The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-09-05
A VERY BIG MISTAKE.
Hanging of Midshipman Spencer on the
Charge of Mutiny.

One bright morning in the spring of
1912 bright-eyed boy of seventeen
bade farewell to mother and sisters
and be autiful home in Washington
city to search for fame and promotion
as midshipman in the United States
navy. In that day there was no Naval
Academy to educate the navy's future
officers, and the young aspirants for
naval glory were sent out in squads OF
ten or twelve on the sea going men Of
war to learn their profession by hard
knocks and smattering of navigation
and mathematics from "schoolmaster"
who was enlisted as sort of warrant
officer on each ship. The cadet was
Midshipman Spencer, son of the
Secretary of the Treasury at that time.
Before entering on his naval career he
had taken part of college course at
old Columbian University, and there
he had excelled in athletics, led IN
his classes and had been the malnstay
of Greek letter fraternity. Together
with fourteen other midshipmen he
was sent out on a European cruise in
the United States brig Somers.
GREEK LETTER FRATERNITY.
Everything went we'll with those on
the brig until returning to the United
States by the "south passage" (by the
way of the West Indies) Midshipman
Spencer, through love of his old COL
lege days, founded a chapter Of his
fraternity among the middies on board.
In order to retain the fancied secrets
| Of the order he made list OF the
names in Greek and placed it in a
razor case for safe keeping. They held
meetings at night that seemed to some
of the ignorant petty officers very
mysterious and BODIED no good to their
minds. During the discharge OF his
duties Spencer came in contact with
an obstreperous carpenters mate who
refused to recognize the midshipman's
authority. This resulted finally in CIV
ing the carpenters mate ten days in
the "brig," as the ships Jail is called.
The carpenters mate waited and
watched for chance to revenge him
self, and it came in very unexpected
manner.
During long midnight watch Spen-
Ger amused himselfby drawing graphic
picture OF pirates cruise to the en-
listed men. The carpenters mate
stood near and heard it all, so did the
purser's clerk, and the latter innocently
asked why Spencer did not try it.
Spencer jokingy said if the men
would follow him he would. Taking
the razor case from his pocket he took
the fraternity list from it: and on the
back of it made a list OF certain, "
doubtful" and "enemy" of the ships
crew IN the first he placed his own
name and that of nine of the crew and
two commissioned officers ''to give it
tone" ne said. They talked it over
for an hour, and the purser's clerk,
Wales, added his name to the list of
"certain" pirates.
CHANCE FOR REVENGE.
Here the carpenters mate, Norris,
saw his chance for revenge, and the
next morning he reported to the exec
utive officer that meeting was planned
with Spencer and Wales at the head.
and this was Immediately reported to
Capt. Mackenzie, who was in com
mand. This courageous officer was
well nigh frightened to death. He
called call hands to quarters" in full
dress and had the conspirators put In
irons. With Spencer were four other
midshipmen. Spencer did not know
until he was informed that he was a
mutineer what all the disturbance wa.
about.
Norris told the captain "to take the
razor case and it would tell all" Sure
enough there were the tell-tale name:
and the mysterious Greek on the other
side of slip of paper. This to ths
captains mind was conclusive. Tht
midShipmen were double ironed anG
thrown into bags, neatly sewed up ant
locked in the sailroom, a stuffy, i'll
aired box in the hold. A strong guarC
, was placed over them, with orders tc
t shoot them If they made a move.