The Blockade Runner Lelia That Didn't-- Part 5" "Profits From His Exploits"

Continued from  the October 18, 2019, blog entry.  This from "When Liverpool was Dixie:The Sad Voyage of the Lelia The Blockade Runner that didn't."

An inquest as to the cause of the sinking was held at Fleetwood on June 2, 1865 at the Steamer Hotel.

In attendance were Richard Taylor, former Paymaster of the CSS Florida, the Confederate warship built at Millers yard.  Taylor was living in Liverpool at the time, following his release by federal authorities after being captured on board the Florida  when she was rammed in the port of Bahia, Brazil -- a violation of International Law.

He informed the committee that he identified the body for the police from the watch, clothing and accompanying documents that related to a 1300 pound deposit with Crenshaw and Company of Liverpool.

In a subsequent interview with a reporter of the Fleetwood Chronicle, Taylor said that Sinclair had left instructions, in the event of his death or capture, that 100 pounds be paid from this sum to each of his sons, the remainder to his wife.

According to Taylor, Sinclair had run the blockade successfully from Nassau to Wilmington on several occasions and this deposit was  presumably  profits from his exploits.

--Old B-Runner