When he came to me next day, he came in high spirits.  He said he had found out the man whom I had seen.  The man, however, when he talked to him about the murder of Peter Green, acknowledged every thing concerning it.  Ormond intimated that this man was to sail again in the same ship under the promise of being an officer, and that he had been kept on board, and had been enticed to a second voyage, for no other purpose than that he might be prevented from divulging the matter.  I then asked Ormond, whether he thought the man would acknowledge the murder in my hearing.  He replied, that, if I were present, he thought he would not say much about it, as he was soon to be under the same captain, but that he would not deny it.  If however I were out of sight, though I might be in hearing, he believed he would acknowledge the facts.

By the assistance of Mr. Falconbridge, I found a public-house, which had two rooms in it.  Nearly at the top of the partition between them was a small window, which a person might look through by standing upon a chair.  I desired Ormond, one evening, to invite the man into the larger room, in which he was to have a candle, and to talk with him on the subject.  I purposed to station myself in the smallest in the dark, so that by looking through the window I could both see and hear him, and yet be unperceived myself.  The room, in which I was to be, was one, where the dead were frequently carried to be owned.  We were all in our places at the time appointed.  I directly discovered that it was the same man with whom I had conversed on board the ship in the wet docks.  I heard him distinctly relate many of the particulars of the murder, and acknowledge them all.  Ormond, after having talked with him some time, said, “Well, then, you believe Peter Green was actually murdered?” He replied, “If Peter Green was not murdered, no man ever was.”  What followed I do not know.  I had heard quite enough; and the room was so disagreeable in smell, that I did not choose to stay in it longer than was absolutely necessary.

I was now quite satisfied that the murder had taken place, and my first thought was to bring the matter before the mayor, and to take up three of the officers of the ship.  But, in mentioning my intention to my friends, I was dissuaded from it.  They had no doubt but that in Liverpool, as there was now a notion that the Slave-trade would become a subject of parliamentary inquiry, every effort would be made to overthrow me.  They were of opinion also that such of the magistrates, as were interested in the trade, when applied to for warrants of apprehension, would contrive to give notice to the officers to escape.  In addition to this they believed, that so many in the town were already incensed against me, that I should be torn to pieces, and the house where I lodged burnt down, if I were to make the attempt.  I thought it right therefore to do nothing for the present; but I sent Ormond to London, to keep him out of the way of corruption, till I should make up my mind as to further proceedings on the subject.