Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-06-03
THE MUTINY OF THE BORrOx.

account Of the mutiny on the schooner
Jefferson Borton, OF which brief mention
was recently made by cable. II says:
The fishing lugger Secret, Of Worthing-
ton, Chaster, master, which arrived at
Plymouth recently, brings the report of
mutiny at sea on Saturday night about
twenty miles off the Eddystone. The
Secret was hailed by the tbree.masted
schooner Jefferson Borton. The vessel
belongs to and is from Boston on a
voyage to London with general cargo.
The captain requested the master of the
Secret to let HIM have one or two of his
men to assist in taking the jefferson
Borton to London, as some of his crew
had mutinied, and he was short of
hands.
"On going on board the men OF the
Secret met with wretched spectacle
three men we're in irons and literally
covered with blood. The captain
stated that the crew had been divided
into two watches during the voyage.
About ten days since, when one watch
was below and himself in the cabin with
his wife, he was startled with loud
cries OF Murder. He at once secured
two revolvers which he had with
him, and, rushing out of the
cabin, was met by three Of the crew,
who we're armed with marlin spikes. he
fred on them with both revolvers, seven
bullets entered one man, another was
shot in the stomach, while the third re-
ceived very serious wound Itappeared
that for some time past the mutiny must
have been thought OF, aud when these
three men, with the chief officer and a
boy had the watch they took the oppor-
tunity of carrying their murderous ideas
into effect. They first of all bsndsged
and gagged the boy with a view of pre-
venting his raising an alarm One of
them got behind the chief officer and
struck him a heavy blow on the head
with spike, telling him to the deck and
breaking his skull. They next proceeded
to throw the body overheard, but in the
meantime the second officer had come on
deck, and three mutineers at once seized
him, threw him overheard alive, and he
was never seen afterwards. By this time
the boy had succeeded in liberating him
self, and called loudly ont for help. His
cries reached the captain, who, as al
ready stated, at once rushed out of the
cabin. The rnffians evidently expected
to have surprised him, and were not pre-
pared for the reception which awaited
them. One of them was an American,
another Frenchman, aud the third
Prussian Finn"
The same journal of the 9th ultimo,
adds: THE wounded mutineers we're
yesterday taken from the dock where
the schooner Jefferson Borton lies to
the London Hospital, and there, by
direction OF the house surgeon, Mr.. r.
Ralph Llewsllyn, they were placed in
bed. The American sailor (Smith)
walked nimbly from the deck house on
the Jefferson Borton to the van which
took the men away. The Prnssian Finn
(Miller) and the English lad (Clew) were
brought ashore on stretchers. The house
surgeon, who examined the wounds of
each sufferer, is Of opinion that Smith,
who was shot in both arms, is in fair
way to recover. Clew is, he fears, NOR
tally injured. The two bullets which
remain in his abdomen have entered so
deep that it seems impossible they can
be extracted. Captain Patterson states
that from the first he believed Clew's in
juries to be most severe, and he accord.
iAgly gave him the best food in the
ship. Miller, who has been eighteen
years in the commercial navy Of the
United States. goes on favorably. In
spite of his severe bullet wounds, no
fever or irritabilitY manifests itself. His
right leg, however, which was struck
with FIVE bullets, is fearfully swollen, and
the doctors fear it may yet have to be
amputated. The warrants to legalize
the handing over Of the mutineers to the
custody of the United States Minister
will probably be made out by Sir Thomas
Henry, acting under instructions from
the Foreign Office, this morning. The
captain, the seamen, the boy and the
steward have been directed to attend at
Bow street police court at IL o'clock.
They will no doubt then be called upon
to make statements to justify the issue
of such warrants. The ship will lie in
dock for about three weeks before her
departure for New Orleans. tits doubt
full whether any OF the men will be sufi-
ciently convalescent before then to be