The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-11-06
The Br,s somcr..

There died recently Oliver IL. Per-
ny, not q son of the famous Commo-
dore Perry, as has been stated, but
some relative, and distinguished
chiefly as having been on The United
States brig Somers in 1912, when
young Spencer was Illegally executed
by Lieutenant Mackenzie and his
boy subordiustes.
Young Perry vas Lieutenant Mae
kenzie's nephew and clerk. The
brig was a smsll, crank craft, and
was a sort Of school ship, the subor-
dinate officers being young midshio.
men. Spencer vas seventeen, a son
of John G Spencer, Of New York,
Secretary Of ihe Treasury. II was
said Of young Spencer, as Of many,
that be he'd been a wild boy. lie
had cFudely sketohed g plan to seize
the brig and turn pirate. IL was like
the faneies familiar to boys who read
novels Of bold pirates and highway
men.
1t was 50 crude, absurd and imprac.
ticable, aud without support, that 10
any man in his sensesi it would appear
only the Indulgence Of q boyish con-
eeit.
The paper was in some way shown
TO Mackenzie, and be worked himself
and youthful subordinates into tie
idea Of a planned conspiracy 10 muir
der them all and convert the big in
10 a pirate.
Words ia dog Latin were mixed
WITH English in this paper, which
made it The more fearful. la The
hands Of Mackenzie, these youth:
were not responsible for what they
assenied to.
lie excited himself aud them witt
the theatrical spectacle of a grand
court-martial, in which they we're L
sit as judges Of life aud death, aud a
s~aviors Of the ship end OF their pro
iessioDal honor,
By the law they should have land
ed the accused al the FIRST port, ii no
safe to bring them to the United
STATES, aud they were not far from
ST. Thomas, but they could not foreg'
their dramatic performance.
So the lieutenant and his boy
formed a court-martial aud sentenced
Spencer and a couple Of young hand
named Cromwell aud Small, and the
the crew was made TO hang them b,
hauling them by the neck up to th
yard.arm. 1t vas a most pitiiul mur
der, done from a mixture Of frigh
and romantic exultstion. When the,
got home they reported their haroi,
rescue Of the brig in their own way
giving a frightful picture o. murde
and piracy, and so they prepossesses
the public ear. A court Of inqnir'
was held, but Mackenzie and til
youths who had done the deed unde
his influence were the witnesses, AMI
they made the situation irightfu
enough. Sc nothing came Of ii
The answer agreed upon by eli t.
the question why they did not delive
Spencer at ST. Thomas 10 be held 70
trial was, that it would dishonor th
United States Navy to call on a for
eign power.
The following is the way thi
mock heroic answer is related of PEI
ry, who was then a mere boy:
"He has lived in ny recollectio.
because Of his noble reply TO tn
Court of Inquiry when asked
Spencer, Cromwell and Small coul
net have been kept in irons aud d.
livered to the British naval commar
der at St. Thomas, a few DAYS sat
from the place of execution. PER-.
answered, 'Perbsps they could
Then said the court, why di
you vote for their death p Because
! said Perry. 4 thought if an Amer
can man-of-wsr couldn't protect hel
self there would be no use in havin
any, The reply was worthy of hi
race
And SO Perry goes into history a
a hero for this boyish, affrighted, tht
| %atrical killing of three innocent pc
sons, and bringing this terrible c,
r lamity upon one of the most eminer
families of the country.