New-York tribune., 1868-12-19
OLD STORIES RE-TOLD.


of isa2rnore than quarter Of century agO-the u.
brig somers Commander Alexander sldel Mackenzie,
arrived nc the Brooklyn Navy Yard FROM cruise the
coast OF Africa she anchored ont in tho stream In the
darkness Of damp. cOd, stormy night. and Tor some
days held very little communication with the shore. One
Of her officers hastcned Washington with dispatches
tho following morning. and until his return there
unusual quiet aboard the brig, and an air OF mystery
about her officers and which gave rise to strange
specuiaons on part Of the curious public Pedders
not allowed 20 approach the brig nor were any OF
the crew permitted TO enjoy the privileges OF liberty
men," Bumboat merchants, to whom the arrival OF
ship-ofwsr had before been tho beginning OF golden
harvest were In doefu dumps at the unexpected and
seemipgIy unwarranted embargo placed upon them by
the officers Of the HayyYard and the vessel, and the
ongshore friends OF the scarcely less dssas
fed Rumor lost no time In dealing with the singular
privacy Of the somerss crew. and the unheard OF ret
cence Of her officers and ere long the truth leaked out
and the whole country rang with the sad story that In
course Of timo found It's way TO the public ear.
The somers had left Eew-York in September Among
her mdshipmen was Philip Spencer. youth OF 49, son
OF the Secretary Of War; and grandson Of ono Of the
most eminent Iursts OF the State OF EewYork After
having made tho Azores aud t0uohed al Msneira tns
S0Jnbrs aled Tenee and Porto Praya ana aiterward
10 Liberia and on the nth OF November headed for home
byway OF st. Thomas on the 10Th OF that month l1es
Guest Gansevoort the officer next In rank 70 COuaneer
Macksnzie reported his superior the discovery OF
conspiracy with Acting Midshipman spencer a the heaa
the brig into pirate The information was furnshel
Lieut. Gsnseyoort BY j. W Wales rnIsers
and as given afterwsrd before the naval couftafai
Mr Spencer communicated 10 mo on the night OF the
25th OF November 1872 his intention to head mutny
aboard Inc somers lie and up on the booms to.
getber and he commenced the conversation py ASKING
fear SG aidf m Ase you He Was " very much in
earnest His whole mind wrapped mp IN what he
was Ss h NJ at dd not wiS TO die Just yet that
aid not fear dead and tnat II nsnlted, or At
tackled by q man. could muster courage 10 XII llin ne
then aftor asking il would keep secret. required
me 10 take oath that would not Whht ne Nhs
about e % 1Ss sson % Of 70 the b 'S Company @ murder
ali tho officers take tho vessel and commence prang
Ssti% Oa Chief given signal right
GIN on the forecastle between two three OF the con-
sprntora He would then cause them TO be brought 20
ths mast and would call mr. Rogers. the oicer OF the
deck TO settle the difficulty and while thus engaged
Mr. Rogers would be seized and thrown overbOard Men
one rom coming ON deck his friends should be furnished
with arms and he himself would go to the cabin ana
murder the commander with lltto noise as possible
Mo would next 90 with. some OF hs men to the
wsrd.room and murder tho other officers, an Of
ne would have the after guns slowed round 80
"A TO rake the deck, and ordering M the crew would
pieces or throw them to the sharks This would be done
before our arrival at ST Thomas Taking possession OF
the hre he would then sa for Cape San Antonio or tho
Ise OF Pines. south OF Cuba and there take on board
man WHO was familiar With their intended business and
puEes Whenever they took a vessel they weuad pnr
der all hands CAS- dead men tel no taes he sad; ana
her II there should be women ON board he would have
them distributed among his crew TO u,e as ong e. tney
then called Elisha Small one OF the seaInen ana they sx
changed words Of cheer % ana AND aas RoSd dn him
bnt gave me to understand that dared 10 breathe one
word OF what he had said to me my lie Would ~ n pay M &
snccrity could told him that the plan was
" % Commander
where would the seaman Small was ut my hees Ia the
@SranF ate, SH Sr % aa G' aGtoat Gso VI @y %
covery and then sought Lieut. GanseN oort whom In
formed that the purseT wiied 70 see n Se sps
by Small and three others, Cromwell, "ilson' ana BIC
kinney" ,, a..
~ the conspiracy from Wsles Lieut. GanseyOort related
them 20 Commander hackenlie TO whom tho project &c,
forbcar treating with rdicule lie thought that sPen
Ger had been reading story Of tho Pirate or tho
Culf or some ye0y.coYered romance OF "RudOlphus
the Renegade, or the Red Powers Revenge nnd han
he felt that this Joking on an improper theme, and
1ctermlned a. notice the ocnse ~ some future time In
9s SS 81 ftS Of the Vest n and Was beard ask
ing Guestlons IN regard 70 the Isle Of Pines He was
Cromwell tho boaswalns mate, and with tho seaman
small ana and haa % n sTsR % M 90 ssss
ot the Navy Department had distributed tobacco among
.ho ,naSnx bm TO seal brandy rom the ward
room mess and IndulEcd IN familiarity with tho crew
uuheCOUiuE ~
Zen n connection with the recent developments
urtrd by Wales led the commander 10 keep more care
fu watch upon his movements aboard snip He knew
10 ioning the Soners aud that he had been dismissed
Ia 80" ,re tbsn one inc aectei attempt to have him
rst sicrred ~ another vessel before sailing from New
York Commander Mackenzie subptted IN silence 10 tho
h's Young charge kindly a. his character had stood
S9ye bat little intercourse with the officers OF the vessel
bat his intimacy with the crew was marked In spite or
responsible position in the navy he was treated a all
times officer and eenteinan-parily, perhaps, be-
Of his near relationship TO ono holding hSh posi-
ton in the Government
on the evening OF the day on which Waess story was
related 10 Commander Mackenzie all the officers Of the
vessel we're ordered 10 lie aft on the quarerdeck none
being allowed forward except the midshPman stationed
those ~ the crew on duty abaft the malnmas
The Commander called Spencer aside and said to him'
Il earn Mr.. spencer. that yOu aspire to the command
OF the soners"
DID NO YOU not tell Mr Wsie. Sir that you had proec,
to XII the Commander the onlcers ana portion OF the
II may have toi him 80, SIR, but Il was IN joke"
subject aud that might cost hIIn his life. He then
ordered his neokhandkerchof but on beng
amned not thing was found coneesed IN h.
take spenoers sword, and to put him in double iros
which was immediately done lhe same officer Vas d.
every contort which bis sato Keeping Would admit o.
and 20 shoot him down lie made an attempt 10 comni
small found containing two rolls OF PAPER
ona OF which covered with Greek Characters This
on being decphered. found TO bear the well known
names ot menbers Of The brgs company arranged and
as doubtful" certain" and doomed"
The following day being sunday AZ the proper hour ell
hands were mustered up fot inspection at quarters
Nothing Of munOuS character WAS revealed. Al lOt
divine service celebrated n the presence OF
quet orderly congregation. IL had been blowing IN the
morning but In the afternoon. the wind having mod
Grated skysals aud rOyalsuddpgsalls were set While
one OF tho apprentices was yet on the main royal ya
after setting tho main skysan, q sudden jerk OF tho
nain brace, given by Small and another