The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-02-10
cas.Ala. Ex,r.a....n Case.

A friend has handed Us : copy of the
Toronto Globe containing full report o
the judicial proceedings in the case oI
Burley, one Of the Lake Erie pirates who
captured the steamer Phiio Psrsons Ids.
summer. The facts connected with the
capture were substantially as follows: On
Sunday evening. the 18th of September
last, the steamer Philo Parsons, engaged
in the freighting and passenger business
between Detroit and Sandusky, was lying
At her dock in Detroit, when Burley vent
on board and informed w. q. Ashley, the
Clerk, that he wanted to take passage iu
the morning. that three of his frie nd i
were going with him. and requested iha.
the boat might stop at Sandwich to take
them on board. The clerk assenled to
the proposal. In the morning Barley made
his appearance on board, and the boat
stopped at Sandwich for the other three
passengers. They we're dressed ss Cana.
dians, but had no baggage. Burley pre-.
ssnted his friends as pleasure seekers, and
that they wanted to stop at Kelly's Island
for sporting purposes. At Amherstbnrg
twenty other men came on board, roughly
dressed and paid their fare for Sandusky.
The only baggage This psrty had was q
large, old truok, tied with cord. Neither
Burley nor bis three friends appeared to
recognize the Amherstburg party as ac-
quaintances. The boat reached Kelly's
Island about 4 o'clock, p. NJ, but tie
three pleasure seekers did not get off. Al
ter the steamer had proceeded about two
miles from the Island, three men-two of
them the Sandwich party and one Of the
Amherssburg gang-spproached Ashley,
the Clerk. with loaded revolvers, and told
him he would be dead man If he offered
resistance. Barley, with the remainder
Of the pirates (for such Ill these pretend
ed passengers proved, then approached
and ordered the clerk into the ladies'
cabin. whore he vent. The party thence
proceeded to other parts Of the boa, Or
resting, disArming, and robbing the off,
cers and employees, and taking the steam
boat into their possession. Another
steamer called the Island Queen, was soon
after captured BY tho same party at Mid
die Bass Island. aud the passen gers we're
taken on board,ths Parsons. The pirates
annouoced the main purpose of their ex-
pedition to be the capture of the United
States steamer Michigan. and the release
Of the rebel prisoners at Johnson's Island
near Sandusky. The crews Of the Par
sons and Island Queen were pat ashore,
the latter steamer disabled and set fire in
the middle Of the lake, and the pirates
then proceeded to Sandwich, where they
abandoned their irss prize, and took the
land for separation and concealuent. Bur.
ley was identified, followed to Canada and
arrested; but BY one legal trick and an
other, be was kept out Of the hands OF the
Federal officers. until. on the eth ult., .
decision was rendered in the Court of
Queens Bench, ail Of the Judges con-
curing. remanding the prisoner to the
hands Of the Federal officers for transpor-
tation to the United States, where he will
be put upon trial for piracy. The re-sc.
tion which the Canadians have recently
seen in their commercial affairs, growing
out Of their completely with rebel outlaws,
has suddenly, but We guess eifectually,
brought them to realizing sense Of their
international obligations, and they will
take care that the Philo Parsons and st.
81. AibaDs robberies shall not be repeated,
with their sssistance or colIusion.