The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-29
STORY OF GASPARILLA,
BLOODY PIRATE CHIEF.

the new and weak nation, the United
States, each flew its nag over the
shores washed by the Gulf stream.
1t was Ne Mans Land and the
might of the strong hand mode right
On the shores Of Louisiana and In
the bayous Of Plaquenfine and Atcha-
falayala. were the headquarters of the
Of pirates, hD gathered together hun
dreds Of violent men and q dozen or
SO vessels ana ruled a. q king. In
such a kingdom there 10 always dis
sension and Gasparilla, after a dis
agreement with Gafite over some Of
the loot-probIbly the affections Of
some fair maiden. torn from her home
broke away from the band. took
with him the ship he commanded and
the bloody crew who did his bidding
and sailed acrsss the Gulf to the coast
Of Florida.
Pensacola was q settlement even
then. but down the long stretch Of the
Florida coast there was hardly an
other bay that had even a hsherman's
hut along the shores. Hiding places
there were In plenty among the keys
and bays of the coast
When fleeing from government
ships-for occasionally q sloop Of war
would try to retaliats for some Of the
pirates bloody jobs-or when seek
ing rest after a loot there was plenty
Of opportunity to hide.
Found Haven on Gasparilla Isle.
On Gasparilla island-on which the
phosphate port Of Boca Grande Is now
looated-Gasparilla found the haven
he was seeking. 1t blocked one of
the entrances Of Charlotte Harbor in
any one Of . dozen Of whose smaller
bays, creek mouths and other hiding
plaQap there was plenty Of chance for
him 70 escape any pryfnG eyes. There
was the best Of chances fer him to
sally forth ON his deeds Of blood and
during the days or weeks Of rest there
was = pleasant isle. balmy climate
ana the cooling hrsssss Of the Gulf to
make life e4sy.
This mus have been about the year
1900. Gasparilla built . mansisn on
the isle that still carries his name and
here he lived like king with his
bloodthirsty pirates ~ the oourtiors.
There wore not wanting ladtss in
this court.
0asparilla had great eye for fem
iRine beauty and his course Of action
whom taking q captured ship was al
ways the same.
'overboard with the men. Save the
women" wac his invariAble order.
Tho men walked the plank and the
women oaptivsA esp{Aaily If they had
any claim to good looks, were taken
| to the island of 0asparilla.
In the course Of time the bloody
pirate accumulated q horde Of femi-
nine beauty that would have done
credit 10 King Solomon or the Grand
Nizam himself. But 1t was this prac-
tice Of stealing the women Of the I'M
lucky vessels that came In his power
that "a IN a.
tons were reported to tho Unitsd
States government and Z frigat1 was
| sent into the Gulf waters to run him
down.
Oornered and Hung From Yard Arm.
After . long chase through the Ten
Thousand Islands. and up and down
the coast the pirate was at last cor
nered in Lemon bay as he was trying
to make his way through Gasparilla
sound into Charlotte Harbor.
A bloody battle ensued. The pirate
was no coward and his crew fought,
as they well knew. with halters around
their necks. Their carronades and
even their Long Tom was no match
for the heavier guns of the govern
ment boat and they surrendered at
last. Few were left, according to the
tradition that has come down Gas
parilla was one of the captives. so the
story runs, and he suffered the speedy
penalty of his crimes that Is proven
bal in the pirate story. In short, he
was hung at the yard arm Of his own
boat.
| The pirates nest was broken up.
The bevy of female beauty was re-
leased and many of them returned to
their homes.
Just what became Of the manson of
Gasparilla is shrcuded in the mlets of
| antiquity.
One legend has it that the frigate
burned out the pirates nest, root and
branch, and destroyed the home. An
other story has it that 1t endured for
many years though avoided by the &C.
cesional fishermen who halted on that
deserted coast, the feeling being wide
spread that it was haunted. This story
hf43 IL that the Old place was finally
tcsntirp.d on Next Paee)