The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-02-18
HANGING THE PIRATES.
an EYE WITNESS OF THE AFFAih
TELLS /BOUT WHATHEsAW.
And Takes Issue in Several Details with
the Account As Prepared for the Times
by .P. P.-The Trial aud Execution


pirates; saw them several times In the
han OF the House Of Delegates during
their trial. and arrived at the armory
only a little too late to be present at DR..
cullens galvanic experiments on their
dead bodies.
That summer my father was in Eng
land. and. instead of sending me to the
country, as he usually did. to spend my
summer vacation, he left me, his Oldest
son. at home ito take care Of my
mother" as he expressed 1t. Every boy
in Richmond was. Of course. anxious TO
see the pirates hung; my mother was very
reluctant for my brother James and my
self to go, but finally consented, upon the
condition that "Uncle Martini" our din
ing-room servant. should go with US. We
stood on the southern slope Of the hill
facing the galows, and l well recollect
| the confusion that arose when the bodies
Of two Of the culprits fell, and one OF
them jumped up as If TO make "A wild
| dash for liberty. We. the boys and the
servants. a large number Of whom were
females. both old and young, no doubt
imagined that the fallen men were going
| 10 rush through our midst cutting the
| throats of all who might try TO intercept
them, or else. perhaps. that we were in
| danger from the bullets which the mill
| tary were expected TO fire as they ran.
That hollow square. formed by the Blues
and the Public Guard. supported by the
artillery and the troops, was the nearest
approach to 'grim-yisaged war / had
| ever then seen.
our friend, Or. "W T. r." TO whom
/ be grace and peace and many years vet,
albeit OF bachelor lifeD does not often
make mistakes. either OF names or events,
| but he has made several / think in the
| interesting communication he has FUR
| nishcd for your paper on this subject
| Some years ago. while looking over
file OF the Enquirer ] made a memoran-
dun which, though not as fun as 1 would
like now 10 have it. enables me TO cor
rect him in several particulars and fur
Dish other facts relating 10 this exciting
trial:
First. The trial took place in July, 1877,
aud the presiding judge was John Mar
shall, chief justice of the United States.
Second. The prosecutor was Robert
Stanard, United States Attorney for the
Eastern district Of Virginia.
Third. The assigned counsel for tho
prisoners were Benjamin Watkins Leigh
anu btOiEt HfHlllll. inc ldllfl an able
lawyer, who afterwards removed to New
Orleans.
Fourth. The prisoners were tried scpa-
rately and by different juries. Pepe was
the first tried, the jury in his case con-
sisting Of Thomas Muir. Charles II. Hyde,
Thomas Williams. Edward Byrnes, Fran
els Larmand. William Pollard, Willis
Cowlng. Nathaniel Tichenor. William NJ.
Hanes, Richard Whitfield. John y. Valen-
tine, and Rex Jordan Felix came next.
The jury in his case-Thomas Richardson,
Benjamin Stetson, Amos l.. Hubbard,
Francis Wicker. Thomas BAH. Michael
McDonOugh, Peter Cook, GeOrge Mills, !
spotswood u. Crenshaw, Sterling l..
Crump, Thomas Gay and Jesse Wherry. |
Curro was the last, his jury being A1adi- |
son Walthall, Thomas Lambert. Richard /
G. Whitlock, Charles Il. Abraham, Robert |
Johnson, Archibald Peasants, Jr. John |
Goode, Robert Hyde. John Hutchinson, |
Nathaniel Charter, Robert ID. Murchie |
and Warren Bibber.
Any one familiar with old Richmond |
names will tell you that these jurymen |
were reputable men, good citizens many |
Of them highly respected as merchants, |
mechanics, or Of other useful occupation.
The interpreters summoned by the court |
were Adophus Ga son Of Colonel Claudius)
Crozet and DR.. 4. Lemosy. The day APP
pointed for the execution was the nth Of
August, and the place Of execution the
rayine north of the penitentiary. After
the execution the bodies were carried TO
the armOry, where they were subjected
to salvanic experiments by Or. John Gull
len before they were buried. The place
OF interment was, l presume, the male
factors field outside of the present en-
closure of the City Almshouse.
Galvanism was then new, and l recol-
lect that afterwards. when attending Or.
Pattcrsons course on natural philosophy
at the University, and he would lecture
TO us on the discoveries of Galvani and
Volta. and tell us about Sir Humphrey
Davy and Faraday, and apply his battery
TO the legs Of a bull frog, making them
jump as if they were full of life and say
That similar experiments might just as
well be made on a human body. l would
think OF what was attempted TO be done
with the bodies Of Pope. Felix, and
Courro laid out on inclined planks upon
the parade ground of the State armory
at Richmond.
forgot TO say that the memorandum
to which / have referred states that these
men were charged with poisoning and
upon the high seas the entire
crew and the passengers on board the
vessel named. except Dobs)n. :he mate,
the colored cook, and Ginoulhac, q
frenchman
| have said above that I was several
times present in the courtroom during
the trial OF the pirates; that was partly
owing to the fact that / occupied the
responsible position Of junior deputy
clerk in the clerks Office OF the Supreme
Court Of Appeals Of Virginia. (which came
about in this way: My father was / APP
prehend, cunning old gentleman. and
when preparing 10 leave for England he
said 10 his friend, Mr.. Joseph Allen,
clerk OF that court, II wish you would
take this son OF mine into your Office
when his vacation begins rot only TO
keep him out OF mischief and from too
much exposure TO the summers sun. but
also TO give him something like a start
in office lie and 10 improve his hand
writing"
Now, have lot time or space here 10
consider the interesting question. ana
therefore leave il TO you for discussion.
whether a parent has or has not the right !
TO abridge the natural liberty of a school
boy 10 the full enjoyment Of his regular
school vacation. See the consequences OF
abridsment, for example, in this particu-
lar instance. There We're Eustace Robin
son and William Robinson, and Sandy
Brown. and Jack Allen (he of Allen q
1lnter), ana others, my constant COM
who, with gun in hand. were
roaming through the woods at Clark's
spring now Hollywood cemetery or at
Poplar Lawn (Mr. John Robinson's farm.
Or at Mr. Anthony RObinsOns thc name