The Portland daily press., 1874-06-02
THE CANINE b.,
Examination of Charles r. Robbins ON n
Charge of Piracy.

The direct examination of the master, Am
brose Secord, was continued as follows:
At eight BELLS or half past eleven o'clock at
night, / came on deck and took the wheel.
There was a moon quite low down IN the West,
and black clound running up from the West
with light showers. l took the wheel from the
prisoner and he went forward. The sea was
ehoppy. There was only one house and that
aft, and in that wa the forecastle and cabin.
The vessel was under mainsa, foresail, jib,
flying jib and main gaff-topsail. The vessel
was on the starboard tack. The wheel was
about four feet from the companionway. There
was light in the pinnacle and the regulation
lights set forward. l had been at the wheel
about five minutes when l saw Albert coming
out of the forecastle, l told him to make fast
the fore-boom top-lift. The next thing l saw
was the prisoner coming right towards me
with something in his nand. He came within
four feet of me and fired right in my face.
said I'm the name of God what are you do
ing with a revolver in this vessel" He made
no answer but turned right round and fred at
Albert who had followed him aft. Albert ran
forward l left the wheel and ran into the
cabin and got my revolver, which was in the
bottom OF my chest in my ROOM: The mate
and steward were in their rooms off from the
cabin. l said to them this man aboard has
got a revolver, he has fired at me and Albert
He is murderer and you will have to turn out
and assist us and see what we can do with
him." They turned out and while was load
ing my revolver heard the prisoner fire two
shots forward. After loaded my revolver l
started on deck and called the mate and stew
ard to come with me. went around the end
of the house on the port side and fired in the
air, thinking to let him know ] was armed,
which might brighten him. l then saw the
prisoner coming toward me with this crowbar
raised over his head. When he got within ten
feet of me l fired right at him as straight AS l
could. He never halted moment. | saw he
was getting too close to me to fire again and L
turned and made aft. He struck me with the
bar and went on to my hands and knees. L
was nearly stunned but got up and went right
into the cabin. The steward came into the
cabin after me. / turned around and in mo-
ment the prisoner came to the door with the
bar in his hand, and when he filled the door l
fired right at his breast. That didn't seem to
have any effect on him; he made drive at me
with the bar and knocked the revolver out of
my hand and that moment / clenched him
around the neck.
An iron bar about four feet long and an inch
and quarter in diameter was produced in
court and identified by the witness as the one
the prisoner had at this time.
forecastle deck. When caught hold the pris-
oner the cook seized hold of him with me and
sung out for Camp, for | found the prisoner
was too strong for us. The steward said he had
knocked Mr.. Camp down. L hung on as hard
as l could He was SO strong he could take
rid of us or trip me. In the struggle we went
into my room overturning my chest; then ont
into the cabin again, apd then he got US out on
deck for he couldn't use his bar in there. The
struggle led us right along on the port-side of
the house to the main rigging and about the
deck from one place to another. l tried my
best to get him overheard but he had my
thumb in his mouth or l believe would have
succeeded in doing So During this time the
steward grabbed bucksaw and struck him.
a II this time the priSOnpr kpnt 10 har in his
hands. didn't dare to let go for fear he would
strike me. 1t seems to me the steward did get
the bar out of his hands for moment, but |
cannot be positive. called for Albert to come
down from aoft and assist me. Robbins said
''the son of b-h can't come down; he is
dead" think when he came out of the cabin
in the struggle he said don't put me over
board" We struggled on the deck until I was
nearly done for, and the steward says 81 am
done. can't stand it any longer" told hi n
not to give up for the instant he did we were
both dead men. L held on moment longer
and dont't remember how did get rid of him
but the next l knew Twas scralnbling aft, and
went into the cabin In the struggle the pris
oner showed himself to be very powerful. AS
l went in 1 saw Camp, the mate, Lying near the
companionway. When l got into the cabin 1
found my revolver and loaded it all round. We
shut the door after us ana | wanted Robbins TO
put his head into the door. l heard two shots
forward, and l heard groans coming
from, as 1 thought on the quarter
Then l heard heavy blows struck all along
on the house. By the marks l saw afterwards,
L think it was done with the iron bar He
came afterwards and struck the door and fred
twice through the key hole hollered to him
and tried to scare him. l told him / had two
or three Smith & Weston's and would shoot
him If he poked his head through the door.
The next thing heard was what l thought
was the main sheet running out, but it must
have been the boat going down. I heard the
sails 90 down by the run. | heard nothing
more for some time and thinking had wound
ed him poked my head out of the window
and sung out to the man aloft, whom / could
see ON the foremost head-cross-trees. He told
me the passenger had taken the boat and gone
towards Monhegan
The ian who had that iron bar and fired the
revolver at me and with whom had the strug
gle is he prisoner at the bar. l positively
swear to that
came on deck and found the mate, Solomon
horse in a STOPPING postule in the act of fall
ing. caught him in my arms and took him
to the cabin doar. The steward then took
him.
fThe witness here identified his revolver
which was produced IN court
[ found the running rigging cut all to pieces;
the main and fore halyards gaff -topsail-hal-
yards, and the main sheet all cut. The main
boom was broad off, and the sails all down; the
main gaff in the water.
The above is the testimony Capt. Secord Civ
en- under oath, and it will be noticed that there
are several statements that are unlike those he
he made to the reporters last week