Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-08-27

MISSING PAPERS PRESENTED IN COURT.
sells, ono evidently In pursuit, and the
other in flight. The former vessel an
swered in every way TO the description he
had received OF the piraticai American
schooner. While under full head of sail.
the pursuing schooner carried 10 Gag.
The vessel being pursued had at the fore
mast the stars and stripes
y : soon as the English man of war canle
IN sight the pursuing schooner tried to
make for the shore, but She WIS soon over
hauled, u shot from the man -of-war fore
ing her TO stop her way and to permit q
beat 10 be sent aboard
Captain Briggs asserted that his mission
was peaceful; that he was an American
sailor, and that he had his clearance pa
pcrs from Baltimore TO tho Dutch port Of
Curacao. The officer from The nian-of
war demanded TO see tho Nancy's papers,
but they We're not forthcoming, nor could
Captain Briggs find them.
Under the circumstances tho only course
was to take the Nancy TO Kingston charged
with piracy. Under the maritime laws
then and row prevailing if the vessel was
condemned as u pirate the officers and
crew would be executed and the ship and
cargo would be turned over as q prize to
the captOrS
The American pirate conducted his own
case. When asked to explain why he was
so far out of his course when overhaulcd,
he said:
My vessel is only 300 tons. We reached
the west end OF Cuba on our way south
when we were struck by the return trade
winds and Were forced up to the southern
extremity of Haiti. L was not acquainted
with that coast, nor had L charts that
would enable me to make a harbOr. The
vessel which it is claimed was in pursuit
of was simply trying to overhaul in or
der to obtain water. This vessel flOated
the American flag, and when it is asked
why did not do the same have only to
say that there are only three times when
tho captain of u mercnantman is com
polled to show his flag The first is on
tering ~ port, the second * on leaving
port and the third when signaling ship
at sea The vessel l was trying to over
haul in order to obtain water could not
have seen my flag, nor any flag, simply
because was approaching her head on.
She may have mistaken me for q pirate
but Il is for this court to say whether
a schooner like the Nancy, with only seven
men and the captain on hoard, is at all
calculated for piratic,,l eziss ;itiCns
81 cannot explain the absence oil The pa
pers. am an American sailor ard have
tried TO do my full duty. Whether the pa
pers are present or absent ask before you
condemn me, or even before you set me
free, for l want no stain upon nay char
acter, that you communicate with tho
owners of the schooner Nancy at Balti
more"
The very best lawyers in the city were
confident that Captain Briggs would go
clear, for his own defense was maSterful,
and without the missing papers the charge
of piracy could not he sustained. At this
point the war brig Abergavenny arrived
in the harbor from the south coast of
Haiti, but attracted no attention.
a few minutes more ana the gaVel OF
the Judge would announce the closing Of
the court and TO Briggs the favorable end
ing of the trial. In the meantime an Off
Ger in undrcss uniform entered the court.
and, advancing to the bench, laid before
the Judge bundle of water stained docu-
M snts They proved to be tho missing
papers OF the schooner Nancy
A few days before this tender of the
Abergavenny in fishing off the coast of
Haiti struck a shark. The shark was
taken on board the Abergavenny. There |
it was cut open in order that the sailors !
might secure the liver for the sake Of the |
oil which il Is Known to contain.
Great was the surprise of these rude dis
sectors at finding in the stomach of the |
shark a bundle of papers These papors
were the records of the schooner Nancy. |
which Captain Briggs had thrown over
board when he found that he was being |
oyerhauled.
The evidence was overwhelming. Con
frontcd with this testimony from she sea.
brave though he was, all :hc courage and \
GOODNESS of the American skipper depart
cd. Feeling that heaven had arrayed its
powers against him, Captain Briggs con-
fessed his gEiit-
The outcome Of the trial was that Cap
tain Briggs and his crew Of seven men
were found guilty OF piracy and soon aft
erward were executed in accordance with |
the law by hanging from the masss of the
vessel ON which they had recently sailed