The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-02-22
WOMEN PIRATES
OF RICRHDN
Romantic History of Eigh-
teenth Century.
BLOOD, MONEY AND LOVE
Figure in Lives of Two Maids
of Colonies.
BLOOD, MONEY AND LOVE

New York, Feb. 21.-The New York
Herald says:
Among the chain of small coral islets
round the entrance TO Kingston Harbor.
in Jamaica, the most famous is Rackham
Cay. It is a tiny, insignificant. barren
place-"the last, least lump Of coral
but it is famous in Jamaican history, and
IS associated with some OF the most ex-
tIaordinary achievements ever performed
by women.
Captain Rackham, who gave his name
TO the cay, by reason of the fact that he
was hanged on the gallows there was
bold, bad man, whose story is enshrined
in the annals of the buccaneers. After
winning much fame and loot as plea
room, he was captured by a British man
of-war and taken into Port Royal on
November &c 1920. 1t was thought that
he and his crew would be better off for
a little hanging, so hanged they We're.
Their fate does not concern Us. There
were two members of the pirate band
who were convicted with the others, but
were not executed, and it is with them
We have to do.
The Admiralty Court had found the
verdict of guilty, asked the sullen pris-
oners at the bar if they had anything
to say why sentence Of death should not
be passed upon them.
One by one the pirates scowled savagely
and shook their heads. But presently
young. fresh faced, chubby person said:
''My Lord, I am a woman"
The Judge gasped and wondered if he
had heard Alright, or if he had taken too
much rum sangaree the night before-a
thing West Indian magnates We're prone
TO do in those good old days. With an
effort he pulled himself together, only
to be dumfounded by d hysterical giggle
from the next prisoner. who chimed in:
'And so am l. too my Lord l am
Anne BOnney, and this is Mary Read"
Inquiry was made into these astound-
ing statements. and both were found to
be perfectly true. The clemency Of the
King was extended to them, and they
Were pardoned Mary Read fell i'll and
died in her cell while under reprieve; but
Anne Bonney. through the kindness of
some Jamaican painters, WAS restored to
her family in Carolina.
According to the story which she told
the Judge. she was the daughter of an
Irish attorney, who eloped from Cork
with a servant girl. settled in Carolina
and made a fortune. She was wooed
by many young men of good family but,
20 her fathers intense disgust She re-
jected them all and eloped with a young
skipper. who had nothing but luck 10
depend upon The parental frown prov
ing persistent. the young copule removed
TO New Providence, then the favorite
resort of all the buccaneers and dcspera-
does of the day. Anne set mp house
keeping there. and her skipper went a-pir-
ating for a living.
out of sight out Of mind. While her
husband was away. Captain Rachman
came along to New Providence. saw
Anne. fell in love with her very pretty
face. and persuaded her 10 elope with
him on his ship. She dressed in boys
clothes and shipped as one Of the crew.
unknown by anybody except Rackham.
Now comes the most amazing part Of
this extraordinary affair. on board the
ship there was very handsome sailor.
who acted as carpenter. Ever Eighty in
her affections. Anne soon tired of Rack
ham. and fell passionately in love with
tracted her attention by his desperate
courage in battle. She was not a woman
TO boggle at conyentionaIities. 80 she fell
at his feet one night in a passion of
scaiding tears. and sobbed out her love.
revealing her identity. Dumfounded. he
exclaimed, Il am a woman too"
OF course. Anne was bitterly disGp-
pointed. bat soon the two women thus
strangely thrown together on the pirate
ship. became very close friends. and could
hardly bear to be ont Of the others COM
pany. even for an hour.
Observing their intimacy Rackham
grew bitterly jealous and threatened to
throw Anne 10 the sharks in punishment
for her supposed affection for one of his
crew. To save herself she was obliged
to tell him that his rival was a woman.
whose name was Mary Read.
AiaIl's life had been a stranger and
rrorc adventurous one even than Anne's.
She had been reared from her earliest
childhood as a boy. IN order "a secure an
allowance from an Old grandmother who
hated girls After the grandmother died.
without having discovered the secret. the
disguised cir obtained employment in
the service of q French lady as a foot
boy. and in that capacity Travelled all over
the continent. Yearnins for further adj
ventures. she discarded the mcniars liv-
cry and went 70 sea rs cabin boy Tir-
ing of that hard lfe. she enlisted in
regiment 81 British infantry and fought
valiantly in the Flemish wars under NIarl-
borough
Here she met her fate. one Of her
comrades was "A very handsome Young
F1eming. who unconscio,lsIy won her love.
She did not reveal her sex directly To
him but one day he found her weerfnc
hystericany in her tent. and understood
tho truth. lie feH head ove-, heels in love
with her. and next day they were mar
ried. the ceremony being puhliclv rer-
formed before the whole regiment Al
England rang with the romance ana the
happy lovers were discharged from Mill
tory service and set up in life in Cosev
little country house. bought with the
money showered upon them by their
many sympathizers
At first the hosiery paid ve-v Wen.
crowds % people focking To see the vo-
nan whose remarkable history had been
hruited abroad But soon afterward the
husband died. Tired Of the unadven-
furious life OF the country. Mary douaed
mems clothes again. once more enlisted
IN the army ana fought with great BRAY
cry a. Families. Qrdenarde and Nsipl3-
ouet Presently the treaty Of Utrecht
put an end = the wars which had been
going on 50 Ions and May IN con.ron
with many another poor solder. found
herself cast adrift