The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1918-02-14
GALLONS
Modern German Pirates Deserve
Fate of Buccaneers of Old.
Sailors Serving on United States
Merchant Marine Today Knew
Man Who Remembered Fate
Of Spanish F~reebootera

Merchant Marine to0Ay MIC"
Man Who Remembered Fate
Of Spanish F~reebootera
Stories Of piratical methods en-
ployed by German submarine CON-
manders in burning u~ndefended mer--
chant vessels and mistreating defense
less crews are no novelty to thousands
of mariners on the Atlantic coast, c
as are now enrolling for service in the
new merchant marine.
Some Of these sailors, who are to.
man the emergency feet of merchant
ships being constructed for the United.
States shipping board to take supplies
to our armies in France, actually knew
men who suffered at the hands Of the
last pirates Of the Spanish MAN,
whose methods were similar to those
of the Germans.
Among the men who reported for
duty as mates recently at the recruit
ing headquarters Of the shipping board
were some from the Massachusetts,
coast who had known q survivor of the
last ship taken by Spanish pirates of
the Caribbean. This was Capt
Thomas Fuller of Salem, who died in
1906 at the age of n%inety-four.
Captain Fuller was able seaman In
the crew of the brig Mexican of Salem.
in 1882 when, laden with saltpeter and,
tea, with $4,000 in silver slowed un-'
der the cabin floor, she sailed from
her home port for Rio.
On August 20, nea the coast Of
Cuba, the schooner was held up by a.
vessel described as "a long, low.
straight topsail schooner of about 1867
tons, painted black" which hailed and
requested the captain Of the Mexican.
to send a boat alongside with his pa.
pers.
The boat was sent, and came back.
in charge of an Unlocking armed crew
of pirates from the Spanish main, who,
drove the crew Of the Mexican below
decks, fastened down the matches, and:
began looting the vessel. Finding the
silver, they sent it aboard their own
ship.
The pirates next cut the sails and:
rigging Of the brig to pieces and start
ed a fire in the galley on deck, which
they expected would soon destroy the
brig. They then departed for their
own vessel, and sailed away in search
of other victims.
But they had neglected to fasten.
down the cabin skylight. Through this.
the briggs captain crawled, and, getting
to the fire, splashed water on it until
he had it in control. He then caused it.
to smoke heavily until the enemy was,
out of sight.
The crew rerigged their vessel, and.
favored by a gale made their escape.
from such a dangerous neighborhood.
Salem sailors today recall with sat
isfaction that the long arm of justice.
melted out retribution to the pirates.
A few months later a Salem vessel
was in the harbor of st. Thomas
when a low, black schooner anchored:
near her. The Salem captain was:
suspicious, and i%nventing an excuse.
went aboard the schooner for a CALL.
On her deck he saw two spars painted,
black which he recognized as belong.
ing to the Mexican.
That night the stranger left the har-.
Dor, but the Salem captain notified a
British man-of-war captain of her
character.
A few months later the British brig.
of-war Curlew caught the black stran-
ger in the Nazareth river, a shaving.
locality on the west coast Of Africa.
The pirate crew fled to the shore and.
found shelter with a native. They
were hunted hard. and four were taken.
Later IL others were taken at Fernan--
do Pc and st. Thomas.
The pirates were conveyed to Boston.
for trial, and found guilty of the at.
tack on the Mexican. Their captain.
Pedro Gilbert, assumed innocence and.
the air of an injured gentleman. He
was found guilty, with four others. In.
sentencing the five to death, Judge
Joseph Story used language that re-
duced the court to tears. closing with.
these words to the condemned men:
And In bidding you, as far as I can.
presume to know, an eternal farewell.
l ofer up my earnest prayer that Al
mighty God may in his infinite mercy
and goodness have mercy on your
SOULS"
The five men were hanged in Boston,.
n with their exit piracy ended in,
the western world.