Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-06
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY
THE BURNING OF THE GAsPE.

One of the first overt acts of resistance that took place in the American struggle l for liberty occurred in 1772 in the waters 1 of Rhode Island. vessel of war had been stationed on the coast to enforce the laws, and a small schooner with a light armament and 27 men, called the Gaspe was employed as a tender to rSn into the | shallow waters of Narra gansett bay. On the 17th of June, 1F72, a Provi- dence packet that piled between New York and Rhode Island, named the Han nah, and commanded by Captain Lin zee, hove in sight of the man-of-war on | her passage up the bay. The Hannah was ordered to heaye-to in order to be ex- afniHed, but her master refused to com l ply, and being favored by fresh south | eriy breeze that was fast sweeping him out of guilshot the Gaspe was signalled l to follow.
 The chase continued for 25 miles. when 1 the Hannah, coming up with a bar, with which her master was familiar, and draw | ing less water than the schooner, Captain 1 Ldnzee led the latter on shoal. where she struck. The Gaspe was not in a con- dition to be removed for several hours. l The news was circulated in Providence and towards evening the town drummer assembled a crowd. They embarked in
 eight launches and taking with them a quantity of paving stonesj they pulled down the river in body. On nearing the Gaspe, about in the morning. the boats were hailed by a sentinel on deck. This man was driven below by a volley of the stones. Then conflict followed that was short, the schooner's people being l soon Knocked down and secured. Ali on 1 board were put into the boats and the Gaspe was set on fire. Towards morning she Blew up.
 On being informed of this event Gov ernor Wanton issued proclamation or dering diligent Search for persons having a knoWledge of the crime. and offering s
 reward of $500 flor the discovery of the
 perpetrators of said villiany, to be paid
 immediately upon the conviction of any
 one or more of them"
 Admiral Montague also made endeayors to discover the ineendiafies Afterward
 the home government offered a reward of S5,Oo0 for the leader and S2;50o to any person who. would discover the other par.
 ties' With the promise of pardon should
 the informer be an accompiice. A com mission 6f inquiry, under the great sea Of England. was established, which sal , from the 4th until the 22d of January , 17I3. It then adjourned until the 2eft Of May, when it assembled and sat unti the 23d of June.
 But no ta solitary clew to the identiti
 Of the perpetrators could be obtained
 notwithstanding so many of them wer.
 known to the people. This seems extra 1 ordinary, for it is asserted that on tb, morning after the affair a young ma,
 named Justin Jacobs pafaded on th,
 Grand Bridge" place of much resor
 in Providence, with Lieutenant Dudding : tons gold lace beaver on his head. de tailing all the particulars of the transac
 ton to a circle around him.
 1 In song written at the time. an, composed of 5s lines of dosgerei verse Is ingeniously given the history of tn affair. It closes with the following ailu
 sion to the rewards offered:
 Now. for to find these people out, S King George has offered vefy stout,
 One thousand pounds to find out one
 That wounded William Duadinetef. One thousand more he says he'll sparA. For those who say the sheriff's vera One thousand more there doth remain :. For to find out the leaders name
 Likewise five hundred pounds per man . For anyone of all the clan.
 i. But let him try his utmost skill.
 I'm apt to think he never will
 Find out any of those hearts of gold
 Though he should offer ffty-feld."
 The price of treachery on the par+ , .- any accomplice wodld have meant exil t rom home and country; and the profff It of reward was not adequate to Such
 sacrifice, even though weak moral Sri,
 eiples Of strong ifiqiisitiveness had bee
 tempted into compliance., The commit l. sieners closed their inquiry on the s3I n of June, and further inquiry was nt s attempted As a result none of thos
 Ths took part in the burning of II
 Gas9e were ever apprehended. l. T tTomorrow-odd Case of William Te, il nent.)