The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1859-04-21
THE ECHO CASE.

THE ECHO CASE.
AT the opening of the Court, Lieutenant Car
pentcrt proceeded with his testimony He sta
ted that the anchor swinging at the bow was
the only preparation for landing that he OBJ
served when he boarded the Echo. Many of
the negroes were suffering from various dis
eases. and the vessel was filthy to the last de.
gree.
The model OF the Echo. which was made
by order of the Court, was here shown, and
the Of its several apartments explained to
the jury. This little craft is q fac siu.iie of
the shaver brig, reduced in dimensions on the
scale OF four feet TO tho inch. 1t contains two
slave decks under the main deck, one for.
ward and the other uft. The latter was oc-
cupicd by the females and some Of the younger
boys, and the former was appropriated to the
males. Below the slave deck water. casks and
provisions were kept
There were brands the backs and shoul.
ders of the negroes. by which they could be
designated by their owneis Henerys, one of
the prisoners, stated he owned one of thcm and
pointed him out Ilenerys also mentioned that
the vessel was from Africa, and had been out
f"rty-three or forty four days, and that they
had made signals for landing the negroes at
Key Verde that afternoon. There were threo
hundred and twenty negroes on board the Echo
ut the time of the capture; when she sailed
from Africa the number amounted TO four hun
dred and fifty. On the passage of the Echo
TO Charleston the deaths averaged three
day.
John Monahan was sworn He was cock
swain of the Dolphin. lie was ordered to
search the vessel, and found white flag with a
black cross, and loaded revolver. The name
putnam. New Orleans" painted in white let
ters on the stern of the brig, had been painted
over with a coat of black paint; and the word
Echo" was painted on n board nailed on the
stern, above the ruddcr The bulk Of the ne.
groes were crowded together on the slave
deck; these in the hatchway were exposed to
all weathers. Just before the seizure he saw
two lighters standing for aftervard they head
ed for the land
The District Attorney proved the ownership
Of the Echo by Capt Townsend, by Mr.. S.
Dupescus. who testified to the genuineness of a
bill Of sale by which that vessel was trans
ferred from J. J. Fernandez to Townsend.
Russell Claff testified that E. e. Townsend
was a native of Providence, X. l., and that he
had married and resided there BY request of
the District Attorney Of Rhode Island. he VISITED
Townsend while IN Jail in Bus,on and recognized
him.
J. W. links proved the shipping articles. aud
the crew list and the certificate Of registry of the
Putnam.
Capt, J. N. MnfIitt. Commander Of the Uni
ted States brig Dolphin. was the next witness
examined. After narrating the history of the
capture, he described the conditinn of the ves-
Sci and her living freight as shocking and de.
plorabie. The whole of the Echo was
sent back to that vessel, with the exception of
Townsend and two men who were sick with Ar
rcan fever. He Thought it prudent to retain
Townsend on the Dolphin, because his intelli-
gence and reckless air led him /" fear he might
prove troublesome These he took to Key est,
aud after exertlnS his utmost to have them
sent To thus port, Imperative orders from w ash
'nSton obliged him to leave them there. The
| shaver was sent To Charleston because he knew
there were several places where they could
tie comfortably lodged. and especially on ac-
court of The facilities fpr lei-grayhc eom,rn,
| n.cation between this place and Washing.
ton
DIR. Brown. surgeon Of the Doii<:,ln. gav.. les
| rir'l"ny t"lhe i"Il"wng facts: lie was -, hoard
til" Echo with Capt. Mntiitt the day after t .
capture as'rut O'Clock in The morning; the
| vessel was exceedingly filthy; the negro We're
from five 10 twenty-five years odd they we're
! emaciated and haggar', aud many uI them were
afflicted with diseases al the rS~ and the skin,
and d!sentety: they were suffering from want
Of food aud dcvou,ed ravenousiy 'hr biscuit,
that Were thrown I" ti,em the sick aud the well
were mingled Unfortunately together on the
deck. He advised Capt. Mufirt TO leave the
sick inen they had taken fIom the Echo Mt Key
West, because he believed they would certainly
die Oh the voyage TO New York, aud because he
was apprrhensive they might communicate thei,
disease TO the crew OF the Dolphin. On tn,
poop deck of the Echo he found two boxes ui
medical stores, hut there were 40 hospital nr
rungements on that vessel.
Lieut. Carpenter was called again. nnd prov
cd two charts found Oh board the Echo Or
these charts was traced u continuous line O.
| that vessels course from the coast Of Africa t
tie point "f her capture
The testimony closed the part of III.
State. The counsel for the defence gave notice
that if they concluded to dispense with ,esti
mony. they would be prepared TO proceed with
the argument to-day, at 10 o'clock. The psis
H. It,. l.
| K. DeTrevle OF Charleston, and Max-y Greg,
aud Edmund Bellinger. of Columbia. The pros
| ecution will be conducted by Mr. JAMES Con
| ner, United States District Attorney Charles
tom Courier, dprH IA.
Sensible Hints to the South-We annex III,
following sfnsbIe sugges ton offered to The dele
gates OF one Of the Southern Commercial Con
venfions, taken from paper Of old date
but still pertinent to the present subject: