The Pirates' Who's Who Part 29

Hanged at the age of 21 at Rhode Island in 1723.

DU LAERQUERAC, CAPTAIN JOHN.

This Breton pirate was captured in 1537 by a Bristol seaman called John Wynter. Du Laerquerac, with other pirates from Brittany, had been holding up s.h.i.+ps on their way to the great fair of St. James at Bristol. On being arrested, he denied that he had "spoiled" any English s.h.i.+ps, but on being further pressed to confess, admitted that he had taken a few odds and ends, such as ropes, sailors' clothes, some wine, fish, a gold crown in money and eleven silver halfpence, as well as four daggers and a "couverture."

LAFITTE, CAPTAIN JEAN.

Jean and his brother first appeared in New Orleans in the year 1809.

Though blacksmiths by profession, they soon took to smuggling goods brought by privateersmen and pirates. The headquarters of this trade was on the Island of Grande Terre in Barataria Bay. This island was inhabited and governed by ex-pirates; one Grambo being the acknowledged chief, until he was shot by Jean Lafitte.

In 1813, the Baratarians were denounced by the Governor of Louisiana as pirates. This made no difference to the pirate smugglers, who grew more and more rich and insolent. The Governor then secured an indictment against Jean and his brother, Pierre, who retained the very best and most expensive lawyers in the State to defend them, and they were acquitted. In 1814, war was declared with England, and Jean was invited by the English to fight on their side, with the offer of a commission in the navy and a large sum of money. He refused this, and eventually General Jackson accepted his offer of the services of himself and his Baratarians, who proved invaluable in the Battle of Orleans, serving the guns. He disappeared completely after the war until 1823, when a British sloop of war captured a pirate s.h.i.+p with a crew of sixty men under the command of the famous Lafitte, who was amongst those who fell fighting.

LAGARDE, LE CAPITAINE.

A French filibuster of San Domingo, who in 1684 commanded a small s.h.i.+p, _La Subtille_ (crew of thirty men and two guns).

LAMBERT, JOHN.

One of Captain John Quelch's crew. Hanged on Charles River, Boston Side, on Friday, June 30th, 1704. In a broadside published at Boston in July of the same year, Lambert's conduct on the gallows is described thus: "He appeared much hardened and pleaded much on his Innocency. He desired all men to beware of Bad Company and seemed to be in great Agony near his Execution."

LANDER, DANIEL.

One of Captain Pound's crew.

LANDRESSON, CAPTAIN MICHEL, _alias_ BREHA.

Filibuster.

Accompanied Pain in his expedition against St. Augustine in 1683. He was a constant source of annoyance to the Jamaicans. His s.h.i.+p was called _La Trompeuse_, but must not be confused with the famous s.h.i.+p of that name belonging to Hamlin. Landresson, when he had got a good booty of gold, jewels, cocoa, etc., would go to Boston to dispose of it to the G.o.dly merchants of New England. In 1684 a Royal proclamation was published in Ma.s.sachusetts, warning all Governors that no succour or aid was to be given to any of the outlaws, but, in spite of this, Landresson was received with open arms and the proclamations in the streets torn down.

In 1684 he was at San Domingo, in command of _La Fortune_ (crew of 100 men and fourteen guns). At this time the filibuster was disguised under the _alias_ of Le Capitaine Breha.

Captured in 1686 by the Armada de Barlorento, and hanged with several of his companions.

LANE, CAPTAIN.

In 1720 Lane was one of Captain England's crew when he took the _Mercury_ off the coast of West Africa. The _Mercury_ was fitted up as a pirate s.h.i.+p, named the _Queen Ann's Revenge_, and Lane was voted captain of her.

Lane left Captain England and sailed to Brazil, where he took several Portuguese s.h.i.+ps and did a great deal of mischief.

LARIMORE, CAPTAIN THOMAS, or LARRAMORE.

Commanded the _Larimore_ galley. In 1704 was with the pirate Quelch and several other pirates, and, among other prizes, seized a Portuguese s.h.i.+p, the _Portugal_, from which they took gold dust, bar and coined gold, and other treasure, and at the same time "acted divers villainous Murders."

For these Larimore was tried, condemned and hanged at Boston, June 11th, 1704.

LAWRENCE, NICHOLAS.

Tried for piracy with the rest of Quelch's crew at Boston in 1704.

LAWRENCE, RICHARD.

One of Captain John Quelch's crew. Tried for piracy at Boston in 1704.

LAWSON, EDWARD.

Born in the Isle of Man.

One of Captain Harris's crew. Hanged at Newport, Rhode Island, in July, 1723, at the age of 20.

L'ESCAYER. A French filibuster.

In 1685, in company with Grogniet, Davis, and Swan, sacked Paita and Guayaquil and blockaded Panama. Afterwards sailed with Townley and his English pirates and again plundered Guayaquil. Suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the Spaniards at Quibo, afterwards being rescued by Townley, with whom he and his crew of buccaneers sacked Granada in Nicaragua.

LESSONE, CAPTAIN. French filibuster.

In 1680 he joined Sharp, c.o.xon, and other English buccaneers in an attack on Porto Bello. Putting 300 men into canoes, they landed some sixty miles from the city and marched for four days, arriving in a weak state through hards.h.i.+p and lack of food, but in spite of this they took the city on February 17th, 1680.

LEVERCOTT, SAM.

Hanged in 1722 at the Island of St. Kitts, with the rest of Captain Lowther's crew.

LEVIT, JOHN.

Of North Carolina.

One of Major Stede Bonnet's crew. Hanged at White Point, Charleston, South Carolina, on November 8th, 1723.

LEWIS, JAMES.

After being a prisoner in France, he managed to reach Spain, and was with Avery when he seized the s.h.i.+p _Charles the Second_. Tried for piracy at the Old Bailey in 1696 and hanged.

LEWIS, NICHOLAS.