The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-08-08
TINE PIRATE FLORIDA.
a Wemsn's Testimony In tho United states
Dietr2ct Court Respecsiua Her Trcatsneut
hy the Onsrers ana Grew Of the Rebel Pirate
Florida.

a Weman's Testiosony In tho LnNeS states
Dietr1cs Court Respecsios Her Trcstsneut
by the Ons~er. and Grew Of the Rebel Pirate
Fisrids.
fTrcri the gavenns tOhio) Deu,oorstl
Very many Ravennisns wellsrenenabcr Mrs H. Dwight
Williams, wife Of the gonucmsn WHO the first
cashier OF tho Portage County Branch Bsnt whose
donce ntRayenna covered The time betwsa Deoeinbsr
18lI aud January. 1851 For little time prior
tho war Mr.. wii,as held tho post % Commissioner Of
CurtouS M Svatcv China OF the Eve porta hroug
which commerce 10 admitted into the Cscs;ai Kingdom
on o hcaiswnsd voyage about Two years since. on
account Of her health, on board the slip Jacob Bell,
Ms. Williams wao oap,ured By The rebel prvsteer
Florida ard robbed o oil her baggage including letters
pictures ard curiostiss sie was brnsiny 70 America
ne rebel conDGrdsr OF The flcrida wrs Captain J.
n kaitt. who few ycrss before The war had become
tho owner Of some property In 81 Paul. Minnesota
complaint cad prayer of the coarscAtlon or picco OF
property IN TINT ~ known lot one In block thirty
six vhicl, stands tho building used the 81 Paul
s olice Was comn,oncsd IN mo United states Dlstfcs
Court and heard o. 10 session Al Wlnona early In
June sshs bong shs first case Of the kind decided la
Minnesota
Az sho courts Of The United sa,es make q rule that
decree OF corascaon be entered unes the scis Of
rebellion he proved BY testimony ~, became necessary to
summons nom New YORK Ms Williams. who was on The
FLORIDA ard therefore eye witness OF Mafftis
acts Of hostility 70 the gpyernment
Her testimony before judge Nelson though developing
nothing on the general charge Of rebellion, quito
interesting for s personal rcnn onocs OF the notcd
csscssssr wn9 eonnsaded s floncl n ns@s
sonai elects by Mat and would be glad 70 infci upon
him adequate punishment for his crimes. She gave
account Of the capture OF tho Jacob Bell aud tho part
taken in the trnnaacton By hsru On being taken on
board the Florida she heard cultivated voice saying,
"please take my arm, madam ind being surruundod
by ruians she allowed Aycln Maft 10 conduct her 10
his cabin. shs Afterwards handed 20 Captain Maitt
list o. her private property, with tho exPccston that
would he saved from the fate reserved for the ship and
valuable cargo hstt told her thai he could not save
her property, and exprosed regret - What sho must
suffer In seeing the destruction OF 70 many OF The nice,
curious and valuable articles which abe had purchased
In China
Mrs wlsms obtained permission u return 10 the Jacob
BELL and there discovered the Dol ocera and crew In
the act Of sppropnaing her property 20 their own uss.
which she was powcrles ~ prevent Tho ofcAs OF the
FLORIDA split and broke open her packages, which con-
ained aces, private letters photographs Of friends and
such they did not want cast on tho deck and
odden under foot While engaged In this business tho
jacob Bell dfted sgnnst tho Florida and for tine all
on board the latter were In Imminent peril But steam
vas got up and the two vessels wcrc dsennnged and
soon after the Jacob Bell nred and DESTROYED Mrs.
williams gives Mtrtt very bad chnfacter He was out
wardy cvil but n II could better have served hts pur
pose and benefited his 10 would have cost him
rnng 70 sc the pirate 10 the death ~ he was acting u 70
the life. Mrs. Williams was the Florida ave days,
when she with all tho ocerp and crew Of tho Jacob
Bell were transferred 10 q Danish bark and taken 70
Bermuda
The evidence In regard to Nafnus overt acts Of rebel
lion being amply sufficient. Judge Nelson issued the
decree OF connscaon