ON the 24th day of March, 1794, the brig Falmouth failed from Port Royal, Jamaica, beund to Belfast, in Ireland, to which place she belonged. At the time she failed, the following persons were on board —

William Gordon, Master; Francis Turner, Mate; Henry Gihnote, John Doutbard, — Povd, — Carrol, Joseph York, (Mariners) William Wil­iams, a Cabin Boy; Joseph Porter, a passenger;

Nothing material happened on the voyage, 'till two of the hands, Boyd and Carrol, were taken sick. and died, apparently of a violent fever, the one immediately after the other.—During their illness, the Captain used to enquire after their situation, and to look at them down the hatchway, and send them frequently from the cabin both Soup and Coffee.

After the death of these men, which happened previous, to the 2d of May, there appeared an ap­parent difference in the conduct of the Captain, which shewed itself in particular instances of [...] treatment towards one another of the crew, whom he charged with an intention to poison him, and to run away with the vessel.

On the second of May, he took from the Mate a Quadrant, which he had given to him soon af­ter their failing; and likewise took from him his books of Navigation; taking into his own hands the entire navigation of the vessel.

[Page 3] Mr. Porter, the passenger, was in an extreme ill state of health, and was so feeble as to be con­fined to his bed, which was in the starboard state-room. In this situation helay till the 24th of May, when the Mate being in the larboard state-room, and the Capt. and Mr. Porter's servant in the cabin, the Mate heard Capt. Corran in warm lan­guage, abusing Mr. Porter swearing that he should not stay any longer in the state-room, and ordering his Black Boy to go immediately and bring his master into the cabin. This the boy at­tempted; but finding himself unable to effect it; and Mr. Porter at the same time, begging for God's sake, that he might be suffered to lay where he was; the Capt. entered the state-room, and with the assistance of the black boy, took Mr. Porter, by force, out of his bed, and supporting him, himself under one arm, und the Black Boy under the other, they brought him into the cabin he being unable to walk himself) and sat him down on a chair. The Captain then ordered the Black boy to bring out his masters bed, and to make it up in the cabin, upon two chests belonging to Mr. Porter. This being done he compelled the black boy to lay his master on the bed, and then sent for one of the top-gallant studding sails, with which he made a sort of a curtain to surround the bed. After this transaction, he ordered the black boy out of the cabin, and going upon deck, gave a general order, that neither the black boy, nor any other person, should come into the cabin without his leave, and that no person should con­cern himself with Mr. Porter, as he would take care of him himself.

[Page 4] The 27th of May between 10 and 11 at night, the Capt. called Henry Gilmore, and ordered him to bring a light. When Gilmore came with the light, the Capt. gave him a drink of grog, and told him that he hoped he would be in his favor, and that he was not afraid of the law. Gilmore replied that he did not wish to be against him or any other person. The captain soon after came upon deck, and desired that no person should be permitted to come into the cabin, without orders from him, that the watch then on deck, should give the same charge to the watch which was to succeed them. About a quarter past 12 o'clock the whole crew were alarmed with the cries of Mr. Porter, exclaiming "Murder, Mur­der!!" Through a whole in the bulk head which parted the steerage from the cabin, and by looking down the companion door into the cabin several of crew saw captain Corran striking at Mr. Porter as he lay in his bed, with a remarkable large and heavy cutlass. After striking him for some time, he desisted for a short space, and coming up the companion ladder, began to abuse Mr. Porter, damning him. and declaring he was not worth five pounds in the world. He then returned into the cabin again, and began to cut Mr. Porter as he had done before. Mr. Porter again cried out and begged the captain not to cut him so, but to take a pistol and shoot him. He damned him and said he would not shoot him, but would cut him every half hour till day light. In a short time, Mr. Porter begged him to desist, as he was dying; and it is supposed he expired about this time, as [Page 5] his cries were heard no more. Between one and twoo'clock, the captain came again upon deck, with a cutlass in his hand, and struck Mr. Porter's black boy, across the shoulders, and bid him go down and dress his master's wounds. He also called for a light and went down with the boy into the cabin, and made several strokes at Mr. Porter's body with the cutlass, exclaiming, "What, damn you, are you asleep?";

About day light the captain called John Douthard into the cabin, who on his entering it, found Mr. Porter with his knees on the cabin floor, and his face resting on the bed; apparent­ly lifeless. Capt. Corran ordered him to take hold of Mr. Porter's legs, and lift him on the bed. While Douthard was in the act of doing this, he made several strokes at the body over his head, which so intimidated Douthard, that he dropped the body and ran upon deck, acquainting his companions that the captain had murdered their passenger. At 4 o'clock the captain came upon deck, and ordered Douthard to go down in­to the cabin, and sew Mr. Porter up in a blanket, and told him that Mr. Porter's servant should as­sist him. Douthard refusing, he seized him and compelled him to go down into the cabin. By the captain's order, with the assistance of the boy, he laid Mr. Porter on one of his own blankets, sewed him up in it, and tied a white handkerchief round his head. The body was mangled in a manner shocking to humanity; there were large gashes about the hips, above a foot long and three or four inches deep, one car totally cut off, the [Page 6] nose almost cut through, the right eye forced out of the socket and hanging down the cheek sus­pended by a bloody membrance; the arms had upwards of twenty wounds from one to three inches deep: The sheet was very bloody, and much clotted blood on the cabin floor. The corps was brought on deck, and laid upon a board in the gangway. From the companion door to the gangway, there was a considerable quantity of blood which had ran through the blanket as they were carrying the body along. While the corps was lying in the gangway, the captain came on deck, leaned over the quarter rail, covered his eyes with his hands, and appeared for some minutes much confused. He was roused from his reverie by John Douthard, who asked him if he should heave the deceased overboard. He seemed started by the question—but bid them "away with him." The body was accordingly committed to the sea; immediately after this he ordered the vessel to be kept away N. W. and set­ting the studding sails.

On the 29th of May the capt. sent several mes­sages to the mate, desiring him to come upon deck, and declaring that he would not hurt him. The mate at length came on deck, and being afraid to go ast. remained before the windlass: capt. Corran observing his shyness, and that his [...] was perpetually on him, told him, he kept a dam [...] sharp look out. About noon, Henry Gilmore, [...] had been steering, was relieved from the helm, & came forward where the mate was, who enquir­ed of him what course they were steering. He informed him N. W. On which the mate repli­ed, [Page 7] that that course would fetch no port in Europe, and that he was apprehensive that the captain had ill designs both on them and the vessel. The mate then consulted as in my of the crew as he conven­iently could, who agreed to take the first oppor­tunity to secure the captain. About an hour af­terwards, the captain came on deck, and having walked to the tiller ropes, and turned round to proceed down the deck, Joseph York, who was then at the helm, seized his arms behind, and struggling with him, the rest of the crew came to his assistance, bound him, and brought him in­to the cabin, where they secured his hands with a pair of hand cuffs, which they found in his chest.

Previous; to his imprisonment when he ordered the vessel to be steered N. W. he informed the crew that they were near the English Channel: But on the 30th of May when the mate has got possession of his Quadrant, and was enabled to take as observation, he found they were very near the attitude of this place, and in about half an hour after they saw land; but a thick fog coming on, they were not able to make a harbour [...] four days afterwards often they. case to anchor in Rose Bay, between La Have and Lunenburgh. On search­ing for the Books or navigation, after confining the Capt. they found that he had cut out of every book the table of the Sur's declination. Immediately on their arrival there, the more went on shore, and made report to the magistrates of the transaction on [...] brig Falmouth, —The Capt. was carried on shore, and the occupations of the people being taken, he was committed to prison and afterwarsd brought to Halifax, were the court of admiralty was assembled on Friday the 11th of July at the court house, for the trial of this un­fortunate man, for the murder of Joseph Porter, a gentleman who took passage on board the brig Falmouth, at Port Royal, Jamaica. The court being opened with the customary solemnities, the prisoner was arrangned, and pleading not guilty, was remanded for trial on Monday. On that day the trial commenced, and continued, by ad­joinment, till Tuesday, when the examination on the part of the crown being ended; the prisoner was called upon by the court to make his defence: But declining to offer any thing in his defence: he was given recommitted, and the court adjourned to also o'clock on Wednesday.

[Page 8] On Wednesday, the court again assembled, and the prisoner learn nothing to say in his defence, the court was ordered to be cleared. After a short period the court was again opened, and the prisoner brought to the bear, when his Excellency governer Westfourth, the president of the court, addressed the prisoner, and declared, that the court having deliberately considered all the evidence which had been submittes to them, were mani­festly of opinion that he was guilty of the murder of Joseph Porter. His Excellency then demanded of the prisoner if he had any thing to args, why Justice of death should not be pronounced upon him. After besitating a few minutes he began as imperfect [...] of the proceedings on board the brig Falmouth, from her sailing from Jamaica, passing over the period upon the murder was committed, of which, however, be acclared be was not guilty Having nothing further to offer, be prossced the lawful sentence of death upon him; and he was adjudged to be hanged on Monday the 21st of July, between the hours of 10 and one o'clock, at point pleasant, between the abbing and serving of the tide.

On Monday, July 21, this unhappy man was carried from the Prison to the Beach at Point-Pleasant, where be satisfied by the forfeitore of his life, the injurned laws of his country. Capt. Corran was born in Ireland, in the Town of Port a Farre, county of Dewn. He was a man of middle nature—of a robust, atheletic habis, and possessed great batily strength and activity. He was in the 32d year of his age, and has lest a father, [...] brothers and a sister, to learnent his untimely and—At the mention of his father's name by a gentleman who attended him in his last moments, he burst into a seed of tears, and appeared were affected by a contemplation of the destress his death must occasion to his parsue, than he had ever shewn on his own account.

Halifax, July 27, 1794.