Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-04-12

L
f.mc;ns nf Charleston. took her TO Cape Antonio,
and we're busilv engaged in landing her cargo
when the u ). brig Enterprise, Capt. hcarney,
hove in s,-ht, and discovering their vessels at
anchor. sent IN their barges to attack them,
serious engagement followed; they defendeu 'hfh''
selves for some time behind gun battery, OUT
in the end, were defeated with consldcraDie ioss'
and compelled to abandon their vessels ana Cooty,
and Hy to the mountains for safety. In the iist
of vessels DESTROYED, as stated in the confession
to Justice Hopson, Gibbs speaks of this ship as
the Caroline of Charleston. But he Afterwards
rccoIlected that it was the Lucius. and proceeded
TO state variety Of circumstances, which prove
beyond question the correctness OF his recoi-
lections. By a recurrence 10 newpaper MES
we find that such ship vas captured by the pl-
rates off Cape Antonio in Oct. 1921, and was
shortly after retaken by the L. 5. brig Enter
prise, Capt. Kerney, while the pirates were. land
inc her cargo Gibbs states that according 10
the best of his belief only one of the crew had
been killed at the time they were forced to aoah'
don the shin. The same account says That the
British brl. Larch of St. Andrews, from Kings.
ton fer Havana, was taken by the pirates, ana
recaptured at the same time by the Enterprise.
! Thi, is doubtless the Larkin spoken OF by Gibbs
in the confession made to Justice llopson, which,
! we here subjon:
GIN Prison md BridcreH, March 6, 1851.
Oues,ion. Charles Gibbs,-my name Is Mr..
Honson. | understand from Mr.. Merritt you
wished to see me. He told me so some ten or
twelve DAYS since. and the weather being so cold,
have put off coming until now. He informed
me YOU wished to make some communications
which YOU would no. make to any other person.
.4ns.-I have.
! Qaes.-Gibbs, are YOU going TO tell ne the
truth. or is it tn amuse me, and make me write Il
long story that will not amount to any thing.
.4ns.-I shall tell nothing but the truth; and
il is only on condition that you will swear not to
divulse any thing may say, when am on my
trial, and at no time AFTER if should get clear.
yreply was, (says Mr.. liopson,) that should
not take my oath. but | would give him my word
that it should be kept secret according to his re-
quest
Under this promise he stated as follows:-that
he commenced piracy in the year 1916, i'll the
schooner Sans Sousee. belonging to the Island ct
Marsarita, and that since that time, has been In
several other vessels engaged in the same bust
ness. That many of his comrades are now living
| in the United States, but whose names he never
would mention: That they had taken from many
vessels large sums of money, and various articles
of merchandise He had no doubt he had been
concerned in robbing forty different vessels; and
on reflection. could mention many of the names.
He then gave me the names of the following YES
sells:
Brig Jane, of Liverpool; cargo dry goods
Crew DESTROYED, vessel burnt
Brig name forgotten) Of New-York, from the
Spanish Maine; took money from her. Crew
DESTROYED, vessel burnt
Brig Belvidere, of Boston, taken in the Gulf;
crew and vessel destroyed.
Two French Briggs, in the Gulf of Mexico;
money taken-crews and vessels destroyed
Ship Providence. of Providence; took from her
$4,000. She was suffered TO pass, as Examl-
nant could not consent to destroy his own towns
men.
Ship William of Salem; took from her dry
goods and money. Crew and vessel destroyed.
Bark Dido. of Bremen; took from her dry
goods Vessel and crew destroyed
Bark Larkin, of London: took from her large
quantity ofdry goods. Vessel and crew destroy
ed.
Genoese brig, name unknown; took from her a
large quantity of plate, some gilt edge paper,
and from twenty to thirty piano fortes.
A French ship, cargo wine; vessel and crew
destroyed.
The William Dawson, of New-York: boarded
her and let her pass.
Ship Earl of MORA, of London; took from her
dry goods and money. Vessel and crew destroy
ed.
Ship Indispensable, of London; took from her
dry goods and money. Vessel and crew destroy
ed.
A Dutch Shipfrom Curacao. bound to Holland.
There were thirty passengers in her;some of them
were females. Took large quantity of plate,
destroyed the vessel, and all on board except
Young girl, the daughter of one of the families
Took her to the West of Cuba, Cape Antonio,
where we had redezvous, and where we had
small fort that mounted four guns We kept her
about two months, and she was then killed: and
this circumstance hurt his feelings more than any
act Of his life; and which is the only act he can
say he was sorry for. Afterwards told me that
she was poisoned. The girl was about II or 8
years of age: her father, mother, and all her re-
lations were on board the vessel.
There were many other vessels taken and des-
troyed. and among them Americans. Every thing
valuable was taken from them, and vessels and
crews destroyed. The goods were sent to Span
ish House in the Havana, who sold them. We
had contract with the House, and received half
the proceeds.
INhlo 7 mag =, tho schoopar Nar1,r,t. wo