The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-02-21
NO. rs.
The Brig Sonlers.

In November, 1912, occurred one
of the most noted mutinies in the his.
tory of the American navy. While
in rnid-oeean the officers of the Uni
ted States brig-of-war Somers discoy.
cred that d conspiracy existed on
board the vessel TO murder them.
selves and turn the vessel into q
privateer for the purpose of piracy:
but the ring-leaders were discovered
and executed and the crime frus-
trated. The leader in the affair was
Philip Spencer, son of the Hon. J. C.
Spencer, the distinguished statesman
of New York, then Secretary of War
In the Cabinet of President TYLER.
On account OF the prominence thus
given the event, the mutiny was
everywhere q topic of discussion,
and reviews of the case were writ
ten by number of noted men, in
cluding ]. Fenimore Cooper. The
Cleveland Leader thus tells the story
from the lips of one of the crew:
Captain William Burlington, WE'LL
known along the lakes ard who last
season sailed the schooner Pelican,
was one of the crew of the Somers.
He was visited at his residence on
the Detroit road, yesterday after
noon, by Leader reporter, and re-
lated the story, though modestIy pre-,
ferring not to have anything publish
ed as coming from him. At the time
of the mutiny Captain Burlington
was eighteen or nineteen years of
age, and many of the facts have es-
capped his memory. The Somers
sailed from New York for Liberia,
Africa, with dispatches, but was
obliged to put back on account of
insuficIency of crew, and other sea-
men were obtained from the receiv-
ing ship North Carolina, Mr.. Buffing-
ton being member of the second
crew. On the return from Liberia,
before reaching st. Thomas, where it
was the intention to stop and take on
coal and provisions, word was
brought to Captain Alexander Slidell
Mackenzie, the commander of the
Somers, that conspiracy existed to
capture the vessel and take her to
the Isle of Pines, where she would
be joined by Mexican pivateer, and
| the two would commence career of
! piracy.
In those days, comparatively few
steamers sailed the ocean, and of
course the security of the pirates
was much better than it would be at
present. Wr Wales, the steward of
the brig, was first brought the affair
to notice. On the night of Novem-
Der 25th, Mr.. Wales was asked by
Spencer, who was a midshipman, to
go aloft with him to the rigging,
where he wanted TO converse with
him confdentially. When alone the
midshipman accosted Wales with a
| question: sDo You fear death; do
you fear dead man; are you afraid
to kill a man 2" Somewhat sur
prised, though still cool and collect
ed, the steward listened attentively
to what followed, taking the oath of
secresy imposed upon him by
Spencer. The latter then unfolded
the plan for the mutiny, stating that
it was written out on paper and then
under his collar, back of his cravat,
and be would show it in the morning
when it was light so as to read it
| Twenty of the crew, he claimed,
were leagued with him, and the mur-
der of the captain and the officers
of the vessel would be an easy
matter.
When fully apprised of what had
taken place, Captain Mackenzie or
dered strict watch kept of the
movements of Spencer. In day OF
two the Captain encountered Spencer
on deck, and asked him what BIZ
meant by such talk to Wales, but ths
young man explained it was all .
joke, and no harm intended. Th,
written plot was demanded, bu
| Spencer denied its existence, and :
careful search of his person failed t.
disclose it. 1t was found, however
secreted in Spencer's razor case
| written in the Greek language; ba
one of the officers understood th,
characters and translated them int,
English. The names of the numbe
of the crew were written who wonll
be given q chance to "walk th
plank'-that is, be dropped over
board-and others who were to b
given their choice between compul
sorry service as pirates, or water,
grave. f. Cromwell, the boatswain'
mate, and Elisha Small, o seama
from Boston, were also arrested
they being frequently discovered j
conversation with Spencer. Th
: three were double-ironed and take
below. They were speedily tried b
i court-martial and found guilty, th
sentence being that the prisoners b
executed from the yardarm. The
were brought up on the morning {
, November 25th for execution. Sma
was anmoved and asked his mates t
give him good jerk, so as to max
sure, but Spencer was quito broke
down. He was cxhorted by Captai
. Mackenzie to set his companions
. good example by bravely dying, th
remark having the desired effecl
! Captain Mackenzie briefly addresse
j the condemned upon the enormity 9
, their crime. Spencer read from tn
} bible and prayer-book, begged for
giveness of oil, and then said he wa
, ready to die.
Black caps were made from blac
handkcrchiefs. The colors were TO b
hoisted at the moment to give solen
. nity to the occasion, and then tn
gun was to be fred as signal at tn
ropes to pull. Spencer wanted t
) give tho signal, but afterward he r
) ouested Captain Mackenzie TO do
t for him. When all was ready, th
condemned men sitting in their han
mocks, awaiting the dreadful sun
mons to another world the gun belcl
! ed forth it's thunder, the men at th
three ropes drew in, and the thre
unfortunates shot aloff, tho sudde
contact with the blocks above break
! ing their neeks, and hurrying the
: into the presence Of tho grea. viii,
throne. Two of the men were hun
TO one of the main yards, and ii
, third to the other. The bodies wei
) sewn up in sailcloth, the feet weigl
. ed with shot, and the earthly {
Il 4 = n