The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-07
A SEA TRAGEDY OF 1910.
THE EXECUTION or MLDsHIPMAN
SPENCER FOR MUTINY.

OF the United states brig senaers with Tive
other Members or the Crow. witheut Trial
and Leudiy Protesting M. Isnoccncc.
New York nowadays 10 seldom At . loss for .
sensational occurrence. or an event that sets
tongues wanging. But hall q century ago
its much gossiped about events were few and
far between Then the city did not have a
yellow fever journalism. a. now. that invented
sensations in default OF actual once. Where
fore when. during the closing month Of the
year 1912. THE SUN announced that the brig
Somers. belonging 10 the navy. had anchored
In our bay. returning from her cruise without
q midshipman who was the son Of John c.
Spencer. then Secretary OF war-and q boat.
swain's mate and An ordinary seaman. who
had started with the brig. and that the reason
for their absence was that they had been
hanged at the yardarm without trial by order
OF Commander Alexander Slidell Mackenzie.
the community was greatly excited. The eI-
element was deepened when. = few days later.
II was made known that Secretary of War
Spencer. the father OF the midshipman. was
Frustrated BY tho intelligence. and that Presi-
dent Tyler and other mcmbers of the Cabinet
seemed greatly shocked. Inquiries made by
Sun reporters were simply answered by state.
mcnts that o mutiny had been fomented by
the three who had been executed. and that
only by such prompt punishment had Com
mander Mackenzie. Lieu. Gansevoort, Purser
Heiskel. Quartermaster Rogers. Surgeon Lee
cnck, and Midshipmea Hayes. Rogers, Thomp-
son. and T~illotsvn been saved from conteu
plated murder. primarily iustieated by Mid
shipman Philip Spencer. The sensation deep
ened when finally IL became known that he had
planned, through the mutiny and the murders.
70 convert the brig into n pirate vessel and
tcour the seas tor prey.
The officers Of the Somers, however. declined
TO talk fisely about the AFFAIR. because re-
strained by Official and professional etiquette.
but some OF the crow were communicative. 80
that LITTLE by little the details Of the tragedy
became known and as more particulars became
public popular excitement increased all over
New York and adjacent cities. Those details
almost Immediately became matters OF rec
ord through a court Of inquiry held on board
the United States frigate North Carolina. lying
In our port. Not only was the tragedy thus
conspicuous in puLllc regard because Of the re-
lationship OF the condemned midshipman 70 the
Cabinet officer. but also because Comr ander
Mickenzie had already been notable In liter
AIRY circles as anthor OF several hooks Of travel,
and also ~ politically no able as being the brother
OF Congressman job. Slidell OF New Orleans
he who. twenty years later. while = Confederate
COMMISSIONER. Whb Chplureu Ou me
steamer Trent by Commodore wilkes. and was
the occasion Of a serious diplomatic contro-
versy between England and the Washington
administration
The press OF the whole Union, as the mails
arrived. came TO discuss the e. aged some news
papers maintaining tbst the execution OF the
alleged ringlcsdcrs of the alleged mutiny, with
out n hearing and on the ,pse drit OF Comman-
der Mackenzie. aided by the advice OF his ON
GERS. was n cowardly murder; whilo other editors
upheld his action as the Consequence of neces-
sary discipliI e. The court Of inquiry and sub
sequent court-martial wers hastened by tho
demand not only OF Commander Mackenzie.
but also OF Secretary Spencer. who became
anxious TO have the slayer OF his son punished.
The commander was tho youngest son OF
John Slidell, Sr. ,who had long been an esteemed
merchant and manufacturer OF this city.
prominent In its society and IN It's politics. for
he had been . Tammany Sachein. Tho COM
mander. also well known IN New York society.
had Ave years before this So ners tragedy taken
the name OF Mackenzie at the request Of his
mothers brother. who made It's adoption tho
condition OF . large legacy to the commander.
his favorite relative.
The somers had set ont on a cruise around
the West Indies In order TO train for the navy
a number OF cadets, or. as they were th-n
termed. naval apprentices. The brig was Of
o66 tons and the ~feetest sailer In the navy.
After leaving Norfolk with dispatches for tho
frigate Vandalia, cruising of the western coast
OF Africa. Commander Mackenzie had made
the Azores. touching at Madeira and next at
TeneriIe. but not encounteriug the friRate he
continued on to Liberia. where II wa. reported
that the vandalia hid already sailed for home.
He left tho sealed despatches with q consular
agent and next directed his course toward 81.
Thomas. intending 10 there procure supplies.
Waile nearing the West Indies on the night OF
Nov. 25 the purser's steward, John w. Wales,
was encountered by Midshpman Spencer on
deck. In n mysterious manner Spencer asked
Wales to get on top OF tho booms with him.. as
he had a matter of Importance TO communicate.
No sooner were the two seated out OF hearing
rom d TEX than. according To the extraordinary
testimony of Wales. M!dshipman Spencer
abruptly opened conversation by asking In .
sepulchral voice:
Are you afraid OF death7 Do You fear .
dead mann Dare YOU kill anybody
Wales having answered negatively, Spencer
asked Wales 20 raise his hand and swear to
God he would never reveal what the midship-
man would now tell. him. Wales, stimulated
by curiosity. took the oath which this boy OF
nineteen nd ministeryd, and WAS then informed
that Spencer. was. as rlngleader. leagued with
twenty of the brig's company TO mitigate a
sHuTn hiurIn hlu N Heut bVEnt nlRut NJ ma
watch, seize the deck officer. throw him over
boarc. kill all tho Officers. and m p,r-
acy. Spencer outlined the plan with great
circumstantiallty, aad told how much money
was already On board the brig. and how rich
prizes would be soon captured. Spencer asked
Wales 10 Join. Wales. with iaental rererva-
tions that had begun with his oath. promised to
consider the proposition, and TO make his as
sent or dissent know. the next day.
Now, n meanwhile concluded Spencer.
you blow on us. and every noyement OF yours
shall be watched. your life Will not bs worth q
minutes purchase"
On the blowing morning Wales repeated
the story TO his superior, the purser, who. In
turn. told II TO the Fist Lieutenant The lat
GER Immediately visited Commander MIckrnziH
and impaired Wsles's story to him. When
the commander heard It,. TO quots what he
afterward testified about the matter. II re-
garded the story as monstrOus and improba-
bic, and became under the impression that
Spencer had been reading ~piratical tales and
was amusing himself with Wales"
Nevertheless, Mackenzie thought he would
watch Spencer. and soon found him examining
| the charts and making minutes with n reycii.
Next Spencer was found asking the sailing
master III" rate. or tn" chronometer. while he
| seemed unusually chummy with the crew.
Mackenzie concluded on the next day 70 exam
| Inc spencer himself. The latter Immediately
admitted the conversation with Wales. vet de-
clAred IL was all a Joke: but Mackenzie an
swerel that he must make further INQUIRIES.