The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-06-12

bc Sentenced.
The mandate from the United States
supreme court denying a new trial in
the case Of Robert Sawyer and Arthur
AdHms was received yesterday by the
clerk Of the federal court in this city.
This adds another chapter to the ia
nous mutin case which wa trie
in the federal court last November
and resulted i'll three negro sailors be-
Ing found guilty of mutiny and SELL
1enced TO be hanged on the 26th Of
January, last. Two of the mutinerrs,
Robert Sawyer and Arthur Adams, ap-
peaIed u ths United States supreme
court for new trial and able counsel
was employed to represent them. LO-
caIly, Mr.. George l.. Peschau and Mr.
George ROuntree were their ATTORNEYS
and trouble Washington city attor-
neys were employed. But the work
OF the attorneys failed to get them
new trial and a few weeks ago the
sad tId1ngs came to them that the su-
preme court had refused to grant a
new trial This sounded their funeral
knell, for they had appealed to the
highest court in the land and that
court mad refused to grant them an
OLher nearing before Il jury. When the
Two prisoners We're told that their
tate was sealed it affected them deep
~ and we'll 1t might, for it cut off all
nope on this earth for freedom and
carried with 1t not Imprisonment but
" ueath. No chance have they had to
escape Tor guard has watched them
closely since soon after they were
tried. Through the long nights OF
winter he sat near with a light shin
ing near and by his side Winchester
rifle Through the hot nights of sum-
mer he is also in the close corridor
and by him a rifle. But were no guard
near it is impossible to see how the
prisoners could escape for they are
confined in the safest cells in the Jail
and are also in irons.
At the former term of federal court
Judge Purnell adjourned court until
June 18th, but on yesterday notice was
received by the clerk that the time
for c0nvening court had been postpOn-
ed until the 10Th. The term was al
jOurned so that Adams and Sawyer
could be sentenced for the decision ,)f
the supreme court was handed down
while the court was in session. 1t is
customary although there is no law
requiring it, to allow a prisoner thirty
days at least. Such being the case,
it is very probable that Adams and
Sawyer will be sentenced to be hang
ed about the goth of July. It is nor
thought probable that more than 80
days will be given after the sentence.
The prisoners are to be hanged in the
New Hanover Jail.
Henry Scott, who was tried at the
time of Adams and Sawyer, and also
sentenced to be hanged was respitei
by the president until the 9th of July,
and there is no reason to believe tha.
the president will interfere. Scott was
an important witness in the case
against Adams and Sawyer, in fact
he was the only witness, and he was
respited so that if a new trial was
given that he could testify. He will
probably be hanged on the 9Th of July,
and as a rule the noon hour is chOeen.
Not so much is known of Adams and
Sawyer's record on other vessels than
on which the horrible tragedy occur
red-the Harry S. Berwind-but more
than one captain has been heard to
speak Of Scott and none give him
good name. The captain of the Ill
fated schooner, Myrtle Tunnel, which
went ashore on the Frying Pan Shoals
and was deserted, came to Wilmington
after leaving his vessel and while here
was told of the mutineerS and he stat
ed that he knew Scott and that at one
time he was (Scoot) of crew Of
a vessel of which he was master. lie
spoke of Scott as being a very bad ne
gro.
The history of the crime was given
in detail in the Messenger at the time
Of the horrible occurrence. It will be
remembered that five members of the
crew of the schooner Harry S. Ber-
wind We're murdered and thrown Ove--
board and there is every reason to be
Heve that they met the most horrible
death The schooner Blanche King
sighted the Berwind, which was flying
a distress signal and when the vessel
was boarded Adams, Sawyer and Scott
were found on board. Scott claimed
that Adams and Sawyer killed the
men and they said Scott did it. They
were carried to Southport and later
brought to this city and given triai
in the federal court, with result stated
above.
The official mandate notifying this
court of a new trial being refused
reads as follows:
United States of America. S.,
The President of the United States Of
America,
10 the Honorable, the Judges of the