The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-08-03
BRICK HOUSE CREEK.


Tho Adventure Of Jaac spraag. the Dare
devil Of Hungry narbor - A Isgend of
Kong Jsisnd-The Days When Frssboot-
] srs Were Honored Citixsns.
In those early days when pirnting was
trade In which men of standing I'm tho
community engaged, either openly OF COW
ertly, thero were some queer and startling
happenings along the south oonst OF Long
Island. More than a century ago tho legend
Of Brick House creek was an heirloom In
the vicinity OF Babylon. II had come down
from generation To generation In company
with the story Of Deacon Tribulation
Smiths conquest of Tackapausha, the
Marsapeague sachem.
It was In South Jerusalem that Thomas
johnson, more familiarly known as "old
Colonel Tom," built the first brick house
on Long Island, which was then called
Mattowacs. This Exck house stood on tho
best farm on tho island. anRin subsequent
years It came to bo regarded with feeling
OF awe by tho Dutch residents Of that
region. "Old Colonel Tom" was man OF
unquestioned prestige In the community.
He enjoyed the respect and homage of his
neighbors because he insisted upon II. In
the picturesque cove at the mouth Of Brick
House creek lay a stanoh clipper built
schooner, carrying six FOUNDER, n maga-
zinc of ammunition and a rack of cut
lasses. This clipper built schooner made
occasional trips out into the ocean, and It's
return was invariably followed by neigh.
borly festivities In honor of "old Colonel
Toms" prowess and increasing prosperity.
On such occasions the hardy crew OF the
little schooner would bring out their cut
lasses and scour Off certain dark spots with
more or less ostentation.
There were honest and pious people on
the island of Mattowacs In those days, but
none was disposed to critioise the doings
Of his neighbor, especially the doings Of
such a neighbor as "old Colonel Tom"
The trade of "water merchant was re-
garded by popular sentiment as leniently
az infractions of the excise law are now.
In Smiths History of New York" may
be found this paragraphs: "It is certain
that the pirates were supplied with provi-
sions by the people Of Long Island, who
for many years afterward were 80 infatu-
ated with the notion that members Of that
guild buried great quantities of money
along the coast that there Is scarce point
Of lahd on the Island without the marks
Of their 'auri saora flames. Some credu-
lops people have ruined themselves by
these RESEARCHES, and they propagated q
thousand idle fables, current to this day
among our country farmers.
The same historian Is authority for the
statement that "many worthy gentlemen"
Of that early period invested much prop
erty In divers small craft. e., brigan-
tines and cutters, wherewith they secured
the sea, paying visits unto other vessels
and carrying on a general trade after a
very insistent and Wholesale fashion. 1t
is matter of wholesale record that Cap
tain Kidd had for his associates Lord
Chancellor Somers, the Duke Of Shrews-
bury, the earls Of Romney and Oxford and
other equally illustrious individuals.
Tradition has 1t that "old Colonel Tom"
grew cruel and bloodthirsty, and "the re-
lation of his deeds made people shudder to
hear" and when he died the old brick
house and Brick House creek seemed ia
become bewitched. On stormy nights the
ghost of the dead pirate held high carnival
In the house. The window Of his bedroom
was always open. No earthly hand could
close it. Every Saturday night the waters
of Brick House creek emitted sulphurous
lights and odors, and If any foolhardy fish
erman chanced to hook fish in that creek
on Saturday "there would be a low, rum
bling noise, q smell of sulphur, and the
fishorman's boat would be cast high and
dry on the bank
Jaac Spraag, the daredevil Of Hungry
harbor. laid wager of q quart Of rum
with Ben Storer that he would go ceiling
alone in Brick House creek on certain
Saturday night. Jaao's Aunt Chastity
endeavored to dissuade him, but he shook
her off and said "he'd be hanged II he
wouldn't like to come across old Colonel
Tom.'" Jaac went. His neighbors and
his frantic wife searched for him all day
and all night Sunday, and 1t was not un.
til day break on Monday that they found
him lying unconscious In the bottom Of
his skifY, which was high and dry on q
cliff u mile away.
When he came to himself, Jaao told
amid shudders and means of horrible ex
perienoe. He had met the ghost of ole
Colonel Tom and had been taken out x
sea on q specter pirate ship. The fendisf
ghost had compelled him to slay old peopl.
In cold blood and torture and mutilat'
children. Finally he rebelled at some
atrocious command, and the pirate ghos
summoned four devils with wings Of blu'
fame, who threw him into his skin ant
bore him to the oliif where he was found.
Jaao Spraag lived for many years II
Jerusalem South after that eventful night
and he told his story over and over again
never varying It AZ to details. His chill
dren repeated the narrative, and their chil
dren and grandchildren told IL after them
Thus was perpetuated the legend Of Bricl
House creek. New York Times.
A New Ouinoe Weddlng.