The Pirates' Who's Who Part 50

WATTS, SAMUEL.

Of Lovell's Island.

One of Captain Pound's crew.

WATTS, WILLIAM.

An Irishman.

Hanged, at the age of 23, along with the rest of Roberts's crew.

WAY, JOHN.

Tried at Boston in 1704 for piracy with the rest of the crew of the _Charles_ brigantine.

WEAVER, CAPTAIN BRIGSTOCK.

Of Hereford, England.

One of Captain Anstis's crew in the _Good Fortune_ when he took the _Morning Star_. After the prize had been converted for Anstis's use, Weaver was given command of the _Good Fortune_. He proved himself to be a capable pirate captain, taking between fifty and sixty sailing ships in the West Indies and on the Banks of Newfoundland.

Here are particulars of a few of his prizes:

In August, 1722, he took a Dutch ship, and out of her got 100 pieces of holland, value 800, and 1,000 pieces of eight. On November 20th in the same year he plundered the _Dolphin_, of London (Captain William Haddock), of 300 pieces of eight and forty gallons of rum.

Out of the _Don Carlos_ (Lot Neekins, master) he stole 400 ounces of silver, fifty gallons of rum, 1,000 pieces of eight, 100 pistols, and other valuable goods.

Out of the _Portland_, ten pipes of wine valued at 250.

This period of prosperity came to an end, for in May, 1723, Weaver, dressed in rags, was begging charity at the door of a Mr. Thomas Smith in Bristol, telling a plausible tale of how he had been taken and robbed by some wicked pirates, but had lately managed to escape from them. The kindly Mr. Smith, together with a Captain Edwards, gave Weaver 10 and provided him with a lodging at the Griffin Inn. Being now dressed in good clothes, Weaver enjoyed walking about the streets of Bristol, until one day he met with a sea-captain who claimed former acquaintance and invited him into a neighbouring tavern to share a bottle of wine with him. Over this the captain reminded the pirate that he had been one of his victims, and that Weaver had once stolen from him a considerable quant.i.ty of liquor; but at the same time he had not forgotten that the pirate had used him very civilly, and that therefore, if he would give him four hogsheads of cider, nothing further would be said about the matter. Weaver would not, or could not, produce these, and was apprehended, brought to London, and there tried and sentenced to death, and hanged at Execution Dock.

WELLS, LIEUTENANT JOSEPH.

An officer on board Captain John Quelch's _Charles_ galley. Attempted to escape at Gloucester, Ma.s.sachusetts, in the _Larimore_, but was captured by Major Sewell and brought to Salem, and there secured in the town gaol until tried for piracy at Boston in June, 1704.

WEST, RICHARD.

One of Captain Lowther's crew. Hanged at St. Kitts in March, 1722.

WETHERLEY, TEE.

A Ma.s.sachusetts pirate, with only one eye. Captured in 1699 with the pirate Joseph Bradish and put in prison. They escaped two months later. A reward of 200 was offered for the recapture of Wetherley, which was gained by a Kennekeck Indian called Essacambuit, who brought him back to prison. He was taken, in irons, to England in H.M.S. _Advice_ in 1700, and tried and hanged in London.

WHETSTONE, SIR THOMAS, or WHITSTONE. Buccaneer.

In 1663 he commanded a ship, a Spanish prize, armed with seven guns and carrying a crew of sixty men. In August, 1666, Sir Thomas was with a small English garrison of some sixty men in the buccaneer stronghold of New Providence in the Bahama Islands. Suddenly a Spanish fleet arrived from Porto Bello, and after a siege of three days the garrison capitulated. The three English captains were carried prisoners to Panama and there cast into a dungeon and bound in irons for seventeen months.

WHITE, CAPTAIN THOMAS. South Sea pirate. An Englishman. Born at Plymouth.

As a young man he was taken prisoner by a French pirate off the coast of Guinea. The French ma.s.sacred their prisoners by painting targets on their chests and using them for rifle practice. White alone was saved by an heroic Frenchman throwing himself in front of him and receiving the volley in his own body. White sailed with the French pirates, who were wrecked on the coast of Madagascar. White himself managed to escape, and found safety with a native, King Bavaw, but the French pirates were all ma.s.sacred.

White not very long afterwards joined another pirate ship, commanded by a Captain Read, with whom he sailed, helping to take several prizes, amongst others a slave ship, the _Speaker_. White soon found himself possessed of a considerable fortune, and settled down with his crew at a place called Methelage in Madagascar, marrying a native woman, and leading the peaceful life of a planter. The call of piracy at length proving irresistible, he sailed before the mast with Captain Halsey, then returned to his native wife and home, shortly afterwards to die of fever.

In his will, he left legacies to various relatives and friends, and appointed three guardians for his son, all of different nationalities, with instructions that the boy should be taken to England to be educated, which was duly done.

White was buried with the full ceremonies of the Church of England, his sword and pistols being carried on his coffin, and three English and one French volley fired over his grave.

WHITE, JAMES.

Hanged in Virginia in 1718 along with the rest of Captain Edward Teach's crew.

WHITE, ROBERT.

One of Captain George Lowther's crew. Hanged on March 22nd, 1722, at St.

Kitts.

WHITE, WILLIAM.

A Newfoundland fish-splitter. With John Phillips and three others, he stole a fishing-boat at St. Peter's Harbour in Newfoundland in August, 1723. The other four were made officers in the pirate craft, White having the distinction of being the only private man in the crew of five. He appears to have been a man lacking in ambition, as he never showed any desire to become even a petty officer amongst the pirates; in fact, we hear no more of William until June 2nd, 1724, when he was hanged at Boston and "dy'd very penitently, with the a.s.sistance of two grave Divines that attended him."

WHITTING, WILLIAM.

One of Captain Quelch's crew. In 1704 we read that he "lyes sick, like to dye, not yet examined" in the gaol at Marblehead, when awaiting trial for piracy.

WIFE, FRANCIS.

An unwilling mutineer with Philip Roche in a French vessel sailing from Cork in 1721.

WILES, WILLIAM.

One of John Quelch's crew of the brigantine _Charles_. Tried at Boston in 1704.

WILGRESS, CAPTAIN. Buccaneer.

Of Jamaica.