PIRICIES
(Contd.)
225795
In the late category we find a gentleman with the singularly un-prepossessing name of Eli Boggs. Eli was a pirate and a murderer. His name would do for a villain of the Blue-beard class, but in form and feature he was like the hero of a sentimental novel.
Although no associate of the notorious William "enton, he flourished almost contemporaneously, and his name was feared by every trader of the fifties, from the owner of the smallest trading junk to the captains of the clipper ships which called at Hong Kong in those far off days.
The pirate of fiction has invariably been as ugly as sin, replete with wooden leg and a glass eye. But Eli Boggs had the looks of a modern screen star.
No craven was this young American. He fought for his spoils with cannon, pistol and sword, and the prospect of odds never daunted him.
Eventually, however, Eli Boggs was captured and tried for piracy and murder in the Supreme Court of Hong Kong. As he stood in the dock bravely battling for his life, it seemed impossible that the handsome boy could be the pirate whose name had been for three years connected with the boldest and bloodiest acts of piracy.
According to a correspondent who attended the trial, he had a face of almost feminine beauty. Not a trace of down was visible on his proud upper lip; large lustrous eyes; a flashing smile that might have won any coy maiden; thick black hair not carelessly parted; small and delicately white hands; such was the infamous Eli Boggs.
For two hours he spoke in self defence; and he spoke well without a tremor, without an appeal for mercy, but trying to prove that his prosecution was the result of conspiracy. The conspirators he alleged were a Chinese bumboat proprietor and a sub-official of the Colony (both of whom he charged as being in league with all the pirates on the coast).
The defence was, of course, false but it is worth mention that the Chinese bumboat owner was undoubtedly a Jonathan Wild. His wealth and the clannish secrecy of the Chinese enabled him to evade justice for a long time, but he was eventually convicted and ended his days working in chains upon the roads of the island.
During the trial of Eli Boggs, it was proved that he had boarded a junk and put to the sword fifteen of the occupants, and, having forced all the rest overboard, fired at one of the victims who had clutched a rope and held on astern.
Several other cases were clearly traced to him, but no witness could prove that he was a man die from a blow or shot struck or fired by the pirate.
The jury, moved by his youth and courage, and straining hard their consciences, acquitted him of murder, but found him guilty of piracy. He was sentenced to transportation for life.
There was a natural antipathy on the part of shipowners to take Eli Boggs "for a ride" to the other side of the Pacific. For nearly three years he was kept in prison and was taken away only when it was feared that he would die if kept in gaol much longer.
At the same Sessions in which Eli Boggs was sentenced to transportation, the captain and officers of the American ship, John Wade were arraigned on a charge of murder. Those concerned in the charge were the master, first and second officers, the carpenter and the steward. It was alleged that they were
PIRICIES
(Contd.)
225795
In the late category we find a gentleman with the singularly un- prepossessing name of Eli Boggs. Eli was a pirate and a murderer. His name would do for a villian of the Blue-beard class, but in form and feature he was like the hero of a sentimental novel.
Although no associate of the notorious William "enton, he' flourished almost contenporaneously, and his name was feared by every trader of the fifties, from the owner of the smallest trading junk to the captains of the clipper ships which called at Hong Long in those far off days.
The pirate of fiction has invariably been as ugly as sin, replete with wooden leg and a glass eye. But Eli Boggs had the looks of a modern screen star.
No craven was this young American. He fought for his spoils with cannon, pistol and sword, and the prospect of odds never daunted him.
Eventually, however, Eli Boggs was captured and tried for piracy and murder in the Supreme Court of Hong Kong. ́As he stood in the dock bravely battling for his life, it seemed impossible that the handsome boy could be the pirate whose name had been for three years connected with the boldest and bloodiest acts of piracy.
According to a correspondent who attended the trial, he had a face of almost feminine beauty. Not a trace of down was visible on his proud upper lip; large lustrous eyes; a flashing smile that might have won any coy maiden; thick black hair not carelessly parted; small and delicately white hands; such was the infamous Eli Boggs.
For two hours he spoke in self defence; and he spoke well without a tremor, without an appeal for mercy, but trying to prove that his prosecution was the result of conspiracy. The conspirators he alleged were a Chinese bumboat proprietor and a sub-official of the Colony (both of whom he charged as being in league with all the pirates on the coast).
The defence was,
of course, false but it is worth of mention that the Chinese bumboat owner was undoubtedly a Jonathan Wild. His wealth and the clannish secrecy of the Chinese enabled him to evade justice for a long time, but he was eventually convicted and ended his days working in chaims upon the roads of the island.
During the trial of Eli Boggs, it was proved that he had boarded a junk and put to the sword fifteen of the occupants, and, having forced all the rest overboard, fired at one of the victims who had clutched a rope and held on astem.
Several other cases were clearly traced to him, but no witness could prove that he was a man die from a blow or shot struck or fired by the pirate.
The jury, moved by his youth and courage, and straining hard their consciences, acquitted him of murder, but found him guilty of piracy. He was sentenced to transportation for life.
There was a natural antipathy on the part of shipowners to take Eli Boggs "for a ride" to the other side of the Pacific. For nearly three years he was kept in prison and was taken away only when it was feared that he would die if kept in gaol much longer.
*
*
*
At the same Sessions in which Eli Boggs was sentenced to transportation, the captain and officers of the American ship, John Wade were arraigned on a charge of murder. Those concerned in the charge were the master, first and second officers, the carpenter and the steward. It was alleged that they were
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