Mr. DWIGHT said: You are empannelled, gentlemen of the jury, to try the issue between the United States and the prisoner at the bar, charged with robbery upon the high seas. Robbery committed upon the high seas, or in any basin or bay within the admiralty maritime jurisdiction of the United States, is declared by the act of Congress passed in 1820 to be piracy, and punishable with death. The indictment against the prisoner charges him in the first count with having on the 21st of March last, on the sloop Edwin A. Johnson, committed the crime of robbery upon George H. Burr, master and commander of that vessel, and with having feloniously and violently taken from him a watch, a large sum of money, and some wearing apparel. Robbery is the felonious and forcible taking the property of another from his person or in his presence against his will, by violence or by putting him in fear. It is larceny accompanied by violence. The punishment, as you will perceive, for the offence committed upon the high seas, is different from its punishment when committed upon land. It is to protect more effectually and punish more thoroughly offences occurring upon vessels upon the high seas, where the protection for person and property is not so great as it can be on land, where individuals are so much surrounded by the police regulations to protect them and their property. In this case, the prosecution will show to you, gentlemen, that on the morning of Wednesday, the 21st of March last, there was found floating in the Lower Bay of New York a deserted vessel. Her strange appearance attracted the attention of several vessels in that vicinity—among others the steam tug Ceres, which bore down to her, and the captain of which boarded this vessel. On reaching the deck there was presented a most unexpected and fearful sight. A state of great confusion appeared. The bowsprit of the vessel was broken off, and its rigging was trailing in the water. The sails were down, and the boom of the vessel, which had been set, was over the side of the vessel. There was no human being found on the vessel, and no light. Forward of the mast appeared a large pool of blood, which had run down to some cordage and sticks at the back of the mast, and also down the side of the vessel into the sea. This was just aft the forecastle hatch, on which, or near which was found some hair—a lock of hair. Amidships, and totally disconnected with this appearance of blood on the foredeck, there was another large patch of blood, showing signs as if a body had lain there; this also ran down the side of the vessel. Still further aft, just back of the small companionway, they found traces of blood again, also disconnected with that in the middle or forepart of the ship. Aft there appeared signs of a bloody body having been dragged from the entrance to the cabin. There was blood upon the rail and over the side, and it seemed as if an endeavor had been made to wash it off. On