The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-03-24
Rithmono pispatth.
Trsgedy .. Aha ndsned Vessel
Discovered.

SATURDAY MONNlN0s MARCH ~, 1850.
Mysterious Trsgedy .. Aba ndsn.d Vessel
Discovered.
The sloop f.. A. johnson. Captain Burr.
bound to Deep Creek. Va, for oysters, was
found floating about in the bay at Now York,
Wednesday, with her bowsprit broken by a
collision, her decks covered with blood and no
person on board. The persons on board who
are missing are Capt. Burr, Nathaniel Clock,
mate, and Smith Watts and Oliver Waits,
sailors. The sloop was towed up 10 New York,
where it was discovered that the sloop had
been in collision with the schooner John Il.
Martha, Capt. Nickerson. and that at the time
of that collision there was but one man seen
on the sloop, and he was steering. The Ex-
press says:
The deck of the vessel presen ted the appear
ance OF a slaughter house. Everything was
covered with blood, from STEM to stern mat
ted hair was found upon the deck, and full
and complete vidence OF a terrible massacre
was plain. An examination was next made
OF the cabin, and the sight, here. if possible,
was worse than npon the deck. Floor, tables,
chairs, and wash stand were besmeared with
gore, and everything was disarranged, giving
evidence of furious struggle hammer,
weighing about three pounds, was found upon
the floor, covered, like all else, with blood
Considerable hair was also found upon ii, and
ii is probable that the assassin or assassins
used IL for the purpose Of concentrating their
yillainous deeds DR. Bouton after making a
further examination of tie cabin, discovered a
coffee pot, and this, like the hammer, was be-
smeared with blood and covered with hair. 1t
looks rs though the crew, being attacked in the
cabin, made a desperate resistance, and thar,
during the struggle, all available means OF at
tack and defence were used.
After the examination of the cabin had been
concluded the deck was again visited, and a
el lbs in of =
BODY that barbarouS murder had been com.
mtted From the cabin door there was an un-
broken line of blood to the guards; there there
was the appearance of a struggle, AS the pool
was very large; then, again, marks OF bloody
hands were seen upon the guard, and hatchet
mark. Blood ran down the outer side, also
Forward, at the mast, there was more evidence
OF Il terrible struggle. A large pool of blood
vet fresh, lay around, extending to the bow ;
and here again. human hair was found. The
mas; and sails were slightly besmea ed and on
the guards, near by, were more imprin,s OF
bloody hands. Taken altogether, the scene
was a sckening one.
The name of the captain of the ill-fated
sloop was George Burr. He was man about
81 years of age, and has family living at Islip,
Long Island. He sailed from the foot of Spring
street on the 18th inst, having on board three
deck hands, two of whom were named Smith
Watts and Oliver Watts the name Of the third
party was not ascertained.
The slOOp was bound for Virginia for 4 load
of oysters, aud it is believed that the Captain
had upwards of $3.50 in money with him. with
which TO purchase the cargo. He called at
keyport, leaving there on Sunday afternoon,
and this was the last seen of the sloOp until
O'Clock on Wednesday morning, when she was
run into by the schooner John b. Martha,
Captain Nickerson, Off Staten Island. Capt.
Nickerson says there was one man a board her
then, who ran towards the bow, us the vessels
were about to strike. The sloop struck the
schooner about mIdships, nearly sinking her.
No words passed between the vessels and the
sioop dropped astern, but when found by the
Telegraph Is aiready stated, outside Of Sandy
Hook, she was abandoned Capt. Weed gave
orders for the arrest Of Capt. Nickerson and
crew Of the schr. Martha
There seems to be but one theory as regards
this terrible affair. The Johnson had on board
q good round sum OF money; this fact was
doubtless known to the river pirates, who,
frightened from the East aud North rivers BY
the Harbor Police, have taken refuge on Long
and Staien Islands. These villains had pro-
bably gone on board the slOOp a night, sur
prised the crew i'll the cabin after first killing
the man OH deck, and murdered them all, at
terwards throwing their bodies into the ocean.
Without doubt, in a day or two We shall have
to record the full particulars Ut 4 most terri
BILE tragedy.
The Express Of Thursday evening furnishes
the following additional particulars Of the
mysterious tragedy. 1t says:
The general theory OF the horrible affair, to-
day, is that the fourth man of the crew, who
WAS a COMP nparative stranger, named as one vi
the owners say, John Williams, has commit
ted the bloody deed. Capt Burr and the two
Watts were old friends, coming from the same
neighborhood on Long Island, and had made
numerous trips together. When the sioop left
the foot of Spring street on The 18th for Key
port the Captain was short enc man, aud
therefore hired stranger, whose name is sup
posed to be John Williams. and who resides,
according to belief, in Rhode Island. Some
say that he Name OF this fourth party is Ma
thunel Block, but the person OF that name is
too we'll known among the oysiernen to have
caused any very great difficulty in fixing his
identity.
The sloop left New York for Keyport, and
stopped there for repairs and ballast, sailing
again on Sunday nigh for Virginia. The mur-
der must have been committed by one OF the
crew for the vessel, on Wednesday morning
was almost too far outside the Narrows for
any river pirates 10 approach in Il small boat
The belief is, that one of the Watts brothers
(both OF whom were boys,) was on the look
out and the strange hand at the helm, watch
ing tor the pi oaer opportunity; that he lett hi
post, went forward aud dispatched the unsu-
pectIng boy. aud then threw The bleeding body
overheard, rs Il line OF blood from the mast
to the guards is plainly discernible.
Next calling up the other boy, on pretence
OF wanting assistance. the villain probably
allowed him tox get amidships, and then muir
dered him, for here there is another pool OF
blood, running In a straight line to the guards,
apon which are the marks OF biood-stained
hands.
posed that he went down into the cabin, and
finished the unsuspecting captain. But eve-
rVthing around, MS heretofore described, de-
notes IL terrible struggle, resulting III 'he sue
GERS OF the pirate, and the deaIh OF the cap
tain.
THE NAVAL ACTION IN THE GULF.-A letter
from Washington SAWS there is no case on