The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-31

| CuDdn DlOcAdue the only uOOI " the
! outside world. few of these veracious
romances have been unearthed. One OF
/ them came to light few days ago. II
is wrapped up with bundle of yellow,
water-washed documents which hang
on the wall OF the Kingston museum,
under the printed legend. 1.-The Shark
| papers"
The story connected with 1.-The Shark
| Papers is so remarkable that it would
! be impossible to believe it Were 1t not
| all to be found in the authentic papers
and sworn statements of kingston court
records. To Americans it has a special
interest since it relates the trial and
taking off of the last American pirate
brought to book in the West Indies. 1t
has all befn verified; and ~. is KNOW known TO
In July, 1893, Captain Briggs. an Ameri-
can whose Christian name does not ap-
pear, fitted out the schooner Nancy in
the city of Baltimore, ostensibly for
trade with the Dutch West Indies. 1t
appears that he took out his papers for
Curacao. The crew consisted of seven
light burden and built on the model of
those clipper ships for which Baltimore
was famous at that time.
The Nancy never reached Curacao.
On the way south she stopped in at one
of the Bahama islands. where she took
on board some small cannon and arms
for her men. At the time the Caribbean
and the adjacent waters were filled with
great fleets of sailing vessels These
peaceful vessel afforded a splendid
chance for spoilation to any craft armed
and manned for that purpose
In less than month after Captain
Briggs, in command of the Nancy, left
Baltimore for Curacao, news reached
Kingston that a piratical schooner was in
the adjacent waters levying tribute on
merchantmen. The description of this
schooner was such as subsequent writer's
like Marryatt and Russell have made
familiar. She was a -and-after. with
black hull and raking masts.' She lay
low in the water. and forward she carried
swivel gun known as a Long th c ION;
of her crew melted the spirit OF num-
Der of English sailors then in the har-
Dor Of Port Royal, 1t was before that
quake. George III was still monarch of
England, and all the war vessels were
known as. His Majesty's Ships. Conspic-
corvette Sparrow, commanded by Captain
Roberts. From the governor of Jamaica
Captain Roberts received instructions to
go out and look for the mysterious sttang-
err reported in the vicinity of the French
possessions in Hayti.
Captain Roberts, who was a typical
English sailor and in command OF Splen-
did ship. at once made sail for the scene
of the reported depredationS. Within a
week he came in sight of two vessels,
one. evidently in pursuit and the other
in flight; the former vessel answered in
every way to the description he had re-
ceived of the piratical American schooner.
w nile under a 1uu -QeaQ Oh sail, the puI-
suing schooner carried no flag; the vessel
being pursued had at the foremost the
Stars and Stripes.
AS soon as the English man-o-war
came in sight the pursuing schooner
tried to make for the shore. but she was
soon .overhauled, shot from the Spar
row forcing her to stop her way, and to
permit boat to be sent aboard.
Captain Briggs asserted that his mission
was peaceful; that he was an American
sailor. and that he had his clearance
TD~.I~s he fah
of Curacao. The officer from the Sparrow
demanded to see the Nancy's papers, but
they were not forthcoming, nor could
Captain Briggs find them.
Under the circumstances the only
course left the commander of the Spar
row was to take the Nancy to Kingston,
time laws then and now prevailing, if the
vessel were condemned as a pirate, the
officers and crew would be executed, and
the ship and cargo would be turned over
as prize to the captorS.
Throughout all these proceedings cap |
tain Briggs comported himself with the |
utmost GOODNESS. He claimed that the |
port from which he sailed, his destina- |
ton and his purpose were entirely leg1ti- |
mate. When asked for his papers to sub |
stantiate his claims, he boldly asserted |
Of his own.
Captain Briggs and his crew were ar
raigned before the high court of adj |
niralty of the island, charged with piracy. |
The American consul used all the power |
at his command to show the innocence of |
mis- countrymen. Briggs himself made n |
lefense even more able than that of the |
consul He was a cool. handsome, intel
igent man: whose manner impressed the
court and spectators with his honesty and
sincerity.
Briggs was Quick to see that while the
absence of his papers might tell against
lin, the EngliShmen could not convict |
lin of piracy unless these papers were in
heir possession.
The American pirate conducted his own
.ase. When asked to explain why he
vas so far out of his course when
My vessel is only 800 tons. We reached
he west end of Cuba on our way south
when we were struck by the return trade
Winds, and were forced up to the south
rn extremity of Hayti. / was not ac-
uafnted with that coast. nor had charts
hat would enable me to make harbor.
he vessel which Captain Roberts claimed
was in pursuit of | was simply trying
o overhaul in order to ot,ain water. This
esseI floated the American flag. and
When it is asked why / did not do the
anne | have. only to say that there are
My three times when the captain of a
1erchantman is compelled to show his
ag; the first is on entering a port, the
econd is on leaving a port. and the third
'hen signaling ship at sea. The yes
el ! was. irving. to overhaul in order TO
btain water could not have seen my flag.
OF any flag, simply because l was APP
reaching her head on. She may have
mis- court to say whether a schooner like
he Nancy, with only seven men and the
aptain on board. is at all calculated for
iratical expeditions"
The words and manner of Captain /;
riggs impressed the court very strongly ,
nd even the captain of the Sparrow al
1ough originally sure of his ground, be-
an to feel that he had made a mistake
he judge asked Captain Briggs how it |
aDDened that he did not make for ia
laica instead of making for Hayti. the
)rnler being on the route of his voyage
nd as his charts showed, more accessi- .
lie. Briggs again explained that a storm.
ad driven him out of his course. The
ldge then fixed his eyes upon and asked
lis question: {
Did the same storm that drove you out
your course blow away your ship pa c
Not at all abashed. Briggs replied:
/ cannot explain the absence of the pa
ers. | am an American sailor and have
led to do my full duty Whether the ,
apers are present or absent, ask before :
1u condemn me, or even before you set :
e free. for / want no stain upon my
that you communicate with the
vners of the schooner Nancy at Balti-
ore" And here Captain Briggs drew a 7
indie of. papers from his pocket and of T
red them to the judge, but the latter
fused to receive them.
The very best lawyers in the city were
'nfident that Captain Briggs would go