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On Wednesday last, a special Court of Admiralty, convened upon
the Statute of the 11th and 12th of William and Mary, was held in
the Court House in Halifax, for the trial of Edward Jordan and
Margaret, his wife, charged with the crimes of piracy and murder.
The Court consisted of the following members:
His Excellency Sir George Prevost, Baronet, Lieutenant-Governor and
Commander in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of Nova
Scotia, and its dependencies, &c. &c. &c., President.
The Right Honourable Sir John B. Warren, K.B. and K.C. One of the
King's Most honourable Privy Council for the Kingdom of Great
Britain, Vice-Admiral of the White, and Commander in Chief of
all His Majesty's Ships of War on the Coast of North America
The Honourable Sampson Salter Blowers, Esquire. Chief Justice of
the Province of Nova Scotia, and President of His Majesty's
Council for the Province.
The Honourable John Butler Butler, Michael Wallace, Edward Brabazon
Brenton, Charles Hill, Richard John Uniacke, Charles Morris,
Esquires, Members of His Majesty's Council.
Robert Lloyd, Esquire, Commander of H.M.S. Guerrier.
John Conn, Esquire, Commander of H.M.S. Swiftsure.
The Right Honourable Lord James Townsend, Commander of His
Majesty's Ship Aeolus.
John Simpson, Esquire, Commander of H.M.S. La Furieuse.
Samuel Hood George, Esquire, Secretary of the Province.
Thomas N. Jeffrey, Esquire, Collector of the Customs for the port
of Halifax.
N.B. The Honourable Andrew Belcher, who was in the commission,
and appeared on the bench, declined taking his seat, having an
indirect interest in the vessel, as an underwriter.
Crofton Uniacke, Esquire, Barrister at Law, officiated as
Registrar of the Court.
The President, having first taken the oath himself, administered
it to the rest of the members, as directed by the statute.
The Court being opened, and the prisoners put to the bar, James
Stewart, Esquire, Solicitor General of the Province, who conducted
the prosecution (the Attorney General having taken his seat on the
bench as a member of His Majesty's Council) presented to the Court
the articles of allegation against the prisoners, upon which they
were accordingly arraigned, and on their arraignment pleaded not
guilty; when the Court adjourned until the next day, for the trial
of the prisoners.
The Court met agreeably to adjournment, and the prisoners were
again put to the bar, having for their counsel, S. B. Robie, and
Lewis M. Wilkins, Esquires.
Foster Hutchinson, Esquire, as one of the counsel for the Crown,
opened the allegation, and stated to the Court, the law relating to
piracy, as well as the statute, under the authority of which the
Court was appointed. After which the Solicitor General opened the
case at large, and stated the particulars of the evidence, upon
which the articles of allegation were founded. He then proceeded
to the examination of witnesses on the part of the Crown. |
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Q. What is your profession, and occupation in life?
A. A mariner and ship master.
Q. What ship or vessel did you last command?
A. The schooner Three Sisters.
Q. Who gave you command of the Three Sisters?
A. Jonathan and John Tremain.
Q. When, and where did you take the command?
A. The 13th July last, at Halifax.
Q. On what voyage did you sail with her?
A. To Percé, for the purpose of procuring a cargo of fish, Jordan had promised to deliver. We
sailed on or about the 17th July.
Q. Who sailed with you in the schooner?
A. John Kelly, mate; Thomas Heath, seaman and pilot; Benjamin Matthews, seaman; and Edward Jordan and Patrick Cinnett,
passengers: the latter was sickly.
Q. When did you arrive at Percé?
A. The latter end of July, or first of August.
Q. Did you take in a cargo at Percé?
A. Part of a cargo; on freight 200 quintals from Theophilus Fox; 300 from
William Driscoll; and about 90 or 100 from the prisoner Jordan, on account of my
owners, J. and J. Tremain.
Q. When did you sail from Percé?
A. On the 10th September, for Halifax.
Q. Name the crew and passengers then on board?
A. Myself, John Kelly, Thomas Heath, Benjamin Matthews, Edward and Margaret
Jordan, the prisoners, and their 4 children, 3 girls and a boy.
Q. Relate, fully and distinctly, all the circumstances that occurred
on your voyage from Percé to Halifax?
A. Nothing material happened until the 13th September, when between Cape Canso and
White Head, myself and crew, except Kelly, who was at the helm, went forward to
trim the sails, the wind coming off the land. |
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