New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-11
A SEA MURDER RECALLED.
STORY OF THE MUTINY AND CRIME ON
THE BRIG VINEYARD.

THE BRIG VINEYARD.
TWO OF THE CHEF CONSPIRATORs HANGED
s,xry-r,vr YEARS AGO ro-DAY-FoUR OTHERS
GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN WHILE
ENDEAvoRING TO ESCAPE WITH
THEIR BOOTY
| sxtv-Ave wears ago to-day marked the close
| ~ q sensational murder trial which connected
Conev Island with a crime Of the sea, whose
eic and romantic features once excited the
| interest Of thousands On March H. 1884, two
sailors chief conspirators In a plot to Kill the
| cantain and mate Of the brig Vineyard and rob
the ship OF its Treasure, were sentenced to DO
hanged fer the crime. OF six others VINO were In
the conspiracy, two gained their liberty by
turning States evidence. and death claimed the
remaining four while they were endeavoring to
! escape fl ON the scuttled and burning ship, with
part OF their booty, off the coast OF Long Island.
On the night of November 9, 1880, the Vine
ward cleared from New-Orleans for Phade.
phia with a cargo Of cotton, sugar and molasses
| and $4,000 in Mexican specie consigned to
Stephen Girard Of Philadelphia The officers
and crew of the brig were William Thornby,
captain: Mr. Roberts, mate; Charles Gibbs
Aaron Church. James Talbot. John Brownrigg
cabin boy and young Delaware negro, Walms-
lev who was cook and steward. The brig had
been five days out at sea, and was of Cape
I4atteras when the steward Informed some Of
,ne crew of the money on board. Then Walms-
lev with Gibbs Church, Atwel and Dawes
MANNED to kill the captain and mate and get
possession Of the money.
THE CAPTAIN FELLED
% he purdp
was on the quarterback and the cabin boy,
Dawes was steering Walmsey came upon
deck at that hour. and. obeying pre-
arranged call from Dawes to trim the bin
nacle light. felled the captain with pump brake
as he assed behind him, and killed him by re-
heated blows Seaman Gibbs then went for
ward and with the negro's help flung the cap
tain's body overheard. Mate Roberts had heard
the commotion and ran up the companion
way. Church and Atweli attacked him, but
through cowardce and nervousness failed to
inflIct death wound Roberts retreated to the
cabin ana in the struggle which followed be-
tween him and Church. Atwell and the cabin
boy, was severely hurt The conspirators de-
cided TO throw Roberts overheard. and dragged
him. sti'i alive and begging for mercy. to the
rail and flung him into the sea-
Talbot and Brownrgg. two Of the seamens
who were not at first In the conspiracy, wit.
messed the murders in terror from the rigging.
They were called down by the conspirators, and
received the offer Of their lives and an equal
share in the booty II they kept Aent. Glad to
escape so easily, the men accepted the terms
Gibbs was made navigator. and when within
fifteen miles off Southampton Light the pirates
scuttled and fired the vessel. after whlch they
took to the boats. Gibbs. Walmsley, Brownrgs
and Dawes, with $1,000 put on in the longooat'
Foil nd
started for shore In the jollyboat The sea was
rough and the wind blew gale In attemp.ing
10 cross Rockaway bar the Jollyboat upset ana
the crew and their money were lost
MONEY IN THE SEA.
The occupants OF the other boat, to escape
similar fate. threw over all save 5000 OK tnelr
specie They succeeded in reaching the shore Cu
Pelican Beach, then part of Barren. but now
Coney Island The first thing they did was to
bury the money in the sand. They had LOO
gone far when they met Nicholas s. Williams.
Of Gravesend, to whom they told pi;i.ui tale
OF shipwreck and privation. Under Williamss
direction they reached the northwest SHORE or
Barren Island. and came 10 the house Where John
Johnson, his wife and brother william lVed.
The family took the shipwrecked mariners III
and gave them shelter for the night. BrownfeS
and the Johnson brothers were forced ID occupy
chairs in the living room and as soon as ths
other inmates of the house were asleep Brown
rigg revealed the whole crime to the two Jonn-
sons. Next morning the pirates desired the Johh.
sons to take them to the hotel at Sheepsheao
Bay where they might get conveyance ID
New-York This was done. and the Johns0ns re-
turned t. Barren Island without delay They
reached the spot described by Brownrigg, ana
removed all the money To another hiding place
In the mean time Gibbs and his party wera
bargaining with Samuel Leonard the hotei-
keeper at Sheepshead Bay. TO take them 10 the
city Suddenly Brownrigg declared ne would 90
no further with them, and 10 their CONSERVATION
denounced them as pirates and murder rs. ara
told the whole story OF the crime. Wallnsey pta
10 the woods before the narrative was ilnlsheu.
Gibbs and Dawes were seized and bound by the
innkeeper and his servants. and after they mad
been secured. Justice Van Dyke was sImmoned
and issued warrants for the arrest Of the pirates
The negro, Walmsley was soon after captured III
the woods. and taken back 10 Leonards hotei;
The three men were then taken to The county jail
at Flatbush.
Scarcely had the Johnsons regained their home
when Squire Van Dyke. with Brownrigg as guide.
appeared at the spot where they supposed the
money was still buried. but learned TO their dis
gust and surprise that II was no longer there:
Thereupon the Squire arrested Brownrigg ana
sent him to Flatbush jail Afterward the prison
ers were taken to the New-York Brdewell.
Brownrgg and Dawes turned States evidence;
and indictments being found against Gibbs ana
Walmsey, they were tried and convicted, anu
hanged on April p.
STILL TROUBLE AHEAD.
But there was still trouble over the $1,000 which
the Johnsons had secured. They were visited by
officers OF the law and the agents of the insur-
ance companies. who thoroughly searched their
house from top to bottom. but the money was
still missing. They then went away, and after
ward Johnson and his wife planned to get the
money without the assistance of William. In
the dead Of night. when William was asleep. the
couple stole out and unearthed the treasure from
Its hiding place. They carried II further away
and buried 1t again in two parcels. Williams
rage was fearful when he discovered that the
money had been lost to him. He accused MS
brother OF the theft and then in revenge IN
formed the insurance companies In New-iorK'
who entered suit against John for recovery OF the
money. The case not proved, and John