Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-03

pOrt1OllO IN 1ylef cdDlueC, anu Ills
son, Philip Spencer, was midshipman
on board the brig Somers, commanded
then by Alexander Mackenzie. The
grief and shame which prevailed this
old Spencer home at the Christmastide
of 1912 can only be imagined when the
tale of young Spencer's crime is told.
Veterans of the navy, old officers OF
the retired list now living in Wash
ington, speak of the Spencer case With
emphatic comment as the most shock
ing and unparalleled portion of naval
history
The more shocking, too, because
there has always been a controversy
as to the guilt of one conspirator
whose life paid the penalty, imposed
only on Understanding from the
yardarm. Young Spencer went to sea
imbued with love of adventure, says
a Washington correspondent Of the
Cincinnati Enquirer. He had read pi-
ratical tales, and reveled in stories OF
corsair crimes, and lOnged to discard
the stars and stripes for the skull and
cross bones of the black flag.
The brig Somers was on the home
ward trip from Liberia. During the
voyage Capt Mackenzie was told that
a conspiracy for mutiny was being
organized; that the plot included the
murder Of commander officers and
many Of the crew, after which the
flag ef the corsair was to be raised
and devilish schemes Of piratical char
acter We're to be carried out. Capt.
Mackenzie sat as one stunned when
this was told him, and would not be-
Iieye it. Much less did he want to be
lieve when told that Midshipman Spen-
Ger. a son of one of President Tyler S
cabinet officers, was at the head OF the
conspiracy The astonished captain
tried to persuade himself that Spencer
was only receiving in sport some stories
Of pirate life and had worked upon
the superstitious sailors. But no.
Facts with confederation showed that
Spencer himself had fancied the life
of a pirate; that he had taken into
his confidence several Of the ships
crew, and that he had actually con-
WINGED them that the conspiracy could
be carried out successfully. Capt
Mackenzie was compelled to believe
that his own life was in danger; that
the plot was to kill first the captain
then the officers, and imprison those
who might be persuaded to join in the
mutiny later on.
TOLD HIM ON THE QUIET.
Spencer had taken Wales, the ships
steward, to a secluded spot one night
and had unfolded the plan, beginning
with abjurations Of secrecy and then
these questions:
"Wales, are you afraid to die? Dc
you fear a corpse? Would you be
afraid to kill a man.?
Wales was not quite sure about his
position on such questions, but, sus-
pecting Spencer, led him on to a full
disclosure Of the plot. Already Spen-
GER had secured the aid Of a score of
sailors. They had taken the pirates
oath, such as Spencer had read about
in Capt. Kidd stories, and Wales took
the oath also, just to show his good
will. Spencer was plausible. He told
Wales that the ship contained a great
treasure of money, that a box shipped
as wine was in reality a box Of gold
and, further, that when the deed was
done, the officers dead and their car
caSseS thrown to the sharks, the ship
could be Steered straight to the Isle
of Pines, pirate refuge. Once there
'long, low, rakish craft" flying no
flag save that of the pirates, and was
to prey upon passing merchant vessels.
Once a ship was captured and des-
poiled it was to be destroyed. The
crew should be killed, the women
should be saved for lustful purposes,
and when ravished should be sewed
in sack and be tossed into the sea
like the discarded of unfaithful slave
of a sutton. Fiendish, indeed, were
the fancies which Spencer breathed
into the ears Of Wales that November
night as they sat on the booms in the
rigging. Who could have thought that
a midshipman on leave, attending the
receptions Of his fathers home on La
fayette square. this young villain was
planning the most dastardly deed
known in naval memories!
That interview with Wales closed
with a threat of death from Spencer
should there be a divulgence of the
scheme, but Wales went at once to
his chief and told it all. Indeed Spen-
Ger had carried his plot into details so
far that a written plan of it all was
in his cravat, sewed up from sight.
An unsupported system of espionage
was established over Spencer, and he
was seen in conference with Cromwell
and Small, two seamen, hitherto of
unblemished record. Both men had
received money and forbidden sup
plies of brandy and tobacco from
Spencer, and all in very bad form, for
pirates had been very drunk together.
In fact, outside of his fiendish, pirat-
ical schemes, Spencer was demoraliz-
ing the ships crew and it was time to
have him step up to the captains
office.
1T WAS ALL A JOKE.
Then when alone with Capt. Macken-
Zie Spencer was confronted with the
story of his foul conspiracy.
ut is all a joke" said the midship-
man.
Eyes, but a joke that may jerk you
up the yardarm," responded Mackenzie
grimly, as he took off Spencer's cravat,
expecting to find written evidence of
the plot.