The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-06-04

Examination of Charles r.. Robbins on a
Charge Of Piracy.

Yesterday morning the steward was cross ex-
| amined.
The next witness called was the seaman AL
bert Pnkney, who testified substantially as
follows:
reside at Digby, Nbva Scotia. was sea-
man on board the "Annie b. on her voyage
| from this CITY to ST. John. The prisoner was
on board at the time. We left here at twelve
O'Clock The prisoner assisted in setting sail
turned in about eight o'clock AT eight bells
the prisoner called me and said it was nv
watch on deck. l went ouS of the forecastle on
the port side L heard the captain saving some
thing, and asked the prisoner what he said, and
the prisoner told me to come aft and trim Hthe
main sheet. Robbins started forward and af-
ter him. The next thing saw he fired at the
captain. who was at the wheel. Then he turn
ed round and fired at me, and the ball went
tnrough the shoulder CT my coat. L then ran
forward and went up aloft into the fore-cross
trees. was very much frightened The night
was dark and overcast, and although could
see persons moving on deck l couldn't dStin
guiSh them. While was in the cross-trees L
heard scuffie on deck and man came out
and kneeled down behind the capstan on the
forecastle deck and fired two shots at me. In
the meantime L heard two shots, supposed
from the captain. After that l saw the sails
come down by the run. After awhile the cap
tain asked nae where the passenger was, and
told him he had taken a boat and gone towards
Monhegan. l saw the prisoner get into the
boat and leave. l then went down and helped
the steward put Solomon Camp, the mate, into
the BIRTH
The government then called as witness
Beniah p. Brackey, City Marshal of Rockland,
who testified as to his being notified of the ar
rival of the 'Annie b." in Rocklapd, ON Sun
day, the oath, and of the assault. He went on
board and saw the captain, who gave him a de-
scription of the prisoner After looking after
him in various places, he found him on Monday
night aboard the Deer Isle packet. The wit
ness says:
He was sitting in the cabin without coat or
hat, and stepped up and asked him when he
was in PorJlandlast;he said two days ago. then
told him to hold up his hands, which he did. l
put the irons on to him and then said, Where
are those boots?' and before 1 finished my
question he said ''these boots l have on are not
mine; mire are over in the corner" His boots
(the ones now in cOurt) were then handed out
of the corner. He put on his hat and coat and
l put him in the hack. He then said, 81 know
what you arrested me for; it was that scrape on
board the vessel, but l was not in my right
mind when L did it," asked him what he did
with the boat and he said he left it on the
backside of Monhegan. | asked him how he
got over, and he said they set him over to the
main land and he walked up to Rockland. L
asked him how he came to do it; if he was used
well aboard the vessel aud he said he was well
used. | asked him if it was drunken fight on
board and he said it was not L put him in the
station house and afterwards captain Secord
and Mr. Pink ney identified him.
Deputy Marshal E. HI. Wilson testified to re-
ceiving two cartridge cases from deputy
collector OF customs which were said to be
picked up ON board the "Annie B. and which
were of much larger calibre than the pistol
produced and identified by the captain.
The government then called Obed E. Lam
son, who testified that he resided at Jonesport,
Maine, and was mate Of the schooner ''Sabao''
OF New York: that on the 23d of May they
sailed from Portsmouth for Jonesport When
off Monhegan on the morning of the oath they
observed the "Annie B" about ten miles dis.
tant, bearing north north-west from Monhegan
and about seven miles distant from onhegan,
with the colors up and union down, which is
the signal of distress. They bore down on her
and run under her starboard quarter and were
hailed by some one who said they had taken a
passenger from Portland who had about
murdered all hands and killed the mate. The
witness took two men and went aboard and he
found the vessel disabled aud floor all around
aft Of the house and on the port side as though
somebody who had been wounded had been
leaning up against the side of the house.
The main part of the blood was by the after
gangway that went into the cabin. There was
quite a little puddle and some of it was ,otted.
Found one Of these cartridge cases that have
been produced in court on the port chain of the
"Anne b. forward, and the deputy collector
fond the other on the top of the gallant fore
castle. He stad by the vessel until she was
taken into Rockland.
There is but one witness, DR.. Frye of Rock
land, to be examined for the government.
DIR. Harlow, superintendent of the insane
asylum, is in town, summoned by the defend
ant, and will make an examination of Robbins.
- prisoner.
Adjourned till ten o'clock this morning.
The court room is crowded each day. Yes
terday the wife of the prisoner was allowed to
set beside him during the examination. Both
paid the strictest attention to everything said
Among other witnesses present from Deer
Isle is the physician who attended Robbins at
the time he was injured by falling from the
carriage several years ago. He reports that the
prisoner was out of his mind for nine hours at
that time.