Rochester Daily Advertiser (Rochester, NY), Monday, Dec. 31,1841

From the Kingston (Canada) British [Whig].

A circumstance occurred on Thursday last which created no little excitement in town. - About noon a grand display of colors was observed on board one of Messrs. Ives' schooners, the Invincible, an American bottom, laid up for the season at Ives' wharf. This would have excited no attention, bur for the singular, and it seemingly premeditated, circumsrances, of there being several Yankee flags uppermost, and the British flag lying below.

As soon as this was observed, a party of gentlemen, eight or nine in number, forthwith proceeded on board the vessel, hauled down the obnixious flags, and rehoisted them in an inverse position, having the British Ensign flying above them all. In doing this, some little violence was doubtless committed, for which the Messrs. Ives procured summonses against the offending parties.

Next day, (yesterday) the case was heard, before Messrs. Marks, McFarlane, Wilson and Baker, at the Court House; and Capt. Sandom, R.N., was in attendance, (we believe as a witness). Mr. John Ives deposed, that the display of flags in the offensive manner described, was entirely an accidental circumstance; that he had given orders to the Ship Keeper, one Mr. Jones, an Englishman, to gather together the several flags belonging to the schooners laid up, and dry them preparatory to their being brought on shore for the winter.

That they were hoisted with the American flag above, because the American flags were larger than those of Great Britain; and furthermore, that had he or any of his brothers noticed the display, they would of themselves have hauled them down. It was also proved, that Mr. Jones, the Ship Keeper did not at all resist the hauling down of the flags and their re-hoisting, and endeavored to explain to the angry gentlemen, who boarded his vessel, that it was entirely an accidental occurrance, and of his own doing.

Capt. Sandom observed that this was not a primary transaction on board the Messrs. Ives' schooner, inasmuch the lowering of a flag at Port Dalhousie; should he witness any further insult to the British flag while he had the honor to command on the Lakes, he should proceed summarily towards the vessel, and also put the severity of the law in force against the offenders - the penalty º500. For this observation, the gallant Captain was loudly cheered by the bystanders, The magistrates said, that as a breach of the law had been committed, in illegally boarding the ship and pulling down and partially destroying the the flags, they should fine the defendants One Dollar each, in addition to the sum of seven shillings and sixpence, the amount of damage alone to the flags.