Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 16.pdf/215

AN INTERESTING CRIMINAL CASE. BY BERNARD C. STEINER, Dean of the Baltimore Law School. THE papers of Colonel Timothy Pickering, | good prize, as having British manufactured Secretary of State and I'nited States 'goods on board. Men from the schooner Senator from Massachusetts, are preserved with guns, pistols, knives, swords, etc., filled in the Massachusetts Historical Society, and Glover's boat, demanded his keys and pro contain a very interesting letter written, in ceeded to the ship, leaving him on the answer to a request from him, by Dr. James schooner. We now quote Dr. McHenry's McHenry of Baltimore on December 3, exact words. 1807. "The crew were ordered below and two Pickering had requested information sentinels placed over them, the pilot was told about an alleged case of piracy on the Chesa to take the ship to sea, for which service peake Bay,1 and McHenry tells him that at $400 was promised, and the pilot objecting, daylight on the 24th of August, the un he was ordered to do it at his peril. Then armed ship Othello, Glover master, bound an examination of trunks, etc., in the cabin from Liverpool to Baltimore with a cargo of took place and provisions, porter, fir., were dry goods, was attacked by a small schooner in great excess consumed. Captain Glover, off Sharp's Island. A few musket balls were being permitted to return to the ship about first iired at the Othello and, when she was 11 o'clock in the forenoon, was soon ordered within pistol shot, all the men in the schoon back to the schooner, the person appearing er fired two rounds of muskets into the ship. to have command declaring again the ship Л ball passed through the mate's hat and to be a good prize and should be taken to many lodged near the captain, when in the Guadaloupe. On G's requesting to remain act of hailing the schooner. Some one on the on board his ship, the apparent commander schooner cried "Haste, haste, or I will fire replied he should not; but that all the hands, again!" Glover went alongside of the excepting himself, should, and that he would schooner and asked if she were a pirate. The take care to protect his prize. Captain person appearing to command replied, "I Glover returned on board the schooner, am no pirate but a privateer from Guadawhere he was detained until 8 o'clock next loupe," and demanded the ship's papers. morning. At this time, Captain Glover Soon afterwards he declared the Othello a probably went again to his ship, which, be 1 Just now, it occurred to me to enquire what had ing at anchor all night off the Potomac, wind become of the French pirates who seized Л; were carry ahead and no prospect of getting her out being off a merchant ship, in the waters of the Chesapeak, Л who were committed to prison in Baltimore. Hav for her seizure must be known and her de ing heard nothing of them, the first thought which parture prevented, the apparent commander occurred was, that, by some means or other, they had been discharged. And I am now informed, that the said he was sorry to have detained Captain District Judge, or the Circuit Court of the U. States, in Glover so long, but, being 'positively in Maryland, said, the laws of the U. States gave the court no cognizance of the crime; and turned the cul formed on board the French ship Patriot prits over to the State Court: and that the State Court said they had no jurisdiction: and that in consequence, that English property was on board the these atrocious villians had been set at liberty. Pray Othello, he wished to discover it; apologized have the goodness to give me a correct state of the facts. It is a rfisjfrace to the Country to have no law for firing into the ship, saying he could not (incredible as that may seem) by which such offenders prevent his men lest they might use violence may be brought to justice.