Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1839-06-22


Pirate.
On the 18th Of June, 1880, Cornelius Willhelms
was born, at Aalborg, in the Sleeve or Cattegat, in
the Kingdom of Denmark consequently had he lived
four days longer, he would have been 49 years old.
Whilst Cornelius was but two years old, his father
removed to the little lisand Of Sans, to the west
ward of Elsinore and also situated in the Cattegat
For the last century, nearly all the residents on the
small islands situated in the Sleeve and belonging to
Denmark, have been fishermen by profession and
beggars by practice. Living in miserable huts on
the shore, they put to in small shalops nearly
round in shape, and, in reality, little tcr than a
shallow tub, witha mast in the CEN In these
boats they put to sea every day at cary dawn catch
fish, and wait the arrival of vessels bound to Gotten
burg Stettin Riga, Dantzic, Copenhagen, Cronstadt,
st. Petersburg SC. They board these vessels, sell
their fish, and beg tobacco; rum, Doofs, or any
each other for the undivided possession of it,
Although most of these amphibious beings are
Lutherans, and have a certain reputation for piety,
vet it not unfrequently happens that gets kill
ed in these boat sauabbes, and is reported to his
friends on shore as 4" Inns vasser gefalen," not
unlike the graphic one of the old admiral respect
ing an unruly midshipman, " Expended in the boat
service"
In this kind of life young Willhelms passed nearly
Is years; during that time his father quarrelled with
his mother, and being man OF very violent temper
threatened to Kill her; she, however, escaped in the
boat of neighborng fisherman, to Aarhns, where,
we uuder stand, she still resides. Young Wllhelms
continued with his father until he nearly Is
years of age for nothing very remark
able, except moroseness OF disposition, and a
strong attachment to a very beautiful girl named
loretta Hansen, the daughter of fisherman, to
whom he proposed marriage; but she refused him.
account of her attachment for young man living
at Aalborg Smothering his disappointment for the
time he watched his opportunity till the favored RI
val came to Doretta. Cornelius then induced
them both go board his boat to take sail, and
when some twenty miles from land, he contrived to
throw his rival overheard in such manner that Do
retta imay ned his death, which ensucd, acct
dental. A storm sprung up soon after this, and
drove his boat ashore on small uninhabited island
in the Sleeve, where they remainedsthree days be-
they were taken off, the boat been broken
to pieces in the storm. His hands once dipped in
crime Young Willhelms' next step in villainy soon
followed He endeavored to induce young Doretta
to yield her person and virtue to his unhallowed de-
sires; failing in this, his brutality accomplished by
force what he had been unable to effect by persua-
sion A small coasting vessel took Cornelius and
Doretta from the island the third day, and landed
them at Aalborg Doretta Immediately waited on the
friends Of her deceased lover and acquainted them
of the manner Of his death; and they, suspecting
foul play, had young Willhems arrested and placed
in temporary confinement in the Zucht Hayse, mis-
cradle wooden building, from which he made his es-
cape in the night stole boat, pat to sea, and his
knowledge of the of the Cattegat enabled
him to reach the Skaw Light. Here he sold the
boat, and embarked on board Danish lndiaman
bound to ST. Thomas, in the West Indies
From this vessel he made his escape, after being
fog ged for mutnous conduct, and joined small pr
ratcal coasting schooner. His first trip in her was
to the west end Of the island of Porto Rico, where
the crew landed under cover of the darkness OF the
night, and plundered the mansion of rich planter;
meeting with smart resistance, they butchered
every male they found on the premises, except some
negroes who made their escape, and two muiattos,
whom they took board the schooner They also muir
cred maiden sister of the planter, and carried his
two lovely daughters, aged respectively Ia and 10,
on board their vessel. Fearful of detection they
crowded all SAIL and shaped the schooner's course
for the ceast of Africa On this trip dispute took
place to the possession of the two young ladies'
w ilihems claiming one as his prize, he having
her from the burning building. The cap
tain Of the schooner also claimed her as his prize,
aud ultimately obtained her by woundng Willhelms
in fight with cutasses, being agreed upon that she
was TO fall TO the share of the victor Pent up in
small cabin, and too weak to offer resistance, the
youngest OF the two sisters, mild beautiful, blue
ey ed fair haired GIRL was compelled to yield herself
to the loathsome embraces Of the pirate captain, and
with herself, her hopes of happiness in this fe The
ether fell to the share of the first mate, by lot;
by whom she was treated brutality that she sought
in DEATH refuge from her mseries One fine moon
light night, the mate being asleep, she prevailed
upon Willhelms TO allow her To come on deck; and,
watching her opportunity, she jumped overheard
and was drowned almost before she was missed. Her
sister was, after this, closely watched, and oppor-
tunty allowed her to escape, to destroy her
self The vessel cruIsed on the coasts oil Africa ana
South America for nearly year, during which time
this poor girl gave birth to infant; which, how
ever was rudely torn from her, and thrown overheard
as an incumbrance. In a second quarrel between
and the captain, after the murder OF
the child the brutal ruffians fought with pistols;
Wilhelms wounded the captain, who fell, and in fall
ing discharged his pistol, the ball from which en-
tered the breast Of the unfortunate GIRL who died
instantly; the captain died in the of the night
and Wihelems had them tied together and thrown
overheard.
After this his life for ten years Zone scene Of
rude commotion." He was elevated to the Gem
mand Of the vessel, and became celebrated for reck
lessness and daring. II was not an uncommon thing
for him TO attack and plumber two or three merchant
vessels in one week IL he met with great resist.
ance in boarding, his practice to haul off, sail
round the victim, and rake her with repeated broad
sides fore and aft. After strcwng her decks with
killed and wounded, he then boarded her, plundered
her and set her fire after destroying her boats.
His attachment to beautiful women was great
his thirst for villainy. lie was known to be a
year at time without very handsome concubne
and, indeed, when we look at the following table Of
his chronological developments, furnished us by an
ainent professor Of the science, this will not be
matter Of much astonishment We give every item
Of his character, and mental developments, com
pared with Gibbs and Walmslcy, and other celebra-
ted pirates and murderers, from which our readers