Sharp County record., 1896-11-06
N-aarr r.a -.
MN Nlcir n,niect s. eFgacted.

] "A couple or mtGCudllS IIUln WIZ
mington, who are yet here, viewed the
Ranger when lying in the river and
state that the schooner is the exact
counterpart In all respects but the
color of tho paint that coySrs her
/ frame and the name on her stern OF
the Clara Belle, whose captain Angus
Bruce, murdered John Lloyd, of VIII
mington, on the night OF the thirty
first of May last.
"Mr. Murchison, one of the mer.
chants alluded to, asserts that the Clara
Belle often, in past days, has lain at his
dock, loading and unloading acargo-hc
| further asserts that Bruce is a man OF
stalwart, powerful frame, which would
tally with the description of the captain
of the Ranger, whose beard may be
false one.
Most of the crew of the Clara Belle,
states Mr.. Murchison, were left at VIII
mington on the night of the flight from
that port, they being ashore at that
time.
But be he who he may, this Black
Beard seems destined to become a curse
to this coast unless speedily appre-
hended, or himself and craft sent to the
bottom of the sea.
MANY who read this article will re-
call the SLAYER and freebooter Nancy,
that foundered and went down with all
her crew off this coast some two years
since.
"The governor, being fully convinced
that Angus Bruce and Black Beard, as
we call the captain of the Ranger, are
one and the same man, has offered
twenty-five thousand dollars for his ap-
prehenston.
"The Charleston bank, while badly
crippled, has had many offers of assist
ance, and will be able to weather the
Storm"
While this article was arousing the
Indignation of Charleston citizens, and
Two sailing crafts were fitting up to
search the salt seas for her, the Ranger
was scudding along the coast Of
Georgia; and yet she was no longer the
Ranger-her dark green color had
changed to dirty looking red, and the
name on the stern was-William B.
Niles.
No black-bearded man was on her
decks, but man of much the same size
and appearance, with o smooth face,
vas her commander.
"Bill! Bill Gibbs!"
"Aye, aye, sir,"
go below and terrify the niggers;
tell them we land and sell them to.
night, and all they have to do, if they
like their new masters better than the
old ones, Is to keep 'mum; II they don't
they can talk all they want to, after we
have left them behind, and possibly the
news will get to Charleston, and their
old masters come and claim them; but
tell them, Bill, that il they croak before
we have left them miles behind we'll
have the life of every nigger there.
Tell the mate to send dozen armed
men with you below; plenty Of knives
and pistols, kill chicken or two, and
bloody your hands and faces; pistols,
knives and the sight Of blood will sub.
due q niger, you know how to man
age it,"
THAT do I. I'll fix them"
Don't hurt them, Bill, don't mark
them up. A marked nigger won't half
sell, people think he's unruly"
At sundown the William B. Niles was
anchored in the Altemaha river and at
sunrise the next day painted sign was
hung over her port side, which read.
Eighteen able bodied negroes for sale.
All must be sold by 10 o'clock this day.
AT 1880 o number of planters along
the river boarded the schooner.
The negroes were all ranged along
the deck. They had had plenty to eat and
drink, and had not suffered by their
trip down the coast some of them
were perhaps little groggy, but not
q whimper did they make until Black
Beard, or William b. Niles, as he now
represented himself, had exchanged
them for $4,000 in gold.
The slaves were lowered In boat
that the planters had along side to con-
vey them ashore, and when the last
one had left the deck of the schooner,
and the last planter was seated in his
boat, then Black Beard gave the order:
"Up anchor, and away!"
"Where away, sir?"
"For the island" said Black Beard
rs the anchor was raised above the wa.
ter's surface.
All sails were set, and the schooner
swung round, caught the breeze, her
sails filed, and she was off. But there
were now shouts and signals from the
boat-the formerly terrified negroes
had evidently told the tale Of their ab'
duction from Charleston, and Of the DIFF
ference in the appearance OF the
schooner from what it presented when
they boarded 1t, to clean oranges foi
fifty cents thousand, or fifty cents u
hundred
The shouts and cries increased, and
the boat headed about, the oarsmen
pulling with might and main towards
the schooner,
A stolwart black whskcrcd man
stood ut the stern OF the William B.
Niles, and as he raised his hat politely