Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-12
miscellaneous Rsaaing.
FAMOUS HANGING AT SEA.
Execution Of Naval Cadets Recalled by
Death of Captains Daughter.

Execution Of Naval Cadets Recalled by
Death Of Captains Daughter.
The death at Morristown, N. J., on
July 13, Of Harriet Duer Slidell Mac
kenzie, says the New York Sun. re-
calls a stirring incident in the life of
her father, Commander Alexander 8.
Mackenzie, who was In charge Of the
United States brig Of war somers
when the so-called mutiny Of 1912 oc-
Cured and when Philip Spencer, the
son of President Tyler's secretary Of
war, and two other lads were hanged
at the yardarm for completely In the
alleged plot to kill the officers and
seize the ship with view to turning
pirates. The affair aroused the whole
country when the details became
known, but Mackenzie was acquitted
when tried by courtmartial. Macken-
zie is said to have died insane and his
lieutenant, Gansevoort, who first
brought him the story of the plot to
seize the ship, was reported to have
died by his own hands.
Mackenzie was young officer of
some note both through his family's
prominence and through the publica-
tion Of a book ne wrote about travels
In Spain. The Somers sailed from
New York with a crew Of 120 men
and carried In addition ninety-six ap-
prentices who had been sent out to be
schooled for service in the navy.
Among them was young Spencer,
whose father had put him In the navy
with the hope Of tanning him down.
He was the life Of the ship and great
favorite of the seamen, but the COM
mander distrusted him because he had
acquired the vices Of idle rich young
men and he had been sent back home
in disgrace from the South American
squadron for intemperance.
On November 26, 1842, Purser
Heiskell was told by his steward, Mr..
Wales, of the details of the al
legged plot to seize the vessel. He
said Spencer had told him on the
night before, under an oath Of secre-
cy, that he and several others had
bound themselves together in cabal
to murder the officers and most OF
the crew and to sail the Spanish
Main. Spencer told him, he said.
that he was to have ten others with
him and that they would sail to the
Isle Of Pines, where he had number
of confederates. and thence on a free
booters' cruise. The boys plan was to
attack no vessel that ne was not cer-
tain to capture and to scuttle every
prize, sparing only the lives Of such
women as the crew wished to take
with. them.
Spencer asserted to his dying day
that the story was merely hoax
which he told to Wales, the landlub-
ber and the butt Of the ship, just to
have fun with him. II that was the
case 1t turned out to be serious joke
for the boy. The purser reported
what he had heard TO Lieut.. Ganse-
WORT, who in turn carried the infor-
nation to Captain Mackenzie. AZ
first the commander was incredulous
and ridiculed the socalled plot as a
romance concocted by the boy after
reading pirate tales. At that time
there were no signs Of mutiny and
the discipline, as the log Of the vessel
showed, was excellent. But after a
while the commander seemed to have
got scared and he detailed Ganseyoort
to watch Spencer.
The lieutenant made a report that
caused the captain to believe that
there was a real conspiracy on foot.
The report embodies fourteen charges
aimed at Spencer. some Of them SO
trivial that no attention would be paid
to them in ordinary times, but they
convinced Mackenzie that the boy In
tended to start mutiny and that the
lives Of all the officers were in danger
The report charged among other
things that Spencer had tried to con-
suit the chart, had asked about the
Isle of Pines. had tried to learn the
rate of the chronometer, had nightly
conferences with some Of the crew,
had sworn pretty roundly when talk
ing Of Mackenzie. had employed Wales
to steal brandy from the ward room
mess, on which, the captain alleges,
he got drunk, and had practiced palm
istry aboard, predicting the untimely
and tragic death Of one man. More
over, the report said. Spencer has ex-
ercised an unheard Of power OF throw
ing his jaws out of joint and by con-
tact Of the bones playing a variety
of elegant airs for the delectation and
seduction of the crew.
Mackenzie was always frank to ad-
nit that he did not like the boy. There
were two Of the captains relatives
aboard who also had no love for him
The captain afterwards testified that
he feared that Spencer would contain
mate the morals of the crew and for
that reason he had been anxious. to
keep him off the boat before she sail
ed on the cruise. The boat was OH
the coast of Africa on the return trip
when the socalled plot was discovered
When Spencer was accused by the
captain Of being at the head of the
conspiracy the boy laughed and said
the whole thing was only a joke.
well, 1t is a joke that may cost
you your life," replied the captain
grimly. Therefore the youth was ar
rested, double ironed, handcuffed and
forced to crawl feet first into bag
He lay on the deck in this condition
until the day he was hanged. The
bag was closed around his neck In
the day and over his head at night.
Besides there was always sentinel
on duty, day and night. with orders to
shoot the prisoner II he attempted to
speak to any one.
When the effects Of Spencer were
searched a piece of paper was found
on which was inscribed in Greek char
acters the names Of Spencer, Wales
and Mckinley, the boy who made UP
the officers cots, and the name Of An
drews, which was borne by no one
aboard. Following these were ten
names marked doubtful and eighteen
rnarkad nolens yolens. Cromwell and