Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1853-05-18
Captain Kidd.

Captain Kidd. IS
The main facts in relation to the history Capt.
Kidd, were read last winter before the New York
acter and relations of this noted fllibuster in a
somewhat new Light It would seem from the
documents here printed, that Capt. Kidd was a
partner with tbs Earl of Bellamont, Governor
General of New York, Sir Richard Harrison, and
Robert Livingston, in privateering expedition
against the pirates of the Indian Ocean. It is
probable that Lord Somers and other men of rank
were concerned in the affair. The vessel furnish
ed for this purpose, the famous "Adventure Gal
ley,'' was to sail under commission from his maj
esty as private man-of-war, 'to act against the
kings enemies, and to fight with, conquer and
subdue pirate" partners to divide the profits.
The ship was manned by volunteers, who were to
be paid if the enterprise proved successful Kidd
sailed from New York in 1895, and proceeded to
the Indian Ocean, where he captured several ves-
sells, among them the .Quedad Merchant" This
ship was said to belong to the Great Mogul, and
complaints were made by the East India Company,
which led to proclamation against all pirates,
offering pardon to all who should surrender with
in certain time, but excepting Kidd by name.
Kidd was at that time in the West Indies with
the "Quedah Merchant" Leaving her there, he
came to Boston in sloop, on the lst day of July,
1899. On the Sd he attended meeting of the
council, and gave an account of his proceedings
~, 81 e<b ho t., Dnl1, IL ~,
he had authority from England to seize him. He
was arrested, sent to England, and remained in
prison one year. On the 18th of April, 1701, the
House of Commons impeached Lord John Somers
of high crimes and misdemeanors. One of the
charges was his being concerned in the commits
sions to Kidd, and in grants passed Of the money,
&c, taken from pirates. Somers was acquitted
on the nth Of June but in the meantime Kidd
was tried at the Old Bailey, condemned, and
hanged in Execution Dock. Kidd defended him
self on his trial, by urging that the vessels he
captured were lawful prizes, as they carried
French passes, which the Earl of Bellamont had
taken from him and refused to give up. He also
urged that his crew were in such mutinous con-
dtiop that it was impossible to bring his captures
into port to be regularly condemned. Many wit
nesses were produced to prove his previous good
character.
1t was much questioned at the time in the Lon
don coffee-houses, whether Kidd was rightly con-
victed, and indeed it seems highly probable that
he suffered from being partner with too infuen-
tial personages. Parties had changed since this
expedition of most questionable propriety was or
ganized and the great excitement gowing out ofthe
political violence of the times, made it necessary
that victim should be offered up to public clamor.
It was for the interest of all parties that Kidd
should be the Offering whether innocent or guilty;
the traditions and ballads in relation to his career
and death, have given dark color to his memory,
which it will always retain, no matter how well
he may be subsequently defended. There is no
forgetting the ringing lines of'ye lamentable bal
lad and ye true historic"
81 murdered William Moore, as sailed, as l sailed,
/ murdered william Moore, as sailed. .r,3
murdered William Moore and left him in his gore,
Not many leagues from shore, as sailed"
AS regards the great money question, which is
often mooted, it appears that Kidd did have about
ElO,0Oo on board of the Antonio sloop. But Bel
lamore is said to have seized most of it, either on
board of the sloop, or on Gardeners Island. A
vessel was sent from Boston in pursuit of the
.sQuedah Merchant but she was not found, nor
even heard of. Mr.. Campbell thinks that she
may have been sunk in the North River. Most
of her crew were from New York, or al least en-
listed there. The tradition is, that they passed
New York in the night, and being headed off by
the wind at the entrance of the Highlands scut-
tied the ship and fed, carrying off the treasure
We could not on the evidence, advise any one to
dig or drain for Kidd's money, even with the as
sistauce of divingrod, or the spiritual rappers.
G NJ. J. Hedges, conductor on the New
York and Erie Railroad, proposed to Miss Hen
rietta Converse, Of Elmira, at P. NJ. on Thurs