The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-06-27
woRozsrER:
THE PIRATE, TARDY.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 81, 1897.


most atrocious character, and the subsequcr
suicide of the principal actor, has agai
brought into notice the subject of this article
concerning whom the following facts are gail,
cred from the publications of the day.
Alexander Tardy, by birth Frenchman, ha
Tor several years past been known in on
Southern cities, as one of the most abandone,
and hardened wretches living. His address
was good, his manners and appearance wer,
genteei, and his education such as qualified
him to associate respectfully with any class il
society, and to enable him to carry into NOR,
successful practice those plans which have
rendered his name pre-eminently infamous, SC
long as it shall be remembered. 1t is said thai
1e could speak most of the modern languages
fuently.
Possessed of such advantages, which, with o
suitable disposition and ordinary prudence,
could hardly have failed to advance his fortunes
an life, and might have enabled him to be an
ornament to society, he nevertheless chose the
part OF william, and has left the reputation
OF beng one of the most abandoned, cold
FLOODED, and heartless on record. The number
of murders which he has committed, or been
accessory to, was known only to himself; but
there is sufficient reason to believe it has hard
ly been exceeded in the annals of crime.
The first account we have of Tardy, is
somewhere about the year 1915, when he was
on board a small schooner commanded by
Capt Latham, bound from New York to
Charleston. Here after poisoning the passen-
gers, he had the hardhood and address to have
the deed charged to the cook, who had always
before borne an excellent character, but who
was arrested in Charleston on the schr's arri-
val, was tried, and circumstances made to ap-
pear SO against him, that he oas condemned
and actually executed, persisting until the last
that he 1caS an innocent man, and knew nothing
of the crime for which he was to suffer This
poor fellow, was a black man-and left fami-
ly at the Eastward, and all those who knew
him where he belonged, believe in his limo.
,cence: yet he was swung into eternity by the
management of the guilty Tardy, who had the
advantage of aohite face to sacrifice the black
cook"
The next account we have of Tardy, he
was on board the packet schooner Regulator,
bound from Boston to Philadelphia He took
passage under the name of DR.. Tardy, and on
the passage poison was again resorted to.
One evening, afPr supper, all in the cabin
were taken violently sick, excepting Tardy,
who had always declined using sugar from his
first going on board, THAT no doubt being part
of his plan.l Tardy, acting as physician on the
occasion, declared from the symptoms that
they were poisoned, and all considered his
being on board fortunate circumstance, as he
was able to assist them, and actually admins
tered medicines which were taken freely. All
began TO recover excepting German gentle
man passenger, who died, and was committed
to the dcep.
" The morning after the captain and passen-
gers were attacked, Tardy discovered arsenic
in the sugar bowl mixed with the sugar, and
Immediately suggested his suspicion of the
steward (another black man, and after arrival
in Philadelphia, the consignees Immediately
had an examination into the circumstances but
from their own and the captains knowledge of
the steward, they doubted his guilt and after
a strict and close examination, they left him at
liberty. Tardy, however, persisted in his pre-
tended belief of the stewards guilt but said
SO much that he excited suspicious against
himself, and afterwards increased them by a
claim be made to have all the effects of the
deceased German passenger, on the plea that
the gentleman had verbally given them to him
Just before his decease, IN consequence of his
attentions to him. The captain did not feel
authorized to deliver them to Tardy, and ap-
piled to his consgnees, who positively refused
to have them given up to him. and were induc-
cd to set a spy over him. He took lodgings
in an obscure place, where he did not continue
long before he began to lay another plan of
piracy to be executed on board one of the
Richmond Packets, but a man in whom he
had confded turned against him, and he was
betrayed before the vessel sailed and was
then arrested and charged with the crime on
board the Regulator, for which he was tried
and condemned to serve seven years in Wal
nut street Prison at hard labor. There he was
found to be very obstinate and refractory, and
constantly issuing threats of reyenging him.
self when he should be released He is said to
have boosted among his comrades that he had
sent more men into eternity than any convict
who had ever been in the penitentiary."
We next hear Of Tardy in Charleston, s. C.
where he took forcible possession of a pilot
boat lying in the hnrbor, and, with two blacks,
was about to put to sea on piratical expedi-
ton; but was discovered, pursued and brought
back. Information was Immediately sent to
the Mayor of Charleston of the character and
former crimes of Tardy, notwithstanding
which, we find him again at liberty and again
engaged in an act, the atrocity of which has
been exccllcd by none of his former crimes.
On the 18th ult. the Brigantine Crawford
Capt. Brightman, of Troy, Mass. sailed from
Matanzas for New York, having on board the
captain, mate, four seamen, the cook, ant
eight passengers, among whom were Tardy
and three Spaniards, who could not speak En-
glsh. There was a considerable amount il
money on board On the 31st, at the solicita