Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-14
OF AFRICA

a secret Soon after the arrival Of Anne
Bonney aboard the brisantine captured
ship and among the prisoners taken was
young artist Of engaging manners.
Mar Reed straightway fell in love with
him. Her love was put TO a severe test
before many days. for the artist. having
uuarreled with one OF the pirates, chal-
lenged him 10 n duel. which they agreed
TO fight ashore. Mary had doubts about
the courage. OF the man she loved. or pos
sibly she loved him so much that she
would not let him risk his life. At any
rate, she sought quarrel with the pirate
and insisted on fighting him before the
hour set for the duel with the artist.
Mary and the pirate fought with pistol
and sword and after a short engagement
she left him for dead on the field. Ii was
after that duel that Mary confessed her
love to the artist. They pledged their
faith, which they deemed as binding as
il the ceremony had been performed by
a clergyman
From the notes Of those who attended
the trial Of this woman there is furnished
this description of her: She is handsome.
robust and snowy or distinguished I'm sp-
pearance- That she is capable OF great
exertion and of sustaining great fatigue
no one need doubt after surveying her
big frame. She is rather vain in some
respects. and particularly Of her success
in deceiving the world as to her sex. She
is susceptible OF the tenderest emotions
and the most genuine affections. Although
she was inadvertently drawn into piracy.
this horrible mode of life has not stained
her character. and she possesses a recti-
perior to many who have not been ex-
posed to such temptations"
-
Although the woman appeared robust 10
all who saw her in court. she was far
from well. Her condition was such that
her execution was postponed several times
She grew worse rapidly and then she
died.
1t is unlikely that she would hafe been
hanged even il she had not been stricken
with illness. but. at any rate. her death
saved Anne Bonney for whom there was
not so much sympathy expressed as for
Mary Reed.
The Bonney woman was Irish, having
been born in Cork. Her father was
lawyer of prominence, who deserted his
wife and eloped to America with one OF
his servants, taking Anne with him. He
settled I'm South Carolina and became one
Of the rich planters of that part OF Amer
lea. When his servant-Wife died Anne
superintended the household. The girl
was looked upon as one of the great heir.
esses OF the Carolinas. and her father
planned a brilliant match for her. but she
was OF his own blood and ran away with
to New Providence. where the sailor eN-
pected to find employment. They tired OF
each other quickly. and one day she left
him and Joined Capt Rackam. She
went to sea in mems clothes at first.
and then compromised on a combination
costume that was both picturesque and
suitable to her business. II was by no
means cumbersome, and she took to
piracy with a relish. apparently rejoicing
in it's freedom. and having no moral
qualms about robbing or killing.
She was known to many of the planters
Of Jamaica, who had been guests at her
fathers plantation in the Carolinas. and
these men interceded at her trial. but
she had become so gross and sodden
through her life with the pirates that this
intercession amounted to little. She was
reprieved from time to time, however. and
when Mary Reed died all pretense of
carrying out the sentence in Anne Bon
neys case was dropped. She never was
pardoned and she never was off1cially set
free, but one day the prison doors were
opened and she was permitted to walk
out.
And when she disappeared the last
woman pirate of which there is record
passed from view.
Copyright 1909. R. SpillaneD