Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-03-27
Daily Sir9inian.
lfrom the New York Herald of saturia, arcrnoonl
THE OYSTER SLOOP TRAGEDY.
atfaflre q1Nf NotFlnJ I0dW-Iaa1loaal Detai7

[From the New York Herald of saiuria, afternoon.
THE OYSTER SLOOP TRAGEDY.
Narrattpe qfAe Sioetin1 -iaar- idd,i,oaal Detats
qfAe Tragedy, Sc, So, Sc,
Tho interest manifested by tho public in the
fate of the captain aud of the illatsd oyster
sloop +. A. johnson increases daily, and the
news oiarrest of the nerpetraor OF the murders
IL looked forward 10 with eagorness intense al.
most that which attended The Eudorn tragedy
II few years ago. Since the discovery o the sloop
in the lower bay on Wednesday morning. np to
last night, tho excitement among tho i>hcrmcn
and market men has continued to grow apacc and
50 strong il the feeling exhibited now, that the
authorities have taken precautionary measures n
prevent the l,nchng OF the offender when he ar
rses in charge o the police.
TUE CREW or THE sLoor.
When the Il. A. johnson let, the foot of Spring
Street, on the 18th instant. she had IN board the
following named persons: :--Gcorgc Burr, captain;
William johnson, mate Smith Watts aud Oliver
Watts, bands. The Watts boys were old acqiain-
tlners of the captain, and lived in lslir. L. l.. in
Mr. Bnrrs Immediate neighborhood. johnson,
the suspected party, married man, and
lived at 100 Cedar street, He never had been on
board the vessel before. aud was employed hy tho
captain II lew hours previous to sailing. The OBJ
icct "t the voyage was we'll known to all on board
aud all were aware that the captain had quite y
snug sum of money ON board. From uystcr
dracr mt Fulton Market Captain BUR- had re
,e'sed 5000 and when he arrived Mt kcyport
Messrs. Barnes Summons placed in his hands
about $500 more. The VOYAGE to Keyport rnssc
oil without any incident worth noticing. On sun.
day. the l2th instant the slonp set sail from Key.
port on her trip Ia Deep Creek. Nirginia. where
she was to take in cargo ot oysters for planting
and return to kcyport with nl poss,blc dispatch.
W hat terrible and bloody work transrrcd
board from that time up Wednesday morning
Is best known, perhaps, to William Johnson. for
Ia, Ia hn i'in al y ,f itt,i
now nive to tell the tale Of
Murder most foul md unnatural"
The next thing ti,a Is positively known cnu-
ocrnins the sloop after hcr departure from Key
post Is her collision with tho schooner John H.
Mathcr. Captain Nickcr,on, about half past three
or four O'Clock on Wednesday morning The
sloap was then smiling in the direction of New
York, while the schooner was going in nm op-
lositc direction, bound for the Delaware Break
water.
THE COLLISION
occurred # the tail nf the West Bank, and WAS
nu doubt the result of ignorance or fright the
lau Of thr sterrsmun Of the sluop. When within
three hundred yards Of each other, the course Of
the sloop was suddenly changed, and her head
was objected full against the schooner's quarter.
Every Effort was made by Captain Nirkrrstn to
! aNoid the collision, but IN VAIN, 50 unexpected
was the movement ON board tho sloop. The
schooner was cut down to within eight inches of
| the watcr's edge; but fortunately her commander
was aide to keep her alloat nuil she arrived at
/ Quarantine where she taken in tow by
| steamboat and conveyed to this city. In convcr-
salion with uur reporter on clne.dny afternoon,
Capt. Nckcrsun stated that'thc spop had only
niiu on de, X "a: the time Of the coil sion. aud
that he never uttered word during the tim" the
vessels together. The ,lo-p drfted to ccward
aud as her stem swung around yawI boat could
he detected hanging ltam the dayit-. Ca his ar
rival some hours alter the collision. Captain
Nickcrsun the T.. \. Johnson Jyl1g Mt Fulton
Market sip, unl immediately identified her ~
the slpop that has caused 50 much damage on
hunri hs,esscl; besides, quantity m Rigging
left on bard # his vessel in the collision cores.
ponding with that missing from the slpon. rcurcl
the ldcnhy nlm"st IL certainty. llc immrd
ntcly gaze Information Of tho matter 10 Capt
Weed. a,d an important link in the chain Of
circumssntinl cyidence against the accused MAS
, ihus scared.
the DISCOVERY OF THE SLoar
in lrr dismnntcd ronAiti.u, after the collision,
was fri nude ly Can't Ssture, Of the fishing
schooner Telegraph. The l.. A. johnson was
then difng III the lower bay, abont midway
between Coney Island ard Sandy Hook. Her
sails were all down and hanging in the water, her
howsufit and cutwnirr carried away. and her
general appearance dcnoting IN abandoned wreck.
The Telegraph Immediately bore down for the
wreck. anal iuSt n she WAS coming alongside The
steamboat Ceres. Capt Downs came up, and tho
crews OF both vessels boarded tie ljop together.
The sight that presented tself on board the +. A.
Johnson was tluly sick"nng Tho entire deck on
the starboarM side coyercI with blood, while
here and thelc the presence of several locks Of
matted hair showed too plainly that they
gaining upon the theatre OF some mysterious and
dreadful tragedy. Tho condition Of things around
the companion and down in the cabin confirmed
tier worst fears. Ii was evident that the crew
had been murdered their bodies dragged to the
rail and thrown overheard. The marks Of blood
upon almost every article of furniture. together
with the tossed condition of the clothing, and bed
cl thes, led to the impression that the work of
murder had immediately Lcen preceded by that of
Ioblerv. Eeyery closet, cupboard and place of
deposit seemed to haro been rnnsackcd, judging
from the marks of blood and tossed condition Of
tie contents. Fully satisfied in their own minds
that some horrible tragedy had taken place on
board, they promptly started for New York,
bearing with them the dismnnted soop.
ARRIVAL AT FULTON MARKET PIER.
The +. a. johnson arrived here in tow of the
Cerc, about half rats eight o'clock, and was
noored in Fulton market slip. The sloop certainly
had the appearance ot having recently been in
collision with some vessels Judging from tho
damaged condition Of her bowsprit and cutwatcr.
Her sails. too were lying loose on deck. every.
thing denoted signs f infusion and violence.
APPEARANCE OF THE CABIN.
TIE Coroner's deputies first proceeded to exam
inc the cabin, which had evidently been the scene
of a severe struggle. The floor, ceiling. benches
and furniture were all stained with blood, while
further examination showed that tho cabin had
been ransaced by some persons, evidently in search
of plnnder, for upon the floor were strewcd articles
of clothing papers, bedding, &c. Note was made
of everything found in the cabin, among which are
the following articles "A slate, on which were