River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-07-10
MIR. SMITHS ADVENTURE.
Thrilling Story of a Pirate Crew

|
On the 9th of December, 1928, trla
for piracy, which excited great attention
in London and elsewhere, took place be-
fore the High Court of Admiralty. The
prisoner who stood arraigned, and who
was liable, if convicted, to the penalty of
death, had passed through a series OF
mishaps and adventures stranger than nc
ton, and only rivaled by the career of
some of dumas heroes. 1nvolun tarlly
the associate of a crew of murderers and
buccaneers, whose deeds were such as to
strike terror into every merchant skip
per's heart, the prisoner, Aaron Smith,
now stood at criminal bar, and had to
prove to a jury that his companionship
among pirates had been compulsory. On
that proof his life hung on that sharp
| December day. To a nation like Eng
land, rich in merchant shipping, and de-
irving from it enormous wealth, the crime
of piracy was always a heinous one. Far
back as the twenty-eighth year of Henry
VIII reign, a statute had made robbery
on the high seas punishable with death
nd loss of lands. When to this robbery
murder, in its most cruel form, was add
ed, ii is evident that to Englishmen the
crime and the criminals became so hate
| full as to be hunted down on every chance
The reports of the atrocities of the West
India thieves had come, ever and amen,
across the ocean to England, and had
| reused the hate and fear and honest
wrath.
The risk which Aaron Smith ran was
very dangerous one. He was acquitted,
however, for his story, which, during the
space of some hours, held court, jury and
public enthralled by its interest, was
marked by the signs of truth. He called
twenty witnesses to testify to his humani-
ty and honesty. TIE girl to whom he
was betrothed, whose beauty attracted
general admiration, proved that their
marriage would have long taken place
had not the prisoner been detained
abroad. The tears Of the young lady and
the emotion of the prisoner touched those
present as sincere tokens of grief, and
Aaron Smith was held deeply-jnjured
man and set free. He drew up a little
volume called "The Atrocities of the
Pirates" containing very simple and
very unvanIshed record of his adventures,
and which was published in 1924 In
Tune, 1921, Aaron Smith left in the war
ship Harrington for the West Indies.
There he stayed, having left the sup for
some time, engaged in various pursuits,
when he. became engaged as first mate
of the brig Zephyr, Mr.. Lumsden being
master On the goth of June the voyage
to England commenced. Some days
brought the brig off Cape St Antonio,
whence she stood eastward.
On the next day, at p. IN. a strange
schooner stood out from the coast of Cuba
toward the Zephyr. The master was in
formed Of this by Smith and one Captain
Cowper, passenger, but obstinately re-
fused TO change his course, supposing |
presume, on the ctUts- Romanus principle
that as he bore the English flag, none
would modest him. Mr.. Lumsden was
doomed To be harshly uDdeccived. The
grim schooner came on swiftly, her decks
full of men and lowered boats Next
came hoarse order to lay-to, enforced
by volley of musketry, which increased
the rising terror of the Zephyr's master.
The brig was now boarded by the piratos'
boats, which were filled with armed men.
The chief, feroclo us fellow, staid in the
schooner, and had Lumsden, CoWper,
Smith and others brought before him Oh
lish, as to cargo, etc, were enforced by
threats Of burning the Zephyr and every
soul belonging to her if the truth was not
told. smith was informed by the pirate
captain that he would be kept to navigate
the schooner. The mate entreated to be
released, and drew narrowing picture
of an imaginary wife and children long
ing for his return; but all in vain. Ulti-
mately he was forced to 60 aboard the
brig, collect his property and necessaries /
fol navigation, and return to his new mas
ter In the interim Lumsden and Cos
per were dashed to the pumps, and com
bustiDles placed around them and fired,
to ext0rt confession as to hidden treas
ure. The pirates pIundered the brig, and /
Smith was driven at the point Of the 1
knife into the pirate schooner, and saw /
the brig and his compa ions sail of. leav-
ing Linn in captivity