Mutiny & Murders on Board Ship Earl of Sandwich.
And following papers contain accounts of the mutiny murders and looting of the ship Earl of Sandwich. This vessel left the Canaries in charge of Captain Cochran, there was also on board a Captain Glass with his wife and daughter. Four of the crew murdered the captain and passengers & several of the crew under terrible circumstances. They scuttled the ship off the coast of Wexford after loading the boat with money & valuables they landed at Ross and went into a public house and took a room. They gave the landlady jewellery worth about œ20 and they gave the maid 36 dollars and a necklace and earrings set in gold. They also changed 1250 dollars into gold with a local merchant and would have changed more if there had been any more gold obtainable. It afterwards came out that their boat was so loaded that they had to throw a quantity of treasure overboard to keep the boat from sinking and they buried a large part of the treasure between high and low water at their landing place. The four men were arrested and tried for murder at Dublin. 3 Jan 1766. Dublin. On Monday, eleven casks containing 250 bags of dollars, part of the treasure that was on board the Earl of Sandwich and which had been secreted by the four inhuman villains now in confinement for the murder of Captains Cochran & Glass, Mrs. Glass, Miss Glass etc. were brought to town from Ross, escorted by two troops of General Severin's dragoons, and lodged in the Treasury. 21 Feb. 1766 contains an account of Captain Glass's career which was a most eventful one. He was originally a surgeon but after making several voyages to the Guinea Coast he became a captain. He became captain of a privateer and was only three days at sea when his crew mutinied but the situation was saved by a French Prize coming into sight. They captured the vessel which proved of great value. Shortly afterwards an enemy frigate appeared and although the privateer put up a hard fight, they had to strike their colours but not until they had lost half the crew and the captain shot through the shoulder. Capt. Glass was taken prisoner and was landed at the West Indies where he was treated with great severity as a prisoner of war, but he was at last exchanged. He again started privateering and was again taken prisoner. During his career he was taken prisoner no less than seven times. Finally he obtained exclusive right to trade with a port he had discovered on the Guinea coast. He interested a number of merchants and made a venture there but the natives would have nothing to do with him. They murdered the men he sent on shore to treat with them, they attacked the ship but were repulsed and then they afterwards sent off poisoned provisions. The ship now commenced to run short of food and the captain started off in an open boat for the Canary Islands to obtain a supply. On arrival there he was arrested as a spy and thrown into prison. After being some months in confinement he managed to communicate with the captain of a British man of war who secured his release. In the meantime as he failed to return to the ship the mate abandoned the voyage and returned to England. The captain's wife when she heard the news started off for the Canaries accompanied by her young daughter, where they found Captain Glass. They all embarked on board the Earl of Sandwich to return to England. 7 Mar 1766 On Monday last (3rd) George Gidley, Richard St. Quinton, Peter McKinlie, and a Dutchman Andres Lukerman, late mariners on board the brig Earl of Sandwich, belonging to London, whereof John Cochran was master, were executed near St. Stephen's Green pursuant to their sentence for having murdered their captain, Captain Glass, his wife and daughter, also Charles and James Pinchert. Their bodies were brought from the place of execution to Kilmainham Gaol and they were afterwards hung in chains in the most conspicuous places at Poolbeg. The treasure from the ship was found in Booley Bay, Co. Wexford.Close