Pirate. Born in Greenock, Scotland, he emigrated to New York. During trip to England, Kidd was offered a privateer's commission for the purpose of attacking pirates by noble lords. Kidd had to sell his ship the Antigua to raise funds. The new ship, the Adventure Galley, was equipped with 34 cannons and 150 men. However, Kidd's enterprise was not a success. After taking a single French ship (which was legal for him) on the first leg of his voyage, to New York, he proceeded to Madagascar but was not able to find pirates. Under pressure from his men he started taking any vessels which were not English, or which had at least a French passenger aboard. Legally he was only allowed to take French and pirate vessels. Kidd's actions became increasingly more like those of a pirate than an agent of the English King. On October 30, 1697 a dispute broke out with one William Moore over whether to pursue a Dutch ship encountered. Moore and the other men of the crew wanted to take the Dutch ship, but Captain Kidd refused. In a subsequent fight a few days later, Kidd threw an ironbound bucket at Moore which killed him. On January 30, 1698 Kidd took a ship called the Quedah Merchant, but only later realized that he had in fact captured an English ship. Kidd tried to persuade his crew to return the ship to its owners, but they refused. In 1698 Kidd reached Madagascar where he found the first pirate of his voyage, Robert Culliford, the Mocha Frigate. Kidd ordered his men to capture the Mocha Frigate, but except for 13 of his men, the crew mutinied and joined the pirates of the Mocha Frigate. With the loyal crew, he returned home in the captured Quedah Merchant. After arriving to New York City, he was arrested and sent to England to stand trial and was imprisoned in the infamous Newgate Prison. On May 8-9 he was tried by the High Court of Admiralty and found guilty of piracy on high seas and murder of a crewman. Kidd was hanged on May 23, 1701 at Execution Dock in Wapping, London. During the execution, the hangman's rope broke and Kidd was hanged on the second attempt. His body was left to hang in an iron cage at Tilbery Point over the river Thames, London, as a warning to future pirates, until it was totally decomposed. His adventures inspired Edgar Allan Poe's "The Gold Bug" and Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Treasure Island".
Pirate. Born in Greenock, Scotland, he emigrated to New York. During trip to England, Kidd was offered a privateer's commission for the purpose of attacking pirates by noble lords. Kidd had to sell his ship the Antigua to raise funds. The new ship, the Adventure Galley, was equipped with 34 cannons and 150 men. However, Kidd's enterprise was not a success. After taking a single French ship (which was legal for him) on the first leg of his voyage, to New York, he proceeded to Madagascar but was not able to find pirates. Under pressure from his men he started taking any vessels which were not English, or which had at least a French passenger aboard. Legally he was only allowed to take French and pirate vessels. Kidd's actions became increasingly more like those of a pirate than an agent of the English King. On October 30, 1697 a dispute broke out with one William Moore over whether to pursue a Dutch ship encountered. Moore and the other men of the crew wanted to take the Dutch ship, but Captain Kidd refused. In a subsequent fight a few days later, Kidd threw an ironbound bucket at Moore which killed him. On January 30, 1698 Kidd took a ship called the Quedah Merchant, but only later realized that he had in fact captured an English ship. Kidd tried to persuade his crew to return the ship to its owners, but they refused. In 1698 Kidd reached Madagascar where he found the first pirate of his voyage, Robert Culliford, the Mocha Frigate. Kidd ordered his men to capture the Mocha Frigate, but except for 13 of his men, the crew mutinied and joined the pirates of the Mocha Frigate. With the loyal crew, he returned home in the captured Quedah Merchant. After arriving to New York City, he was arrested and sent to England to stand trial and was imprisoned in the infamous Newgate Prison. On May 8-9 he was tried by the High Court of Admiralty and found guilty of piracy on high seas and murder of a crewman. Kidd was hanged on May 23, 1701 at Execution Dock in Wapping, London. During the execution, the hangman's rope broke and Kidd was hanged on the second attempt. His body was left to hang in an iron cage at Tilbery Point over the river Thames, London, as a warning to future pirates, until it was totally decomposed. His adventures inspired Edgar Allan Poe's "The Gold Bug" and Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Treasure Island".
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