The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

PIRATES AND MURTHERERS.

Basetterre, in St. Christophers, October 15.

The Deposition of WILLIAM HARRIS, Mariner,
Before the Honourable Robert Henvill, Esq;
Judge Surrogate of the Court of Vice Admiralty
for the said Island.

HIS deponent being duly sworn on the holy
Evangelists of Almighty God, declareth
and saith, That some time in the month
of August last, he sailed in the sloop called Polly.
whereof one---a---Dorria was master, bound from
New-York to the Leeward Islands, and about
three weeks afterwards being then in the latitude
twenty-five, to the best of this deponent's know-
ledge, and there being at that time on board the
said sloop the said master, his mate named---.
Denelt, 2 passengers, whose names were unknown
to the deponent, a Portuguese, who said his name
was Joseph Andrews, a Dutchman named Nicholas
Johnson, both mariners on board the said Sloop,
a cabin boy named --Coobs, and a boy whose
name this deponent cannot recollect: in the night,
about twelve o'clock, the capt's watch being out.
the second watch was called, being the mate's, this
deponent's and one of the boys's; and when this
deponent came on the deck, together with the mate
and boy, the mainsail then being half-mast-high,
the mate ordered the mainsail to be hoisted, and
went forward to assist, and, as the mainsail was
hoisting, he the said Joseph Andrews said to this
deponent, Will, is it not your turn to relieve the
person at the helm? and this deponent answered
it was; but he would first assist in hoisting the
mainsail: which being done, and as this depon-
ent was going aft, he heard the mate tell the said
Joseph Andrews to assist in hauling down the fly-
ing-jib, after which he would not be disturbed,
it being his watch below.

And this deponent saith, he went immediately
after that and relieved the man at the helm, who
was Nicholas Johnson; and as this deponent was
at the helm, one of the passengers came on the
deck, and stood looking with his face forward
when the said Joseph Andrews came running aft,
on the lee side, and came up between the com-
panion and the tiller-head, and struck down the
said passenger with a large ax, used for the cut-
ting of wood, which this deponent observing.
cried out, For God Almighty's sake, Andrews,
what are you about? Upon which the said Joseph
Andrews then made a stroke at this deponent,
and missed him, and he this deponent immediately
ran aft; and the said Joseph Andrews attempted
to follow him; but on hearing the passenger
groan whom he had knocked down, he turned to
him, and killed him, and as this deponent believes,
then threw him overboard, during which time
this deponent went out upon the flying-jib-boom
end, in order to secrete himself from the said
Joseph Andrews: And this deponent further saith,
that after his staying some time on the flying jib
boom end, the said Joseph Andrews came forward,
and called to this deponent, and asked him if he
would agree to his and the Dutchman's proposals,
meaning the said Nicholas Johnson; telling this
deponent there were no others then on board,
dead or alive, excepting the said Joseph Andrews,
Nicholas Johnson, and this deponent, which
greatly surprised and alarmed this deponent, as he
never suspected what had happened, and what
they afterwards related to him.

And this deponent saith, he then asked them
what the proposals were? Upon which they re-
plied, that the vessel was their own, and if he
would consent to their proposals, he should come
in from the flying jib-boom end in safety, and
have the one third of what was in the vessel.

And this deponent saith, That through fear,
and in hopes of preserving his life, he consented:.
and after coming from the flying-jib-boom, they
made him follow them into the cabin, where
they broke open several of the lockers to look for
liquor, and also broke open the Captain's chest,
and took from thence two bottles of wine, and
after swearing this deponent never to discover,
they then told him, That before the second watch,
in which this deponent was, they being in the
first watch with the Captain, they had thrown
overboard (alive) one of the passengers, and
knocked down the Captain, and threw him over-
board (dead) and had also thrown over the cab-
in-boy (alive.)

And this deponent further saith, That he veri-
ly believes the mate and other boy, who were in
the watch, and came on the deck with this de-
pponent, were killed before the said Joseph And-
rews ran aft and knocked down the passenger as
aforesaid: And his reason for such belief is, That
if he had not been killed before, they would have
came aft to the assistance of this deponent, as this
deponent made a noise, thinking that the Captain
was asleep in his cabin, and that he would a-
wake him, and also to bring the mate and boy,
and Dutchman aft, not then suspecting that the
Dutchman was concerned with the Portuguese.

And this deponent further saith, That about
three or four days afterwards, the said Joseph
Andrews, Nicholas Johnson, and this deponent,
quitted the said sloop, and took to the boat, in
order to go in her to Saint Eustatius, and they
steered for the Island of Nevis, and so ran under
the island of Saint Christophers; and this de-
pponent observing the said Joseph Andrews and
Nicholas Johnson to be fast asleep, steered the
boat near Brimstone Hill, and being near the shore
and imagining his life to be in danger, as he had
overheard the said Joseph Andrews, and the said
Nicholas Johnson, while they were in the sloop
say, That they would knock him on the head,
and heave the log with him; and, when in the
boat, he saw the said Joseph Andrews give the
several signs to the said Nicholas Johnson to kill
this deponent; he this deponent tripped off his
shoes, and took both the oars that were in the
boat, that is, the oar he steered the boat with,
and an oar that lay in the boat, and cast himself
with them into the sea, and swam to the shore
under Brimstone-Hill aforesaid: And this depon-
ent saith, He does not know what became of
them the said Joseph Andrews and Nicholas
Johnson, after he quitted the boat as aforesaid,
but believes, they made some contrivance to get
into Saint Eustatius.

And this deponent further saith, He cannot
conceive what inducement they could have had
to commit the said several murders, unless it was
with a view of getting what money or valuable
effects, if any, that were on board, belonging to
the Captain and Passengers.

And, lastly, this deponent saith, That the said
Joseph Andrews is about five feet six inches high,
of a swarthy complexion, with very black curled
hair, well made, has a wife at New-York, and
lived in a street in the city of New-York, called
the Golden-Hill, speaks good English, and has
often attempted to pass as a Welshman: And
the said Nicholas Johnson is somewhat taller than
the said Joseph Andrews, of a fair complexion,
light coloured hair, has a full face, but not so
well made as Andrews. WILLIAM HARRIS.

Sworn this 10th Day of October 1766.
before me R. HENVILL.