On This Day.. Pirate William Fly Executed

[Thagarr]

On this day, July 12'th 1726, English pirate William Fly was hanged in Boston. I don't know much about this one, but the Wikipedia article makes for some interesting reading!

Career

William Fly's career as a pirate began in April 1726 when he signed on to sail with Captain John Green to West Africa on the Elizabeth. Green and Fly began to clash until one night William led a mutiny that resulted in Capt. Green being tossed overboard; Fly then took command of the Elizabeth.[1] Having captured the ship, the mutineers sewed a Jolly Roger flag, renamed the ship Fames' Revenge, elected William Fly as captain, and sailed to the coast of North Carolina and north toward New England. They captured five ships in about two months before being captured themselves. Following his capture, Cotton Mather tried, and failed, to get Fly to publicly repent. William Fly and his crew were hanged at Boston Harbor on July 12, 1726.[2]

Reportedly, Fly approached the hanging with complete disdain and even reproached the hangman for doing a poor job, re-tying the noose and placing it about his neck with his own two hands. His last words were, roughly, a warning to captains to treat their sailors well and pay them on time. Following the hanging, his body was hung in chains (gibbeted) on Nixes Mate Island in Boston Harbor, to serve as a warning to other sailors not to turn to piracy.