The Sun. — 1864-02-03 (London, England)

OLD COURT. THE MURDERS AND PIRACY ON THE HIGH SEAS.  This morning, in consequence of it becoming known that the eight prisoners charged with the murder of six persons on board the ill-fated ship Flowery Land would take their trial, the court was crowded in every part. Immediately the Judges, Mr, Baron Bramwell and Mr. Justice Shee, took their seats on the bench, The prisoners John Lyons, Barcelia la Santos, Mursto Durand, Francisco Blanco, Manilla men; Marco Varta, Mareelliano, Miguel Lopez, and George Carlos, were placed in the dock, and all pleaded not guilty. The Solicitor-General and Mr. Giffard prosecuted; the prisoners generally were defended by counsel engaged by their respective Consuls.  The Solicitor-General, in opening the case, said—The prisoners at the bar formed a portion of the crew of a ship belonging to Mr. Ker, called the Flowery Land, bound from Loudon to Singapore, and commanded by Captain George Smith. After the vessel had been at soa some time fault was found with the prisoners on accouat of th it lazy habits, and the captain on one occasion struck 0113 of the prisoners, and called him a lazy son of a b--. On the 10th of September, 1863, James Early, the ship's boy, and two of the crew, a Frenchman and a Norwegian, who occupied the house on deck were aroused in their beds by hearing a great disturbance on deck, and one of them, the lad Early, went forward to ascertain what was the cause of the disturbance, when the first thing that met his view was the body of the captain's brother lying dead by the companion ladder. He afterwards found the dead body of the captain in his cabin, and the lad would be able to identify some of the prisoners who were then present in the cabin. The prisoners had subsequently murdered the first mate, and the steward, whom they had compelled to take to one of the boats, was so pelted with missiles that the craft went over, and he was drowned, as it was supposed, as nothing had ever since been heard of him. They afterwards scuttled the ship, and at the time the vessel was being wilfully de. greyed the cook and lamptrimmer were known to be on board, and as the prisoners refused all escape to them, it was supposed—and there appeared to be little doubt in the matter—that the ill dated individuals went down with the ship. It was not known for certain where this took place, but it was within seven days sail of Monte Video. When the prisoners, with Early and Taffar, the second mate, got to Monte Video, the Loy and the second mate made their escape, and wandered about for more than 20 miles inland before they could meet with any person to whom they could communicate the horrible tragedy. Fortunately the boy Early met a person to whom he was able to communicate the affair, and the authorities of Monte Video having instantly been made aware of the transaction, a guard was immediately sent out and the whole of the prisoners were secured, He should prove that the prisoners were all on board the ship at the time the murders were committed, and when the witnesses were examined the jury would be of opinion that the case was clearly made out against the whole of them.  The first witness called was William Taffir, the second mate. He repeated the whole of the evidence he gave at Bow-street Police Court, which was reportad verbatim in The Sun on the day of examination.