Jonathan Brodrick, a twenty-six year old passenger aboard a ship making its way for the port of New York when it was accosted by pirates in May of 1717. Commanding the pirate vessel, the Mary Anne, was Palgrave Williams, who was born in Rhode Island and had joined his friend Sam Bellamy in the life of piracy. It is said that Palgrave retired from piracy and died of old age - an unusual end for a pirate.

Jonathan stated before the Vice Admiralty council of New York on June 12, 1717 that he was taken aboard the pirate ship, and was threatened with bodily harm from Jeremiah Higgins, former boatswain of St. Stephen and conspirator in acts of piracy.

The following is an excerpt from the text:

"the said boatswain who went by the name of Jeremiah Higgins had serve on board the said pirate by his own declaration eighteen months, and had threatened to cut the deponent [Jonathan Brodrick] from limb to limb and that he [Broderick] had seen him [Higgins] cut an Indian priest on board from Gardiners Island ... several times with a Spanish machete."