The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-09-06
VOLUME XII. NO. 36.

Noble Exploit on Board the Prize
Schooner Waring-A Negro Strikes
for Freedom-He Stays Three OF the
Pirates and Saves the Ship.
Tho Schooner S. J. Waring Of Brook
hayon. from Now York for Montiyidoo, July
4th. with an assorted cargo, returned to
Nov York on Sunday. On tho third day
out, July 7th, she was brought to by tho
priyatoer brig jeff. Davis. which sont boat
full of men alongside, and ordered tho cap
tain of tho schooner to haul down tho
United States flag, aud declared her
prize. Thoy took from her a quantity of
provisions, aud then put on board prize
crew OF five mon, taking away Capt Francis
Smith, tho two mates, tho two soamon, and
loavlng tho steward, two soamon, and Mr..
Bryce Macknnon, passenger, on board.
Tho prize crew wero Montague Amiol, II
Charleston pilot, in command, ono named
Stovons as mate, and thrco mon.
They mudo a southorly course, and on
tho 18th Of July, whom fifty miles to tho
sOuthward of Charleston, tho prizo captain
and second mato boing asleep in their borths,
tho first mate doing on dock, and tho others
asloop, Mr. Tillman, tho steward (colorod,)
carried out his preconcortcd plan of killing
and throwing tho bodies overheard. Tho
job was all done in five minutes, Tillman,
taking command, and steering tho schooner
northward. One of tho remaining men was
tied up till tho noxt morning, whom he was
released upon a promise to help work tho
vessel. Not ono on board understood navi
cation, but having once got hold Of the land,
Tillman brought the schooner safely up to
| pilot ground, when Charles u Warner, of
tho pilot boat Jlno, took charge of her.
! Ono of the schooner's mon, Donald Nc
Leod, refused to assist in hor recapture, the
whole duty falling on the steward aud sailor
Tho names of tho schoOuer's mon are
w. Tillman, steward; VIM. Shedding, sea
man, who assisted Donald Mcleod, sea
man, who refused.
Tho following is portion of tho story o.
Wm. Tillman, tho steward:
| llo says that he was born of free colored
parents in Milford, Delaware, and is q
years of ago. His parents moved to PrOvi
dcncn, II. l., whom ho was II years old, and
no has since calod that place his home
! lIo has followed tho sea for ton years, and
he has boon in tho employ of Jonas Smith
& Co., No. 277 Front street, by whom the
schooner was owned, for tho last throC
years lIo is of mo1uin height, rather
strongly built, crisp hair, of nearly unmixod
negro blood, and bears in his countenancC
an expression of honesty, strong common
sense, with some touches of humor.
Tho schooner s. J. Warning had started
on voyage into Montivideo, Buenos Ayres
) with an assorted cargo, which, with th'
vossol, was valued at 100000. Thore wer
on board tho captain and mate; Wm. Till
man, steward VIM. Shedding, a seaman
born in Germany, 23 years of ngo, has booI
sailing four years out of Now York; DJnalt
Mcleod. seamon, of Cape Breton, Nov
Scotia, 30 years of ago, has boon sailing ou
oil New York for sevon or eight years ant
, Bryce Mackinnon, passenger.
On tho 9TH of July they foil in with tho
jeff. Davis and prize crew of five wer
, put aboard, who were unarmod. To us
tho language of Mr.. TilIman, thoy run to
days and didn't find Charleston wo werC
however,, only so mllos south of Charleston
and 100 to tho eastward. On tho voyag
: they treated mo tho best kind of way, an,
talked the best kind of talk.
, One day tho First Lieutenant of the pi
rates was sitting in tho cabin, cross. logged
smoking. and bc said to me. when you g
down to Savannah, want you to go to m
house, and will tako care of you. l tho,
continued tho negro, yes, you will take car
of me, whom you get me there. raisod m
hat, and said: "Yes, sir, thank you." Blu
afterward said to Billy (the German,) an
not going to Charleston a live man; tho,
may take mo thero dead. He had boon toll
by the prize master that ho would got re
wardod in Charleston, for performing hi
duty so well in bringing the schooner in
he had also heard conversation not intendo,
for his oars, in regard to the price no woult
! probably bring, and ho had heard the prz,
master say to one of his mon You tall
to that Stewart, and keep him in good heart
BY Cd, said the prize master, no will
never 500 tho North again.
/, Tillman conferred with two of tho seame
about taking possession of the schooner
but thoy declined adopting any plan, sayn
that mono of thom knew how to navigat
u her back should thoy succeed in gettin
l control, Tilman thought tho matter owe
s for throe days, and then made an appeal I
= tho German, and said, 'If you arc ma
# to stick to your word. wo eau take this vosst
9 easy" Thon we made a plan that shoul
go to my berth, and when most of thom wer
asleep no was to gyo mo somo sign or awak
mo. We tried this for two nights, but n
s good chance offered. But last Tuesda
s night wo caught thom asleep, and wo wer
I TO work.
r Mr.. McKinnon, tho passenger, gives tn,
t following thrilling account of how tho "work
was done:
1t could not hava boon moro than tel
minutes later when was awakened from
light sloop by a peculiar sound in tho cap
tain's room, which know instictivoly coul,
only havo been produced by an ak cleavin
Amiels skull. No sooner did tho "thush
strike upon my car than loapod out OF boo
and leaning against tho decreasing in tn
r partition; saw tho steward dart through tn
, twiight-ior lie had cxtinguished tho ligh
| -noiseless ns n cut. across tho cabin to th
second mates room. also saw, at tho firs
, glance, Capt Amiol riso from his berth an
a;tompt to follow him but tho blood blinC
: cd him. and ho foil to tho floor with horri
4. gurgling sound in his throat. All this wa
c but tho work of second. Tho cloaying
G tho skull like tho ilosh from gun precedin
q tho report, was followed by weak, fair
: cry, like that of sick child, and tho gurl
y ling in tho throat. know thon that hi
: wound was mortal. STOPPING sideways tn
y steward entered tho second matos cabr
S and once more swung his AK but not so efFoc
o iyoly.
d Tho mato started up with n cd d.
i you, don't striko me again" and clutchod a
=, tho stewards brOast but cludinp tho wounC