The Virginia Gazette

St. JOHN's (in Antigua) July 27.

The following Account of a horrid Murder and Piracy, committed on Board the Snow Esther, Charles Finnie Master, is extracted from a Memorandum taken on Board said Vessel.

On Sunday Eve, June 22, 1771, Charles Finnie, Master of the Snow Esther, Robert Dann Half Owner and Supercargo, and Richard Bolton Surgeon, were on the Quarter Deck, the People at the same Time diverting themselves at Play seemingly. At Half past eight in the Evening Captain Finnie, and Bolton, retired to the Cabin. Immediately after their leaving the Deck the Doctor cried out, "Lord have Mercy on us! the People have seized Captain Finnie," and directly after we (Dann and Bolton) saw him going aft, calling out, Captain Dann! Captain Dann! Immediately after this they called out to Captain Dann to come on Deck, swearing, "damn him, he shall go overboard after Finnie." Captain Dann then begged them to save his Life, as he had done no Injury to any of them. George Washington then came down, with several others, broke open the Arm Chest, which lay in the Steerage, and loaded the Arms, none of them being loaded before. Dann and Bolton had no Time to get Arms themselves. The Cry still continued very strong, particularly by John Cooper, who was chief Mate, for Captain Dann to come on Deck, where Thomas Jenkins stood ready with an Axe to cut him down. Dann not coming upon Deck, Thomas Terney went down with a cocked Pistol to shoot him; but a Negro Wench who was on Board hung on him in such a Manner, and begged on her Knees that he would shoot her and spare her Master's Life, that the Villain relented, and went on Deck again.

In this Situation we passed the Night. In the Morning the Revolters held another Consultation, when it was determined to kill Captain Dann; but falling out among themselves, his Fate was reprieved. They at last resolved to land Captain Dann and Doctor Bolton on some unfrequented Island, where they might perish. But the Almighty was pleased to interpose in our Deliverance, in Manner following.

On Wednesday, July 10th, 1771, at Half past eleven at Night, Captain Dann and the Doctor being asleep in the Cabin, they were alarmed and greatly terrified by a prodigious Noise and Scuffling on Deck; yet not daring to stir in their distressed Situation, nor go up to see what was the Matter, they retired under the Cabin Deck, where they soon after heard Thomas Jenkins call on Captain Dann and the Doctor to come up and take Possession of the Vessel again.

As they knew Jenkins to be as great a Villain as any of them, though he and some others had separated on the first Quarrel after the Murder of Captain Finnie, they thought he was only decoying them up to kill them, and therefore did not go up. Two of the Wounded were at the same Time calling repeatedly on the Doctor to come up and dress their Wounds, or they would bleed to Death. The Doctor at last ventured up, and was followed by Captain Dann, on the Doctor's assuring him he was safe. On their coming on Deck they found Francis Matto, a Spaniard, who could not speak a Word of English, in Possession of the Deck; and who, with no other Weapon than an Axe, had cut and wounded, in a terrible Manner, George Washington (alias Fisher) who acted as Captain, Thomas Packer, who acted as Mate, James Watson, who was Boatswain, and John Lamb, who acted as Gunner; the three last are since dead of their Wounds. Bartholomew Lane he threw overboard; John Cooper, who was shipped as chief Mate, and John Burrel, Seaman, made no Resistance against the Spaniard, but hid themselves below.

Thus was Captain Dann put in Possession of his Vessel again, in a most miraculous Manner; and what most remarkably shows the immediate Interposition of Providence in this Discomfiture, is that the honest Spaniard received only one Blow on the Head with a Handspike, which made a Contusion of about four Inches long, notwithstanding the Pirates were in Possession of the Arm Chest, and sleeping all round it on Deck. Jenkins and Terney, who were left out of Irons, to assist in navigating the Vessel, intended to have cut us off privately, a Day or two before we made the Land, but were timely secured in Irons. The Prisoners have since given Information that Washington and Terney had ground their Knives with Intention of murdering Captain Dann and Doctor Bolton, and that at another Time the Axes were brought up and put under the Boat for the same Purpose; that at other Times it was resolved to seize and throw them overboard, as they were making their Observation. What prevented these hellish Designs is not yet come to Light. William Nelson was at the Helm when Finnie was thrown overboard, and does not appear to have been concerned in that Action; but was privy to every other Matter concerted by them after the Murder of Finnie, and deeply engaged in the Conspiracy.

Their Intention was to have landed Captain Dann and the Doctor on some desolate Island about the Cape de Verds, and then to have proceeded to the Brazils to sell the Vessel and Cargo; but on the 8th Instant, being fearful of falling short of Provisions, they altered their Design, and bore away for the Bay of Honduras. It appears also, by the Confession of Thomas Jenkins, that James Anderson, second Mate, and John Barlow, Carpenter, were both of them acquainted with the Intentions of the Pirates some Time before their horrid Scheme was put in Execution, but never gave the least Hint thereof to Captain Dann or Doctor Bolton, though it does not appear they had any Hand in throwing Charles Finnie overboard.

Captain Dann, of the Snow Esther, returns Lieutenant Colonel Reynolds, of the sixty eighth Regiment, his most grateful Thanks for his Politeness, and extraordinary Expedition, in sending off a Party of Soldiers to escort on Shore the Band of inhuman Pirates from whose bloody Machinations it has pleased the Almighty so miraculously to deliver him and his Surgeon, Mr. Bolton.

On Tuesday Night last five of the Pirates were brought ashore under a strong Guard and lodged in the Jail, and on Wednesday Morning were brought to the Court house, and underwent an Examination before three of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace; when the Evidence appearing clearly against them, they were remanded back to Prison, to take their Trials before a Court of Admiralty, as soon as a Commission for that Purpose can be obtained from his Honour the Lieutenant General.