Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE.

[ocr errors]

law. They had all heard a good deal within the last three or four years of the foreign enlistment act, the object of which was to enable the government faithfully to fulfil all the duties of a neutral state towards other countries, with whom we were at peace, but who were, unhappily, at war. That act, however, had reference to different things-to equipment and to enlistment and it was of importance not to confound them. It was one thing to be concerned in the equipment of a ship to prey upon the merchant service of one of the belligerents, and quite another thing to be engaged in endeavoring to procure men for either of the belligerents. There were some matters which might raise a prejudice against the defendant, but which were not at all relevant to the real question at issue. It did not follow that because at one period or point of time the defendant was aware of the destination of the vessel, that, therefore, he was so from the beginning, or that even if he were so he had tried to induce any of the men to enlist. That the vessel did in the result enter into the confederate service was too clear to admit of doubt. Who were the persons by whom the ship was destined for the service was not known. At all events the defendant was not charged with it. If he had been supposed to know of it he could have been indicted for it. that he did not know of it, and had no part in it. And it was fair to assume provided the vessel for the service would probably keep it a secret from every one else. Whoever it was who had destined and was probable that the young gentleman on board might have been in the secret, and not the defendant. It was proved that he said after reaching Madeira, "I've sold the vessel to the It confederates," and more than one witness for the Crown stated that what he added was only this, "Those who like to join may do so; those who don't may return. the jury would be-are you satisfied that he made use of any persuasions or inducements to procure these men to enlist in the service? The question for whether he knew from the first the real destination of the vessel. But what was there to That would in a great degree depend upon show that he did? And what was there then to show that when he engaged the men in London he meant that they should enter into the confederate service? Why, there was nothing to show that at that time he knew the destination of the vessel. Very likely he was ready to sell it to some one, and did not know for what purpose. from his subsequent knowledge of it, a previous knowledge of it on his part. And even if And it would be unfair to infer, he had such knowledge and intention on his part, was it not necessary that there should be the same knowledge and intention on the part of the seaman engaged? The indictment had been framed, no doubt, with great ingenuity to avoid this and other legal objections on the part of the defendant. No one could say that the government of this country had not done their best to preserve its neutrality in the late war. cutions; whether they had failed or succeeded depended upon the juries who tried the cases, They had instituted several prosenot on the government. They, at all events, had done their duty in the matter. They had done their best in this and in other cases to convict. assistance of able and skilful law officers, who had framed an indictment containing a variety In this, as in other cases, they had the of counts, shaping the offence in every possible way so as to meet or avoid all legal objections, as far as possible, on the part of the defendant. be, did the defendant anywhere do anything in violation of the act? There were subordinate The main question, however, would points of law or fact arising out of that main question, but the points of law are to be re

served.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. There is the question of fact, whether or not the ship, at the time of the alleged attempt, was a British vessel, or whether she had not already become really a confederate vessel.

Mr. JAMES. No doubt.

and whether he did really, in any place, attempt to induce the men to enlist, or whether the The main question, however, will be as to the defendant's acts, real attempts were not made by the American officers.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. It is of course impossible to exclude the question whether the attempts were not made by the American officers, who certainly were very active and energetic in their endeavors.

Mr. JAMES. Just so. That will be one of the grounds of defence. The evidence for the prosecution has shown that the American officers were very energetic in their endeavors to induce the men to enlist. one of the crown witnesses gave, was it not more probable that all he said was to state the And taking the version of the defendant's words, which more than option which the men had, and that all the attempts to induce the men to enlist were really made by the American officers? defendant endeavor to induce the men to enlist in the confederate service, or did he engage At all events, this was the main question of fact. Did the men with a view to their being thus enlisted? Crown this was far from being established, but that, on the contrary, there was much in it to He contended that even in the case for the raise a probability that the case was otherwise, and he should now supplement this evidence by calling witnesses on the part of the defendant, who, he believed, would show beyond doubt the defendant had not known of the ultimate destination of the vessel when he engaged the men for the vessel in this country, and that he had not used any attempts or endeavors abroad to induce the men to enlist in the confederate service.

Evidence was then gone into for the defence.

a

The first witness called was Hensman, who had been alluded to repeatedly in the crossexamination of the witnesses for the Crown as having engaged them in conversation with regard to the evidence they might give. Having given the particulars of some previous vo

ages in the vessel, which appeared to have been purely mercantile, he proceeded to state his engagement for the voyage now in question, which he said was to Bombay, as first mate, and his sailing to Madeira, where the Laurel was signalled. Being asked when he first heard of the sale of the vessel, he said that about an hour after he left Madeira in company of the Laurel he heard from the purser that he expected it to be sold. The captain of the Laurel (Captain Ramsay) told the defendant where to anchor at the Desertes island. When the two vessels were alongside, Captain Waddell came on board in plain clothes. After this Captain Corbett came and said he had sold the ship.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL submitted whether this sort of evidence would be admissible; that is, evidence on behalf of the defendant of things said by himself. In that way it was manifest that any amount of evidence might be made on his behalf.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE said he doubted whether strictly the evidence would be admissible; but he thought it would be only right to hear all that the defendant was stated to have said.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL said that this being his lordship's opinion, as he did not desire to put the case upon strict technical grounds, he should not press his objection.

The examination of the witness was then resumed, and he stated that the defendant told him that some time before he had orders from the owners to sell the vessel, and that he had now found a market for her, and that the crew should be told that they might go home in the Laurel, and their luggage had better be removed into that vessel. This was before the preparations were made for loading, and it was after this that some men came from the Laurel to make those preparations. The witness then produced and identified the log-book, in which was the entry signed by himself, by the defendant, by James Smith, second mate, and by J. Elliott, first engineer:

"October 18. The screw steamer Sea King has this day been sold and handed over to James Waddell, her present master.

The witness further stated that just after the conversation with the defendant he told the crew what he had heard, and desired them to assist in getting the luggage in, in order to get home sooner. The men worked (he said) until near one in the morning.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. With what object?

The witness said it was to get the deck clear as soon as they could; he had no express orders as to the hours of work, and gave none; but the general orders from the captain were to get it over as soon as possible. In the morning the defendant told him to see that the men packed up quickly and got on board the Laurel. He accordingly told the men so, but they seemed reluctant to leave the ship until they had some explanation from the captain, i. e., the defendant, and witness reported this to the defendant, who then ordered them to be called together.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL observed that the Crown witnesses had not been asked anything as to all this.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE said he should allow them to be recalled to be asked about it, but this was a most inconvenient course.

I've

The witness's examination was continued. He said when the men were together the defendant said, "I told the mate to tell you all to go on board the Laurel;" then he said something about their wanting an explanation, and then went on to say, "I've sold the ship, and there's a steamer alongside in which I'll take you all home." Some of the men asked for three months' pay. The defendant said he had no money to pay them with there, but he would take them home, and pay them all off at home. This was all the defendant said then, but then Captain Waddell came up and said, "Now, men, give me your attention. bought this ship, and I hold in my hand a commission as lieutenant in the confederate service. I am going to put the vessel in commission for a cruise for fifteen months as a vessel of the Confederate States navy, and I'm in want of men. If any of you prefer to remain with me, instead of going home with Captain Corbett, I'll give you double the wages you had from him." There was then a confusion among the men, who said they had had quite enough of her; and they reproached Captain Corbett with having brought them out there on false pretences. The defendant (Captain Corbett) endeavored to pacify them, saying there was a steamer waiting alongside of them, in which he would take them home and pay them off when he got home again. Then he said, (turning to go away,) "If you won't go when you're told you must follow me." He stood a little longer by the gangway with some of the men round him, and then Captain Waddell said he was not going to lose his ship as the Alabama was lost, but only to cruise against the commerce of the United States. "I don't intend to fight," he said, "unless we get into a corner, and then we shall have to fight our way out;" and he added that he would give the men 101. bounty and 57. a month wages. The defendant might or might not have heard this. Some of the men then went to get their baggage, and Captain Ramsey, of the Laurel, said he should not wait for them much longer. The purser stopped in the Sea King, and one of the American officers said some of the men would remain. For these releases or discharges were required from their service under the defendant, and a written discharge was sigued by the defendant and the witness as mate. The witness went on to state that in his hearing the defendant did not say anything to induce the men to remain; and he denied that the defendant had used the words sworn to by the Crown witnesses-that he had sold the ship to the confederate government, and that the

men had better join her, &c.; or that if they liked to join her they would make a fine thing of it, or get good wages, &c., or anything of that kind. The witness said he heard nothing of the sort said by the defendant, though he stood by him all the while and heard all be said to the men. He denied the whole story as to the bucket of sovereigns spoken to by the Crown witnesses; that is, he declared he saw nothing of it, although he was in and out of the cabin, and was close to and among the men the whole time. He told the defendant that an attempt had been made to induce him to stay, and the defendant said, "Don't you think of it; come home with me. After this the Laurel signalled to go, and the Shenandoah signalled, "Wait for despatches," and despatches were sent in a boat, the officer of which told the defendant that two of the men had joined the Shenandoah.

[ocr errors]

It was here proposed to prove a statement to the defendant as to some others of the crew desiring to go to the Shenandoah, with a view to show that he refused to let them go; but this was objected to on the part of the Crown, and

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE said it did not follow that because at a later stage the defendant refused to let men go, therefore, previously he had not tried to induce them to go, as the Crown witnesses had alleged.

It was insisted on the part of the defendant's counsel that, at all events, they were entitled to ask as to acts done, or proposed to be done, by the defendant; and, as

The SOLICITOR GENERAL, on the part of the Crown, said he would not press any objec tion too strictly, but there must be some limit.

The examination of the witness was proceeded with on that point, and he stated that an officer told the defendant one of the men had asked for a boat to go to the Shenandoah, and that the defendant said he "would have nothing to do with it," and so the boat was not sent. The captain of the Laurel afterwards said, in order to get out of quarantine, that he had a shipwrecked crew, and so got a clean bill of health.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. That would not give the ship a clean bill of health.

The witness said the sanitary officer asked the defendant where he was from, and defendant said from London, and that he had a bill of health from London. Witness did not hear what was said, but the ship was admitted to pratique. After this some of the men got ashore and got into a row, and were given in charge of the police and put into prison. The men ultimately got their wages for three months beyond what was due. The witness was then asked as to certain statements to him which the witnesses for the Crown had denied that the American consul would get them two months' pay, &c.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE intimated that these matters were very remote from the issue, and accordingly they were not pursued further. The witness, however, was asked as to a statement to him which the witness Benjamin Sells had made, that he had been taken to a police office and got to put his name to a statement about the Shenandoah which was all a lot of lies. The witness declared that Sells had so said, and this closed his direct examination.

In cross-examination by the solicitor general, the witness said that one White, a merchant of Liverpool, was owner of the vessel. When half a mile from Madeira he "ran a signal up" by the orders of the captain or purser, he did not know which. Asked if it was the purser's duty to give orders; he said, "No." Being asked who gave the order, he said he heard none. He knew no order, but he helped to hoist the signal.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. What put it into your head to put up the signal?

The witness hesitated.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE repeated the question more peremptorily.

The witness still paused.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. What put it into your head to run up that signal? You may as well give me an answer, for I will have one.

The witness still hesitated, and at last said, "I did not know what it was for."

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. That is not the question.

WITNESS. I did not do it.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. You have said you did.
The jury said he certainly had so said.

WITNESS. I assisted to run it up.

How came you to hoist that signal!

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. Well, how came you to do so?

The witness paused, and was silent some seconds.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. Now, did you not know that the ship was going to be given up to the people who had the Laurel ?

WITNESS. No, I did not.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. Upon your oath?

WITNESS. Upon my oath I did not.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. Then how came you to help to hoist that signal?

Witness paused.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. Now, do you mean to tell us on your oath that when you left England you thought you were going to Bombay?

WITNESS. I do.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Did you not tell Benjamin Sell, (the Crown witness before

referred to,) that you knew as well as Captain Corbett, when you left England, where the destination of the vessel was?

WITNESS. Since I came home-yes; because I firmly believe that the captain knew nothing about it more than I did.

The SOLICTOR GENERAL. You believed you were going to India?
WITNESS. Yes.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. But you see my question was not whether you said you were as
ignorant as Captain Corbett of the destination of the ship, but quite the contrary-whether
you did not say you knew it from the first as well as he did. Did you not say that?
The witness paused.

The defendant's counsel said, "Did you use those words?"

WITNESS. No, I did not.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL then pursued his cross-examination as to whether the witness had not offered to give evidence for the Treasury. He denied it, but at last admitted that he had been to the police station and asked for the inspector, Clark. He was asked as to what then took place, and he said he had asked after Hurcus, one of the Crown witnesses examined yesterday. He was pressed as to whether he had not then said the owners had disappointed him, &c. He hesitated, and said he might have said it, but did not remember. He was asked as to whether he had not then said something about going to the Treasury to give evidence, and he admitted that he had, but on a former occasion; on the present occasion his object was to find Hurcus.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. To speak to him about his evidence in this case?
WITNESS, after a long pause. Yes.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Now, let me take you back to the former question, which you have not answered. Did you have any order to hoist that signal?

Witness said he did not know.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Whom did you assist in doing it?

The witness said, the captain.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. No one else?

WITNESS. No.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. You said the purser.

Witness said, "Yes," and being asked further, said he believed this person was an Amer lean, and that he and this person and the captain had been together.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. How came you to know that the Laurel was lying off Ma

deira?

WITNESS. I did not know it. But seeing the signal, I looked at the book, and saw it was the signal of the Laurel.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Did you ask any explanation of the captain-the defendant ? WITNESS. Not then.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. When?

The WITNESS. I did not ask; he told me at the Desertas island that he had sold the ship.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. How came you to find the number of the Laurel?

The WITNESS. Every ship has its number.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. You said that Captain Corbett said he had orders to sell and had found a market for her. Where did you suppose he had found a market? Did you Dot think it strange that he should find a market for her on the high seas?

WITNESS. I thought it rather strange.

SOLICITOR GENERAL. Did you tell the captain so?

WITNESS. No, I did not; but I thought it strange to find a market on the high seas.

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. "Market overt." (Laughter.)

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. You thought it strange? "Had you no idea whether the market was peaceful or warlike?

WITNESS. I had my suspicions.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Why? What made you suspicious?

WITNESS, hesitating. Well, I don't know. I was a little suspicious.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Had you no idea what the "luggage" was which you were loading all night?

WITNESS. No; not at first.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. You mean to say that it was not until the shot and shell tumbled out that you had any idea that the "luggage" was warlike? (A laugh.) WITNESS. No.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Well, you say you told the men the captain said the ship was Bold. Which of them did you tell that to?

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. He says he told them all.

WITNESS. "Yes, I told them all." He went on to repeat that he had told the men to go on board the Laurel. He was pressed as to whether after this, when Captain Waddell said he would give the men double pay to stay with him, the defendant was not close by, and he said he could not say he was not.

In re-examination it came out that the defendant had taken the signal-book, and "

migh

[ocr errors]

DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE.

have said something about the numbers;" but he declared that he did not know until he saw
the flag what the number was.
he looked to the book what the name was, and he found it was the Laurel. He assisted in
He knew it meant a ship's name, but he did not know until
running up the signal.

Being asked to repeat what had passed between himself and Benjamin Sells as to the defendant knowing all about it, he said that Sells said that he was sure Captain Corbett knew all about it when he left England; and he answered that he knew as much about it as Captain Corbett, and that he firmly believed that the captain knew nothing about it, and was a perfect dupe in the matter.

Mr. Vanzeller, Portuguese consul, was called to prove that the Madeiras and the Desertas islands were part of the domains of Portugal; as to which, however,

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE said this was admitted, and it was hardly necessary to offer formal proof of it.

The next witness was Elliott, who had been engineer on board the Sea King. On reaching Madeira, he said, they saw the Laurel, and signals were exchanged, after which the Sea King followed the Laurel to the Desertas islands. tain (the defendant) on reaching the Desertas islands, said that the engines might stop aud On the 18th of October, he said, the capthe vessel anchor. Witness said, answered, "That he had sold the ship to Captain Waddell, (who was standing by,) and got "This is not Bombay" (a laugh); to which the defendant the price." Witness observed that it was very strange that the men should be left there; to which the defendant replied that he was as ignorant of this when he left England as he was, and that the Laurel was alongside, and that they must prepare to go home in that vessel. Witness told this to the firemen, and next morning there was a disturbance among the men, and they were called aft, and the defendant and Captain Waddell were present, and the defendant said, "I've sold the ship, and I've a steamer alongside to take you all home." That, the witness said, was all the defendant said, though Captain Waddell spoke for about a quarter of an hour to induce the men to enlist. He denied that he heard the defendant use the words ascribed to him by the Crown witnesses, or that he saw any "bucket full of sovereigns" which had been spoken of by them; and he declared he must have seen and heard such things if they had taken place.

In cross-examination the witness admitted that he had talked a good deal to the American gentleman, the purser, and they and the defendant were together a good deal.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Now, tell me, did you know where the vessel was going?
WITNESS. Not more than the man in the moon." (Laughter.)

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. The "man in the moon " is said to know a great deal sometimes. (Laughter.) But did not the captain and the purser know?

WITNESS. Not the captain. The purser might.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. O, you've suspicions of the purser, eh? (A laugh.)

WITNESS. No, I've no suspicions. (Laughter.)

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Well, you said "this is not like Bombay." Why?

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. It was rather out of the track.

(Laughter.)

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. What did the captain refer to when he said that he was ignorant of it when he left?

Ignorant of what?

WITNESS said he did not know.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. You thought it strange selling a vessel at the Desertas islands. Did you know it was to be a confederate cruiser ?

WITNESS. No.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Did you not suspect it? Upon your oath.

WITNESS. Not then.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. When did you first suspect it?

WITNESS. When I saw a shot roll on deck out of one of the cases shipped.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Not till then? Now, tell me, (you are not bound to answer,) did you not say to one of the men that it would be a good thing for them if they were to remain ?

WITNESS. No, I did not.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Did you not ask whether they would go or stay?

The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. What made you say that?

WITNESS. Because they were told that if they wanted to go home the vessel was alongside. The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE. How did you know they would be allowed to stay?

WITNESS. That I did not know.

The SOLICITOR GENERAL. Had not you inquired?

WITNESS. No.

The witness went on to say that the defendant introduced him to Captain Waddell, but he did not know then that he was a confederate officer until next morning, when he saw him in uniform. He denied that he had asked the defendant who he was when he had been introduced to him; or what the vessel was to be sold for, or to whom, or what its destination was to be. He kept his curiosity to himself, he said. In re-examination he said he had signed the entry in the log as to the sale of the vessel on the evening of the 18th of October. A man named Sutton, who had been steward on board the Sea King, (Shenandoah,) was next called in confirmation. He said the defendant said, "I have sold the ship; I had a bill

« ZurückWeiter »