ON [...] 24th day of March 1794, the brig Falmouth [...] from Port Royal, Jamaica, bound to Belfast, in Ireland, to which place she belonged. At the time she sailed, the following persons were on board:

William Corran, Master. Francis Turner, Mate. Hen­ry Gilmore, John Douthard, — Boyd, — Carrol, Jo­seph York, (Mariners.) William Williams, a Cabin Boy. Joseph Porter, a Passenger. And a Black Boy, Servent to Mr. Porter.

Nothing material happened on the voyage, until two of the hands, Boyd and Carrol, were taken sick, and di­ed apparently of violent fevers, the one immediately af­ter the other.—During their illness, the Captain used to inquire after their situation, and sent frequently from the cabin both Soup and Coffee.

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

Very soon after the death of the Men, they spoke an American Schooner, the Master of which Captain Cor­ran had before been acquainted with—and who, on hear­ing that he had lost two of his men, offered to supply him with two more. Captain Corran thanked the American for his friendship, but told him he would endeavour to do with the hands he had. This circumstance appeared strange to the crew, as the loss of the men had rendered them but weak handed.

On the second of May, he took from the Mate a Quad­rant, which he had given him soon after their sailing; [Page 4] and likewise took from him his books of navigation; tak­ing into his own hands the entire navigatinn of the ves­sel.

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 star board stateroom. In this situation he lay until the 24th of May, when the Mate being in the larboard stateroom, and the Captain and Mr. Porter's servant in the cabin, the Mate heard Captain Corran in warm language, abusing Mr. Porter, swearing that he should not any longer stay in the stateroom, 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 Captain entered the stateroom, and, with the assistance of the black boy, took Mr. Porter by force, out of his bed, and supporting him himself under one arm, and the black boy under the other, they brought him into the cabin, (he being unable to walk himself) and sat him down in a chair. The Captain then order­ed the black boy to bring out his master's 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, which he made a sort of curtain to surround his 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.

On the night of the 26th of May, about Midnight, the Captain sent for the cabin boy; the boy came to him, and the Captain ordered him to fetch a candle; after he had brought it, he damanded of the boy where he had been—the boy replied, it was his watch be­low: He then ordered him to strip off his jacket, af­ter which he bid him go to the locker and bring him the cat o' nine tails. The boy went to the locker, and told the Captain he could not find it: He threatened to strike him with a cutlass, if he did not find it im­mediately, the boy not being able to find it, he accord­ingly [Page] struck him with the flat of his cutla [...] [...] which he took a pair of handcaffs out of the [...] the cabin, and put them upon the boy's [...] then put a pistol to his breast and threat [...] [...] him. After some little time, the boy [...] opportunity to make his escape out of the [...] as he ran across the deck he desired the [...] helm, if the Captain inquired for him, to [...] he had jumped overboard.—The boy ran [...] into the hold, and hid himself for three days, [...] on some Indian corn and sugar, which he foun [...] [...] hold. Immediately after the boy left the cabin [...] Captain fired his pistols through the cabin [...] and shattered them considerably.

The 27th of May between the hours of 10 and [...] o'clock at night, the Captain called Henry Gilmore [...] ordered him to bring a light. When Gilmore can with the light, the Captain gave him a drink of grog and told him that he hoped he would be in his favour, 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, and 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 by the cries of Mr. Porter, exclaiming "MURDER! MUR­DER! &c."—Through a hole in the bulk head which parted the steerage from the cabin, and by looking down the companion door, several of the crew saw Captain Corran striking at Mr. Porter as he lay in his bed, with a cutlass. After striking him for some time, he desisted for a short space, and coming up the com­panion ladder, began to abuse Mr. Porter, damned him, and declaring that he was not worth five pounds in the world. He than 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 until day light. In a short time, Mr. Porter begged him to desist, as he was [Page] [...] [...]nd it is supposed that he died about this time, [...] were heard no more. Between one and [...], the Captain came again on deck, with a [...] hand, and struck Mr. Porter's black boy [...] [...]oulders, and bid him go down and dress [...] wounds. He also called for a light and [...] with the boy into the cabin, and made [...] at Mr. Porter's body with the cutlass, [...] ‘What damn you, are you asleep?’

[...] day light the Captain called John Douthard [...] cabin, who, on his entering it found Mr. Por­ [...] [...] his knees on the cabin floor, and his face rest­ [...] [...] [...]n his bed, apparently lifeless. Captain Corran [...]red him to take hold of Mr. Porter's legs, and [...] him on the bed. While Douthard was in the act [...] [...]oing this, he made several strokes at the body ov­ [...] his head, which so intimidated Douthard, that he [...]ropped 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 in the cabin, and few Mr. Porter up in a blanket, and told him that Mr. Porter's servant should assist him, Douthard refusing to, he seized him, and compelled him by force to go into the cabin. By the Captain's order, with the assist­ance of the black boy, he laid Mr. Porter's body 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 most shocking manner, there were large gashes about the hips, above a foot long, he was also much cut about the arms: The sheet was very bloody and much clotted blood was upon the floor, near the bed. After the body was sewn up, Captain Corran or­dered Douthard and the black boy to throw it out of the cabin window. Douthard told him they were not able, and requested his permission to call another per­son. He replied, that he would not let any other per­son come into the cabin to help them. On finding, however, that they were not able to effect the purpose themselves, he consented that Henry Gilmore should be called. By the assistance of Gilmore the corps was brought upon deck, and laid upon a board in the gang way. From the companion door to the gang way, [Page] there was a considerable quantity of blood which had run through the blanket as they were carrying the body along. While the corps was lying in the gang way, the Captain came upon 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 they should heave the deceased overboard. He seemed startled 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 set the studding sails.

The Mate was obliged to keep out of the Captain's way, and was once forced to go into the fore top— and at other times to conceal himself in the hold, as he had threatened to take away his life, and had pur­sued him apparently for that purpose—being whenever he came upon deck, constantly armed with a cutlass and a pair of pistols.

On the 29th of May, the Captain sent several mes­sages to the Mate, desiring him to come upon deck, and declaring that he would not hurt him. The Mate accordingly came up the fore scuttle, and being afraid to go aft, remained behind the windlass: Captain Cor­ran observing his shyness, and that his eye appeared perpetually on him, told him he kept a damned, sharp look out: After this he went down into the cabin, and kept for a considerable time, hammering with a maul, whch led the crew to fear that he wanted to force out the lumber port in order to founder the vessel. But it afterwards appeared that he was driving a great number of spikes into the after scuttle to fasten it down.—About noon, Henry Gilmore who had been steering, was relieved from the helm, and came for­ward where the Mate was, who inquired of him what course they were steering. He informed him N. W. —On which the Mate replied, 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 many 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 [Page] 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 had got possession of his Quad­rant, and was enabled to take an observation, he found they were very near the latitude of Halifax, and in a­bout half an hour after they saw land; but a thick fog coming on, they were not able to make a harbour until four days afterwards, when they came to anchor in Rose Bay between La Have and Lunenburgh, On searching for the books of Navigation, after confining the Captain, they found that he had cut out of every book the Table of the Sun's Declination.—Immediate­ly on their arrival there the Mate went on shore, and made report to the magistrates of the transaction o [...] board the Brig Falmouth.—The Captain was carried on shore, and the Depositions of the people being tak­en, he was committed to prison, and afterwards brought to Halifax, where 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 a passage on board the Brig Falmouth, at Port Royal, Jamaica.— The Court being opened with the customary solemni­ties, the prisoner was arraigned, and pleaded not guilty, was remanded for trial on Monday. On that day the trial commenced, and continued, by adjourment, until 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 again recommitted, and the Court adjourned to nine o'clock on Tuesday. On Tuesday the Court again assembled, and the Prison­er having 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 Bar, [Page 9] when his Excellency Governor Wentworth, the Pres­ident of the Court, addressed the prisoner; and declar­ed, that the Court have deliberately considered all the evidence which had been submitted to them, were u­nanimously 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 urge, why sen­tence of Death should not be pronounced upon him. After hesitating a few moments, the Prisoner began an imperfect narration of the proceedings on board the Brig Falmouth, from her sailing from Jamaica, passing over the period when the murder was committed, of which, however, he declared he was not guilty. Hav­ing nothing further to offer, the President pronounced the awful Sentence of Death upon him, and he was adjudged to be hanged on Monday the 21st of July, between the hours of one and two o'clock at Point Pleasant, between the ebbing and flowing of the tide.

On Monday the 21st of July this unhappy man, was carried from the Prison to the Beach at Point Pleasant, where he satisfied, by the forfeiture of his life, the in­jured Laws of the Country.

The foregoing Narrative contains every material fact related on the Trial of William Corran; and perhaps there never was a Trial in which every witness called, so perfectly corroborated the testimony of his fellow. —But in the midst of this coincidence of evidence, the mind is left at a loss for a clew, by which to unrav [...]l the motive that could induce Captain Corran to com­mit a Murder, attended by so many aggravated circum­stances.—The witnesses all declared, they were unable to assign any reason—that they knew of no quarrel that subsisted between him and the deceased, previous to the 24th of May, when he was ordered out of the state room;—that previous to that period he had treated Mr. Porter very kindly—and that his uniform conduct, both in the passage from Belfast to Jamaica and on the passage home, until the 2d of May, had been such as to give no just cause of complaint to any of them.

Many have conjectured that a temporary insanity, at least must have been the occasion of this horrid deed. To this conjecture every feeling mind must wish to subscribe, especially when the testimony of respectable [Page 10] persons who have known Captain Corran previous to this transaction, unite in describing him as a man, dis­tinguished by the general quietness and inoffensiveness of his manners.

Captain Corran was born in Ireland, in the town of Port a Ferre, in the County of Down. He was a man of middle stature—of a robust, athletick habit, and pos­sessing great bodily strength and activity. He was in the 32d year of his age, and has left a father, two broth­ers and a sister, to lament his untimely end.

He was in this place a few years ago, being then a foremast hand on board a ship laden with Provisions from Ireland. His activity and behaviour, were so plea­sing to the Captain, that before he left this port, he ap­pointed him mate of the ship.

What a contrast do the pleasing ideas that floated in his imagination at this period of his first advancement in life form with the painful reflections that must have crowded into his mind in his last painful visit to Hali­fax. He feelingly noticed the contrast himself— "Here" he exclaimed, "I was first made mate of a vessel"—and hesi [...]ating, he seemed by this manner as if he would have added. "Here all my worldly pros­pects end—here I must make my exit."

At the mention of his father's name by a gentleman who attended him in his last moments, he burst into a flood of tears, and appeared more affected by a con­templation of the distress his death must occasion to his parent, than he had ever shewn on his own account.