NEHGS, infoweb.newsbank.com and the American Antiquarian Society are collaborating to present sets of 18th and 19th century newspaper images online. I found the story of Capt. Freeman to be interesting. If anyone has access to Cape Cod papers of the era, I'd appreciate seeing the home-town version of events. It would also be interesting to know whether Freeman commanded vessels in later years. Apparently manslaughter wasn't a complete disgrace, since he continued to live in his home town and father 2 families. ================================================================================ Captain William Doane Freeman Birth: 27 Aug 1794 - Wellfleet, Massachusetts Death: 13 Nov 1850 - Wellfleet, Massachusetts Burial: in Duck Creek Cemetery, Wellfleet MA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Parents Father: Captain Benjamin Freeman (1762-1833) Mother: Mercy Atwood (1770- ) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spouses and Children 1. *Joanna Cole Hatch (19 Oct 1798 - 2 Oct 1834) Marriage: 11 Nov 1820 - Wellfleet, Massachusetts Children: 1. William D Freeman (1828- ) 2. Allen Freeman (1831-1883) 3. Warren Wesley Freeman (1833-1835) 2. Lois Higgins Lewis (22 Nov 1806 - 5 Oct 1884) Marriage: c 1835, but not seen in Wellfleet records Children: 1. Warren Wesley Freeman (1836-1840) 2. Hosea Ballou Freeman (1837-1865) 3. Samuel Dow Freeman (1839-1896) 4. Benjamin Freeman (1841-1857) 5. Joanna Cole Freeman (1844- ) 6. Susan J Freeman (1845- ) 7. Wesley J Freeman (1846-1925) 8. Sarah Wheeler Freeman (1848-1877) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Hampshire Gazette, 13 Nov 1827. vol LXXII(52):1. reprinted from Boston papers Trial of Capt. Freeman.— In the published evidence given in the trial of Capt. W. D. Freeman, for the murder of David Whitehead, mariner, the testimony of Thomas Richardson, mariner, of Southborough, Ms. set forth that he shipped with others on board the brig Floyd at Charleston S. C. on the 6th of April, for Antwerp. The ship's comapny consisted of nine. Whitehead, who was about 22 years of age, shipped as cook, but not giving satisfaction he exchanged places with one of the crew. Whitehead never went into the cabin without being beat either by the captain or by the mate under his orders. On the 25th, ten days after sailing he was set on the foretopsail yard to let a reef out, and having by accident left a point untied the sail was split. When the captain saw the hole, and found out how it came, he called Whitehead aft and beat and kicked him in such a manner that the skin all over his head was broken, and his arms were all black and blue. On the next day he was lashed 24 hours to the ring bolt, and 24 to the rail, with his hands tied behind him. In the latter situation the captain daubed his mouth with tar, and asked him where he had been stealing molasses. The weather being very cold the captain asked him if he wanted a dram. He said he did, when the captain said I will give you a dram that will fix you, and he gave him a double dose of tartar emetic with some kind of spirit, which made him vomit.—The captain frequently swore that he should not be satisfied until he saw his end. Before being tied he was sent up to scrape the main topgallantmast, and not doing it to the captain's satisfaction, he tried to shake him from the rigging, the wind at the time blowing fresh. While he was tied, (two days) he had but half a biscuit to eat, which was broken up, and he took it up in his mouth like a beast and ate it. The captain made him take off one of two pairs of trowsers, and then pump the ship, the water dashing over him as well as the sea breaking over. On the morning of the 28th, he untied him and set him to scrub the deck ; soon after the mainsail was ordered to be handed ; five men went on the yard ; the Capt. asked the mate why he did not send up that damned soldier* aloft to help hand the mainsail ; the mate replied that he was not able, and witness said, 'Capt. Freeman, if that man goes up he never comes on deck again alive;' the captain ordered him up, and as he climbed slowly struck him with a rope ; he reached the yard, went on the lee arm ; witness then asked him to "hand the leach if you can," and reaching forward to take hold of it, Whitehead fell overboard. Witness tried to throw him a rope, but could not. Upon his cross-examination, Richardson stated that Fearson and Whitehead had attempted to get ashore while in Charleston harbor by a raft made of spars lashed together, but were picked up and brought on board again ; that the captain treated all the men with ill language. The testimony of John Fearson, of Baltimore, corroborated that of Richardson, and he further stated that Whitehead was made to walk the deck two nights without sleep for not having dinner ready at 12 o'clock on the day of sailing. Geo. Barber, an Englishman, stated that he heard murder cried once in the cabin and on looking down saw the captain whipping Whitehead over the face with a rope, and a drawn sword in one hand, with which he pricked Whitehead once and drew blood. Capt. Freeman, through his Counsel denied the charge of general ill treatment, that he had a sword on board at all and everything of importance alleged by the witnesses. No objection was made to Whitehead's going aloft on the day of his death by any of the men, nor did he hear any from the mate. The deceased at the time he fell, was on the yard and not on the foot rope, as some of the witnesses had said, and which was the proper place. The testimony of Wm. Barrett, the mate, who was the first witness called by the defendant, rather unexpectedly tended to corroborate the evidence of the seamen. He stated that he told the captain that the man was not fit to go aloft on the day of his death. When he fell overboard, the captain said "Poor fellow, he's gone, who would have thought it." The man made no objection to going aloft, and he did not see the captain strike him. The last he saw him he was on the foot rope. Whitehead was a peacable, quiet man, willing and steady, though he had free access to the liquor ; he obeyed the captain as far as was in his power. The prisoners counsel on Wednesday attempted to impeach the evidence of the mate, but Judge Story did not allow it to be set aside. A number of persons were produced to testify to the good character of the prisoner ; and four captains (Messrs. Rich, Curtis, Margree and Adams) testified that without the free use of his hands and great physical strength, Whitehead could never have reached the place from whence he fell ; and in regard to his being sent aloft to scrape the mast, it was a light punishment ; and that unless he had held on with great strength he might easily have been shaken off. Wm. Sturgis, Esq. stated that he should have thought it more difficult to reach the place from whence Whitehead fell than to keep himself up when there. He thought the captain might easily have shaken him from the shroud if he had pleased, on the occasion of scraping the mast, and that the captain was in as much danger as the man. The Jury did not deem the prisoner guilty of the crime of murder, as set forth in the indictment, but rendered verdict of Manslaughter. It is stated that Capt. Freeman belongs to Wellfleet, C. C. and has risen from the birth of a common sailor to the command of a vessel. — Boston pap. *Soldier among seamen signifies a lazy idle fellow. [On Tuesday, 30th ult. the Court sentenced Capt. Freeman to pay a fine of $100, and to suffer 2 years and 6 months imprisonment.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other news reports of the events, Justice Story's charge to the jury, and more genealogical information are at http://capecodhistory.us/Wellfleet-records/Freeman-murder-1827.html -- Sincerely, David Kew