The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-02-07
An Old Story RetOld.

conspiracy existed on board the vessel
to murder themselves and turn the yes.
sci into privateer for the purpose OF
piracy; but the ringleaders were dis
covered and executed and the crime
frustrated. The leader in the affair
was Phillip Spencer, son of Hon. John
C. Spencer, the distinguished states.
man from 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 topic of discussion, and
reviews of the case were written by a
number of noted men, including j.
Fennimore Cooper. The Cleveland
Leader thus tells the story from the
lips of one of the crew:
Captain VIM. Burlington, well known
along the lakes and 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 afternoon, by Leader re-
porter, and related the story, though
modestly preferring not to have any
thing published as coming from him.
At the time of the mutiny Captain Buff
fington 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 insufficiency of crew,
and other seamen were obtained from
the receiving ship North Carolina. Mr..
Burlington 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 a conspiracy existed to
capture the vessel and take her to the
Isle of Pines, where she would be
Joined by a Mexican privateer, and the
two would commence on 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. Mr..
Wales, the steward of the brig, first
brought the affair to notice. On the
night of Nov. % Mr.. Wales was asked
by Spencer, who was midshipman, to
go aloft in the rigging, where he want
ed to converse with him confidentially.
When alone the midshipman accosted
Wales with the question, 'sDo you fear
dsath; do you fear dead man; are you
afraid to kill manP' Somewhat sur
prised, though still cool and collected,
the steward listened to what followed,
taking the oath of secrecy imposed up
on him by Spencer. The latter then
unfolded the plan for the mutiny, stat
ing that it was written out on paper
and then under his collar, back OF his
cravat, and he 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 murder
of the Captain and the officers of the
vessel would be an easy matter.
When fully apprised of what had
taken place, Captain Mackenzie order
ed strict watch kept of the move
ments of Spencer. In day or two the
Captain encountered Spencer on deck
and asked him what he meant by such
talk to Wales, but the young man ex-
plained that it was all a joke, and no
harm was intended. The written plot
was demanded, but Spencer denied it's
existence, and a careful search of his
person failed to disclose it. It was
found, however, secreted in Spencer's
razor-case, written in the Greek Ian
guage, but one of the officers under
stood the characters and translated
them into English. The names of a
number of the crew were written who
would be given chance to "walk the
plank" that is be dropped overheard,
and others were to be given their choice
between compulsory service as pirates
or watery grave. F. Cromwell, the
boatswain's mate, and Elisha Small,
seaman from Boston, were also arrest
ed, they being discovered frequently in
conversation with Spencer. The three
were double-ironed and taken below.
They were speedily tried by court
martial and found guilty, the sentence
being that the prisoners be execu-
ted from the yardarm. They were
brought up on the morning of
November 80 for execution. Small was
unmoved, and asked his mates to give
him a good jerk, so as to make sure,
but Spencer was quite broken down.
He was exhorted by Captain Mackenzie
to set his companions a good example
by dying bravely, the remark having
the desired effect. Captain Mackenzie
briefly addressed the condemned upon
the enormity of their crime. Spencer
read from the Bible and prayer book,
begged forgiveness of all, and then said
he was ready to die.
Black caps were made from black
handkerchiefs. The colors were to be
hoisted at the moment to give solemnity
to the occasion, and then the gun was
to be fired as signal for the men at
the ropes to pull. Spencer wanted to
give the signal, but afterward he re-
equested Captain Mackenzie to do it for
him. When all was ready, the con-
demned men sitting in their hammocks,
awaiting the dreadful summons to an
other world, the gun belched forth its
thunder, the men at the three ropes
drew in. and the three unfortunates
shot aloft, the sudden contact with the
blocks above breaking their necks, and
Ihurrying them into the presence of the
great White Throne. Two of the men
were hung to one of the main yards,
and the third to the other. The bodies
xuaro uomn mn in aailnlOth the feet