New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-01-25
SEIZURE OF ARMS BY THE POLICE.

this port on edneeday evening LOT Cnhriee'oh o. W,
was perfect floating arsenal from the quantity oil hre
aps ON board. Adams g. Co.'s Express sent quantities
of muskets and Mimic balls by her. say nothing of the
reyolvers and other small which are supposed to
have been racked in some small boxes forwarded BY
them In consequence of Il curiosity manifested by
certain Of the First Ward Police, of the musket
and cartridge cases forwarded by Adams O. Co. were
efl at Pier No. l. instead Of Pier No. d. whence that
steamer usually sails. The Marion subsequently pro-
ceeded to Pier No. l. and the contraband goods were
being put on board when the appearance Of several
policemen induced the Stevedores to desist from their
labors and the vessel put TO sea without the full
complement of arms. Shortly after, some Of Adams g.
Co.'S Express wagons drove to the dock loaded up the
cartridges and muskes, and took them back TO the
prese Office. Still later and after dark, the same wagons
conveyed quantity Of muske and cartridge cases to
another pier and shipped them by the steamer Trans
port for Philadelphia. portion of these goods arrived
in the city by the Railroad. The First Ward
Police notified the Central Office that tho arms
being shipped and asked for instructions. Before an
answer was received the steamer had sailed.
Yesterday afternoon just previous to the sailing of
TIE steamer Montgomery, Of Cromwel's line, from
Pier No. II, East River policeman attached to the
Steamboat Squad saw cart driven upon the pier with
load of boxes which he thought contained muskes.
He Immediately proceeded to the First Precinct Sta
op House and gave notice Of the fact. Superintendent
Kennedy informed by telegraph Of the matter, and
asked for instruction About ten minutes elapsed be-
fore an answer was received but when it did it
was sufficiently decided for all practical purposes 1t
WE as follows:
" Seize all contraband goods being shipped board
the Montgomery, bound for Savannah forthwith.
John A. KENNEDY"
The steamboat officer has,ened TO notify his squad,
and at the same tine Sergeant Weymes, Of the First,
with two or three men FASTENED TO the spot The two
bodies Of police arrived at the sme and fol-
lowed thitier by about hundred boys and men, an
carer to See II G fun The Montgomery was jut the
Point Of leaving the dock her time for sailng-3 o'clock
y avng hlieady Passed. The police jumped on board
and plunged into the hold, commencing vigorous
search for conraband goods At this moment the Cap
tain Of the vessel appeared at the haichway and wanted
10 know " what the hell they were doing his
yeseelP On being informed Of the nature Of their
nsion he asked for their authority and told that
they were acting under the instructions Of Superin
tendent Kennedy. Without word in reply, the Cap
tain turned away and haing the men on the dock who
were standing ready to throw of the lines by which the
steamer was fastened TO the dock he sang out, Cast
OF those lines therew A yigilant policeman on the
dock sprang forward and prevented the execution Of
thiSorder.
Captain-Cas off those lines, / tell yei
Man on the dock-1bis policeman wont let me.
Captain-Cas of those lines, Cd d-ny We.
Man on the dock-Cant do ii, Sir the police ia
got EN-.
Captain 10 men on the vessel Bear hand there
cut those hawzer, and Wen carry the d-n scoundrels
TO sea.
4 Il. ,,,I In tbe
lines were severed. The bell in the enginc-room
iugled, the engineer let on the steam, the paddles
began to turn, and the Montgomery gradually
leaving the dock with dozen or 40 policeman and An
enterprsipg reporter on board The reporter who Ind
bis eyee about him. cav the condition of things, and
ducking biz head into the hatchway called out with
the full vgor Of his stentorian lungs.
Policemen on deck-Youre all going to the d.
Savannah mean.
In an instant the men in uniform were out of the
hold and hasty glance convincing them that they had
no time to lose, they all jumped for the wharf with
surrrising agility and all landed in safcty the reporter
following az speedily as consistent with his corpuence.
The crowd were in ecsaces at the result OF the Affair."
shouting and yelling clapping their hands and waving
their hats at the comical denoument, while the Mont
gomery steamed ont Of reach rapidly as possible.
vessel or not was not satisfactorily established, there
being no evidence beyond the statement of the officer
and others, who saw what they deemed to be musket
boxes going on board. Mr.. Cromwell was present at
the time tie police made their appearance and was ex
ceedngly indignant at their interference with his bus-
ness. He got very much excited declaring that they
were delaying the railing Of his steamers without any
authority. lie thought General Superintendent Ken
pe1v 1ros exceedinO hs powers In a most obnoxious
manner, and would get himself into trouble thereby.
When the policemen and the crowd finally left him he
was evidently greatly eated at the escape Of the Mont
gomeIy.
In regard to the seizure of muskets by the Second
WaId Police on board the schooner Caspia on We'd
nesday night mentioned in yesterday TRIBUNE,
great mistake was made, but the error was promptly
corrected by Superintendent Kennedy, under whose
direction the seizure made. AS already stated,
several cases Of merchandise found on board were
marked "Sayan," and the supposition was that they
intended for the rebels at Savannah, Geo., hence
the seizure.
Yesterday morning Capt. Raymond Porter OF the
Caspa, accompanied by two OF bis officers, ap-
2eaed at Police Headquarters and laid before Supern-
tendent Kennedy his manifest and other ship papers,
which showed that the vessel was bound for Cartha-
gona on the Spanish Main. The boxes Of muskets
marked " Carthagena," but the Police thought
this only blind The Captain showed to the sat
sfaction Of Mr.. Kennedy that the word Savan' was
an abbreviation Of "Savsnilla," port near Cartha-
geDa, to which place the muskes were bound. MIR.
h promptly apologized and acknowledged his mistake
by Immediately returning the cases Of muskets, and
PAYING from his pocket, the expenses of carriage
to and from the Arsenal, whittier the arms had been