The Providence Journal, And Town And Country Advertiser

NEW-YORK. January 18.

French Piracy and Murder

We have obtained from Capt. Chammings, of the schooner Fair American, which arrived here yesterday the following particulars relative to a scene of murder and piracy; which is believed to have been perpetrated on board the said schooner, by the crew of the French privateer Victor:

The schooner Fair American sailed from St. Thomas' on the 10th of November last, bound to Philadelphia, under the command of Capt. Davis. The 6th day after her sailing, she returned to St. Thomas by the name of the Nancy, commanded by one Quatin, consigned from Porto-Rico to a Mr. Cael, of St. Thomas' and under French colours. Her name was erased from her stern, and every means essayed to disfigure her, so as not to have her recognized: a set of false papers had also been obtained but all these appearances were not sufficient to allay the suspicions of those concerned. The evidence of her being the Fair American was so full and positive, that upon application by Mr. Donavan (agent for the owners, who are merchants in Philadelphia) to the government of St. Thomas' he was given up.

It appears that this schooner was captured by the French privateer immediately after she left port—and that the privateer was soon after captured by the Southampton British frigate; from the captain of which was obtained the log-book of the Fair American; but no intelligence of Capt. Davis, or any of his crew. The appearance of the cabin of the schooner, on her return to St. Thomas', of itself, was sufficient to excite alarming suspicions: though great pains had been taken to scour the blood-stained cabin, the traces of human gore were very perceivable on the births and floor; but what appears to fix the massacre of the unfortunate crew of this vessel, are the large incisions on the births of the cabin, from cutlasses, which are now to be seen, accompanied with the streaming marks of blood: