The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1916-01-27
STORY OF GASPARILLA,
BLOODY PIRATE CHIEF

the new ana weak HhllOht bhS
States each flew it's flag over tnel
shores washed by the Gulf stream.
1t was No Mans Land ana tnel
might of the strong hand made right
On the shores of Louisiana and IN
the bayous OF Plaquemine ana Atcna-
falayala, were the headquarters of the
ravager Laffite. One of the bioodlest
of pirates, he gathered together nun
dreds of violent men and dozen or
so vessels and ruled as king IN
such a kingdom there is always DIS
sension and Gasparilla, after dis
agreement with Laffite over some OF
the loot--probably the affections OF
some fair maiden, torn from her nome
broke away from the band, TOOK
with him the ship he commanded ana
the bloody crew who did his bidding
and sailed across the Gulf to the coast
of Florida.
Pensacola was a settlement even
then, but down the long stretch OF the
Florida coast there was hardly an
other bay that had even fishermans
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 sloop OF war
would try to retaliate for some OF the
pirates bloody jobs-or when seek
| ing rest after loot there was plenty
| of opportunity to hide.
Found Haven on Gaspariila Isle.
On Gasparilla island-on which the,
| phosphate port of Boca Grande IS now
| ocated-Gasparilla found the maven
| he was seeking. 1t blocked one OF
the entrances OF Charlotte Harbor in!
any one of dozen of whose smaller
Il bays. creek mouths and other hldlng
places there was plenty of chance for
him to escape any prying eyes. There
was the best of chances for him 10
sally forth on his deeds of blood ana
during the days or weeks of rest there
was a pleasant isle, a balmy climate
and the cooling breezes of the Gulf TO
make life easy.
This must have been about the year
IlS0O. Gasparilla built mansion on,
the isle that still carries his name ana
here he lived like a king with MS,
bloodthirsty pirates as the courtlers.
There were not wanting ladies' IN
this court.
Gasparilla had great eye for fem
mime beauty and his course of actions
when taking a captured ship was al
ways the same.
Overheard with the men. Save the
| women" was his invariable order.
|. The men walked the plank and the,
women captives especially If they had
any claim to good looks, were taken
to the island of Gasparilla.
In the course of time the bloody
pirate accumulated horde of femi-
: nine beauty that would have done
I credit to King Solomon or the Grand
, Nizam himself But it was this prac-
) tice of stealing the women of the I'M
{ lucky vessels that came in his power
that led to his ruin. His depreda-
tons were reported to the United
7 States government and a frigate was
sent into the Gulf waters to run him
: down.
Cornered and Hung From Yard Arm.
After a long chase through the Zen
; Thousand Islands, and up and down
the coast the pirate was at last cor
nered in Lemon bay as he was trying
I to make his way through Gasparllla
i sound into Charlotte Harbor.
e A bloody battle ensued. The pirate
g was no coward and his crew fought,
as they we'll knew, with halters around
j their necks. Their carronades and
: even their Long Tom was no match
5 for the heavier guns of the govern
j ment boat and they surrendered at
! last Few were left, according to the
e tradition that has come down Gas
e parilla was one of the captives. so the
/ story runs, and he suffered the speedy
y | penalty or his crimes tnat Is pToNeA-
= bal in the pirate story. In short he
was hung at the yard arm of his own
L | boat.
The pirates nest was broken up,
e The bevy of female beauty was re-
e leased and many of them returned to
their homes.
Just what became of the mansion OF
Gasparilla is shrouded in the mlsts OF
antiquity.
One legend has it that the frigate
: burned out the pirates nest, root and
o branch, and destroyed the home. An
8 other story has it that it endured foI
v many years though avoided by the oc-
/. casional fishermen who halted on that
s deserted coast, the feeling being wide
# spread that it was haunted. This story
S has it that the old place was finally
l, Continued on Next Page)