Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1897-06-25

| par wnen he eSpleO bonnet
vessel, which he chased into the
Cape Fear and captured after a
stout resistance. He took his
prize to Charleston with thirty
prisoners, who, with their COM
1nander, paid the penalty Oh the
fgallows Governor Johnson
himself soon after went in pur>
suit of Worley aud after a des-
perate engagement off the har ,
Dor of Charleston captured him.
The entire crew of the pirate
vessel, with the exception of
Worlv and one other were killed
in the battle; and they were
dangerously wounded. They
were taken to the South Caroe
lima metropolis and Immediately
executed for fear that death
would cheat the gallows Vane
was run down and slain soon
afterwards; and the band once SO
formidable was materially re-
duced.
But piracy was not yet broken
up, though it had received a
signal reverse. Blackboard, the
boldest and most redoubtable of
the gang, with fifty or sixty fol>
lowers, still hovered about Ocra-
coke and the Pamlico sounds.
He de6ed capture and boasted
that he was a match for the
kings navy.
In I7IS, while cruising off the
coast of South Carolina, Teach
captured a vessel having on
board Samuel Wragg. member
of the executive council of South
Carolina, and a man of means
and influence. Blackboard rob-
bed Mr. Wragg of $500 in
specie and held him for ransom.
The bold freebooter had the eff
frontery to send four of his men
to Charleston to demand of Gov
ernor Johnson a chest of ,nedi
cine threatening that, if the
drugs were not sent at once, Mr..
Wragg's Lead together with the
heads of all other prisoners
would be sent his majesty by
early breakfast the next day.
The energetic governor had no
means at that time to resist the
bravo and pirate; therefore to
save the lives OF the unfortunate
prisoners the medicine was sent
After reveling in blood for
years and amass,ng a large for
tune by his deeds Of violence,
Teach went to Edenton, N. c.,
then the capital of the province,
and applied for the kings par
don which had been offered tc
all pirates who would return to
their duties of citizenship. Gov,
ernor Eden granted Blackboard
and his followers the certificate
of pardon, and they settled near
Bath in the same state to enjoy
their ill-gotten gairs. About
this time Blackboard married
his thirteenth wife. She was
unquestionably woman with,
out much feminine curiosity, OF
she would have become some.
what inquisitive as to what had
become of her twelve predeces'
sOrS.
Restless and rowing in his dis
position Black beard could not
long remain contented upon
land. Accordingly to the sea he
went with his followers who
were at all times under his guild
ance. Not long afterwards he
returned to Bath ostensibly as
trader bringing a French ship
loaded with sugar and cocoa
He claimed that he had founc
the vessel abandoned at sea, bu
there were no marks of violence
by storm that would occasion
such belief. No apparent rea
son could be shown why crew
voluntarily should abandon
, vessel at sea in the excellent con
dition in which it was said +
have been found.
Governor Eden ordered
court of admiralty with Tobia
, Knight as judge to sit at Bath t.
decide upon the merits of tn
case. Evidence was taken from
t Blackboard himself and some o
his gang in support of the false
hood about finding the vesse
r adrift. The court, i'll face of tn
] notorious past record of TeacI
l and the witnesses, decided tha
/ the boat was a lawful prize an
: properly of Edward Teach, tn
= finder. 1t seems strange tha
7 such a verdict could have bee
obtained from a court compose
Y of men who must have know
0 the real character of Blackboard
2 1t is true that he had Outward
n reformed, had given up the pre-
Il tension to piracy, and was trad
i, ing ostensibly as a law abidin
e citizen.
E Williamson, in his history {
n North Carolina, published shor
t ly after the events here describe