This compromise was acceded to. The men
received the money, and signed the release, (of which I insisted upon a
copy,) and went to sea again in another trade, thanking me for my
interference in their behalf. But by this copy, which I have now in my
possession, it appears that care was taken by the captain's attorney to
render their future evidence in the case of Peter Green almost
impracticable; for it was there wickedly stated, "that George Ormond and
Patrick Murray did then and there bind themselves in certain penalties
that they would neither encourage nor support any action at law against
the said captain, by or at the suit or prosecution of any other of the
seamen now or late on board the said ship, and that they released the
said captain also from all manner of actions, suits, and cause and
causes of action, informations, prosecutions, and other proceedings
which they then had, or ever had, or could or might have, by reason of
the said assaults upon their own persons, or _other wrongs or injuries
done by the said captain heretofore and to the date of this
release_[A]."
[Footnote A: None of the nine actions before mentioned ever came to a
trial; but they were all compromised by paying sums to the injured
parties.
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