Volume III
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JOHN GOW Captain of a notorious Gang of Pirates. Executed at Execution Dock, 11th of August, 1729 for Piracy in the north of Scotland, and was instructed in maritime affairs, in which he became so expert that he was appointed second mate of a ship, in which he sailed on a voyage to Santa Cruz. When the vessel was ready to weigh anchor the merchants who had shipped goods on board her came to pay a parting visit to the captain, and to give him their final instructions. On this occasion the captain, agreeable to custom, enter- tained his company under an awning on the quarter-deck; and while they were regaling, some of the sailors preferred a complaint of ill-treatment they pretended to have received, particularly with regard to short allowance. The captain was irritated at so undeserved a charge, which seemed cal- culated to prejudice him in the opinion of his employers; but, conscious of the uprightness of his intentions, he did on board who had the care of the provisions, and that all reasonable complaints should be redressed; on which the seamen retired, with apparent satisfaction. The wind being fair, the captain directed his men to weigh anchor as soon as the merchants had quitted the vessel. It was observed that Paterson, one of the com- plainants, was very dilatory in executing his orders ; on which the captain demanded to know why he did not exert himself to unfurl the sails; to which he made no direct answer, but was heard to mutter: " As we cat, so shall we work." The captain heard this, but took no notice of it, as he was unwilling to proceed to extremities. The ship had no sooner sailed than the captain con- sidered his situation as dangerous, on reflecting that his conduct had been complained of and his orders disobeyed. Thereupon he consulted the mate, and they agreed to deposit a number of small-arms in the cabin, in order to defend themselves in case of an attack. This precaution might have been extremely salutary, but that they had spoken so loud as to be overheard by two of the conspirators who were on the quarter-deck. The captain likewise directed the mate to order Gow, who was second mate and gunner, to clean the arms-a circumstance that plainly insinuated to the latter that the conspiracy was at least suspected. Those who had overheard the conversation between the captain and mate communicated the substance of it to Gow and the other conspirators, who thereupon resolved on immediate action. Gow, who had previously intended to turn pirate, thought the present an admirable oppor- tunity, as there were several chests of money on board the ship: wherefore he proposed to his companions that they should immediately embark in the enterprise; and they determined to murder the captain and seize the ship. Half of the ship's company were regularly called to prayers in the great cabin at eight o'clock in the evening, while the other half were doing duty on deck; and, after service, those who had been in the cabin went to rest in their hammocks. The contrivance was to execute the plot at this juncture. Only two of the conspirators remained on duty, the rest being among those who retired to their hammocks. Between nine and ten at night a kind of watchword was given, which was, " Who fires first? " On this some of the conspirators left their hammocks, and going to the cabins of the surgeon, chief mate and supercargo, they cut their throats while they were asleep. The surgeon finding himself violently wounded quitted his bed, and soon afterwards dropped on the floor and expired. The mate and supercargo held their hands on their throats, and going on the quarter-deck solicited a momentary respite, to recommend their souls to Heaven ; but even this favour was denied, for the villains, who found their knives had failed to destroy them, dispatched them with pistols. The captain, hearing a noise, demanded the occasion of it. The boatswain replied that he did not know, but he was apprehensive that some of the men had either fallen or been thrown overboard. The captain hereupon went to look over the ship's side, on which two of the murderers followed, and tried to throw him into the sea ; but he disengaged himself and turned about to take a view of them, when one of them cut his throat, but not so as to kill him, for he now solicited mercy; but instead of granting it the other stabbed him in the back with a dagger, and would have repeated his blow but that he had struck with such force that he could not draw back the weapon. At this instant Gow, who had been assisting in the murders between the decks, came on the quarter-deck and fired a brace of balls into the captain's body, which put a period to his life. The execrable villains concerned in this tragical affair having thrown all the dead bodies overboard, Gow was unanimously appointed to the command of the ship. Those of the sailors who had not been engaged in the conspiracy secreted themselves, some in the shrouds, some under the stores, in dreadful apprehension of sharing the fate of the captain and their murdered companions. Gow now assembled his associates on the quarter-deck, and appointed them their different stations on board; and it was agreed to commence as pirates. The new captain now directed that the men who had concealed themselves should be informed that no danger would happen to them if they did not interfere to oppose the new government of the ship, but keep such stations as were assigned to them. The men, whose terrors had taught them to expect immediate death, were glad to comply with these terms ; but the pirates, to enforce obedience to their orders, appointed two men to attend with drawn cutlasses, to terrify the others into sub- mission. Gow and his companions now divided the most valuable effects in the cabin ; and then, ordering liquor to be brought on the quarter-deck, they consumed the night in drinking, while those unconnected in the conspiracy had the care of working the ship. The ship's crew originally consisted of twenty-four men, of whom four had been murdered and eight were con- spirators, and before morning four of the other men had approved of the proceedings of the pirates ; so that there were only eight remaining. in opposition to the newly usurped authority. On the following day the new captain summoned these eight men to attend him, and, telling them he was deter- mined to go on a cruising voyage, said that they should be well treated if they were disposed to act in concert with the rest of the crew. He said that every man should fare in the same manner, and that good order and discipline were all that would be required. He further said that the captain's inhumanity had produced the consequences which had happened; that those who had not been concerned in the conspiracy had no reason to fear any ill consequences from it; that they had only to discharge their duty as seamen, and every man should be rewarded according to his merit. To this address these unfortunate honest men made no kind of reply, and Gow interpreted their silence into an assent of measures which it was not in their power to oppose. After this declaration of the will of the new captain they were permitted to range the ship at their pleasure; but as some of them appeared to act very reluctantly a strict eye was kept on their conduct, for, as guilt is ever suspicious, the pirates were greatly apprehensive of being brought to justice by means of some these men. A man named Williams now acted as lieutenant of the vessel ; and being distinguished by the ferocity of his nature he had an opportunity of exerting his cruelty by beating the unhappy men-a privilege that he did not fail to exert with a degree of severity that must render his memory detestable. The ship thus seized had been called the George galley, but the pirates gave her the name of the Revenge; and, having mounted several guns, they steered towards Spain and Portugal, in expectation of making a capture of wine, of which article they were greatly deficient. They soon made prize of an English vessel laden with fish, bound from Newfoundland to Cadiz; but having no use for the cargo, they took out the captain and four men, who navigated the ship, which they sunk. One of the seamen whom they took out of the captured vessel was named James Belvin, a man admirably calculated for their purpose, as he was by nature cruel, and by practice hardened in that cruelty. He said to Gow that he was willing to enter into all his schemes, for he had been accus- tomed to the practice of acts of barbarity. This man was thought a valuable acquisition to the crew, as several of the others appeared to act from motives of fear rather than of inclination. After various adventures they observed a French ship bear- ing down towards them, on which Gow ordered his people to Jay to; but observing that the vessel mounted two and thirty guns, and seemed proportionately full of men, he assembled his people, and observed to them that it would be madness in them to think of engaging so superior a force. The crew in general were of Gow's opinion; but Williams, the lieutenant, said that Gow was a coward, and unworthy to command the vessel. The fact is, that Gow possessed somewhat of calm courage, while Williams's impetuosity was of the most brutal kind. The latter, after behaving in the most abusive manner, demanded that the former should give orders for fighting the vessel ; but Gow refusing to comply, the other presented his pistol to shoot him, but it only flashed in the pan. This being observed by two of the pirates, named Winter and Patterson, they both fired at Williams, when one of them wounded him in the arm and the other in the belly. He dropped as soon as the pieces were discharged, and the other seamen, thinking he was dead, were about to throw him overboard when he suddenly sprang on to his feet, jumped into the hold, and swore he would set fire to the powder-room; and as his pistol was yet loaded there was every reason to think he would actually have done so if he had not been instantly seized and his hands chained behind him, in which condition he was put among French prisoners taken from ships they had pirated, who were terrified at the sight of. him; for the savage ferocity and barbarity of his nature is not to be described, it being a common practice with him to beat the prisoners in the severest manner for his diversion (as he called it), and then threaten to murder them. No engagement happened with the French ship, which held on her way; and two days afterwards the pirates took a ship belonging to Bristol, which was laden with salt fish and bound from Newfoundland to Oporto. Having taken out the provisions, and many of the stores, they compelled two of the crew to sail with them, and then put the French prisoners on board the newly captured vessel, which was just on the point of sailing when they began to reflect in what manner that execrable villain, Williams, should be disposed of. At length it was determined to put him on board the Bristol ship, the commander of which was desired to turn him over to the first English man-of-war he should meet with, that he should experience the justice due to his crimes, and in the meantime to keep him in the strictest confinement. The fact is, Williams would have been hanged at the yard-arm if an opportunity had not offered of putting him on board the Bristol ship. When he learned their intention respecting him he earnestly besought a reconciliation ; but this being refused him, and he being brought on deck in irons, he begged to be thrown overboard, as he was certain of an ignominious death on his arrival in England ; but even this poor favour was denied him, and his companions only wished him " a good voyage to the gallows." When the captain of the Bristol ship reached the port of Lisbon he delivered his prisoner on boar an English man-of-war, which conveyed him to England. As soon as the Bristol ship had left them, Gow and his crew began to reflect on their situation. They decided to steer northward; and, entering a bay of one of the Orkney Islands, Gow assembled his crew, and instructed them what tale they should tell to the country people to prevent suspicion. Now it was that the fate of the pirates seemed to be approaching ; for such of the men as had been forced into the service began to think how they should effect their es- cape, and secure themselves by becoming evidence against their dissolute companions. When the boat went ashore one evening, a young fellow who had been compelled to take part with the pirates got away from the rest of the boat's crew, and, after lying con- cealed some time at a farmhouse, hired a person to show him the road to Kirkwall, the principal place on the islands, about twelve miles distant from the bay where the ship lay at anchor. Here he applied to a magistrate, said he had been forced into the service, and begged that he might be entitled to the protection of the law, as the fear of death alone had induced him to be connected with the pirates. Having given information of what he knew of their irregular proceedings, the sheriff issued his precepts to the constables assist in bringing such villains to justice. About this juncture ten of Gow's sailors, who had like- wise taken an involuntary part with the pirates, seized the long-boat and, having made the mainland of Scotland, coasted the country till they arrived at Edinburgh, where they were imprisoned on suspicion of being pirates. Notwithstanding these alarming circumstances, Gow was so careless of his own safety that he did not put immediately to sea, but resolved to plunder the houses of the gentlemen on the coast, to furnish himself with fresh provisions. In pursuance of this resolution he sent his boatswain and ten armed men to the house of Mr Honeyman, high sheriff of the county; and the master being absent, the servants opened the door without suspicion. Nine of the gang went into the house to search for treasure, while the tenth was left to guard the door. The sight of men thus armed oc- casioned much terror to Mrs Honeyman and her daughter, who shrieked with dreadful apprehensions for their personal safety; but the pirates, employed in the search for plunder, had no idea of molesting the ladies. They seized the linen, plate and other valuable articles, and then walked in triumph to their boat, compelling one of the servants to play before them on the bagpipes. They then sailed to an island called Calf Sound, an intention of robbing the house of Mr Fea, who had been an old schoolfellow with Gow. This house was the rather pitched upon as Gow supposed that Mr Fea could not have yet heard of the transactions at Mr Honeyman's; but in this he was mistaken. Mr Fea's house was situated near the seashore; he had only six servants at home when the pirates appeared off the coast, and these were by no means equal to a contest with the plunderers. The tide runs so high among these islands, and beats with such force against the rocks, that the navigation is frequently attended with great danger. Gow, who had not boats to assist him in an emergency, and was un- skilled in the navigation of those seas, made a blunder in turning into the bay of Calf Sound; for, standing too near the point of a small island called the Calf, the vessel was in the utmost danger of being run on shore. This little island was merely a pasture for sheep belonging to Mr Fea, who had at that time six hundred feeding on it. Gow having cast his anchor too near the shore, so that the wind could not bring him off, sent a boat with a letter to Mr Fea, requesting that he would lend him another boat to assist him in heaving off the ship, by carrying out an anchor, and assuring him that he would not do the least injury to any individual. As Gow's messenger did not see Mr Fea's boat the latter gave him an evasive answer, and on the approach of night ordered his servants to sink his own boat and hide the sails and rigging. While they were obeying this order five of Gow's men came on shore in the boat and proceeded, doubly armed, to- wards Fea's house. Thereupon the latter advanced towards them with an assurance of friendship, and begged that they would not enter the house, for his wife was exceedingly ill; that the idea of their approach had greatly alarmed her, and that the sight of them might probably deprive her of life. The boatswain replied that they had no design to terrify Mrs Fea, or any other person, but that the most rigorous treatment must be expected if the use of the boat was denied them. Mr Fea represented how dangerous it would be for him to assist them, on account of the reports circulated to their discredit ; but he offered to entertain them at an adjacent ale- house, and they accepted the invitation, as they observed that he had no company. While they were drinking, Mr Fea ordered his servants to destroy their boat, and when they had done so to call him hastily out of the company and inform him of it. These orders were exactly complied with; and when he had left the pirates he directed six men, well armed, to station themselves behind a hedge, and if they observed him to come alone with the boatswain instantly to seize him; but if he came with all the five desperadoes he would walk forward, so as to give them an opportunity of firing without wounding himself. After giving these orders Fea returned to the company, whom he invited to his house, on the promise of their be- having peaceably, and said he would make them heartily welcome. They all expressed a readiness to attend him, in the hope of getting the boat; but he told them he would rather have the boatswain's company only, and would afterwards send for his companions. This being agreed to, the boatswain set forward with two brace of pistols, walking with Mr Fea till they came to the hedge where his men were concealed. Here Mr Fea seized him by the collar, while the others took him into custody before he had time to make any defence. The boatswain called aloud for his men ; but Mr Fea, forcing a handker- chief into his mouth, bound him hand and foot, and then left one of his own people to guard him, while he and the rest went back to the public-house. There being two doors to the house, some went to the one, and some to the other, and, rushing in at once, they made prisoners of the other four men before they had time to have recourse to their arms for defence. The five pirates, being thus in custody, were sent to an adjacent village and separately confined, and in the interim Mr Fea sent messengers round the island to acquaint the inhabitants with what had been done; to desire them to haul their boats on the beach, that the pirates should not swim to and steal them; and to request that no person would venture to row within reach of the pirates' guns. On the following day the wind shifted to the north-west and blew hard, on which the pirates conceived hopes of get- ting out to sea ; but the person employed to cut the cable missing some of his strokes, the ship's way was checked, she turned round and, the cable parting, the vessel was driven on Calf Island. Reduced to this dilemma, without even a boat to assist in getting off the ship, Gow hung out a white flag, as an intimation that he was willing to treat on friendly terms but Mr Fea, having now little doubt of securing the pirates, wrote to Gow and told him he had been compelled to make prisoners of his men on account of their insolent behaviour. He likewise told him that the whole country was alarmed, and that the most probable chance of securing his own life would be by surrendering and becoming an evidence against his accomplices. Eventually by a ruse Gow was induced to go ashore, where he was disarmed of his sword, and made prisoner, after begging to be shot with his sword in his possession. The leader of the gang being thus secured, Mr Fea had recourse to stratagem to get all the rest into his power. He compelled Gow to make signals for some of them to come on shore, which they readily did, and were apprehended by men concealed to take them as they arrived. Thus, by an equal exertion of courage, conduct and artifice did Mr Fea secure these dangerous men, twenty- eight in number, without a single man being killed or wounded, and with only the aid of a few countrymen : a force apparently very insufficient to the accomplishment of such a business. When all the prisoners were properly secured, Mr Fea sent an express to Edinburgh, requesting that proper persons might be sent to conduct them to that city. The express from Mr Fea being arrived at Edinburgh, another was forwarded to London, to learn the Royal plea- sure respecting the disposal of the pirates ; and the answer brought was, that the Lord Justice Clerk should immedi- ately send them to London, in order to their being tried by a Court of Admiralty, to be held for that purpose. When these orders reached Edinburgh a guard of soldiers marched to fetch them to that city ; and on their arrival they were put on board the Greyhound frigate, which immediately sailed for the Thames. On their arrival in the river a detachment of the guards from the Tower attended their landing, and conducted them to the Marshalsea Prison, where they once more saw Lieutenant Williams, who had been conveyed to England captain at Lisbon. This Williams, though certain of coming to an ignominious end, took a malignant pleasure in seeing his companions in like circumstances of calamity. A commission was now made out for their trial ; and soon after their commitment they underwent separate examinations before the judge of the Admiralty Court in Doctors' Commons, when five of them, who appeared to be less guilty than the rest, were admitted evidences against their accomplices. Being removed from the Marshalsea to Newgate, their trials came on at the Old Bailey, when Gow, Williams and six others were convicted, and received sentence of death ; but the rest were acquitted, as it seemed evident that they had been compelled to take part with the pirates. Gow, Williams and six of their accomplices were executed together. A remarkable circumstance happened to Gow at the place of execution. His friends, anxious to put him out of his pain, pulled his legs so forcibly that the rope broke and he dropped down; on which he was again taken up to the gibbet, and when he was dead was hanged in chains on the banks of the Thames. |