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Execution
of Gordon The Slave-Trader |
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New York, February
21, 1862 |
| THE EXECUTION OF GORDON,
THE SLAVE-TRADER |
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Not the least important among the changes
which are taking place in the current of national policy and public opinion is evidenced by the fact
that on Friday, 21st February, in this city, Nathaniel Gordon was hung for being engaged in
the slave-trade. For forty years the slave-trade has been pronounced piracy by law, and to engage
in it has been a capital offense. But the sympathy of the Government and its officials has been so
often on the side of the criminal, and it seemed so absurd to hang a man for doing at sea that which,
in half the Union, is done daily without censure on land, that no one has ever been punished under the
Act. The Administration of Mr. Lincoln has turned over a new leaf in this respect. Henceforth the
slave-trade will be abandoned to the British and their friends. The hanging of Gordon is an event
in the history of our country.
He was probably the most successful and one of the worst of the individuals engaged in the trade.
A native of Maine, he had engaged in the business many years since, and had always eluded justice.
The particular voyage which proved fatal to him was undertaken in 1860. The following summary
of the case we take from the Times:
It was in evidence (given by Lieutenant Henry D. Todd, U.S.N.) that the ship Erie was first discovered by the
United States steamer Mohican, on the morning of the 8th day of August, 1860; that she was then about fifty miles
outside of the River Congo, on the West Coast of Africa, standing to the northward, with all sail set; that she was
flying the American flag, and that a gun from the Mohican brought her to.
It was shown by Lieutenant Todd that he went on board himself about noon, and took command of the prize. He
found on board of the Erie, which our readers will remember was but 500 tons burden, eight hundred and ninety-seven (897) negroes, men, women, and children, ranging
from the age of six months to forty years. They were half children, one-fourth men, and one-fourth women, and
so crowded when on the main deck that one could scarcely put his foot down without stepping on them. The stench
from the hold was fearful, and the filth and dirt upon their persons indescribably offensive.
At first he of course knew nothing about them, and until Gordon showed him, he was unable to stow them or feed
them -- finally he learned how, but they were stowed so closely that during the entire voyage they appeared to be
in great agony. The details are sickening, but as fair exponents of the result of this close stowing, we will but
mention that running sores and cutaneous diseases of the most painful as well as contagious character infected the entire
load. Decency was unthought of; privacy was simply impossible -- nastiness and wretchedness reigned supreme.
From such a state of affairs we are not surprised to learn that, during the passage of fifteen days, twenty-nine of the
sufferers died, and were thrown overboard.
It was proved by one of the seamen that he, with others, shipped on the Erie, believing her to be bound upon a
legitimate voyage, and that, when at sea they suspected, from the nature of the cargo, that all was not right, which
suspicion they mentioned to the Captain (Gordon), who satisfied them by saying that he was on a lawful voyage,
that they had shipped as sailors, and would do better to return to their duties than to talk to him.
Subsequently they were told that they had shipped on a slaver, and that for every negro safely landed they should
receive a dollar.
The negroes were taken on board the ship on the 7th day of August, 1860, and the entire operation of launching and
unloading nearly nine hundred negroes, occupied but three quarters of an hour, or less time than a sensible man would
require for his dinner. As the poor creatures came over the side Gordon would take them by the arm, and shove
them here or there, as the case might be, and if by chance their persons were covered from entire exposure by a strip
of rag, he would, with his knife, cut it off, fling it overboard, and send the wretch naked with his fellows.
Several of the crew testified, all agreeing that Gordon acted as Captain; that he engaged them; that he ordered
them; that he promised them the $1 per capita; that he
superintended the bringing on board the negroes; and that he was, in fact, the master-spirit of the entire enterprise.
For this crime Gordon was arrested, tried, and, mainly through the energy of District-Attorney
Smith, convicted, and sentenced to death. Immense exertions were made by his friends and the
slave-trading interest to procure a pardon, or at least a commutation of his sentence, from President
Lincoln, but without avail. He was sentenced to die on 21st. |
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