The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-11
CAPT. KIDD AND HIS NE1enBoRs.
His House in Wall Street and His Respect
nhle Eriends-Mas nm IIn6ortunnte Pirnte-

His House In Wall Street and His Respect
able Friends-Was an Unfortunate Pirate.
AT the last meeting OF the New York Histori-
cal Society William s. Pelletreau read a paper
on the subject of where Capt. Kidd lived and
who his neighbors were. The Captain. accord
ing to Mr.. Pelletreau. had very respectable
neiEhbors, some of the best people OF the city
Of New York living close to him in Wall street
and its vicinity. In fact. Mr.. Pelletreau was
rather panied to note that among modern New
Workers some OF the very respectable people Of
older days Of the city are not SO well remem-
bered as the pirate Captain who dwelt among
them. As an instance. he cited an experience
attic time the statue Of Recorder John Watts
was put up in Trinity .churchyard. or five
young fellows who stood looking on, all OF
whom presumably had had the benefits OF a
common school education in the city, three when
asked who John Watts was answered.: You've
got me-" one said that he was the hymn
writer. and another that he invented the steam
engine. ANY Of these would have been able
to tell who Capt. Kidd was.' said Mr.. Pelle-
treau. The incident may have suggested itself
through the connection OF the name of Gen.
De Puyster. who erected the statue. with the
history OF Capt. Kidd's New York residence.
Col. Abraham De Puyster was the most i'm
portant neighbor the pirate Captain had. Mr..
Pelletreau said. Capt. Kidd lived at what is
now 5B Wall street, and although nearly all the
lots of that neighborhood have undergone
changes in the last two centuries. that lot re-
mains as it was laid out at the time Kidd lived on
it. 1t seemed q bit curious. with all the stories
OF Kidd's wealth in mind. to hear the speaker
say that Capt. William Kidd never bought a
lot, never built a house and never owned one.
Kidd came into his Wall street house by mar
riage.- After the need for the wall which gave
Wall street its name had disappeared the prop
erty on the north side OF the street was bought
in part on speculation. In 1850 George Brown.
maltster. sold n lot there to William Cox for $50.
Cox was drowned In August OF that year off
Staten Island, and in 1891 his widow married
Cant. Kidd. Mr.. Pelletrenu said that the only
person who seems to have said a good word for
Capt. Kidd that has come down to us was a
hrother-i n Jaw, Samuel Bradley. who praised
him in a will which he made in 1893.
Bradley. however. outlived Kidd; Cox had
heritcd the Wall street house. She did not,
MI: Pelletreau said. from the evidence that Is
In" Kidd. GoI; De j, Puyster owned The ~ pr mperyty
all aron nlSSng 1vo William Eanwn street ! e +. pear Wall, and the
many years. There We're plenty OF ~neighbors
on the east, along Pearl street, The Kids
street; and some authorities say that 1t was the
Cap4tain,s inte9tion to build OF those lots. but
sold them at q good profit. In 1898 the Kids
SOLE. some land to Robert Livingston, who
Another important neiRhbor of Kidd was
James Graham. an Alderman. who one night
was stabbed with a sword by Capt. James Bax-
proved as blind u, the proverbiai bat. They
all knew that the Alderman had been stabbed
and that the. Captain had had something to
, fsy to hi Ha privately e u Z, but none saw the thrust.
known house OF entertainment on the north
side of Maiden lane. near Gold street. was one
been drinking wine and cider at his place.
Kidd came to his end on May II. 17Ol. when
he was hanged IN England. His wife soon
husband, Mr.. Pelletreau said that Capt. Kidd.
as he walked about the city in, three-cornered
hat and fine blue coat. doubtless presented a
Nlr. Pelletreau. asking whether, he was Justly
or unlustly condemned, said that II he was in
nocent the question was pertinent, How did
vas he continued, THAT IN England idp at n that
time the laws were barbarous and the adminis-
t natb ,a, Of them oG more s so 4 a man was charged
he was tried and condemned one day OF a week,
the iolloWlng Friday saw him hanged
MIR. "alletreau suggested Tint among all the
memorial ,abrets which were heing put up. one
mTiGhtK adngro yy BE- erected on the site, OF
ttien'' SAYING aifHS M that S there hH HSS I Etah az RI in s{rdFe
Cant. Kidd. who broke Gods aws MS he sailed,
and who; had he kept them. would have been
An elderly member OF the society said that
he remembered as a boy having seen people
searching for Capt. .Kidd's treasure up the
NNoTth River, although it was q fact, that after
his life came nearer to the city again than Oys-
ter Bay, There were lots of reputable people
IN New York In those days. this member said.
other pirates. Kidd. he sad was one o. the
most unfortunate OF pirates.