CAPTAIN LIGHTFOOT
The Last of the New England Highwaymen
C APTAIN L IGHTFOOT R OBBING M AJOR B RAY OF M EDFORD
CAPTAIN LIGHTFOOT
The Last of the New England Highwaymen
MICHAEL MARTIN
and
FREDERICK W. WALDO
DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.
Mineola, New York
Bibliographical Note
This Dover edition, first published in 2016, is an unabridged republication of the work originally published by The Wayside Press, Topsfield, Massachusetts, in 1926.
International Standard Book Number
ISBN-13: 978-0-486-80612-9
ISBN-10: 0-486-80612-X
Manufactured in the United States by RR Donnelley
80612X01 2016
www.doverpublications.com
PREFACE
T HE robbery of the traveller in the highway is a trade as ancient as man and oddly enough has assumed a romantic guise that has gained the sympathy of contemporaries and the interest of modern readers. The exploits of Dick Turpin, Claude Du Vall and others of their craft have had an astonishing popularity and are still read with avid interest. As for the highwayman of the Middle Ages, he has now become a figure of chivalry and Robin Hood and his Merry Men are considered entertaining characters for nursery instruction.
In New England, the settlers had no sooner adopted a Body of Laws than they enacted that any person caught robbing in the highways should for the first offence be branded on the forehead with the letter B. The penalty for the second offence was branding again and a severe whipping; the third offence was death for the offender. If the crime was committed on the Lords Day, ears were cut off as additional penalty.
Captain Lightfoot, whose real name was Michael Martin, is believed to have been the last person in Massachusetts to be hanged for highway robbery. Shortly before his execution he dictated to Frederick W. Waldo of Boston, a reporter on the Columbian Centinal, an account of his life and adventures which was immediately published and found so receptive a market that three editions were printed within the month following his execution. These were read and reread and most of them were finally worn out so that it has become exceedingly difficult to find a copy with which to appease the curiosity of the modern reader. The present edition follows the text of a copy of the third edition preserved in the Library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
Sincere thanks are due to Mr. Julius H. Tuttle, Librarian of the Massachusetts Historical Society; Mr. Albert C. Bates, Librarian of the Connecticut Historical Society; Capt. Ernest H. Pentecost, R.N.R.; and to Mr. John H. Edmonds, Massachusetts State Archivist, for courtesies extended in connection with the publication of this volume.
G. F. D.
Advertisement to the First Edition
I WAS induced to undertake the compilation of these pages, by the particular request of M ARTIN , and with the sanction of his spiritual advisers. The incidents were communicated by him in a most unreserved manner, and with all appearance of veracity. I have followed strictly the course of the narration, and have avoided as far as possible any attempt at embellishment in the language. It must be apparent, that it would have been impracticable to have set his story down exactly as it was delivered; for many parts of it were so detached and incoherent, that it required much labor to bring them together.
There may be some errors in orthography, as it respects names of persons and places. I have had no time to search Gazetteers and Maps for proper corrections, nor for the admeasurement of distances I have taken these from him, and used his own pronunciation. Wherever I have had occasion to inquire, I have found him strictly correct. The story, however extravagant some parts of it may appear, is given to the world as the last words of a dying man; and as I verily believe, of one who was determined to tell the truth, and the whole truth.
The object which he had in view, in desiring that his biography might be published, and which he always avowed to me with, apparently, the most sincere earnestness, was, that it might be an example and warning to others. He was sensible that his life had been justly forfeited. That if the promulgation of these memoirs would save, even one young man, from the commission of such crimes, or from meeting such an awful fate, he should consider it some slight atonement, for his numerous offences against the laws of God and man.
It was not until Friday, the 7th inst, the day previous to Martins attempted escape, that I had completed the business of gathering from his own lips, the materials of his history. From that time I began to put it into a shape for the press. This will account for the delay in its publication, and will excuse the hasty and rough manner in which it is now presented.
F. W. W ALDO .
Advertisement to the Third Edition
O N THE 25th of December last, the first edition of this pamphlet was issued; and the demand was so great, that a second was printed a few days afterwards. The increasing interest in favor of it, has induced the publishers now to present a corrected and cheaper edition.
Some omissions have been supplied, and many errors, which it was impossible to have presented, considering the haste in which the first publication was made, have in this edition been corrected.
It was to have been expected, that much doubt and incredulity would have been manifested by certain portions of the community who do not choose to believe any thing that has not fallen under their immediate observation. It would be futile, if not impossible, to argue with such people, or attempt to defend every particular anecdote which has been related. Let it suffice to remark, that there is not one exploit detailed, more remarkable or daring than the two which can be clearly established, and about which there can be no scepticism, to wit: the robbery of Major Bray, and Martins escape from the prison at Cambridge.
Many violent objections have been made to the publication of these memoirs, on account of the immoral effects upon society. We shall make no learned disquisitions to shew that the holy fears of such pious objectors are groundless, but would rather express our thanks for their officiousness, inasmuch as it assists the sale of the book. The world is not yet so moral as to shut its ears against the daily perpetration of frauds and crimes. Men, women, and children, must see and hear them. Besides it is a matter of some moment to inquire, whether the ill effects accruing to society from the publication of such a book, by leading others to follow such examples, are not more than counter-balanced by the warnings and cautions which it holds out to the community.
But after all, notwithstanding the bold and successful crimes which are here narrated, and notwithstanding the perpetration of them was cunning or powerful enough so long to elude justice, yet the moral of the tale is, that, Michael Martin suffered a just and disgraceful death for his crimes.
January 20th, 1822.
ILLUSTRATIONS
Captain Lightfoot Robbing Major Bray of Medford
THE LIFE
OF
M ICHAEL M ARTIN
ALIAS
CAPTAIN LIGHTFOOT
