Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-11-01
4ogular &ea6tng.
From the Banner Of Liberty.
. CAPTAIN KIDD.

From the Banner Of Liberty.
CAPTAIN KIDD.
Who has not heard the almost number
less stories Of money buried by Captain
Kidd, and the many f~ruitless efforts to gain
possession of it9 And but few have ever
known his history; while by many it has
been supposed that the stories we're the In
ventions of fertile brains, and that Captain
Kidd was a fictitious person. But on ex-
aiming vol. iv. Of documents relating to
the Colonial History of the State of New
York. will be seen the truth of his exls'
tence, and that the stories of buried money
had some foundation in fact.
Many years ago, and shortly after the
sun of Dutch supremacy had set in the
New World, with the capture ofNew York,
and the English lorded it over the provin-
ces included, in His Britanic Majesty's
Colonies of America the seas became
overrun by hords of pirates, who had re-
ceived their first lessons from the English
privaters, and increased until they serious
ly impaired the ,rade Of England itself
when suddenly the Government discovered
piracy to be a crime, and took measures to
suppress it. Captain KID had long been a
sort of nondescript of the ocean, a kind Of
trader, and something more ola smuggler ;
and, wishing a wider field of operations,
entered into an agreement, on the 10th day
of October, 1896, with the Earl of Bello.
mont and Robert Livingston, for the pur'
chase of a vessel to act as privateer against
the pirates. The Adventure Galley was
accordingly bought, and, after receiving
his commission from the King, Kidd set
sail from London as commander, but in
stead oflooking for pirates, he steered for
New York, where he spent three or four
mouths in rioting and carousing; and, az
ter shipping a new crew of one hundred
and fifty meu,-mostly pirates by profession.
again set sail on September 7th, 1886
But instead of cruising against the pirates
he turned pirate himself, and: sailing to-
ward the Red Sea, gave full reign to his
plunderiug propensities by robbing all who
came in his way. He soon made his name
an object of fear on every sea, and many a
worthy skipper has shuddered with dread
at the sight of a strange sail while crossing
the ocean, and felt a chill creep over him
at the bare mention of Captain Kidd.
New York. at this time, was the priuci-
pal reudezvouse ofthe pirates, who had won
the regard of the traders by their liberal
patronage; and it was said the traders
made more by dealing in their plumber,
than the pirates did themselves. This will
account for their mutual likiug-for it is
we'll known that money is a very potent
charm in promoting friendship. Notwith.
standing his Majesty's instructions to the
Governors and other officials, we'll known
pirates staggered through the streets at
midday, putting smoke into the faces, and
elbowing the quiet ~mynheers, or leering at
every pretty girl, and wiuking at the staid
~goodwivos who veutured to appear in the
%thoroughfares and it was whispered that
for certain favors they were under the pro-
lection of the Governor and officers for no
soorer would a pirate be arrested than the
authorities would hurry on the trial before
witnesses could be procured, and, there
fore, according to the due process of law,
they would be acquitted, and come off with
flying colors. At last a new Governor was
appointed, and the citizens hoping for a
change of affairs, looked anxiously for his
arrival. The Earl of Bellomout, the new
Governor, at length arrived, armed doubly
with his Majesty's instructions, and his en-
nifty to the pirates-the last being by far
the more Northumberland on account of
being especially aimed at Captain Kidd,
made many think that probably it was
caused by the loss of his share of the Ad.
venture Galley. He Immediately gave or
ders to have every pirate arrested, and gave
examples of his intentions toward that fra
ternity, by imprisonipg several noted pi-
rates who fell into his hands; whereupon
the traders waxed indignant, and re non
strated with the Governor on the ruin of
their trade which they foresaw; but the
Governor was inexorahle-the more they
fumed and talked, the severer were his res
trictious. Seeing this they petitioned to
the King for bis removal, which, coming to
the Earl's ear, he wrote a long letter to
his Majesty in viudicatiou of his COURSE
The traders petitioned again, and the Earl
wrote a still longer letter as a set off. And
so it wept-irst a petition aud then letter
a little longer tnan before, till the Govern
or's letters, by reason of their length, gave
the reader a very good idea of Long Meas
ure. Meanwhile, Kidd, after taking many
prizes, and changing from ship to ship,
at last captured a rich Quedah merchant
ship, with which he sailed for New York.
Hearing of thu change affairs had taken, he
secreted his treasure-said to be worth Etc.,
0O0-somewhere along the coast, and sailed
in small sloop for Boston, where the Gov
ernor then was. The Earl had long wish
ed for an opportunity to show his loyalty
to the King, and perhaps of revengiug
himself, by capturing the famous pirate ;
and now he beheld him, as it were, under
his very nose. He had no vessel of war to
capture him with, and was, therefore, thrown
upon his wits, the only resources he had at
command. Captain Kidd communicated
with a friend on shore, named Emot, who
went to the Governor to get his protection
for Kidd, which was readily granted and
Kidd accordingly landed on the first day Of