The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-10-10
The Brig Somers-a Hero.


There died recently Oliver H. Perry,
not a son of the famous Commodore
Perry, as has been stated, but some rela-
tive, and distinguished chiefly as having
been on the United States brig Somers
In 1912, when young Spencer was lille
gally executed by Lieutenant Mackenzie
and his boy subordinates. Young Perry
was Lieutenant Mackenzie's nephew and
clerk. The brig was small, crank
craft, and was sort of school ship, the
subordinate officers being young mid
shipmen. Spencer was seventeen, a son
of John c. Spencer, of New York, Sec
retary of the Treasury. 1t was said of
young Spencer, as of many, that he had
been a wild boy. He had crudely
sketched a plan to seize the brig and
turn pirate. 1t was like the fancies
familiar to boys who read novels of
lovely pirates and highwaymen. 1t was
SO crude, absurd, and impracticable, and
without support, that to any man in his
senses it would appear only the indul-
gence of boyish fancy.
The paper was in some way shown to
Mackenzie, and he worked himself and
boyish subordinates into the idea of a
planned conspiracy to murder them all
and convert the brig to a pirate. Words
in dog Latin were mixed with English
in this paper, which made it the more
fearful. In the hands of Mackenzie,
these youths were not responsible for
what they assented to. He worked up
himself and them to the theatrical
spectacle of a grand court-martial, in
which they were to sit as judges of life
and death, and as saviors of the ship
| and of their country. By the law they
should have landed the accused at the
first port, if not safe to bring them to
| the United States, and they were not far
from st. Thomas; but they could not
| forego their theatrical performance.
So the Lieutenant and his boys formed
court-martial and sentenced Spencer
and a couple of young hands named
Cromwell and Small, and then the crew
was made to hang them by hauling by
the neck up to the yard arm. 1t was a
most pitiful murder. done from mix
ture Of fright and theatrical exaltation.
When they got home they reported their
heroic rescue of the brig in their own
way, from frightful picture of murder
and piracy, and so they prepossessed the
public ear. A court of inq uiry was held
| ouG OudIhChAIC tIV youtAS uhtbb hdA
done the deed under his influence were
the witnesses, and they made the situa
ton frightful enough. So nothing came
of it. The answer agreed upon by al
to the question why they-did not deliver
Spencer at St. Thomas tosbe held TO
trial was that it would dishonor th,
United States Navy to call on foreign
power.
s.The following is the way this noel
heroic answer is related Of Perry, WHIT
was then a mere boy:
He has lived in my recollection be
cause of his noble reply to the Court 0
Inquiry when asked if Spencer, Crom
we'll, and Small could not have bee
, kept in irons and delivered to the Brit
ish Naval Commander at st. Thomas,
5 few days sail from the place of execu
t ton. Perry answered: Perhaps the
could Them said the Court, VIII
] did you vote for their death% Be
; cause, said Perry, L thought if a
American man-of-war couldn't rrotec
herself there would be no use in havin
5 anyn The reply was worthy of h
5 race"
$ And so Perry goes into history as
hero for this boyish, afrighted, theatr
= cal killing of three innocent persons
: and bringing this terrible calamity upo
= one of the most eminent families of til
: country.