Kidd Captain William (3 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Very good condition. Third edition, with additions. Trials of noted sea captains, including of pirate Captain Kidd, Captain Richard Kirkby and pirate Captain Thomas Green. Captain William Kidd (c.1654 1701) was a Scottish sailor who was tried and executed for piracy, although some modern historians note that relegating him to the role of pirate and putting him on trial was a maneuver used by politicians of the day to deflect attention from their own questionable roles in privateering. Here Kidd testifies that he has French passes, which would have provided proof that he worked as a privateer and not a pirate: "I beg your Lordship's Patience till I can procure my Papers. I had a Couple of French Passes, which I must make use of in order to my Justification" (p287). Kidd was not allowed to retrieve his papers; he was found guilty on all charges (murder and piracy) and sentenced to death. (pp 287-338) Captain Richard Kirkby (1658 16 April 1703) was an officer of the Royal Navy who was tried at a court martial for his conduct during the Action of August 1702, a naval battle in the War of the Spanish Succession, in which a British squadron fought the French off the coast of present day Colombia, South America. Kirkby, who wrote to the Admiralty and claimed that the defeat was in fact caused by Vice Admiral Benbow's errors in judgment, was convicted of cowardice and disobedience and sentenced to be shot. (pp 445-448). Captain Thomas Green (1679?-1705) was an English sailor and alleged pirate, who was accused of having boarded a ship off the coast of India, seized its goods, killed the crew and sold the ship. The evidence against Capt. Green was insufficient, however he was found guilty and hanged in Scotland along with 2 crew members. (pp 592-608) Volume 5 of a 6 volume set. Folio, 852pp. Deaccessed by the NY Association of the Bar Library, with their stamp on the title page. Pale green library cloth binding with leather gilt spine labels, and paper label. Spine sunned, cloth marked at spine; upper corner front board bumped. OCLC: 221743636 for the 6 volume set, (1 copy) Monash University.

Single Issue Magazine. Condition: Fair. Bacon, Irving R. (cover); Van Der Heyden, Gerald; Kidd, Betty Jane (illustrator). First Edition. 32 pages. Features: Fun photos of children inside front cover; Debt - Our Biggest National Industry/Money - Our Most Costly Commodity - Can the Price of Money Be Decreased?; The Backstage Story of the Marion Talley Drama - article with photo; Morality That Was First Military - army commanders long ago discovered principles now claimed by pacifists; Where the People of the British Isles Came From; Books That Started the Bells Ringing; Henry Ford's Page - Businessmen are leaders of social movements; Editorials - the McNary-Haugen Bill is vetoed, Judge Ben Lindsey of Denver advocates trial marriage, Madame Schumann-Heink denies endorsing a cigarette (being aimed at women); Skiing in the Bavarian Alps; Paid - A Billion Dollars for Beauty - Sleuths of Science Still on the Trail of Elixir of Youth; Benjamin Franklin as an Abolitionist - fascinating article; Intimate Glimpses of Elbert Hubbard - photo-illustrated article; Chats with Office Callers; I Read in the Papers; News Bits; Nice dog/puppy photos inside back cover. Somewhat above-average wear. Unmarked. Middle page loose but present. A worthy vintage copy. Bonus: Blank 8.5" x 5.5" subscription renewal form laid-in.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. ONE OF HISTORY'S MOST FAMOUS AND FASCINATING PIRATES FIRST EDITION, [8], 51 leaves, a fine later binding of mottled calf gilt, fitted case, 4to (205 x 160mm), London: Printed and sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster, 1701. Born in Scotland in 1645, William Kidd started out as a privateer, hired by a consortium of English aristocracy to attack foreign ships. When his crew insisted on attacking the Quadegh Merchant, a large Armenian ship laden with treasures on the Indian Ocean, Kidd found himself on the wrong side of the British government. He was hanged in London in 1701, as a warning to other pirates. Legend persists about Captain Kidd and the treasure some believe he buried in the Caribbean, and he remains one of history's most famous and fascinating pirates. In 1695, Kidd returned to England to receive a royal commission as a privateer. There, he befriended Lord Bellomont, who had been selected to take over the governorship of New York. Under Bellomont's direction and financial backing, Kidd was hired to make his way toward the West Indies with a crew and attack French ships and pirate vessels. The confiscated loot would be divided between Kidd, his men and his backers. In May 1696, Kidd set sail on the 34-gun vessel Adventure Galley. Struggles soon enveloped the enterprise. A number of Kidd's men died of illness, and when Kidd found few French ships to attack, he faced mounting pressure from a weary and frustrated crew.  In early 1697, Kidd steered his crew toward Madagascar, a stopping point for many pirates who made their living on the Indian Ocean. Small successes came in the form of attacks on various Indian ships. Then, in January 1698, Kidd's luck seemingly changed when he caught sight of the Quedagh Merchant rounding the tip of India.The Quedagh Merchant was no ordinary vessel. A 500-ton Armenian ship, it carried goodsa treasure trove of gold, silk, spices, and other richesthat were owned in part by a minister at the court of the Indian Grand Moghul. The minister had powerful connections, and when news about Kidd's attack reached him he complained to the East India Company, the large and influential English trading firm. Coupled with many governments' shifting perceptions of piracy, Kidd was quickly cast as a wanted criminal.Having abandoned the rotting Adventure Galley for the Quedagh Merchant, Kidd set sail on his new ship for the Caribbean and eventually made his way to a smaller ship in Boston, where he was arrested and eventually shipped back to England. On May 8, 1701, Kidd went on a trial. His crimes and previously close connections with the English elite and government officials caused a sensation. Kidd had expected Lord Bellomont and others to defend him, but he was to be disappointed with his backers, who refused to help him and were more concerned about their reputations.  Kidd was found guilty and hanged on May 23, 1701. To serve as a warning to other pirates, his body was hung in a cage and left to rot for all to see along the River Thames. Provenance: Greenhill Collection.  Church 797, Howes M677, Sabin 37703.