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712

X. AMERICAN STATE TRIALS.

feit all claims to favor, and be
considered in the same light as
the prisoners at the bar. He was
then sworn npon a Bible, anthen-
ticated by the Catholic bishop of
this place, and permitted, through
the medium of the interpreter, to
commence his testimony.)

Iwas born st Marguer-
ita, twenty-two years ago. Was
last in the Havana, 2 years and
© months since; shipped at
that time on board the Panda,
Capt. Gibert—Bernardo de Soto
‘was mate, and the prisoners now
present formed part of the crew
there were thirty men in all.
Francisco Ruiz was earpenter of
the schooner, When they passed
the Moro Castle, in sailing from
the harbor, they were hailed and
asked what schooner, and where
bound, ete. Thereply was, “The
Panda, to St. Thomas.” This was
20th or 26th of August.

On the outward passage, we
spoke first @ earvette, and then
the Mexican, on the 25th of Sep-
tember. It was the second mate’s
wateh—the eaptain was asleep at
the time, but got up and ordered
the schooner to go about and
atand for the brig as soon az it
became more light was in the
foretop. About 8 in the morning
the American brig altered her
course, and stood south as at first
the wind was moderate, and
the sea smooth—the Panda then
set her equaresail and steered for
the brig—when they neared ber,
a aailor went forward and fired 4
mnsket—the brig then hove to,
and hoisted the American flag—
the schooner hoisted the Colum-
pian flag—they sung out to the
brig in English, and inquired
where she came from, and where
he was bound—the reply was,
“from Boston into Rio Janeiro”

a sailor who spoke English hailed
the brig~the boat of the brig-
came to the sehooner with four
men and one officer.

The third mate, the boatswain,
the carpenter, and one sailor then
jumped into her, and proceeded
to the brig.

(Witness being asked if any
of these four men ‘were now in
the court, upon which he pointed
out Ruis. The latter immediate-
ly started_from his seat, shook
his fist at Perez, and in Jond and
passionate tones, declared him =
traitor, a liar and a rogue.)

The third mate ran away at
Nazareth, the bostswain died at
Femando Po, and the sailor,
named Manuel Delgardo, died in
gaol st Boston, The third mate
then took up the speaking-
trumpet, and sung out to the Cap-
tain, “There is plenty of what you
want, and what you are looking
for; there are $20,000 on board,
in ten boxes, by the ship's pa-
pers,” The boatawain also held
up a handful of dollars, whieh
he afterwards threw into the sex.
The captain said, “Very well,
very well, let ‘ber be well
searched, and bring it all on
board.”

They brought ten boxes of
money from the brig—saw it with
my own eyes, from the foretop—
it was brought by the American
boat, which was towed by that of
the schooner—the boats then re-
turned to the brig, and came off
again shortly afterwards with
two spars, a keg of butter and
some fowls, They then went back
again on board the brig, ent away
the halyards and saila, and let the
yards run down—one of the
achooner’s men also got up into
the top and stabbed the belly of
the maintopsail. I looked so mueh

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