF eight men: Captain, Is. A. Morantes; mate,
Heirap; cook, -; seamen-Charles Davis, AL
eiiandro Career, Geuiilot Faustin Eloy, Joe
-, and Jose Maria Ortega, u deserter from
the Spanish army. After being out two or
three days, it was proposed among the crew to
kill the captain, and being near the Florida
coast, near Hillboro', the vessel was run ashore
about two O'Clock in the morning, and no al
tempt was made TO get her Off After get
ting breakfast, Charles Davis struck the
captain with his hand; Career then cut him
on the right temple with q knife; he was
then thrown overheard, and iron pots and
other missiles thrown at him; but, fail
ing to effect his death, the small boat was
lowered, three of them getting into il, but
it was almost Immediately capsized, and Joe
- was caught under it and drowned
The others being SO intent upon the death Of
the Captain, allowed Joe to remain under the
(about three hours) Failing in this attempt
to get hold of the Captain, Eloy takes a rope
with q moose, and made several fruitless eff
forts to get hold of him. The Captain now
made piteous appeals for his life, reminding
Charley, or Charles Davis, that he, the Captain,
had wife and children, as well as Davis. Car
Ger here remarked, s1f you are going TO kill
him, do it at once.n Davis then takes pump
brake and goes into tue water, and by eight
or nine blows kills him, and the body was
then hauled ashore and buried Joe was then
taken out from under the boat and endeavors
made to restore him to life, which We're fruit
less, and after the lapse OF two days he was
buried, and prayers read over his grave by the
mate A tent was then erected ashore, the
small boat repaired, and the Captains trunk
carried TO the tent and broken open. 1t was
found to contain about 122 Mexican ounces,
which were divided amQpg the crew. Subse-
quently they put to sea i'll small boat, and
after being out several days were picked up
by the United States Lighthouse schooner
that Captain Morantes had been accident tally
knocked overheard by the boom, and in wear
ing the vessel to look for him, she went ashore.
Before the suspicious OF Captain Owens were
aroused, Davis and Cook took the small boat
and escaped to Tampa, and from thence to
New Orleans. The money was takeE from the
four remaining, and they were carried to Key
West, where the mate died. Jose Maria Ortega
was used by the Government to convict Career
and Eloy. About three weeks after the mur-
der the grave was visited by Lieut.. w. B.
Randolph and NJ. F. Filler, of Key West. They
had the body exhumed and recognized it to
be that of Captain b. A. Morantes, who had
covered upon the body, face and neck but the
body of the murdered man was SO much de-
composed tha. critical examination was i'm
possible.