The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-12-21
KIDD'S TREASURE.
Some That Was Certainly Found
and Much That May Be
Mythical.

In an interesting article on Captain
Kids treasure Joseph West. in the
Monmouth Democrat. says Many holes
have been dug IN the sand banks along
the coast of Monmouth and elsewhere in
New Jersey, as we'll as along the coast OF
Long Island and the shores of the main
land OF New England, in search of Kidd s
buried treasure Il was believed that
kidd frequently visited our shores dur
lug his career. and as he actually did
bury treasure in one place, 1t was thou ght
that he did in other places also.
Before Kidd turned to be pirate. and
for several years after he was hing,
piracies We're frequent. They prowled
along our whole coast, the Gulf OF Mex
leo and the coast of South America
They sometimes entered the ports, and
it was said that they appeared openly III
New York, and that there was reason 10
believe that Governor Fletcher counte-
nanced them. Tradition said that one of
E,letcher's council Was an agent for them.
AT any rate, in Kidd's time he and other
pirates entered cur bays for supplies fire.
quently, and no doubt here and there a
vagabond from among our people enlisted
with the wretches. Readers of the Demo-
crdt viii remember that when the court
of Middletown was broken mp by the
ing the case of one who confessed that he
had been with Kidd, and was with him
when he was Captured.
The ship Nassau, commanded BY one
Shelley, OF New York, was said to have a
part OF Kidd's gang. He traded with the
people OF New Jersey and Pennsylvania,
and finally ran his vessel ashore near
New York, after securing his ill-gotten
gains. 1t was said that pirates were en-
tertained at the Bahama Islands, and
that some American colonies harbored
them. We may excuse our people for
trading with pirates. for had they not
done so they would have fofcibly taken
what they needed. aud we may doubt the
statements that some Of our people were
in sympathy with them, or conniYed at
their escape The once popular belief
that Kidd buried so much money In so
many places we may also doubt. Els
career as pirate was too short.
William Kidd had seen much service as
a merchant captain and commander of
privateer against the French. Being a
bold seaman he was recommended TO
Governor BeilOmont as a proper person
to send against the pirates who infested
the vicinity of New York as we'll as those
of the East Indian waters and elsewhere.
A fine ship called the Adventure Galley
was fitted out in England by a number OF
gentlemen of New York and England and
Kidd owned i've shares. de was commits
stoned by Bellom0nt against the French
and pirates, and he made up his crew in
New York, but after a little while he
turned pirate himself He seems to have
committed few, if any. acts OF piracy on
The American coast, but on the spanish
American coast and in the Indian Ocean
and elsewhere he committe acts OF
piracy and aided other pirates Shortly
before he was captured he entered New
York Bay, ran past the city into the
Sound, and anchored in Gardeners Bay,
l. /. Here, in the presence OF Mr.. Gardi-
ner, and under solemn promises Of se-
crecy ana threats of vengeance, he buried
chest Of gold and jewels. He presented
a piece OF gold cloth TO the family of MIR.
Gardiner. which Was preserved for very
many years. 1t was probable that Garti-
ner, at the time, Thought the treasure was
legal spells OF successful cruise. The
treasure buried was said to have been
taken from the ship Quedah Merchant.
Kidd then dressed up as a gentleman ana
went to Boston, where he WAS captured.
sent 20 England, and hung in 1901. The
buried treasure was heard of by Governor
Beilomont. aud be sent committee to
secure it, They found the chest and gave
receipt for the contents, which were
twelve bags OF gold dust, bars OF gold,
silver. coined money, jeweiry, etc. vai~
ued at so, 900.
People used to believe thas lots Of
money had been found which Kidd had
buried, and that the hnaers keIs the
matter 10 themselves. Abnnt Sixty years
ago il was claimed that 81 $50 Id Spanish
money had heen ploNed ~ ~ AazthA's