Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-14
THE RICHMOND D1spATCH-sUNDAY, DECEMBER l4 1907

ship in the Commonwealth When Bath
was mere village Of about one dozen
houses the brick that made. up this struc-.
ture We're brought from England during
the reign of Queen Anne. In early COLO
NAL days this town vas the capital Oh
North Carolina. a fact unknown to many
OF Cardinals citizens. BY an appoint.
ment Of the Grown, Governor Eden came
into power. Eden was weak ana
tricky ruler, and he formed an alliance.
or rather a community of interests,
with Edward Teach. the notorious pirate
who had his headquarters at Bath
On his return from mis- ravagins eSpe-
ditions, Teach would enter this port on
Pamlico river and repairing either TO
the Governors residence or the ola
church, would hold his orgies. and here
also would takes place the division OF
the spells.
1t soon became a question in the VII
!age as to who ruled the community.
the pirate or the Governor? In the abb
sence OF the pirate, Governor Eden was
disposed to remain at home and let the
easy-gOing village people take care OF
themselves. While he sat contented by
his board, Guaf1ing his wines and wearing
fine laces which his pirate ally had looted
for him.
When Teach arrived from a maraudlns
trip. then the Governor became the vas
sal The common crowds of watermen IN
the village attended the drunken carous-
ais at the mansion. and the better ele-
ment in the village were taken from
their homes and outrag ed in full sight OF
their wives and k!nsnen.
An even dozen merchantmen were the
prey Of the pirate on one OF MS cruises
to the West Indies; and rich were the
shares of the spells. The return OF the
sea rover saw q repetition OF the former
scenes in old Bath town, though they
were more coarse. more vulgar, and more
murderous than usual.
Boards were placed over the pews in
the church and Teach prepared feast
of the choicest Of foods and the rarest
of wines cold and silver dishes and
platters held the food before the crew
and the gutter-faring villagers. AT the
head Of the board sat Teach. ana alohs
the sides sat his men, the more vlllalnous
being nearest to him. Further down were
the toughest element of Bath. Ieach is
said to have risen up from his seat ana
yelled for a sacrifice, and after his CRY.
to have taken his pistols and shot three
Of the village men at the board 10 ceath.
Then as a final step in his barDarlty' ne
took knife and CT: the throat OF one
of the dead men, and catching his blood
to the health of the crowd with the red
LIQUID.
Eden would never yaIle cognizance OIL
tic lawless acts of Teach, and the reign
of terror to which he subjected the de-.
fenseless people. so the Bath people ap-
pealed to Governor Snottswood. OF Vlr-
GINA, and he sent Lieutenant Maynard
with two ships that engaged the pirate
and after a hard fight succeeded IN XII
ing the desperate. Maynard, feeling very
triumphant, sailed UP Pam!ico Sound 10
Bath with the severed mead OF the pirate
hanging from his buwsprit. and after
s,aving there for two days. continued
back TO the Old Dominion, still carrying
the severed head
Teach married thirteen wives SeVera.
of them he deserted and others he killed
The last one was the daughter of a farm
er at Bath and he finally got rid OF her
by hanging her up d. her Wrists ana
beating her to death with a cato nine
tails. In the annals of the sea roVers'
there is no one of the pira ties VINO was
more vindictive. more barbarouS. or more
merciless than Edward Teach. lie had
the mcanest traits Of Morgan, bonne1.
and the Portuguese, Leguaspi. Teach
had no hOnor-and there IS even iiohoi
among thieves.
4 promise made one minute by him
would be followed the next by shot In
the back. or a knife in the ribs. me
pirate amassed q large amount OF 1901 ana
treasure which he secreted or hurleh
somewhere To-day at Bath there IS
'ecp ia6entation on ,he banks OF ram
leo river, which the VILLAGERS VIII tell
YOU is where. for manS years. people, at
tra cted by the tales of hidden fortunes
and treasure searched For the phantom
cold and Dug holes in the sands so deep
tr3at even the hard vines Cf many years
have not succeeded in filinG up or ohiite-
rating them.