New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-09-10

Wharves OF Charleston; the governor
was unable to resist these bands Of
brigands, who, well drilled and armed
to the teeth, paraded the streets, in
suited the citizens and their wives,
and plundered the shops at their own
sweet will. That Black Beard did
not sack and fire the town may have
been due to prudence; perhaps he did
not think it safe to drive the people
to desperation.
After the pirates sailed away, load
ed with plumber, they seemed to have
parted. Black Beard perhaps felt
weary of this steady excitement and
of the unceasing watchfulness he was
obliged to maintain. He had accurnu-
lated property and could retire. At
any rate he parted company with
his captains and sought a career by
himself. About this time he com nit
ted one of the most awful OF his
many crimes. Finding the crew of
his ship too numerous, and unable
to get rid of them, especially when he
desired as few witnesses as possible
to his atrocities, he contrived this
way to accomplish his purposes; of
course some Of his crew must have
been in the secret with him to enable
him to carry out his plan. When off
a desert island he managed toilet the
ship touch shoal without actually
getting fast. On the pretense that
the ship must be greatly damaged
and required to be lightened and
careened Black Beard ordered al
most all the crew, over 100 in num-
Der, to land, taking provisions only
for a day or two. They little sus-
pected his Internal purpose AS soon
as the boats had returned after land
ing the men he made sail, backed the
ship off the shoal and left his com
rades to die Of starvation on bar
rem isle. Black Beard now steered
for Pamlico river in North Carolina
where he announced his intention to
settle down as peaceable citizen,
and took for his thirtieth wife the
rosy daughter ola planter who seems
to have seen only the sentimental
side of a pirates life and character.
But a man like Black Beard could
not remain quietly on shore, nor die
quietly in his bed, and in year or
two he manned another ship and put
to sea again. For a time he pre-
tended that the vessels that he osten-
tatiously towed into port had been
picked up abandoned. This was
hardly likely, especially as Govoner
Eden, and the colonial secretary, and
the admiralty judge of North Caro-
lima shared the gains with Black
Beard. There seems to have been
public officials of easy consciences in
those days no less than now.
At last this noble corsiar threw off
all disguise and fearlessly secured
the coast, capturing everything that
came, aud running his prizes up to
his haunt on the Pamlico river.
This was more than the good people
OF that state could bear. Whatever
their opinion of piracy, they had no
humor to have their goods snatched
from them, the stuffs for ladies
gowns and the wines and brandies
for the men folks,
Finding that their own governor
was unwilling or unable to help them,
and having no stomach to attack
this wild beast in his lair, the colo
nists appealed to Governor Spots
wood of Virginia to come to their
aid. He Immediately ordered Lieu
tenant Maynard of the royal navy
to proceed against Black Beard in
an armed ship. Maynard was just
the man to succeed in SO desperate
an enterprise. Black Beard heard of
his coming and anchored his own ves-
sci in an advantageous position. He
had a crew Of twenty-five picked men
Of true piratical fibre. They had been
in many a fight and knew we'll that
the only thing for a pirate in battle
is to win or die, but to surrender
never, for that meant inglorious
death at the ropes end.
Maynard had a much larger crew
than Black Beard. He concealed
most Of his men below the deck. But
his ship grounded when approaching
the pirate, who at once opened a ter
rible fire. Twenty men were shot
down at the first broadside. Seeing
but few men left on deck, Black Beard
concluded that the man-of-war was
completely crippled and boarded her
with most of his crew. At that mo-
ment Maynard ordered up the men
hidden below. They sprang on deck
and few at the pirates like tigers,
taking them completely by surprise.
The two captains met in a hand to
hand conflict and it came near go
ing hard with Maynard when his
sword broke but just as he was about
to fall beneath the corsan's descend
ing blade he fired his pistol and Black
Beard threw up his arms, reeled and
dropped to the deck dead Hecheat-
ed the gallows and his end was more
glorious than his deserts. Every
one OF the boarding party Of seven
teen were killed or wounded.
Maynard in turn now boarded the
pirate ship, just in time to seize a
negro standing with lighted match
by the magazine to blow up the ship,
according to Black Boards order, in