Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-05-22
TR6E STORY OF CAPTAIN KIDD.
Prom Tho New Moon.

part of The good old town oi quincy Na7N,
named Squsntum., 1t is not so very mmon OF
= place; but II Is quiet snd restiai' ana mas
enough variety TO satisfy the most ss'idions.
The idler n be chooses can pick blackberries
from the tangled bushes in the worn out
p.sture, or scramble the high rocks, and
iook vay out TO ssa or with huge field
ulass puzzle lady friends by giving the |
names OF the steamers as they pass To and |
from bingham and Downers Landing.
The old suburb Is an easy hours distance |
from Boston, and some excellent families are |
settled there Moon Island, with its inn
mense sewer works, are objects of interest
" the stranger; and with good company you
can spend an hour or two pleasantly catching
But think hear my readers ASK.
"what has this to do with Captain Kidd ~
Well, viii tell you.
One day last August a ten. .year-old urchn
ran up to me with the question:
"Papa, who was Captain kidd?'
"Why?"
"Ohi want to know"
"Oh because I was out sailing with Mr..
Jenkins, and landed over there on Half
Moon island, and be showed me place
where Captain Kidd buried his money"
"Well, II he told you so much, why didn't
he tell you more, and give you the whole
history of Captain KiddT'
HE told me to ask you"
And thinking this plain recital OF tho
deeds of notable sailor will be interesting,
we reproduce them here, not vouching for
their truth, but probably as near the truth as
anything can now be obtained OF that noted
character.
William Kidd was an Englishman, though
some say Scotchman, of Greenock, aud
WAS born near the middle OF the seventeenth
century. Prior to the year 1851. he was
prominent character in the city of New ork
where he married Mrs, Sarah Oort, widow
of merchant of that city. Tradition points
10 Cedar street, at its junction with William
street, rs the place of his residence.
From his youth he had been accustomed
to the sea, and in the French war he had
commanded a cruiser, meeting the enemy
on all occasions with courage, skill, ami sue
cess, besides chastsing the pirates who were
wont to cruise on the New England coast
In 1891, he was opposed to the administra-
tion OF Governor Leiser (afterward the
victim of judicial murder), and on the ar
rival of Slaughter, who superseded Lesler,
he received a hundred and fifty pounds "as
q suitable reward for the many good services
done to- the province of New York. After
words Kidd and Slaughter associated in
London as friends.
Ia the year 1898, the Indian ocean swarm,
ing with pirates, it became necessary to take
measures for their apprehension. Accord
ingly, Is Kidd was at this time in London
in command of merchant ship 1t was pro
posed TO give him an armed vessel, and senC
him on cruise to drive the pirates from tn,
seas Kidd, having a tolerable acquaintance
with all their haunts, readily agreed. BishOI
Burnet tells us that the king hmssS was
interested, and was in favor of making tho
expedition private venture, Offering &
contribute a thousand pounds. Afterward,
however, he excused himself from financial
rticipations on impecunious grounds, leav-
ing the expense to be borne by Richard,
Earl of Bellomont, then but just appointed
governor of New York, in connection with
Robert Livingstone, OF New York, Captain
Kidd, and others.
Kidd made his contract with Bsllomont,
hon p.lt
mont agreeing to get him commission aS
private man.of-war to fight prates "witi
such large and beneficial powers and clauses
in such commission as may be most prope
and eiectual." The earl was to pay four
fifths, and Kidd and Livingstone one-fith
of the money required for the expedition
The profits each should receive from til
voyage were TO be regulated by the propoI
tions contributed, Bellomont thereby eS
pecting to receive lions share.
On the llth of December, 1885, Kidd r,
ceived his commission, authorizing him
war against French ships and such otbt
ships were liable to confiscation, beside
those OF the pirates.
The following April he sailed for Ne
York in the Adventure galley, with a ere
of eight men, on his way taking Frenc
prize. lie remained in port about thr,
months, raising men, when, at the end
this time, having increased his crew To OF
hundred and titty-six, he sailed tor the /
dian ocean, bearing with him an establishe
lOT courage, capacity, pTuuent
and skill. His crew, however, had bee
enlisted on the principle of "no purchase, 1
pay" and iwere generally of despera
character. At his trial it was proved that b
went to sea with many misgivings an
after he had lett, Governor Fletcher wrOi
home to the Board of Trade, that "man
Hooked TO him from all parts men of despe
ate fortunes, and necessitOus, in eXpectaliO
OF getting vast treasure. 1t is generally bt
lieved here that they will have money, b
fair means or foul that if he miss of III
design intended, for which be was commi
stoned, 1t Will not be i'll kidd's power
govern such horde of men under no pay.
The latter clause, excusing Kidd in advance
is the more significant from the fact that
was penned by kidd's political opponen
who was by no means DESTROYS OF doing hii
any good.
Kidd had, never he ,ess, set out on his voy
age; and now let us note its incidents
Early in September, 1906 he sailed fo
Madeira, arriving there Oct 5. He reache,
Madagascar the following January. Tn
next September he was on the cOas, of MaIa
bar, where he was attacked by two Portu
guese ships, which he fought all day, an,
finally beat oil, having fourteen men wound
ed. lie continued to cruise for pirates unit
the following November (I6g1 without sue
cess. At that time he fell in with richI,
laden English ship, which his crew voted 4
capture, though he eventually restraine,
them. Soon alter they took ship maune,
chiefly by Moors, which, 1t appears, was
Bengal merchant ship called the Quidah
This was also taken, though it does not ap
pear that any blood was shed. The capture
was aiterward declared Illegal while thu
testimony proved that Kidd was no Longer
master OF his ship
After this be sailed to ST. Mary's Madagas
car, where he sunk his first prize and wher
ninety-seyen of his men, satisfied of his rea
character, gladly improved the occasion I,
desert to The Mocha frgate, a pirate sbiI
lying at that port, which ship he desired L
capture, but failed to get the cooperation O
his men, who assured him that they shoul,
much prefer to turn their guns upon hin
In his deienseless state he was aiterwarf
piunuered OF much ammunition and store,
by the pirates, who, after giving their late
commander these expressions of opinion
Which plainly implied that he was deemed
a'together too virtuOus for their society
sailed away Some time prior to this in an
sitercaton with his gunner, Kidd struck
MN with bucket, and Moore soon died
KIDD having but sixteen well-disposed
men lett, improved the occasion to set sail in
The Quidah, leaving the Adventure ralIey
sunk In the harbor.
April !, l6g9 he reached Anguilla i'm IN,
West Indies. Here, to his utter dismay. n,
found himself proclaimed a pirate Jpor
ms, most OF his small crew that still re
NAMED, lied from him, when he was Obliged
10 leave the tluidah in HispaniOla and sail
lor New York in a small s!oop On reaching
New YORK he received a letter from the Ear
Q. Beilomont at Boston, inviting him thither
WINNER he, in too contiding spirit, at once
Impaired, confident of his ability to NEE
Every charge that might be preferred A
psoou ne saw the earl, then governor al