757 Sheet – American State Trials 1918 Volume X Leo Frank Document

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Reading Time: 4 minutes [551 words]

Here is the translated text as follows:

PEDRO GIBERT AND OTHERS

Mr. Child: We do not know gentle or simple here.

Justice Story: If there is anything objectionable in my usage of the word "gentleman," I will use the word "man," although I consider that all present are entitled to the former appellation.

Cross-Examination Continued:

I do not know whether the powder placed in the cabin to blow up the vessel was in a bag or not. I saw a bag hauled up and also a match still burning. The name of the man who first went down is Trumbull. I know nothing of Trumbull having refused to swear that there was a match in the cabin. We did not find a swivel on board the Panda. It is usual to place the national flag of a prize under that of her captor, but it was not done in the case of the Esperanza.

There is a Spanish consul at Plymouth. I can't say whether he is a Spaniard or an Englishman. I do not know that he is connected in any way with Captain Trotter, or that Captain Gibert and his mate wrote to the Consul General in London. I do not know of any letters being intercepted. I can't remember whether the Consul at Plymouth had a foreign accent—I only saw him for five minutes. He came on board in a citizen's dress. I don't know of the Portuguese Consul doing anything for the prisoners or of any communication having passed between him and the Consul General in Spain. I never heard anything of the prisoners expecting to be tried in London or of their demanding a trial.

I know of no pirates around the Cape Verde Islands, though I heard something of one being off St. Thomas. Captain Trotter is in poor health and has had a fever several times. We did not hail the boats of the Panda before firing because we could not get near enough. I have no knowledge of Captain Trotter having the protest of Captain Gibert.

The diamond ring taken by Captain Trotter from the mate of the Panda bore the initials B.S. I don't know whether these letters are the initials of the mate and his wife. There was no hair around the ring on the outside. I was not present when Captain Trotter took the mate’s watch. I don't know whether the slaves on board the Esperanza had free papers, as I was not present at their examination. I know nothing of attempts to frighten them by pointing guns at them.

A mark was placed on the Esperanza, at which the crew of the Curlew practiced firing. The passage of the Curlew home was delayed due to waiting for orders. I do not know whether Captain Trotter proposed to give up the Esperanza to her owners. I don't know whether our arrival was announced.

Mr. Child showed the witness an English paper and asked him if it contained an announcement of the Curlew’s arrival. It did. Two of the crew of the Esperanza were brought to England, the boatswain and cook, along with one or two others. I do not know what has become of them or whether they were discharged.

Mr. Child said that he observed a disposition on the part of the officer of the Government to restrict the prisoners.