USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Early History of Naushon Island > Part 18
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Kidd's last voyage started as a privateering enterprise and, as will be seen, the list of shareholders reads like a page from "Burke's Peerage." It includes Richard Cootes, Earl Bellomont, who was responsible for the final capture and sentence of Kidd as a pirate.
William Kidd, the most famous pirate in American history, was a Scot, born in Dundee in 1654. In 1689-1690, in command of a captured ship, he took a creditable part in the attacks on Marie- galante and St. Martin's by Captain Hewetson, who at Kidd's trial testified to his bravery; but a few weeks later his men, ex- pirates apparently, ran away with his ship. In 1689 he settled in
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New York, where he seems to have been well regarded; in the record of his marriage license, May 16, 1691, he is styled, "Wil- liam Kidd, Gentleman," and two days earlier the New York assembly voted him a gratuity of £150 for services in connection with the arrival of Governor Sloughter. In 1695, Kidd then being in England, Robert Livingstone of New York arranged in Lon- don with Lord Bellomont, who had been designated but not yet commissioned as a governor in America, and with others, for a privateering voyage under Kidd's command. Other sharetakers were Sir Edward Russell, first lord of the admiralty, Sir John Somers, lord keeper of the great seal, the Duke of Shrewsbury, secretary of state, and the Earl of Romney, master general of the ordinance; and the king himself was to receive one-tenth of the profits of the cruise. Kidd sailed from England in April, 1696, in the Adventure Galley, 287 tons, 34 guns, 70 men. At New York he increased his crew to 155 men, and sailed thence in Sep- tember for Madagascar and the East Indies. Whether it was by his fault that the Adventure Galley slipped from privateering into acts of piracy, or whether, as Kidd alleged, his men forced his hand, has been doubted, but it is probable that he shared the guilt. In the summer of 1698 complaints began to come in from India and from the East India Company, and in November, 1698, orders were sent to the governors of colonies in America to appre- hend Kidd as a pirate whenever he should appear. The ensuing papers, especially his own narrative and Bellomont's letters, tell the story of his arrival and arrest. As under Massachusetts law he could not be condemned to death for piracy, he was, probably illegally, carried to England in the spring of 1700, and there tried at the Old Bailey for the murder of one of his men and for piracy. After an unfair trial and on insufficient evidence, he was con- demned, and was hanged at Execution Dock May 23, 1701.
Kidd's name appears in Winthrop's letter to his brother writ- ten in 1696. This was evidently at the time that Kidd was pre-
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
paring for his privateering voyage - the voyage which was to prove so disastrous to him at its close, three years later.
WAIT WINTHROP TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP
To Fitz-John Winthrop Boston, Febry 24th. 1696
. About halfe an hour since Mr Addington called to me . . as I passed by his office (the Lieft Govr being with him) and shewed me a letter from my Lord Bellamont, directed to myselfe, Mr Addington, Foster, and Belcher, which had bin in their hands som considerable time, but I never heard of it before. They haue made som answare to it by an other opertunity. It concerned Cap- tain Kidd (who put into New York with a French prise), with whom his lordship, with severall other lords is concerned. I am sorry I had not the knowledge of it when I was at the Westward, where I could haue easily stept to New York, and bin able to giue his lordship a better account of that matter. The post goes usually every week from Boston, where I was, and so to N. York, and they might easily haue giuen me an account of his lordships commands ; but, as I said, I was wholly ignorant of it till now I was called to set my hand to another answare which was ready drawn. This opertunity is too sudden for me to write to his lordship, but hope you will suitably reccommend my servis to him, with assurances that I shall not faile to do all I am capable of for their lordships interest in that matter reccomended by his lordship. Not els but that I am.
Your affectionate brother
Wait Winthrop
The sequence of events leading to Kidd's arrest may be traced in the following letters.
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PIRATES AND PRIVATEERS
1699
WAIT WINTHROP TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP
Boston, June 25th. 1699
Dear Brother, - I could not get your letter till this morning, and can not speake with the owners before this post goes to be at any certainty, but must leaue yt till the next post. Here came a ship from Bristol last weeke about six weekes passage. Brings no news but all peace. Capt. Kidd is on the coast and coming in hither as is said. That act of Assembly, I believe, will not effect our land but might be the occation of a present demur. Pray send word what I shall do with the side saddles. Thay will be spoiled with lying here. The best of them would suit Cousin Mary well. If you should haue them sent up. I haue sent by Mr Harris a set of rudder irons; 1300 deck nails and 200 bigger which I had by me makes 1500, and 500 large bord nayles; about 7 pounds of speekes which lay by me also ; an excellent ads of Wallis structure, which I shall send the price of by next. Would it not be best to write a complement to [ ] by the next? I am, with sutable salutations to all,
Yours, W. Winthrop
DUNCAN CAMPBELL TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP
Last Monday Captain Kidd came into Rhode Island harbor and went out again the next day. I may inform more by next post. Duncan Campbell to Fitz J. W.
WAIT WINTHROP TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP
Boston, July 3, 1699
Captain Kidd is come in here with a sloop by permission, and
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will give account of his voyage, being, as he says, forced by his men, who have deserted him, to do some acts of piracy, but will give a good account to the King and his owners. . . Yours W. Winthrop
WAIT WINTHROP TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP IN NEW LONDON Boston July 12, 1699
. . . Capt. Kidd and his crew are kidnapt here. He left 40 or 50 pounds wait of sol [gold] with Mr Gardiner, and several bales of silks and muslins, with other things. I wish he does not come in for a snack of his Island.
They left some small matter at Tarpolin with the man there also. Mr Williams cals.
I am Yours W. Winthrop
Kidd with his wife and her maid, on arriving in Boston, left his sloop the Antonia at the wharf, and took their lodgings at the house of his fellow countryman, Duncan Campbell. This Duncan Campbell must have kept the best house of entertainment in Bos- ton, for it was here that Lord Bellomont himself had been re- ceived only a few weeks before. The Scotchman is described as "a bookseller who dresses à la mode; who is a very virtuous person, extremely charming; whose company is coveted by the best gentle- men in Boston, nor is he less accessible to the fair sex."
BELLOMONT TO THE BOARD OF TRADE
Boston, 8th. July 1699
My Lords,
I have the misfortune to be ill of the gout at a time when I have a great deal of business to exercise both my head and my hand.
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It will not be unwellcome News to your Lordships to tell you that I secured Captain Kidd last Thursday in the Gaol of this town with five or six of his men. He had been hovering on the Coast towards New York for more than a fortnight, and sent to one Mr Emot to come from New York to him at a place called Oyster-Bay on Nassau Island, not far from New-York.
He brought Emot from thence to Rhoad Island and there landed him, sending him hither to me with an Offer of his come- ing into this port provided I would pardon him. ...
Emot also told me that Kid was very innocent and would make it appear that his men forced him, locking him up in the Cabin of the Adventure Galley, while they robbed two or three Ships, and he could prove this by many witnesses. I answered Emot that if Kid could make that appear he might safely come into this Port and I would undertake to get him the King's Par- don. I writ a Letter to Captain Kid inviteing him to come in, and that I would procure a pardon for him, provided he were as in- nocent as Mr Emot said he was. I sent my letter to him by one Mr Campbell of the Town, and a Scotch, as well as Kid, and his Acquaintance; within three or four days Campbell returned to me with a Letter from Kid, full of protestations of his Innocence, and informing me of his Design of coming with his Sloop into this Port.
LORD BELLOMONT TO THE BOARD OF TRADE
Boston, 26th July, 1699
My Lords,
. . . I gave your Lordships a short Account of my taking Capt. Kid in my letter of the 8th. inst.
I shall in this letter confine myself wholly to an account of my Proceeding with him.
. Your Lordships may observe that the promise I made .. Captain Kidd, in my said Letter, of a kind reception, and promis-
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
ing the Kings pardon for him, is conditionall: that is provided he were as innocent as he pretended to be.
But I quickly found sufficient cause to suspect him very guilty, by the many lyes and Contradictions he told me.
I was so much upon my guard with Kidd that, he arriving here on Saturday the (first) of this month, I could not see him but before witnesses nor have I ever seen him since, but in Counsel twice or thrice that we examined him; and the day he was taken up by the Constable, it happened to be by the door of my Lodging, and he rushed in and came running to me, the Constable after him. I had him not seized until Thursday the 6th. inst. for I had a mind to discover where he had left the great Ship. [The Quidah Merchant, which Kidd said he had left in a creek on the coast of Hispaniola with goods to the amount of 30,000 pounds.]
Another reason why I took him not up sooner was that he had brought his wife and children hither in the Sloop with him, who I believe he would not easily forsake.
We are not able to set an exact value on the goods and Treasure that we have got, because we have not opened the bales we took on board the Sloop: But we hope when the six bales are sent in by Gardiner, what will be there in the hands of the Gentlemen appointed to that Trust, will amount to about 14,000 pounds.
I have sent strict orders to my Lieutenant Governor at New York to make diligent Search for the Goods and Treasure sent by Kidd to New York in the 3 Sloops mentioned in Gardiners affi- davit, which I sent with the affidavits and Information to your Lordships; and I believe I have directed him where to find a Purchase in a house at New York, which by a hint I have had I am apt to believe will be found out in that house. I have sent to search elsewhere a certain place, strongly suspected to have re- ceived another deposition of Gold from Kidd.
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NARRATIVE OF JOHN GARDINER OF GARDINER'S ISLAND
The within named Narrater [John Gardiner] further saith That whilst Captain Kidd lay with his sloop at Gardners Island, there was a New Yorke Sloop, whereof one Coster is Master, and his Mate was a little black man, unknown to the Narrater by name, who, as it was said, had been formerly Captain Kidds Quarter Master, and another Sloop belonging to New-Yorke Jacob Fenick, Master, both which lay near to Kidds Sloop three days together, and whilst the Narrator was on board with Captain Kidd, there was several Bayles of Goods and other things put out of the said Kidds Sloop and put on board the other two Sloops aforesaid, and the said two Sloops sayled up the Sound. After which Kidd sayled with his Sloop for Block Island, and being absent by the Space of three dayes returned to Gardiners-Island again in company of another Sloop belonging to New-Yorke, Cornelius Quick* Master, on board of which was one Thomas Clarke of Setauket commonly called Whisking Clark and one Harrison of Jamaica, Father to a boy that was with Captain Kidd, and Captain Kidds wife was then on board his own Sloop.
And Quick remained with his Sloop there from noon to the evening of the same day, and tooke on board two Chests that came out of the said Kidd's Sloop, under the observance of this Narrator, and he believes several Goods more, and then sailed up the Sound.
Kidd remained there with his sloop until next morning, and then set saile intending, as he said, for Boston. . . .
Further the Narrator saith That the next day after Quick sayled with his Sloop from Gardiner's Island, he saw him turn out of a Bay called Oyster-pant Bay, although the wind was all
* Perhaps Quick's Hole was named after one of this family.
+ Not Oyster Bay, but Oyster-pond Bay, near Orient.
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
the time fair to carry him up the Sound; the Narrator supposes he went in thither to land some Goods.
John Gardiner
Boston, July 1699
To HIS EXCELLENCY THE EARLE OF BELLOMONT
Capt. Gen11 & Governor of his Majtys Collonies of ye Massa- chusetts Bay in New England and to the honorable the Councill. The peticion of Sarah Kidd humbly sheweth That yr pe- titioners husband Capt. Wm. Kidd being committed unto the comon Goale in Boston for pyracie and under streight durance, as also in want of necessary assistance, as well as your Petitioners Affection for her husband humbly prays that your Excellency & Councill will be pleased to permitt the sd Sarah Kidd to have communication with her husband, for his relief in such due season and maner as by Yr. Excellency & Councill may be thot fitt, & pre- scribed, to which yor Petitioner shall thankfully conforme herselfe & ever pray, etc.
Sarah SK Kidd
Boston 25 July 1699
The examination of Gabriel Loffe, of Long Island, N. Y., July 10, 1699, before Justices Elisha Cook and Isaac Davenport of Boston. He entered as a seaman on board the Adventure Gal- ley, Capt. Wm. Kidd at N. Y. Sept. 1696; thence went to Madeira, to Bonavista, St. Jago, Madagascar, Joanna and Mahilla and to the Red Sea to cruise for pirates. Went to India and there took a ship of 150 tons commanded by a Dutchman with cotton wool, beeswax, tobacco and two horses ; the crew was chiefly Moors and 3 Christians or Dutchmen; carried her to Madagascar and there burned her.
Some weeks after, we took in the India sea a ship of 450 tons,
PASTURE BETWEEN COVE AND FRENCH WATERING PLACE
CEDAR SWAMP
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PIRATES AND PRIVATEERS
Capt. Wright an Englishman from Bengal; her crew were Moors, Armenians and 3 Christians, laden with silks and other dry goods ; carried her to Madagascar. Her goods were divided among Kidd's crew. Kidd had 40 odd shares. Part of his men deserted at St. Mary's. Kidd proposed to his men to capture a Mocha frigate there, which they did. Her name was the Quidah Merchant. Then he ran his Galley on Shore being leaky, stript and burned her at St. Mary's. They came to the Island of Anguilla, W. I., where they were proclaimed pirates, then to St. Thomas, but the Gov- ernor would not let them enter the port, then to Mona, where they bought a sloop.
Kidd loaded the sloop, and sailed in her with 17 or 18 of his men. They sailed first to Delaware Bay where they landed a chest belonging to one James Gillam, a Passenger from Mada- gascar.
Then they sailed to the Sound, L. I., and put some goods on Gardiners Island, and some on board a N. Y. sloop, Coster, master, and a pack of goods on shore at Tarpaulin Cove. While they lay off R. I., James Gillam went ashore in a boat, which came on board.
It will be remembered that in March, Caleb Ray, housewright, had become owner with one Joseph Fuller, shipwright, of a tract of land on Naushon, just to the west of Tarpaulin Cove.
Boston in New England 1699
The County to Caleb Ray Keeper of his Maj. goal for
keeping ye Prisoners following ie-Dr-
To Keeping of Capt. William Kidd from ye 18th. of | (?)
July he was committed to ye 24th. ie one week 0. 14.00
To ditto of & of said Capt. Kidd his men named Davis, Luff, Ercs [?] Parrott, Sam Leigh, Jenkins 3. 9. 6. Barleycorn, & negro Dick one week
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
Each at 3/6 a week
1. 18. 0.
To turning ye key on my ¿ past The above not allowed.
2. 2. 6.
Caleb Ray
July 11 1700
In the House of Rep.
Voted to be referred to next Session of Court for further con- sideration.
Dr
Pd in cash
39: 13: 11 8: 5: 0
31:
8: 11
6:
9: 0
Rest due £ 24: 19: 11
Boston in New England 1699
The County to Caleb Ray Keeper of his Maj. Gaol in Boston for keeping of 11 Piratts which practically Ran away with the Ship Adventure of London, Thomas Gullish Commander; who were committed as followeth viz.
£ s. d.
To keeping of John Westbye Chyrurgion & Robert Amsden who were committed ye 31 of March and
2 held by order of Elisha Cook esq. ye Libertye of House and Yard to ye 24th. of July ie 16 weeks 3 days for Dyett and Lodging at 6 p a week each.
9/16/-
To ditto of Tee Wetherell who was committed ye -
3 31 March In prison to ye 24 June he made his escape Ie. 12 weeks 2 days at 3/6 a week
2/3/5
To ditto of John Loyd who was committed ye first of -
4 April to ye 24 July Ie: 16 weeks 3 days at 3/6 per week
2/17/6
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PIRATES AND PRIVATEERS
To ditto of Francis Read and Aylmer Clark who -
6 were committed the 5th. of April in prison to ye 24th of July Ie 15 weeks 4 days at 3/6 week each
5/9/0
To ditto of Thomas Davis who was committed ye -
7 9th. of April In prison to ye 24 July 14 weeks 6 d. at 3/6 a week.
2/12/0
To ditto of Joseph Bradish from ye 20th, April - he was committed to ye 24th. June he made his escape. Ie 10 weeks 4 days @ 5/6 a week
1/17/0
To ditto of Robert Knox & Thomas Dean who were committed the 12th. of April to ye 24th. July 14 weeks 13 d ea. at 3/6 per week
5/1/0
To two men paid by order of Elisha Cook and Isaac Addington esq. to watch ye prisoner every night from ye 24th. April untill ye prisoner was made safe and secure at 8 d ye night for each man to ye 7th. of May Ie 6 weeks each
6/6/0
To employing ye necessary houses in ye Prison since ye above said prisoners came. 2/0/0
To Watchmen kept by order of Samuel Gookin Sheriff from ye 11 July to ye 18th. day that Capt. Kidd was put in goal paid 7 nights out my own Pockett.
To turning ye key for 11 men my } 7/6
Caleb Ray
Eight pounds 5 shillings of this acct. paid.
39: 13: 11
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
Resolved that the sum of 24 lb. 19 sh. 11 p. be allowed and paid out of the publick treasury unto Caleb Ray in full of all his acct. on the other side.
Sent up for conservence
Nehemiah Jewett
Speaker.
Having perused and considered the within written acct of Caleb Ray it is the opinion of the committee that the money due for ye keeping the [pirates] therein mentioned ought to have been paid out of ye money secured with them, and not to be paid by the province.
LORD BELLOMONT TO BOARD OF TRADE
I wrot your Lordships word in my last letter of the 8 Instant That Bradish the Pyrate and one of his Crew were escaped out of the Goal of this Town. We have since found that the Goaler* was Bradish's kinsman, and the Goaler confessed they went out at the prison door, and that he found it wide open; we had all reason in the world to believe the Goaler was consenting to the escape; by much ado I could get the Counsel to resent the Goalers behavior, but by meer Importunity I had the fellow before us; we examined him, and by his own Story and accounts given us of his suffering other prisoners formerly to escape, I prevailed to have him turned out, and a prosecution ordered against him to the Attorney General.
When "by much ado" Lord Bellomont had induced the coun- cil to "resent the goalers behavior" and "prevailed to have him turned out" Ray probably moved down to his farm at Tarpaulin Cove. Here he doubtless kept in close touch with his many sea- faring friends.
* The Keeper of his Majesty's Gaol was Caleb Ray.
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PIRATES AND PRIVATEERS
For the next three or four years he lived at the Cove and, as already told, he, Fuller and Blaney were in 1701 the storm center in the legal action of Oliver against Winthrop.
Boston New England July 25, 1699
A true account of all such gold, silver jewels and merchandise late in the possession of Capt. William Kidd, which have been seized and secured by us underwritten, pursuant to an order from his Excellency Richard, Earl of Bellomont Captain General and Governor in chief and over his Majesties Province of the Mas- sachusetts Bay etc. bearing date July 7, 1699.
Gold oz. Sil. oz. Jewels
In Capt. Kids Box
One Bagg 53 silver bars
357
66
79 Bons. pieces of silver
442 1/2
74
421
4 diamonds
One enamel silver Rex quilt in which are
set in gold cocketts. One diamond linx set in a gold ring.
Found in Mr Duncan Campbell's house
No 1 One box qt. gold 58 1/2
2 One box qt. 94
3 One handkerchief qt. 50
4 One box 103
5 One box qt.
38 1/2
6 One box qt.
19 1/4
7 One box silver 203
Also twenty dollars one hate and one quarter piece of eight. Nine English Crowns, one small barr of silver, one small lump
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
of silver. A small chain, a small bottle, a coral necklace, one piece of white and one piece of checkered silk.
In Capt. Wm. Kid's chest viz. 2 silver candlesticks, one silver porringer and some small things of silver . . . 82 Rubies small and great, sixty seven green stones, 2 load stones ... 69 Landed from on board the sloop Antonio, Capt. W. Kid late Commander.
4. One bag 3 silver rings & sundry precious stones. . .. 4 7/8 oz.
One unpolished stone qt. 12 1/2 oz.
One cristol and stones, 2 cornelian rings
2 small agates, two amethists, all in ye same bag
5. Bag silver buttons .29
6. one bag broken silver 173 1/2
7. One bag gold barrs 353 1/4
8. One bag gold barrs 238 1/2
9. One dust gold .59 1/2
10. One bag silver barrs 212
11. One bag silver barrs 309
A true copy of the first sheet of the accompt of the treasure goods and merchandise imported by Capt. Wm. Kidd and his company and accomplices Anno 1699. Seized by order of the Earl of Bel- lomont which accompt was presented in V sheets under the hand of Samuel Sewall, Nathaniel Byfield etc. etc. Commissioners ap- pointed to receive and secure the same and upon their oaths. And is lodged in the Secretaries office at Boston.
Isaac Addington Sec.
There is no inventory or further mention of "the small pack of goods" deposited at Tarpaulin Cove.
Boston, Dec. 26th. 1699
Dear Brother, - I came home from Tarpolin Coue on Satur- day night, just at the end of the moderate weather, It hauing been
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PIRATES AND PRIVATEERS
very cold since, and haue had your letter. ... I am sorry the mill proves not well. . . . Other news here is none that I hear of. Here is nothing more about the pirates, but we wait for news from England about them. Christmas mass makes no grate noyse at present, som being indisposed, Not els, but that I am Your affectionate brother W. Winthrop
Judging by the great number of vessels upon the coast and general maritime activity, lawful and otherwise, a diary written at Tarpaulin in the first half of the 18th Century would be fairly bursting with incident.
No such log exists, and these extracts from far-scattered sources give just a smattering of a few of those events which were doubtless of constant occurrence in the Sound.
1701
Diary of Saml. Sewall, Aug. 19th.
Sign an order for Capt. Crow to cruise to Tarpolin Cove be- cause of some suspected vessels there, as Gov. Cranston informs.
1704
On April 18, 1704, a sloop from Virginia came into Newport, and her captain reported to Governor Cranston that off Block Island he had been chased by a topsail shallop, which he thought was a French privateer. He added that there were two vessels in company with her, which he judged to be prizes. Governor Cranston sent a drummer through the streets of Newport "beat- ing for volunteers" for an expedition against these suspicious vessels. Three or four hours' work made the old privateer brig- antine Greyhound ready for sea, and she sailed for Newport at night on the 19th, manned by 70 young men, all volunteers and
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
commanded by Captain William Wanton. They coasted down Vineyard Sound and at Tarpaulin Cove overhauled the fleet of three suspicious vessels, two shallops and a ketch. They proved to be fishing vessels from Cape Ann, but the fact that one of them was French built and carried a topsail gave rise to the story that she was an enemy privateer.
1707
This elusive French privateer, which had escaped Wanton and Ward in August, was doomed for a speedy capture. Gov- ernor Cranston received news of her activities in Vineyard Sound on September 7th and immediately sent out two sloops, this time under the command of Major William Wanton and his brother, Lieutenant Colonel John Wanton. They sailed down Vineyard Sound, where the Frenchman had been reported, and sighted him on the next day, Monday, September 8, 1707. Lieutenant Colonel John Wanton was the first to fall in with the Frenchman, "a large man-of-war-sloop" of 4 guns, 4 patereroes and 49 men. Wanton bravely attacked the privateer and a bitter battle followed.
For three hours they struggled with varying success until John's brother William came up in his sloop. The added strength of these reinforcements decided the combat and the Frenchman struck his ensign, but not until after the captain and three of his men had been killed and the lieutenant and several others wounded. No Rhode Islanders were killed in this battle, although three were wounded. One of them was John Dublin who was hit in the head by a shot and lost the use of one of his eyes.
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