Posted with permission of the transcriber, Petra Michinson. Geo. The Times, Wednesday, Dec 19, 1821; pg. 3; Issue 11433; col F WRECK PLUNDERERS. ----------------- POLICE-OFFICE, CARLISLE. - Backhouse OSBOURNE, sen., Joseph LAW, and Backhouse OSBOURNE, jun., committed on Monday for further examination, on a charge of plundering the wreck of the smack Grampus, stranded near Skinburness during the late storm, were brought up for the purpose of committal for trial. The informations against them were read, but it would not be fair towards the accused to make any part of them public in this stage of the business. The first two were committed on the minor charge, and the latter (a youth about sixteen) was held to bail. Almost immediately that the Grampus came ashore, she was boarded and plundered - and even women assisted in the unfeeling work. The two unfortunate brothers (the MARLEY's) who navigated her were washed overboard before the smack struck, and drowned. One of the bodies was soon afterwards thrown up by the waves. Instead of being conveyed to some proper depository, it was stripped naked: the jacket pocket, it is known, contained nearly 70L. in Bank-notes, the produce of a cargo of herrings. These and various other facts coming to the knowledge of Mr. STEPHENSON's agents in this neighbourhood, they procured search-warrants, and taking with them proper assistance, set off for Skinburness on Saturday evening. They soon got such information as led to the apprehension of the three persons before mentioned, and one or two others are implicated. In searching OSBOURNE's house, there were found in it, among other things, 25 silk and cotton (mixture) gowns; 23 printed gowns, many of them apparently never worn, and some of them not made up; 40 shirts and shifts, made of linen, some very fine; about 50 silk and cotton shawls; a large quantity of blankets; 10 or 12 webs of linen cloth; a great many pair of linen sheets, many evidently never used; a very rich table cloth, curiously worked with silk; upwards of 100 fine cotton, yarn, and worsted stockings, some of them with various initials and names on them; about 30 women's bonnets, some silk, others straw and Leghorn, many of them never used, &c. The jacket of the unfortunate MARLEY was also found in the house by his relatives, but the money had disappeared. Some years ago, the Huntingdon was lost in this neighbourhood, laden with silk goods. None of the articles above enumerated came from the Grampus. - Carlisle Patriot. When the Mercury, of Whitehaven, was lost at Duddon, the conduct of the country people was most disgraceful to a civilized country. None of them, it is to be regretted, have yet met with that punishment which they so richly deserve. The dead bodies were washed ashore; but death itself was no protection from these heartless scoundrels. They stripped them of their shoes, and left the bodies exposed on the beach, whence the returning tide washed them back into the sea. - Carlisle Patriot. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Petra