The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-06-14
Discovery OF 81 Singular Piece OF Antiquity
The Remains OF the Celebrated Pirate,
Capt. kidd's Vessel.

The Remains Of the Celebrated Pirate,
Capt. kidd's Vessel.
On Monday we were invited 10 inspect, at the
office of Mr.. A. C. Thompson, Wall street, apiece
of ordnance, recently raised from the bed OF the
river, at the mouth Of the race little above YER
blanks Point. Ii is of the carronade class, about
three ieet long, capable of carrying about "a h.
shot, and such were frequently used on board of
vessels from the time of Elizabeth to the early part
of the reign OF the Georges. 1t has large handle
at the breech, where 1t measures upwards OF three
mouth altogether, a very different instrument OF
warfare To those used at The present time.
There are circumstances attending this discovery
which may MOI be snInteres'ing 10 many. Between
| the years 1916 and 100, II may be remembered
that the whole OF this coast infested by gangs
Gt desperate pirates and iTeebooters, buccaneers,
| as they were then termed and none much
dreaded rs the notorious Capt. w am Kidd. He
was alike feared by all nations, and heavy price
was set upon his head much so that England
was Obliged at length to hi out couple Of large
vessels purpose 10 capture him, # possible II
was well known that his principal place of resort
| and refuge was Long Island Sound; and here in IA
short time, these vessels made their appearance, and
heyether discovered the object OF their expedition,
or he espled them, IL Is not exactly known which.
| He ran his vessel close under Gardeners Island,
where himself and crew loaded themselves with
such treasures as they could conveniently carry
about their perssps, and landed on the island, where
| a considerable portion OF their booty was buried, aud
Kidd informed MIR. Gardner, who resided on the
l
him at the same time, that he must answer for it
with his life when he returned. Kidd then sail
up the North River, and reached the point before
mentioned, where, finding escape with his vessel
| impossible, that he could p!oce ed further
with safety, determined upon destroying her. The
crew then, 1t is supposed, separated and scattered
| themselves over different parts of the interior.
| Shortly after Kidd and some five or six OF his
crew, crossed to Boston, where they were
taken prisoners. Upon being Inerrogated he INFORM
ed the thep Governor OF Massachusetts here he had
/ bOOfV frarHpers Island
that only hlinself and Gardner knew where II lay,
.nd the Governor sent over parties 10 obtain IT, but
| Mr., Gardner refused 10 pout II out until he was
perfectly satisfied that he was safe from the
| menaces of Kidd and his associates Upon its re.
covery and examination, il was found TO be Of up
| wards OF a quarter OF million in value Mr..
from the governor, which is ttlll IN the possession
of one OF the descendants of that gentleman. Kidd
| was further interrogsted as TO what had become
OF the remainder of his treasures for ii gene
| rally believed that he had much greater amount,
| having but very short time prev ousy captured
three Spanish salleops with cargoes valued at near
upon ten millions of dollars. In reply, Kidd it is
said, observed that whatever else there went
| down with his vessel Shortly after this, he and
his companions We're conveyed 10 England, where
! they Were tined and found guilty OF murder and
| executed in the early part OF 170l
| Several attempts have been made at different
| times by various parties TO ascertain whereabouts
the remains OF this vessel lay and it is said tina.
some rs or 30 years since parties were sent from
| England to ascertain II possible Its situation,
but without success. Some 10 or 10 years since Mr.
| A. g. Thompson, Of Wall street, whom we believe
to be descen OF the Cardncrs' previous. y alla
ded to, In conjunction with other gentlemen, secu-
red the land and got grant from The State TO search
Tor the remains OF this vessel They, acting on the
traditions handed down from 'sre 10 son and
other connecting links, after years toll and
expense were fortunate enough TO find evidence of
having discovered the remains OF vessel near unto
the spot where II Is said Kidd hud destroy ed his.
During their research by boring and prck,ng, they
have several times brought up pieces Of charred
| wood. This will IN some degree answer TO the ac-
count given OF lis being the identical vessel, it ha-
wing been set lire 10. Further, the size OF the hull
as can be ascertaioed, is about the same as
that IN which it is said Kidd sailed already it is
| known TO exceed $50 feet in length, and ia other
respects possible about the size of Of
our forty gun !rgales. The hull, with The excep-
uon ct the stern part, is IN aprety perfect state. 1t
rs supposed II the stern part that blew up after
she was set fire TO and caused her TO sink sooner
| than might have been expected by this daring des-
perado.
| A gentleman of considerable scientific attain
ments OF the name Of Sergeant has recently invent
| ed a very superior diving dress, and under his d.
| recton an experienced diver last week en-
ployed tn descend and more particularly examine
his hull, and the result has been what we have
before stated, and the raising Of this piece Of ord
| nance The diver on this occasion also found
| another piece close to where the other lay Of much
| larger dimensions, but which could not then be
raised for The want OF proper apparatus Of sufficient
| strength He scraped from it some Of the rust with
| which It is pretty fhickly coated, and upon apply
/ come oil brass gun. Now it is known that Kdd's
| Guns were principally OF this metal. This hull lies
| n about % feet OF wafer, with two feet oi mud
| over her; not above two or three rods distant from
| ow water mark dt The mouth Of the little
| hove Verplanck Point This spot ives formerly
| called Gibraltar Point at the foot OF the Dunder-
| 'ergh Mountain. and answers exactly with oil The
| more correct accounts OF the SPOT where Kidd Ia
| aid TO have set fire TO his vessel.
Whether there be treasure or not IN ihls hull re-
| r'alns TO be seen but the parties who feel most
| Interested IN the matter inme diaiely about
utting into operation the most Efficient means pos
ible tor raising II and ascertainng and If that is
ound impossible to remove IFS contents IN detail.
/ living bells and other apparatus, together with
ne assistance OF some able divers have been OBJ.
| AIMED for this purpose With the recent result OF
| milar expectations IN respect Of the hull Of the
Tctemcque on the French coast, and the recovery
| i the tr assures with which she was supposed To
nave been frelghteG are futher doubtful OF the
| .esult However it will put the matter al rest.
VALUE OF REAL ESTATE IN BuFFALo.-A letter
| % Livingston & Co, dated Buffalo, 1l,h instant,
,ves the following The principal salts Of property that
occurred here the afternoon of esterdey made by
he receivers Of the Buffalo Commercial Bank. Among
he property sold was the American Hotel now Kept by
dr Hodges. il purchased by MIR Nathaniel Thayer
Boston Tor sal 600 II built leased ground, the
eni Of which is about 81 600 per annnm consider this
| very capital sale.
be ming indeed as the sale drew 10 close there
naniiested mn increased anxiety TO purchase The re-
| 1eivcr's sale Tor cash down.
The Eagle Tavern Niagara Falls, together with the
nundatiun built by Rahbun in 1896 and upon which be
about the largest public house in The western
| art Of the state sold 10 Mr.. Gouraud, the well
Anown professor phrrno mnemotcchny This property
| 1eloDgedto the u. =. Bank, and brought sl2,loU
/ -----
| 4 CRors IN SouTH CARorINA.-ihe crops IN ms
and the adjoining Districts we unde'snd Gays me csm-
len Journal promise sich return to the huspandn an Tor
lis layers wa heard of cotton blooms on ore plantation
| A. early Ms the goth Of May.
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