View Document Frames
" Amistad Africans," Charleston
Courier, 16 Jan. 1840.
The Africans of the Amistad.-The trial of these men commenced at New Haven on
Tuesday, before the U. S. Circuit Court. Judge Judson presiding. Messrs. Staples,
Baldwin, and Sedgwick appeared as Counsel on behalf of the Africans; Gen. Isham and
Mr. Brainard, of New-London, Counsel for Lieut. Gedney, U. S. Navy; Governor Ellsworth,
Counsel for Capt. Green, one of the liballants of Sag Harbor; Mr. Cleveland, of New-London,
Counsel for two of the Spanish owners of property on board the schooner Amistad;
and the U. S. District Attorney, under the Direction of the Government of the U.
S. counsel for the Spanish minister.
Mr. Cleveland presented a claim, on behalf of his clients, praying that the goods might be given up on their giving bonds - the goods to be sold by order of court. The counsel for Lieut. Gedney moved the court to order the entire cargo sold for whom it might concern - disclaiming, however, any desire to have the Africans sold.
The question was then argued whether the Africans might withdraw their plea to the jurisdiction of the court, on the ground that the seizure was not in the territorial jurisdiction of the Court. The court decided that they might, and put in any claim they chose. Their counsel then put in a general answer, in which they claim that they are not property, and that this court has no jurisdiction over them as such. The Marshal and Deputy Marshal were then called upon to prove the value of the schooner and her cargo, exclusive of the Africans. The Amistad was valued at one thousand dollars, and the cargo at four thousand dollars.
After these preliminaries, the examination of witnesses was entered upon. The
following persons, were examined, viz: Dr. Madden, British Superintendent of liberated
Africans at Havana,-S. Haley, of New London. -Dwight P. Jones of do.-James Covey,
a native African, late one of the crew of the Br. brig of war Buzzard. The drift
of their testimony was to show that the Africans of the Amistad were but recently
brought from their native land.
The trial was to be resumed yesterday.
[N. Y. Jour. com.
