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William Smith Affirmation Concerning Tookerman-1 Sep 1721

Depositions – William Smith, 1 Sep 1721

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September the 1st 1721

William Smith Affirmation Concerning Richard Tookerman before the Earle & Jno Fenwick  on Board his Majty Ship Windsor at Spithead Vizt.

 

That in 1716 Col Hastings in Charles Towne in So Carolina told this Affirmer that Major Bonnet being a Notorious Pyrat & Committed to Prison there for his Crimes, Rich Tookerman  Assisted him in his Escape from Justice with Canoe & two Negroes, the sd Tookerman promising ye sd Pirate at the Same time to assist him with a Sloop as Possible in Order to his Escape, but that in the Mean mine Tookerman was imprisoned on thy Occasion by the following Means The Negroes whome Tookerman had Sent had landed the sd Maj. Bonet on Sullivants Island abt a leag. from Charles Towne, & the sd Majr: had sent a letter to Tookerman by ye Negroes wch Letter Complained of his Lacking in his promise in not sending ther Sloop. The Negros Landed at Charles Towne in the Night with ye Canoa, and the watch knowing whose Negroes they were, Searched them and found the letter abt 3 weeks after which this affirmer Says The said Pirate was taken again after wch Tookerman had his Tryall. But, Negroes being allowed to be no Evidence& the said Pyrate Acquitting Tookerman as well as the keeper of ye Prison at the time of his Escape who had likewise been Secured on ye Account from having any hand in it. - The Afirmer believes upon Bonnet ye Pirate being Executed The affair as to Tookerman was mitigated or that there was not Evidence ful Enough agst him.

Further this affirmer says that Col. Hastings told him That at a Certain time This Richard Tookerman being at Colonell Writes [Rhetts] house the said Col. Write asked Tuckerman if he could not go upon ye Farrass? on ye Tops of the House to See are Engagement between Governs Johnson & one Worley a Pirate. The Governs: having you out in Person against him which Tookerman did, and twas the Genll Report at that Place that at ye same time Tookerman had taken out of Col. Writes Lodging room a Cabinett wth Sevll Jewells &a some of which his Wife being found to Wear. She first said her husband gave her them; and afterwards she said she had them from her husbands Negroes on whom Tookerman Charged his Robbery.

Further this Affirmer Says that in the beginning of April 1717 he being in Conyers House the keeper of the Prison in Cha Towne while Tookerman was prisoner sometimes at Large & sometimes Close Confined according to his behaviour for ye last mentioned Crime. This Affirmer fell in Company with an Attorney of the Coloney a french man whose name he remembered not who told the Affirmer that he had been Feed by Tookerman agst Col. Write with a Silver Watch; and that at a Certain time after his receiving the said fee Tookerman came to ye sd Attor: with a pen knife in his hand with wch he sd he would Stab him if he did not imediately wharn him his Watch for that ye was sure he had taken a fee against him on wch the sd Attor: delivered him his Watch being ni perrill of his life. - Further then Affirme Says that he talking lately with Harry Wells on the Windsor Deck Concerning Tookerman Charging Col Worsers with Robbing him of 3000 Wects? Answered ye he never knew Too Rarnics? have anything of that Value on wch this Affirmer told him ye he believed if Col. Write heard of his having Jewells it would go hard with Tookerman. Wells answered of know that story too, for I wsas Master of So. Carolina then.

 

BL Add. Ms. 40813

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