Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-07-30
From the Journal of Commerce.
CAPT. KIDD AND HIS TREASURE

The history and adventures of this dar-
ing freebooter of by-gone days have been
brought into notice once more, by attempts
which are making TO ascertain the contents
of a hulk which has been discovered deeply
sunken IN the mud, at the mouth Of what
is called the Race, in Hudson River, at the
foot Of Dunderburgh Mountain, near Cald-
Wells Landing. From a statement just
published by some of the parties interested,
we derive the annexed extracts, showing
the progress already made in the work oil
exploration, AMI some of the reasons which
induce the belief that the hulk in question
is the remains of the veritabe ship that be-
longed to Capt William Kidd Ii appears
from portions of the statement which we
have not copied, that among the inhabitants
residing in the vicinity of the wreck, the re
are traditions, which have been handed
down from generation to generation, that
Kids ship, being pursued by English CRUZ
sers to the point above indicated, was there
set on fire and sunk by Kidd himself, about
ono hundred and 'fortyfve years since
and that Kidd, with few of his crew, then
ion, where he was soon after captured and
sent TO England.
These traditions are corroborated by ST.
milar traditions among the descendants Of
persons formerly residing in the vic nifty
of Dunderburgh mountain, but who (the
descendants are now scattered in distant
parts Of the country. Ii is not for u to
decide how much weight these traditions
are entitled TO. So far as we are aware,
there is no authentic record Of Kids ship
having been driven up the Hudson and
there burnt; but it is also to be noted that
the whole history Of his movements 8 TO q
great extent involved in mystery, nsomuch
that some have maintained Certainly with
out reason) that Captain Kidd was mere
creature Of fancy, and that such man
never IN fact existed One thing is GER
tain, that the remains Of a large ship hare
been found VT the point Indicated by the
above mentioned traditions and from tho
appearance OF the shavings brought up by
cased augers, it is evident that she has been
partially burnt. Furthermore, howitzer
oil very ancient construction, has oeen re-
covered from the wreck which shows that
the vessel there burnt and sunk, was an
armed vessel. This howitzsr we have
seen ; and any body may see it who is dis
posed TO 60 into Jones' Court, Wall street.
As lis peculiaritiss are described i'll the an
ncxcd extract, we need not parllcularize
them here.
Kids money has been dug for every
where, and a vast deal OF superstition and
nunsrnse has been displayed IN regard to
It. The present may turn out to be an
equally frutless search. so far as treasure
qs concerned and il may even prove that
Kidd had no more 10 do with the ship in
question than the man in the moon get
even so, Il few thousand dollars expended
in solving the mystery o! this armed hulk.
concerning which history is nearly if not
altogether silent, will be money well laid
out. We are glad to learn that there is a
dete mination. on the part Of the indIvidu-
ais concerned, to pursue their researches,
until the problem is definitely solved. We
now proceed 10 the extracts
Capt. Kidd was commander in the En-
glsh navy, and received a commission to
cruise against tho pirates, and afterwards a
commission of reprlsaIs against the French.
He is said to have frs, been captivated
with the treasure Of the daughter of the
Great Mogul, which was given her as
marriage portion, and she put in charge of
Kidd 10 convey to her husband, when he
turned pirate, murdered her, and stole her
treasure that afterwards he captured
number of Moorish vessels, French ships,
and Spanish galleons, besides other vessels
with valuable cargoes, and at length was
driven up the Hudson river by the English
mcn-of-war which were sent out for his
capture. and not seeing any way of escape,
sunk his vessel with her cargo of treasure,
went across the country, then almost will
dernes,, and was taken prisoner in Bos-
ton, with few of his men who went with
him, and sent TO England, tried and execu-
ted, being hung in chains at +" Execution
Dock" on the 18th day of May, 17Ol.
We shall not enter into any proof of the
main fact in the above statement, to wit
that Kidd was commissioned an officer in
The English navy, turned pirate, was taken
prisoner in this country, sent TO England,
tried and executed-but would refer those,
If any, who have doubts on these points, to
British State Trials, Smiths History, with
Thompson's History Of Long Island Sound.
and his capture, which will be mentioned
herein. Without referring to statements
which any one can hear by going to the
lower end Of Long Island. Of the escape Of
two or three of Kidd. men who settled
there, having brought booty with them,
and where the name of the family and the
property purchased will be pointed out, but
which, for obvious reasons. we forbear to
particularize, as we'll as to the general ira
ditons in almost every harbor on both sides
Of Long Island Sound of his having been
seen there, we will state more definitely
abou, his visit to Gardner's Island.
On one occasion Kidd came ashore and
wanted Mrs. Gardner TO roast him pig.
She was afraid to do otherwise, and did it
tor him, He then made her present Of
cradle blanket, and at the same time told
ner II was part Of tho furniture Of the
daughter Of the Great Mogul. This blan-
ket was part gold and part silk. the gold
being wire. 1t has been kept BY the de.
scsndan,s o. tho family until the prssen,
time, and although i, was cut for the pur.
pose OF division among the daughters. the
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