September 2017 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 25. HISTORY FROM THE PAST - Hancock Gazette - 1827


oppressive to him on deck; he was removed into the cabin, on reaching which, he faint- ed. When he revived, he heard a noise, and looking round, observed that Felix was breaking open his chest. He told him where to fi nd the key which was procured, and the chest opened. His sea-clothes were taken out and thrown overboard, some trifl ing articles were taken with his pocketbook; and a small sum of money. The money was carried to the state room, and put into a common stock, composed of the money they got hold of. (The pocketbook was found in possession of Felix, when taken by the offi cers from Old Point and was in Court.) The witnessed here relates the con-


versation between himself and Tardy as to the improbability of getting to Hamburg without mariners, and with the small stock of provisions they had. It resulted in a de- termination to make to the nearest port in the United States and to take in hands and provisions; and they sailed for St. Mary’s, which they nearly reached – but owing to contrary winds they could not make. The wind was favorable to their going to Sa- vannah or Charleston – but Tardy would not consent to go to either port. He had resided at one place and had failed there in business, and was known in both too well to venture to either. They then determined to sail to the Chesapeake, and barely call at the fi rst port for men and provisions. The witness here gave a long account of what occurred after they entered the Capes, and before they arrived at Old Point. They were spoken by four diff erent pilots all of whom Tardy refused. The last, however, attempted to go on board, and Tardy was induced by the witness to permit it, to prevent suspicion, as the name of the vessel had been eff aced the day after the murder of the crew. But before the pilot boarded, Tardy gave orders to the Spaniards and witness how to deport themselves, so as to avoid the possibility of discovery. He conjured the witness not to betray him, he had saved the witness life and he must be true to him. The witness says he quieted his fears, and was clapped on the breast by Tardy, who declared he was just as him, &c. The other details are unimportant. The vessel having been brought to anchor off old Point Comfort, Tardy announced his intention of going on shore, and promised the witness a good mess of eggs and fresh meat for he had been living on salt provisions long enough. The witness said he had no idea of staying on board himself that night, if by any stratagem he could get ashore. He had seen one or more bundles of iron tied up, and had previously ascertained from Tardy, that they were in readiness to sink the cook when they killed him. The three Spaniards and the cook were sent aloft to reef the sails, and he proposed to Tardy to assist in getting the boat ready, and to bring it alongside for him. His proposition was consented to with some reluctance, and he got into the boat to take out the plug to let the water that was in her escape, and desired that the French passengers should take one rope and Tardy the other and let the boat down. This they did. As soon as she touched the water instead of bringing her alongside, he made for the shore with all his strength. He knew there were no loaded arms on board, and that he was safe. Tardy asked him as he was going off , if he would betray him, he answered no, and hastened to the shore, where he related the sad story to the offi cers in command and entreated them to go on board immediately that they might save the lives of the French- man and the cook. Mr. FERDINAND GINOULHIAC, the


next witness examined, is a native of the province of Languedoc in France, and has resided as a merchant in Matanzas for seven


years. He is a man of good countenance and deportment, and is unable to speak a word of English. He said he knew nothing of the brig CRAWFORD until he took his passage on board of her. Beside himself there were six passengers and the supercargo – Tardy – the three Spaniards – and two men who spoke English. He did not think he had ever before seen Tardy or the Spaniards to know them. His detail of the circumstances and time of sailing, and of the events of the butchery of the Captain and crew, in nearly all the main particulars, corresponded exactly, with the testimony of Mr. Dobson. It is unnecessary to recapitulate those parts of this tragical sto- ry that have been already told. This witness saw some things which Mr. Dobson did not, and as he understands Spanish knew more of the conversation and intentions of the desperados – but we shall omit those parts of his testimony that have been embraced above. He stated that he had come on board with the intention of going to New York to attend to some commercial business in that city. The Spanish passengers told him they had $17,000 on board, were going to New York to purchase a vessel and intended to go to the coast of Africa. On fi rst of June he noticed that the crew were taken sick; the mate (Dobson) being much more so than any of the rest. He did not know the cause, but was told after the massacre by the Spaniards, that the Captain wanted to poison everybody on board, that he might get the money of the passengers. He slept on deck the night of the 1st


June and about 2 or 3 o’clock he


was aroused by a noise on the deck. He found Tardy at the helm near which he lay. It was dark and he could not well distinguish things – but he saw two men struggling two or three yards from him, one of them fell. He did not know who they were; Pepe told him afterwards it was himself killing the captain; but Felix insisted that he had killed the cap- tain – Very soon he saw a man dispatching someone with an ax, and he thought he rec- ognized the voice of Pepe, who afterwards told him it was so. He saw a man coming up from the cabin, and one of the Spaniards stabbed him, and he fell back into the cabin. He recognized him to be the man who spoke English and had a sore on his leg (which was the case, by Mr. Dobson’s testimony, with the Irish passenger.) Felix told him that he had killed him, and that he thought at the time it was Robinson coming up with a gun. At daybreak the witness saw Robinson and the sailor in the water, and confi rmed all that Dobson had said respecting them. When the man was called down from the mast, the Spaniards got around him. Pepe asked the others why they were delaying killing him. Couro replied that he wanted to give him a good and fatal blow, and not to wound him. [The only gleam of mercy that appears in his whole scene of savage barbarity.] Pepe then ran on him and he fell overboard. After daybreak they loaded two guns, called up a man from below, who had something tied around his breast as over a wound, and or- dered him to jump overboard, which he did; and as he went one of them fi red, and as he thinks missed him. The other shot him after he fell in the water. They then hauled up the dead body from the cabin. They examined it, and remarked that the stabbed giving him was the fi nest they had ever seen in all their lives, it had so completely severed the heart. He heard the man fall from the rigging as described by Dobson. The Spaniards, after the butchery was over, ask Tardy why he had not brought them two knives as he had prom- ised – they said all they had were broken, and if anything should happen they would have nothing to defend themselves. Tardy promised to buy them the fi rst time he got to land. The clothes of the Spaniards were


bloody, and they threw them into the sea, as they did most of the clothes of the crew and passengers. Three or four days afterwards, he heard them say that the mate and cook were only fattening to be killed. Tardy as- sumed the command, and Felix was to keep the books and he also had some little knowl- edge of steering. Tardy showed the witness the false papers obtained in Havana for the vessel, and said they cost him 25 doubloons. The reason he gave the witness for saving his life was, that he was his countryman; that he had been a pirate for a great while, and had never injured a Frenchman, and should not commence then. The same pretext was given to this witness as to Dobson, for the massacre, and of the ulterior views of the party. When near St. Mary’s Tardy proposed to let him go on shore, and to give him $50 to bear his expenses by land to New York. He had strong hopes of being spared, until he saw the Spaniards one day making a dirk out of an old knife – but Tardy gave him most solemn assurances of his safety, in which he had some hope, as he recollected how he had made him stand by him at the helm, and pro- tected him during the butchery. He told the same story with the mate as to their arrival in the Chesapeake, the pilots, the conduct of Tardy, and the escape of Dobson in the boat at Old Point Comfort. As soon as Dobson made off in the boat, Tardy appeared to be greatly alarmed, said two or three words to Dobson, who replied in one word – none of which he understood. Tardy then told him he was a lost man. An American vessel had anchored not far off , and Tardy spoke it and obtained from it the use of their long boat to send to the shore for his own, and two hands to row it. In this boat the three Spaniards embarked – but after getting some distance returned, saying they could not get the boat; but Tardy ordered them to proceed, and they did so: but the Spaniards not going where the boat was, Tardy became more alarmed, expressed his dreadful apprehensions of the consequences, and announced his determi- nation to cut his throat. (It was conjectured that the Spaniards were sent off to secure or dispatch Dobson, but preferring their own safety, made their escape.) The witness and Tardy went into the cabin, when the witness took possession of some articles that belonged to him, and then returned on deck. In a few moments he understood from the Negro (the cook,) that Tardy had cut his throat.


Captain N. G. DANA, who was tem-


porarily in command at Old Point, and to whom the story of Dobson had been related, after its extravagance had gain some cre- dence with the subaltern offi cers, gave the necessary orders for Dobson’s confi nement, for boarding the vessel &c. &c. Dobson having told him the vessel was built at Troy, and that her name was eff aced; and having satisfactorily answered a few questions as to the localities of Troy, with which the Captain was acquainted, he went on board with a party of armed men, and found that Tardy was only alive. The Surgeon was sent for who pronounced him beyond the reach of his skill. Necessary measures were then adopted to pursue the Spaniards, to secure the vessel, and to have an inquest over the body of Tardy, who lived but a few minutes. The prisoners had lost no time in eff ecting their escape. They had passed over many creeks and inlets, and over a long and de- vious route; and crossed James River in a canoe near its mouth and penetrated many miles into the interior, round the bays and inlets on the South side, before they were overtaken. They were aiming for Norfolk – and would not have been overtaken but for the praiseworthy zeal and exertions of the party in pursuit, who were aided by the


inhabitants with fresh horses and one or two recruits. Mr. Servant, Col. Jones and Lt. Robert Anderson were examined as to these particulars. Mr. Westwood, the Cus- tom House Offi cer at Hampton, proved the identity of the papers found on board the vessel. An inquest was held over the body of Tardy, and he was buried on the beach at high water mark, with his face downwards. The trial commenced on Monday the , and closed on Wednesday the 18th


16th . On


each day one of the prisoners was tried. In all the cases, the testimony was submitted to the jury without argument from the bar; and the jury, a separate one in each case, after a re- tirement of but a few minutes, returned with a verdict of guilty. On the 20th


Marshall proceeded to deliver the sentence of the Court, Friday the 17th


, Chief Justice of August is the


day fi xed upon for their execution. Previous to sentence being passed, the


Counsel for the prisoners submitted a paper to the Court, signed by Couro, stating that he took passage in the Crawford, with $6,000, with the intention of purchasing a vessel in New York, and go thence to the Coast of Africa; and declaring that all he had been accused of by the mate and the Frenchman was false. A similar paper, signed by Felix, was also submitted. Felix states that he knew nothing of the occurrence till the next morning, because he was asleep! They both prayed for a suspension of judgment, as they would desirous of procuring proofs of their character and good standing from their friends and relations in Havana. The Judge assured them that every indulgence should be extended to them that it was possible to grant; and that facilities would be given them to communicate with their friends. He at the same time recommended it to them to think of the awful situation in which they were placed. Felix and Couro seemed af- fected by their sentence, but Pepe remained unmoved.]


DEFEAT AND BUTCHERY OF THE GREEKS


… A fi ne corvette, of 18 guns, built at


Marseilles for the Pacha of Egypt, was said to have been captured by a Greek brig. Nearly all the national vessels at Toulon


were preparing for sea with greatest expe- dition. Various rumors were afl oat on the subject.


MARINE LIST Port of Belfast Arrived


August 2 – schooners DECATUR,


Wainwright, Gloucester; FALCON, Turner, New York; ARKANSAS, Camden; RAB- BIT, Welch, Boston. August 5th – schooners BOSTON


PACKET, Shute, Boston; ALPHA, Parsh- ley, from a fi shing voyage; REINDEER, Salem; sloops MORNING FLOWER, Orleans; WILLIAM & HENRY, Johnson, Portland.


August 6th – schooner MORNING


STAR, Salem; sloop CALHOUN, of Brookhaven, from Boston. Cleared


August 4th Boston.


– schooner RAPID, Alley, * * * * *


Capt. Dickey, of the schooner AMER-


ICA, mentioned on the opposite page, has arrived at Northport with his vessel. He has received a severe cut upon his head, and he states that the other man is very severely wounded and he thinks it doubtful if he ever recovers.


* * * * * We learn that the schooner JUDITH,


Capt. Silas Parker of Northport on Friday night last, on the passage from Boston home


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32