Huntingdon) to lay a correct account of this unfortunate affair before the Admiralty, and prevent the misrepresentations with which public opinion is usually abused in like cases; but on his landing at Weymouth, that officer and Mr. Morgan, a Midshipman, were recognized by the mob, who seized them, and compelled the Mayor, by threatening worse consequences, to commit them to Dorchester gaol for the alleged murder of the unhappy men who had fallen the victims of their own disloyal conduct.
The Coroner having returned a verdict of wilful murder against Captain Wolfe, Lieutenant Francis Hastings, Lieutenant Jefferies of the marines, and Mr. John Fortescue Morgan, the Midshipman, those gentlemen surrendered themselves for trial at the ensuing summer assizes, and after a full investigation of their conduct were fully acquitted, the jury agreeing that they had merely acted in self defence[1].
- ↑ The following circumstances connected with, this unfortunate affray, will serve to shew how deeply the principle of self-love is implanted in the heart of man. The Coroner, an attorney, finding that another limb of the law was engaged to draw up the affidavits of those officers against whom he had returned a verdict of murder, went on board the Aigle and begged Captain Wolfe to employ him; stating, at the same time, that the verdict was given in consequence of his dreading the resentment of the populace, had he acted more leniently. A surgeon of the same town, having an eye to number one, also waited upon Captain Wolfe, and solicited him to entrust the Aigle’s wounded men to his care; stating that he had had the charge of all the sick men belonging to the navy who had come into Portland road during the late war, and if Captain Wolfe would comply with his request, he should be able to obtain a renewal of the former contract. On the morning of the trial, this disciple of AEsculapius made his appearance in court, and stated that a young girl who had received a wound in the late tumult, declared to him before her death, that Captain Wolfe was the person who had shot her. We do not pretend to divine by what motives he was actuated; but this we know, that the grand jury rejected his evidence in toto.
The unfortunate girl alluded to was a sister of one of the impressed men, James Wey, by whom Captain Wolfe was first apprised of her being wounded. Two days after the riot, her father, by his dismal account of her sufferings, prevailed on Captain Wolfe to liberate his son, whom he described as the only support of himself and family. About a week after, the old man, who had previously received two guineas from Captain Wolfe to procure necessaries for the girl, wrote a distressing letter, begging him to forward five pounds to pay the surgeon’s bill. On the latter being asked
