New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-10-04
CAPTURE OF THE SLAVE SHIP ERIE
EIGHT HUNDRED AND NINETY-SEyEN
NEGROES ON BOARD.

| brings home Lieut.. J. W. Huntington, Passed Mid
shlfman ii. ID. Todd, and prize ere y Of ten men,
belonging TO the capor Of the SLAYER the T. s. steamer
mehcaD. The Eries officers supposed the Mohican 10
De an Enghsh man-of war; and hoped by hosting the
the American nag, TO evade examination. Sae made
the passage from Monrovia Nsw.York in thityfour
| days, and was IN company with the Marion s,o,of
| war; off Cape de Verde Islands The Mob;con ..,;lo5
from Fernando Pc on the 4th of Anonst anS 80 -
the southwark for Loanda, having the squadron mail
on board. ~
When four days out, about fifty mile. off the month
of the Congo River, at a. 10. the officers Of The NJ
bcan sighted chip standing TO the north west, yvs.
about fifteen miles from the vessel, which was nodsy
all sa and port studdiDgssil Immediately 20. 90 a.
ditional steam, and near the stranger who re-
fused TO show any colore; fired blank cartridge and
| then the American ensign was hOsted from tbs peak
of the suspicious craft She hove 10, and Lieut Dun
niDgton went on board. On getting inside the gang.
way, he was confronted by Spanish gentleman, Of
rather respectable appearance, who spoke English
WELL The officer asked If The Spaniard wac csptatn;
the latter said not but sent the visitor aft 10 quest Of
the skipper. An American, somewhat OF a Yankee,
then accosted, but with satisfactory result,
he persisted in declaring that the commander died in
the Congo The mate next asked for, but not
forthcoming, as he ran away, 1t was alleged. Who
has charge Of the shp said the naval man, becoming
a little excited.
No one enightening him. he at ordered the flag
10 be hauled down. Now boys, give three eheerso
cried Lieut. bennington, leaning the ships side
n
uine prize and 10 mistake" The enthusiasm Of she
man. wars found vent in several loud huzzahs
which had no been heard than all the halchss
of the Erie flew open, as If by magic, and her crew,
who had been keeping the da kes quiet below rushed
on deck and exclaimed in regular chorus: It's all
up with us, bOys." Mr. Dulni1gton peeped into the
lower apartments, and beheld whole of lwo)ly
heads. Every black eye In the ship was bent on the
unexpected intruders who took hasty survey Of the
ship ard proceeded 10 regulate matters generally. Ex-
| ira men from the Mohican were tlen sent
for and put on board, and the returning boats
took back TO the steamer the crew Of the Erie.
Those among them who were foreigners al
lowed TO take French leave the coast, and three
importanookiDg persons, supposed TO be the captain
and two mates, brought home in the SLAYER, and
will be turned over this morning TO the United States
Marshal. The Mohcan proceeded TO Loanda, and the
Eie TO Monrovia-the ships companies giving three
cheers for the prize. After ron OF Ia days the SLAYER
anchored at her destination. Twenty nine Of the poor
slaves died principally of fever and dysentery caused,
1t is supposed by Congo water, on the passage and one
fell overheard. The Rev. John Lsys received the
grots on the I'D Of August and distributed them among
the Inhabitants OF MOnroVia, who promised TO treat
them kindly. They Were perfectly naked when taken,
and were delighted with the disposition made of them,
They clspped their hands sang shouted, and raised
Jolly time generally The officers and men Of tue Mo-
bicsn, who escorted the slaves TO MoDrovia describe
their sufferngs during the middle passage positively
revolving. They would not undertake similar duties
for any consideration.
The Erie il a fine saler, and looks like anything but
a
ber 1870 and was owned for tine by Mr.. Ralph
Pest of N.w.York. She s a regular 4" cotton ship"
in appearance. Her fitting up most artistic she
had slave Golfers, sufficient quantity OF water vine
gar in casks placed fore and att last 900 people for
sixty days. and exceedingly large quantity oil rice,
pork beef farina bread and peanuts, OF which good
portion was given Mr. Sey MOnrovia. Tue mold
of the vessel was unusually neat and was kept in ex-
celent order. There less filth found in the ship
tran s ususl wtn savers, which was perhaps, owing
10 the fact that large were exclusively employed
in preserving the healthy condition OF the vessel. The
calls are new and valuable, and could not have been
long in use The Erie was boarded in the Congo
River by the British steamer Sphre, previous TO re-
ceiviDg saves She only seventeen hours from
the slave wharf when the Mohican seized her. No
other craft captured the African station
with so many negroes.
On searching the Erie bundle of papers was dis
covered, belonging to the brig j. II. Hooper. |. will
probably be remembered that the Hooper was 10 the
hands OF the authorities time ago. She was
charged with having a cargo of slaves After the
slaves were landed, the mate went with the vessel 10
Campeacby False papers We're procured at thai place,
it was charged, and the Hooper came 10 Neo-York.
She was here lbtled, but discharged for want of
proof. The original papers turn up on board the
Erie. Proceedings now being instituted 70 LIBEL
the vessel SLAYER and for the arrest of the supposed
q aptaIn and mates on a ctarge Of piracy.
The Commsndant Of the Brooklyn barracks had a
guard OF United States marines put board the prize
and they will remain on board until she is in charge Of
be Marshal.
The Fries advices from the African squadron report
the San JscntO her was % LaOnda as was also the
corvette Portsmouth. The Sumpter had gone 10 Ac.
era, the gold coast; the Mystic Lieut. Leroy was al
ST. Pauls, and also the Constellation, flagship. The
Mohican on her return from cruise 10 the gold
coast when che sighted the Erie. Lieut. Garland and
Passed Midshipman Blake have been invaded from
the feet
The SLAVE BARK ORION CAsE-THE CAPTAIs
PLEADS GUMrY.-This morning. the case of Thomas
Morgan, master of the slave bark Orion came up for
trial in the United States District Court bat when the
called the prisoner retraced his plea OF not
guilty and pleaded gull TO having voluntarily served
in a vessel engaged In the save-trade. His sentence
will be imposed ON Thursday. The maximum punish
meDt for this oiense is fine not exceeding 81 000 aud
imprisonment not exceeding two years. He aud HE
associates not indicted under the Piracy Act"
the penae unders which death there was no ey-
idence that they had helped take the negroes found
in the Orion, on board the vessel assisted detan-
ing them there.
Byron j. Chamberlain, supposed 10 have been the
first of the Orion was put on trial for the same
ctiense OF which Morgan had plead guilty C.. l..
Woodbury. appeared for the prosecutions j. III. Prince
for the defense.
Mr. Woodbury. in opening, said he exprctei 10 prove
that the Orion was American vessel and that pre-
vous to the present capture che had been captured for
being engaged in the slave trade, with Morgan as her
master and taken TO New. ork and condemned; that
ast she appeared again the African coat and
discharged most OF her cargo up the Congo River that
atterwarc she overloaded with the American flag
flying, by the t. s. steamer Mystic, when tae officers
and crew OF the O.lon were SILK pretended 10 be
sick; that boats from the Mystic were on
board week, and soon after they left she cap
tured by the British steamer Pluto with slaves on
board, and this prisoner serving in her. While the
Pluto approaching the Orion all evid noes of
1 nationality were destroyed. The name Of Chamber