John Quelch (pirate)
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John Quelch | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | c. 1666 |
| Died | 30 June 1704 (aged 38) |
| Piratical career | |
| Years active | 1703–1704 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Base of operations | Marblehead |
| Commands | Charles |
| Wealth | £10,000 sterling |
John Quelch (c. 1666 – 30 June 1704) was an English pirate who had a lucrative but very brief career of about one year. His chief claim to historical significance is that he was the first person to be tried for piracy outside England under Admiralty Law and thus without a jury. These Admiralty courts had been instituted to tackle the rise of piracy in colonial ports where civil and criminal courts had proved ineffective.
In July 1703, Governor Joseph Dudley of Boston sent out Captain Daniel Plowman of the Charles with a privateering license to attack French and Spanish ships off the coast of Newfoundland and Arcadia. John Quelch was Plowman's lieutenant. Before leaving Marblehead, Massachusetts, the Charles's crew under Quartermaster Anthony Holding mutinied and locked the ailing Plowman in his cabin.[1] The crew elected Quelch the captain, who turned the Charles south. Plowman was thrown overboard, although it was never established whether he was dead or alive at that moment.
The crew plundered nine Portuguese ships off the coast of Brazil and gained a large sum of money,[2] even though England and Portugal were at peace at the time.[3] As a result, The Charles contained large amounts of Brazilian sugar, hides, cloth, guns, gold dust and coins with a value estimated at over £10,000 sterling (£2.01 million as of 2023).[4] Before their capture, legend says the crew buried some of the gold on Star Island off the coast of New Hampshire. In the 1800s some gold coins were found hidden in a stone wall there.[4]
Death
When the Charles returned to Marblehead 10 months later, the crewmen dispersed with their plunder. Some sailed with pirate and former privateer Thomas Larimore, who was also captured shortly afterward.[2] Within a week, Quelch was in jail because the Portuguese were not in his letter of marque and, more importantly, Queen Anne and the King of Portugal had become allies. He and other crew members were taken to Boston to be tried. This was the first admiralty trial outside England. It was called by one historian "the first case of judicial murder in America."[4]
Following their conviction, on Friday, 30 June 1704, the pirates were marched on foot through Boston to Scarlet's Wharf accompanied by a guard of musketeers, various officials, and two ministers, and following a silver oar, the emblem of the Lord High Admiral.[2] Upon reaching the gallows, the minister (reportedly Cotton Mather) gave a long and fervent sermon. All of the pirates showed repentance except Captain Quelch. Before he was hanged, Quelch stepped up while holding his hat, bowed to the spectators and gave a short address, warning them, "They should take care how they brought Money into New England to be Hanged for it."[2] Their bodies were buried between the tide marks.[3]
