The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-05
THE DEATH PENALTY.

ExpautiOn OF tire chesapeake Pirates In
Maryland Fixed for To-day.
To-day is the time fixed tor the execution OF
the Chesapeake pirates, at Princess Anne, the
county scat of Somerset county, Maryland.
The condemned men are four ia number,
named respectively William Wilson, William
Wells, Frank Rounds, aud George Bailey, and
are all negroes. The circumstances attending
the crime for which they suffer death may be
briefly related:-
On the afternoon of Monday, March 80, 1868,
the oyster pungy Brave was seen by several
persons in the waters OF the Chesapeake, with
everything going right, TO all appearances. The
puneY was IN command OF Captain Benjamin
3. johnson, one-half owner Ot the vessel.
johnson was white man, as was also Henry
Cannon, the mate. In addition to these there
were lour colored men on board, as assistants.
named William Wilson, William Wells, Frank
Rounds, and George Bailey. The pungy, which
belonged at Crisneld, Mo-. was engaged in
dredging for oysters at the time mentioned.
Subsequent developments, and tue confessions
OF te of the HANDS, show that the four assailed
the captaiu, and after mutiating him horribly
threw bim overheard. The mate then received
their bloody att ention, but was thrown over
board and disposed OF without the use of deadly
weapons, las his body, whenfound, did not bear any
marks of violence. Having put the two white
men out of the way the negroes rifed the vessel
opening everything that could have been used
as receptacle for money or other valuables,
and turning things upside down generally. Over
five hundred dollars in money and quantity
of clothing were secured by the desperadoes
after which they effected their escape for the
time. Up to the Thursday evening following
the night of the murder The wind was high and
the Gather extremely rough. for which reason
it is thought that the wretches remained on
board until that time. They finally ran the
vessel aground on the bar at the mouth of Cages
Straits, in Somerset county, and then took their
leave in a small ToWboat which was on board
the purgy.
The Brave was first noticed subsequent to
Monday in her stranded position at the mouth
of Cages Straits, deserted, but with mainsail
and bb still flying. On being boarded, the evl
dences of the terrific encounter with the cap
tain were seen on all sides, the cabin and the
deck being covered with blood. AS the negroes
had shipped at Baltimore, it was supposed that
they would return to that point. News of the
murder was sent thither without delay. and a
large police force was detailed TO watch for the
murdeTers in that locality. Two OF the despe.
radoes, however-Wson and Weils-proceeded
South, and on the 9th and 7th of April they
one at and the other near Drummondtown.
Subsequently both Rounds ana Bailey we're
captured, the former making desperasg re-
sistance. After their conviction and sentence to
death, Wilson and Wells established the fact
that an Eastern shore jail was not impregnaole,
by fling off their irons with brick, burrowne
| a hole through the inner wall OF the jail, pick
| ing an aperture in the main wall, and thus
| escaping. Wilson was discovered and custo
died, while in a wood on the 18th of Novem Der
| 1868 and Wilson was arrested in Seatord
| Sussex county, Delaware, by citizens.
| The murderers have been respited twice, bu'
by the lime this article appears will have ylelde,
I'D their lives as an atonement Tor the terrible
| crime they perpetrated.