The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-10-20

His Confession Was Made to One of
the Owners of the yesseI-Negroes
Will be Brought to Wilmington
Neutrality-suspicious. Berwind is
at the Skinner Shipyard for Re-
pairs.
The three desperate negroes who
were in mutiny On board the schooner
Harry A. Berwind, and killed Iive
members of the crew, will be brought
to Wilmington Wednesday, orders hav-
ing been received to this effect by
United States Commissioner Collier
yesterday. The schooner Berwind was
brought to this port yesterday and is
at the Skinner shipyard where she
will undergo certain repairs that ore
necessar before she can proceed On
her course to Philadelphia.
On Sunday Captain David S. Stetson,
of Philadelphia, agent for the
schooner Berwind, visited the Jail
in Southport and had a talk with
Scott, Adams and Sawyer and in the
conversation Scott confessed to being
implicated in all the murders except
the killing Of Captain Rumill. Cap
tain StetsOn says he approached Scott
and told him to tell the truth about
the horrible affair and the bloodthirsty
negro then tod his story.
He began by saying that at the trial
he lied and so did Adams and Sawyer
but, be said, Il am now going to tell
the truth. l know l am going to be
hanged and it makes no difference, Or
l don't believe in the Bible any way"
The plot he said was planned while
they were taking on the cargo at Mo-
bile and was to be executed on the
trip to Philadelphia. When off the
North Carolina coast they de-
cided to put their plans into xec
ton. On Tuesday morning, the 10th OF
October, he says that Adams and Saw
yer were to go on watch at 4 o'clock
and at that time Captain Rumill was
to relieve the engineer so as he could
get some sleep. The vessel was leak
ing and it vas necessary to keep the
pumps going. According to SCOTS
statement Adams and Sawyer were to
make way with the captain and as
as he was missed it was to be a
sign to murder the other white men,
consisting of tie mate, engineer and
cook. He denies knowing anything
about the murder of the captain, hut
says he aided In the murder of the
mate, engineer, cook and also killed
Cokely. a negro sailor. The captain
was forward at the engines and it
was there that Adams and Sawyer
were on watch and it would have beer
easy matter for them to have killed
him and thrown the body overheard.
After the captain had been disposed
of the murder of the others began. 1t
was about four hours, according to rho
statement of the negroes, from The
time the captain disappeared until he
last nan was killed. Scott says their
plan was to lower a yawl boat, set the
boat on fire and make for shore, put
when the time came Cokely, Adams
and Sawyer would not follow this
course. Scott had lowered the line and
found the depth and he was salts
fled they were near land. 1t was when
he endeavored to make the men lower
and enter the yawl boat, he says, that
they rebelled against him.
In confederation of the truthfulness
of his confession, he said to Captain
Stetson, "Now if you will look at this
from a reasonable standpoint.
There were four white men and three
negroes besides myself aboard and does
IL 1n0E q SON h1o ~ tho fhroo no0rncC
Cokely, Adams and Sawyer, had been
in sympathy with the white sailors
that I could have overcome them all.
And even after the captain was killed
does it look reasonable that | could
overcome the six remaining men,
if they had resisted?"
The fact is, Scott says, that it was
the intention of all to end the lives Of
the white men.
When the sailors refused to obey
Scott and lower the yawl boat he says
that they caught him and tied hin,
the poop deck. Soon after
this Cokely raised the signal of dis
tress. Scott was tied in such a man
ner that he could not rise and the ne
groes threw a blanket and coat over
him. Cokely was at the wheel steering.
and Scott called to him and wanted
him to get him some water. ThisCokely
did and as he leaned I'VE Scott to
hand him the cup the bound negro
managed to pull a pistol from his
pocket and shot Cokely, who fell on
top Of him, where he died.
The captains log shows that he lad
had trouble with both Scott and Saw
year and that Scott had threatened his
life and told him that he had best be-
ware before he reached Philadelphia.
HAD A BAD RECORD.
Captain Hewett, who is here with
Captain Stetsou. and is owner of
the schooner Harry A Berwind, vas
on the Berwind until a few years ago.
About q year ago he took q trip en-