Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-11-08

ot-war was called aft to take part in
the ceremonies there was n sort OF
dread superstition in the mind of
every one. The night vas dark, ano
the storm which had kept us busy in
the afternoon had lett quite n heavy
sea, aud the vessel tossed and pitch
ed as she cut her black figure through
the bounding pillows, looking MS
though she was II funeral ear carry
ing the dead owe the sea No II
spoke above his breath save the cap
tain, who read the burial service.
The officers and crew responded now
and then with a sort of low
mutter, which sounded like NUT
fled voices in the distance.
No one on board vas quite satisfied
with the proceedings, for sailors are
superstltious, and the storm follow
ing so closely upon the strangling of
these three men, and the curious east
OF the water and the soElber dark
ness of the night when it should have
been moonlight and beautiful-all
had its portent to every tar aboard
that ship.
'"rhe ceremonies took place by the
light of battlelanterns, which height
ened the dismal aspect of the sea-.
They were held close to the captain,
whose stern face never relaxed as he
went through with his last sad duty
to those who had suffered the death
penalty. The tlickering light from
these lanterns would occasionally
shoot out in yellow streuks, and rest
for a second upon the solemn faces
of the crew, and then shift here and
there as il in search of some new vic
tim to receive the last offices of the
dead. As | said, the captain read
the service, and all OF us responded
until he came TO the words:
1--WE commit this body to tht
deep
Then all three were dropped into
the ocean. There Il u splash anC
q sudden gulp of the waves, ms i
hungry, ana the tragedy was ended
There was little sleep on board thai
night. Men lay awake in their ham
mocks marveling upon what had oc
Cured, and coniuriug up all sorts o
tancies as to what it foretold 70
good or evil. Occasionally one ship
mate would slip over to another an,
speak with him in whispers. Tive
men on watch that night declared
the next morning that they cOult
see the bodies floating in the waves
although each one was sewed III
separately in a hammock, with tire,
twenty-four pound shot Mt his feet
Two nights later one man avowe,
that he saw the MILDLY executed AM
! thrown into the sea walking over tn
: ~fOrecastle. So it went on for day
} and nights until our ship reached Ne'
) York. Then the sailors breatheI
easier but | have never met one q
them to this day, and all OF them ar
old men now, who has forgotten a
incident of that arrest and execution
| never sailed on that vessel again
l but took French leave OF the a
| very soon after our arrival at tn
. Brooklyn navy yard. This tragi
event had nothing whatever to d
with my going, but l had seen enouG
OF the sea, and never recall my e,
! perience thereon, one OF which | M
e relating to you, without a shuddeI
The old salt who graphically toll
g this tragedy OF th5 sea is wrinkle
$ and gray. With him was an old shiI
9 mate who had been his companio
!, on that fateful voyage so many year
ago. Every now and then he woul
add some fresh point to the narratiy
that the speaker had forgotten, an
e by the two u wonderful complel
story is told. The midshipman thu
It was hanged with the two sailor
was Philip Spencer, son {
K John G. Spencer, then secretar
u of war in Tyler's cabinet. The ever
n conVulsed the nation, and brougt
q Capt. Mackenzie to trial, first b.
Z fore a naval court, and then upo
the charge Of murder, which the civ
g courts dismissed for the want
? Jurisdiction. How strange it is aft
z all these years 10 find men still dea
K ing in tho affairs of every day Ii
q who witnessed that tragedy near
q fifty years agO-one which Ga
n Hamilton, in a thoughtful review
u the case. pronounces murder on u
r part OF Capt. Mackenzie, the cor
o mandant of the American man-o
IS war.-Boston Herald.
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