The Flowery Land Pirates.

John Leone, age 22, (also given as Lyons), Francisco Blanco, 23, Ambrosio (also Mauricio) Duranno, 25, Miguel Lopez, 22, all of Spanish/Filipino origin from Manila and Marcus Vartus, (or Watto), 23, Levantine Turkish subject of Greek ancestry, were executed at Newgate on Monday the 22nd of February 1864 by William Calcraft. The execution attracted a huge crowd, despite the poor weather. This would be the first quintuple hanging at Newgate since March 1828.

The British owned merchant ship, the 400 ton barque rigged clipper named “Flowery Land”, had left London bound for Singapore on the 28th of July 1863. Whilst at sea, on the 9th of September 1863, eight sailors mutinied and then murdered the first mate, Mr. Carswell (also given as Karswell) then the captain, John Smith, who were beaten and stabbed to death.

After the captain and the mate had been killed the second mate, a Mr. Taffer, was forced to navigate the ship as he was the only one with the knowledge to do so. On the 2nd of October they sighted land, near Montevideo in South America. Immediately afterwards the pirates decided on scuttling the Flowery Land, taking with them only some of the members crew in the two ship’s boats. They left the cook and the cabin boy, 17 year old Richard Early, to die, murdered the steward, and slowly made for land. The second mate and one of the crew, a Frenchman, managed to escape and went to Montevideo, where they were able to report what had occurred to the British Consul.

The murderers were apprehended and by the 14th of December were on their way back to London for trial at the Old Bailey. This commenced on the 4th of February 1864 and resulted in seven being found guilty and sentenced to death on Thursday the 11th of February. Two of the men, Basilio de Los Santos and Marcelino Santa Lacroix, were subsequently reprieved by the Home Secretary, Sir George Grey, on Friday the 19th of February at the behest of their defense counsel and the Spanish Consul. The eighth man, George Carlos, was acquitted of the murder charges, but convicted of scuttling the ship, for which he received a prison sentence. It was widely reported that all seven men confessed to their parts in the crimes.

Mr. Jonas, the governor of Newgate, had taken a number of precautions with crowd control to try and prevent problems. These included the erection of barriers in the Old Bailey, Newgate Street, Ludgate Hill and Giltspur Street. Crowds had began to gather on the Sunday night and some streets were reported as being impassable. A large number of police officers were deployed to maintain order.

By 7 o’clock on the Monday morning every available spot in the Old Bailey and surrounds was full of spectators. Estimates of the crowd varied at between 20,000 and 30,000. The executions were set for 8.00 a.m. A the bell of St. Sepulcher’s church began to toll for the hour there were the usual shouts of “Hats off” in the crowd.

Within Newgate the five men had been moved to a passage-way close to the Debtor’s door and seated on a bench. Watto was attended by a Greek Orthodox minister, while the Catholic minister, the Rev. James Hussey, attended the other four prisoners and held crucifixes to their lips.

The first to ascend the gallows was Watto, who was led up to the steps and placed under the hook nearest the prison. Calcraft hooded him, adjusted the noose around his neck and attached the free end of the rope to the hook above him. Next came, Lopez, then Duranno and Blanco, who were similarly prepared. The last up was Leone who reportedly had to be carried in a chair and remained seated while he was prepared. Blanco began to faint and had to be supported of a stool which dropped with him. Calcraft went below the platform and drew the bolts, allowing the trapdoors to open and their human cargo to drop a foot or so. All except Lopez appeared to die quickly. He struggled for a few seconds before becoming still. The bodies were taken down at nine o’clock.

The five were later buried within Newgate, next to the grave of Catherine Wilson. Carved on the wall above were the initials “B, L, D,L,W. with the words “Ship Flowery Land Feb 22”.

This stylized broadside with woodcut drawing of the execution sold in large numbers.

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