News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-10-05
THE LATE CAPT. KIDD.
THE TREASURES RECOVERED
AFTER HIS DEATH.
A Sketch of the Noted Pirate and
His Work.

The second volume of the diary of
Samuel Sewall, published by the Mas
sachusetts Historical Society, gives us
an account of Captaid Kidd, the pirate,
which is interesting. 1t appears, from
some facts collected by the editor of
this volume, that Kidd was licensed
May 16, 1891, at New York, to marry
Mary, widow of John Oort, and that
about three weeks afterward he was
commissioned by Bradstreet to attack
privateer then on our coast. He prob
ably sailed between New York and
England for some years, and, becoming
acquainted with Colonel Livingston,
Lord Belmont and others, he made an
agreement to go out to the East Indies
as captain of lawful privateer, to sup
press piracy. This was in October,
1895. Here he turned pirate himself,
making his rendezvous on the coast of
Madagascar, and capturing native ves-
sells. After time he returned to His
PAMELA, where he left his ship and
came to New York in sloop, whence
he proceeded to Boston in June, 1899.
After an examination he was committed
close prisoner with divers of his crew.
Sewall has recorded that by the aid of
a woman two of these men escaped in
June and were recaptured in October.
Bellomont saysthat g he found that the
iailer was Bradishe's kinsmaa, and he
confessed that he and one of the crew
went out of the prison door" In No.
vembef, l69Y, zDeiioLlvAAss uAs,sss 1=-,--> :
"These pirates have in jail make me
vary uneasy for fear they should escape.
l would give 9100 they were all in New
gate" At his request, as there was no
provincial law for Furnishing piracy with
death, f1igate was sent for the prison.
ers, and they sailed in February, 100.
Kidd was tried for piracy and for the
murder of one of his crew, and, being
found guilty, was executed. The whole
affair was brought into politics. Not
only was Bellomont, one of the original
owners of Kidd's vessel, now in high
position, but Lord Chancellor Somers
and some other distinguished noblemen
were sharers in the enterprise, and the
King himself was to have had tenth
of the profits. When Kidd was captured
a6 Boston the searchers found bag of
gold and ingots worth 81, 900 and bag
of silver. On information they sent to
Mr., Gardiner, of GARDENERS Island, in
Long Island Sound, and obtained gold,
silver and jewels worth "a, 500, and six
bales of goods, one valued at 20, 900.
The total capture was thought to be
worth ETA, 200. Kidd afterward told
Lord Bellomont that if he was allowed
to go to the place where he left his ship,
and to St. Thomas and Curacao ne
would recover 100000 to EGO, 600 mid
by himself, which no one else could re-
cover. Referring to the treasure taken
with Kidd, Judge Sewall notes in his
diary, uzder date of February IS "We
ship off the Iron Chest of Gold, Pearls,
etc., forty Balls of East India Goods,
thirteen hogsheads, chests. and case,
one Negro Man, and Venture ResaiI, an
East Indian, born at Ceilon. Wether
was doubtful in the morning, which
made us irresolute; but at last we set
about 1t and accomplished it very hap
lilly. I look upon it as great mercy
If God that the Storehouse has not
been broken up, and no fire has hap
,eHed."