The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-03-27
ARREST OF THE CnNAAAH IN JERSEY
Nearly Four Hundred Dollars Found On
His Person.
WHAT ne SAYS OF TIE AFFAIR.
The X. A. Johnson Murderer Before the United
States Commissioner
INTERESTING SCENES AND PARTICULARS,
THE TRAGEDY OF THE SPRAY.

THE TRAGEDY OF THE SPRAY.
gcene at the Battery-search or the Ca
bta-Arrsst OF the Supposed Murderer
His Statement. &c., DO.
The wreck Of the sloop Spray, which was towed up
from Barneeat on Sunday by the pilot boat George
Steers aud anchored In the harbor-ful particulars
which published yesterday--was taken in charge by
the barbor police, and early yesterday morning lowed
over TO the Battery and hauled up ON the beach for
The purpose Of instutipg thorough and complete
f the vessel in order to solve possible the drea
myssery in which the late Of Captain Ieete and his
brother is involved.
PUBLIC EXCITEMENT.
Early in the day large and excited crowd assembled
upon the Battery In the vicinity Of where the wreck lay
and, notwithstanding the keen and chilling wind that
up from the bay, maintained their position with re-
marksble copsancy throughout the day. awaiting
anxousIy but patiently the result OF the Investigation
then being made, and watching with almost breathIess
anxiety each ,cle 6shed out OF the cabin and
brought 70 the deck, momentary expecting to see
boatsd ann mangled corpse come up; for the general
OPINION among the crowd strong that Captain Leee
ana his brother had been murdered that their bodies
were then in the cabin
Every person who had or who pretended to have any
kpowecge concerning the sloop her unfortunate Cap
tain Immediately surrounded by an excited crowd
and eagerly questioned upon every minute point connected
with the affair, be not permitted TO leave until he
had told his story TO at least d. zen anxious nqurers
Namberess theories advanced in reference TO the
fate Of Capt Lete and bis brother the universal verdict
beng that they had been murdered but where and in
what the opinion Of the crowd was divided Some
thought they were killed with Ratchet while in bed
some that they had been shot, while others thought that
while deck the Chinaman watched his chance
and dealt him well directed blow with some heavy
weapon that knocked him sepseess IL did not kill him
ntanty and that the other brother hearing the noise
stAred TO deck, 1t the head Of the com
psnor way, knocked the head he came up The
prevailing opinion, however, that they were muir
ered tn their BEDS and subsequent Investigations 70 far
10 not prove this theory to be correct
. NRw PHASE IN THE MYSTERY.
At the time the Chinaman picked up by the Thomas
E. French he stated to Captain Webb that the Spray was
bound Virginia for cargo oysters and that she left
New York the day that the collision with the Lucinda
took place It turns out wevor that the Spray left
New York for Guilford Tbursday week, in company
with the soop Gem, Captain Beunett, and that the two
vessels kept together until of the NorwAk Islands, when
they parted COMPANY and the Spray put into Norwalk
Prom that time Thursday until the following Sunday
TUG MuVomeutS OF the spray,
but on Sunday shs was by several pilots passing
through Helsate, bound towards New York. and appa-
rently charge Of single This confirms the state
eut Of the Captain Of the Lucinda that the time Of the
collision person board the Spray except
ing the The that is known Of the Spray
is her collision with the Lucinda Wednesday 2lst inst
seven DAYS after she sailed from New York Guord
This gives the affair entirely phase and tends to
strengthen the conviction that Jackaow s the murderer
APPEARANCE OF THE CABIN. lq@t
From the position in which the sloop sde 70 the
beacht was impossible TO hsu her up high enough to
leave the cabin entirely free from WATER and the ocers
therefore, abored under ddvautage in prose-
outing the search By means Of boat hooks, however
they succecded in getting ont great variety Of articles
Including several articles Of wearing apparel belonging TO
the missag Al the tide continued TO fall chest
drawers discovered the companion way, which
had evidently been red the contents were found In
very disordered state, and two Of them were half
drawn ont showing that whoever bad opened them Last
had left them hurrody and neglected shut them Tho
depth Of the water prevented the officers from going into
The cabin, and therefore impossible 10 arrive 1t is
precise condition.
ARTICLES TEN PROM 1uD V9SN.
Among the first articles hed up was the captains bed
Upon the Sheet and the tick the head Of the bed
around despatched with blood in several places In
The captains berth found heavy three oornered
acraper which probably the instrument with which the
boody committed for there longer doubt
that murder has been committed ON board tho Spray.
daguereotype OF young lady, supposed to be sister
of the murdered man, found In the bureau; pair Of
heavy navy pistols belonging 10 the captain neither o.
which loaded, but OF them had evidently been
recently discharged pocketbook found open and
empty, and a small pine box, veneered in imiia-
ton OF mahogany, was brought up, which upon
examination Was found 10 have been broken open
and ns contents removed. This supposed
10 have been the captains money box. tsle
xraphs despatch, dated Guilford Nov. g. 1852 and di
xectsd to +. J. Leet, New York. which read follows
Swat, and viii come down 70 rght-E J. Lsete.'
This is supposed have from his brother, who was
murdered with him.
In the captains berth found card Of Seamsns'
Bethel inviting 10 attend divine worship 1t ~
Amon place mol mentioned. At the top Of the
card these words"Are you ready for DEATH judg
ent ana eternity" and the bottom-.sFriend Jesus
invites you TO Heaven: will you gos'
Numerous articles Of wearing apparel, bedding, pro-
vscns banjo and fiddle powder, shot, caps and nums-
rcus ether articles we're nshed Of the cabin but no
BODY nor any money could be found The suppoeition d
that after the murder had been committed the bodies
were thrown overheard, probably between Norwak and
New York.
STATEMENT OF A FRIEND OF CAPTAIN uRETE.
friend Of Captain Leets informs us that bon the
dered have been repeatedly warned 70 beware Of
ChnAnan and that since his theft Of the money some
thing over year ago, the friends Of Captain Leete have
earnestly eptreased him to have nothing further to 10
with Jackalow who known 70 be sharp shrewd and
revengefu fellow, whose cupdity not restrained By
any conscientious regard for right and wrong 10 TACT
seems 70 have been the settled conviction among al who
knew the parties that later one or both Of the
Leetes would fall victims TO either the malice cupdty
81 the ueaoherous Chinaman.
Elijah, the youngest Of the two brothers, the gene
raj business man and attended the financial part
their business, and had, seems, often expressed himssl
TO get rid Of Jsckalcw; but bis brother Away
Insisted upon keeping him. because be good cook an
n handy about the vessel. Elijah yielded to hi
brother the latter bad most 70 do with sioop