Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-26

heather Of that benighted region. An ac-
count Of the piracy published in Salem
Salem skipper, and by good luck fell into
the hands of Captain Trotter of H. B. NJ
Curlew, who was watching the slavers at
Port Nazareth. It happened that the Pan
da was then in port awaiting a cargo of
slaves, and without more ado Captain Trot-
ter seized her as a pirate craft.
But the commander and crew escaped to
shore and sought protection with an Afri-
can potentate who was in league with the
slavers and supplied them with their car
goes of blacks The British captain de-
manded their surrender. and the willy At
rfcan replied that they had fled to the for
est, but that he would bring them all to the
beach as soon the sun had gone to
dinner, meaning at the meridian. Instead
of helping the Britisher, however, the black
king assisted the pirates. and not until the
naval officer had given him a taste of his
powder and treated him to concert with
his big guns, did he give up any of the
men. Some got away to Fernando Pc, and
six of them were captured there. while
others were picked up along the coast.
In all sixteen of the pirates We're captured
through the exertion of this able British
officer, and, after being sent to England,
were transported to the United States.
where they were tried and seven of them
hung.
Taken to Salem on board H. B. NJ. brig
the Savage the pirates were then sent to
Boston and placed trial before Chief
Justice Story in the old Masonic Temple on
fremont street. The trial lasted fourteen
days and resulted in the conviction and
hanging of seven, the sentence being car
ried into effect on June II, 1885 The cap
tain hung, but the first mate, Bernardo
de Soto. though pronounced guilty and SEN
fenced to death, was recommended to mer-
cy account of his having saved the lives
of 100 Americans few years previously.
when a Salem ship was burned in the 15a-
hama channel. He pardoned by An
drew Jack son. then President of the United
States, whose memory he ever after re-
vered.
De Soto afterward commanded steamer
which piled between Havana and Matan-
zas. An American passenger once noticed
a large cameo breastpin fastened to his
shirt front and asked him whence it came
De Soto replied: Il got dat from my god
fader, President jackson: God bless him.
He was probably about the only Spaniard
who held a great regard for the hero of
New Orleans and Florida.
Only Four Survivors Now.
OF the Mexicans crew of thirteen. not
only Mr. Larcom, but three others survive;
or, at least, were alive month ago. The
oldest veteran of them all is Captain John
Nichols. who still lives in Salem, where he
was born in 1909, on the 10Th of February,
and is consequently over ninety years old.
He made his first sea voyage at the age of
fourteen, was the second mate of the Next
can when she was captured and had then
been twice taken prisoner by pirates In the
Mediterranean.
The next oldest is Captain Thomas Full
Ter, eighty-six, one of the old-style ship
masters of Salem when that port COM
nanded the trade to the Indies. lie, too,
Lad his share of trouble aboard ship, one of
his narrowest escapes from death being
when he was threatened with mutfny
while in command of the bark Luc1lla OF
Salem. Warned by one of his men. he
armed himself and his officers. and when
the crew rushed aft to murder him and his
assistants. he shot down some and over
powered the rest the survivors being taken
in chains to Pernambuco. This adventure
took place forty-four years ago, and yet
the hero of 1t still walks the streets of
Salem daily, and Is a familiar figure at the
rooms of the Marine Society.
The third member of this quartet Of
average octogenarians is John BATHS who,
as he did not go to sea after his adventure
in the brig did not arrive at the dignity
OF captain. and is untitled His subsequent
ltfe like that of Mr.. Larcom. has been un-
eventful, though peaceful. and in the main
happy. How to be happy, though aged,
seems to be part of the knowledge ac-
quired by all these survivors of an event
that threa tened to cut short their existence
at the beginning of their careers. They
are sailing serenely over the course we all
must take every one. at last accounts, in
full possession of his faculties, and glad
to be alive
They are the only survivors, it is said. of
the last act of piracy in America but they
an incident in their sailor lives, and they
might have forgotten it If their neighbors
did not remind them of it, now and then.
ORFR