New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-04
LITTLE OLD NEW-YORK.
Some Odd Phases of Her UorCH 70
Greatness.


| cheile returns from unsuccessful hunt Of two
| years among the South Sea islands for $4,000
! 600 supposed to have been hidden by pirates.
Now comes the news that a number Of New
York business men are organizing a second ev-
petition to hunt for the hidden boards Of our
own Captain Kidd They supplied with
maps too. and nave apparently authentic data
On which to proceed. Some time in the early
TOs there arrived here from san Francisco an
old man whose name may not be mentioned he-o.
lie had made a fortune in mining. and invested
extensively in real estate in Madison and Lev
ington aves. and Thirty-hfth-st. He gave In
orally TO charitable and religious institutions.
One Of his benefactions was a church In tina,
neighborhood. which he built and presented
to the congregation. He had numbered among
his friends John Jacob Aston and President
Zachary Taylor. letter written 20 him by tns
latter, thanking him for efforts IN securing Tay-
lor's election TO the Presidency. has been fire.
quentIy read in some OF the public schools ot
this city. The old man finally suffered business
reverses, eventually becoming old and poor
that his friends had him admitted TO homo
for aged men. To recompense one OF thess
friends he gave him a paper which pUrported
to be map Of the place where Kids treasurs
vas buried. This map WAS given by Kidd's COL
ored cook to Thomas Clark, OF New-Haven.
When Clark died he gave the map 20 a daughter.
aged fifteen
mont IN 1899. Dying in 1910. she gave the map
TO her son, who was the Californian mentioned
above search was made for the treasure.
| which proved unsuccessful, but the topographi-
cal description was found to be accurate. so a
second and more thorough search Is about 20 %
made.
There Is scarcely spot on the coast between
Cape Cod and Cape May. however. which does
not possess data apparently as authentic as
that given aoove proving that Kids hoard is
hidden somewhere near. and the accounts %
Captain Kidd vary so widely that an authentic
history OF Captain Kidd is Of value.
Most people think Captain Kidd a pirate.
that he was tried on that charge found guilty
and was hanged. So ne was-tried and hanged
but his guilt was not proved. according to mod
ern historians who have delved for the inforua-
ton In the old manuscripts OF this country and
England. Plainly, Kidd was sacrificed that thu
reputation Of those higher up" should remain
outwardly unsUIled. England was disturbed IN
1895 because Of the increase OF piracy Ths
King. william H. supposIng the pirates vera
supported by persons in the colonies. and es-
pecaIy in New-York, selected the Governor %
New-York and Massachusetts. the Earl CT Bella
mont TO operate against them. Bellaront. &C
cording to the records, was very grasPIng'
The English Government IN 1895 vas deeply in
VOWED in war with France. and could not az
ford the money to equip an expeditlon 20 sup
press piracy. so that under her warrant Bella
mont and one Robert Livingston. OF Nev-4o rk.
planned to send out private expedition with
Kidd who at the time owned house and lot
IN what Is now Hanover Square. In command
Kidd had served with distinction In the war
against the French. was Of good repute and
an experienced captain" On october 10. 1879.
the Kins having sanctioned the plan. Bella
mont entered into an agreement with Kidd 70
procure from the King ard The Admiralty Com
missioners the proper authority for him to tight
the pirates Bellamont to furnish four-ffths OF
the cost Of equipping the expedition. the other
fifth TO be furnished by Kidd and Livingston
Kidd agreed to enlist the men he required on
the basis that the prizes were u be their COM
pensation. Many officers OF the crown. members
Of the whis party. were Bellamont's cOntribu-
tors The commissions granted TO Kidd bear
the dates December 10 1895. and January Is.
I695-'9G The first gave aim power to act
against the French. and the second 70 aPpre-
bend and seize all pirates. When he sailed from
Plymouth England for New-York in 1896 his
crew was composed OF the most desperate. IN
stable men Indeed. Governor Fletcher. writing
In October 1896. to the Lords of Trade in Eng
land. said: zone Captain Kidd lately arrived
here. and produced commission under tle
Great Seal of England for suppressing piracy.
OF desperate fortunes and necessitous.
Twill not be in Kids power to govern such
hord of men under no pay" To keep the rec
ord Of Kids position straight. IL may be said
that part Of the first crew shipped by him IN
Plymouth Harbor was composed Of able sea
men who had families in England. but who
were impressed into the Kings service before
he left for New-York that. with his eNpedi-
tien half equipped with unstable and desperats
men, he sailed for this country. hoping on BIS
arrival to secure the full complement, which he
did. but the men were the Offscouring Of the
colonies aIIurad by the desire for gold prnci-
pal1y.
Kidd sailed for the Strait OF Madagascar
shortly after arriving at New-York. and from
that time I'm July. 1896. until September OF the
year following his acts OF piracy consisted
in the boarding OF small Arabian coasters
and taking therefrom coffee. sugar. pepper and
myrrh.''
Kids agreement with BellamOnt was to taks
his prizes to Boston for condemnation. without
touching at any other port. and when ~
captured. November ~. 1907. a Moorish ship.
which he justified I'm doing under his com
mission, he claimed she sailing under
French papers. his refused u sail 20 Bos-
ton. and what articles Of value were taken wess
sold along the coast When the ~lUedagh was
captured. in January. 169S. his crew again 70
fused to go To Boston. This vessel was also
sailing under French papers. and had var
liable cargo. part of which was taken y u''
crew and sold in various places on the SoaS.
OF India. The money received they di'''eu
among themselves. after which they aoandohsa
the expedition TO the number Of one huna1su.
taking their gains with them
Ii ola II -