Maryland State Archives

Notes on defendants and biographical information

Transcript

Transcript

Evidently, the 18 listed in the Brotherhood of Liberty booklet are only half of those ultimately charged/convicted. According to Skaggs, The Great Guano Rush (p. 87), there were an additional 23 convicted of rioting. Of those listed in the pamphlet, all who were convicted were sentenced to serve time in New York State prison. The other 23 served time at the MD House of Correction, and as such we have records of where they were born/lived. See the Prisoner and Reception records.

According to Skaggs, all the alleged rioters were held at the BC Jail. There are 9 defendants listed in the BC JAIL (US Docket) 1880-1894, pp. 174-175, nos. 861-869, 25 Oct 1889 [MSA C2067-3, 02/72/04/023]. The BC Jail records that we have do not give any information about the prisoners, however, just the date they arrived, etc.

Of the 23 who served time at the House of Correction, 10 are listed as residents of Maryland, including 3 from Baltimore. I have not had a chance to investigate further where the Marylanders lived.

I have been able to find firm (or at least fairly firm) addresses for several of the Navassa Island workers. The trial records will probably have more information about where the workers came from (the Supreme Court decision indicates that all of the workers' contracts were included as evidence). The men listed in the Galilean Fishermen's pamphlet who were convicted all served time somewhere in New York State, possibly Auburn, but there don't seem to be any records what happened to them. The intake records from the Maryland House of Correction, where 23 others served time, includes places of residence, and in 2 cases street addresses.

* John Wing, sentenced to one year for rioting, lived at 212 S. Durham according to prisoner records (MSA S256-4) and the 1889 city directory. See the 1896 Bromley Atlas, pl. 5, block 1754.

* George Lall, also sentenced to one year, was listed in the prisoner records (MSA S256-4) as living at 732 Wechir, an address which doesn't seem to exist.

* Charles Smallwood, also sentenced to one year, lived either at 1020 Wilmer Ally or 421 Orchard St., depending on which of the two people in the 1889 directory he is. Both addresses are in the same ares: see the 1896 Bromley Atlas, pl. 2, blocks 556 and 500.

* Charles H. Davis is listed in the 1888 city directory (not in 1889, which fits with his service on Navassa) as living at 53 N. Parrish. This address doesn't exist.

* James H. Robinson lived at 414 Myrtle Ave. (1888 and 1889 directories). See the 1896 Bromley Atlas, pl. 2, block 556.

* Moses Williams (Dakota) lived at 211 W. Hill (1888 and 1889 directories). See the 1896 Bromley Atlas, pl. 4, block 893.

* Edward Woodfork lived at 115 W. Hughes (1889 city directory). See the 1896 Bromley Atlas, pl. 4, block 894.

See also Jones v. U.S., 137 U.S. 202