Big Dick-Richard Seavers, whose death in this city we lately mentioned, was a man of mighty mould. A short time previous to his death, he measured six feet five inches in height, and attracted much attention when seen on the street. He was born salem or vicinity, and when about sixteen yearsold went to England, were he entered the British Navy. When the war of 1812 broke out, he would not firgt against his country, he give himself up as an American citizen and was made a prisoner of war.
A surgeon on board an American privateer, who experienced the tender mercies of the British Government in Dartmore prison, during the war of 1812, makes honorable mention of King Dick, as he was then called.
" There are about four hundred and fifty negroes in prison No 4, and this assemblage of blacks affords many curious anecdotes, and much matter for speculation. These blacks have a ruler among them whom they call "King Dick, " he is by far the largest, and I suspect the strongest man in the prsion. He is six feet five inches in height, and proportionably large.
This black Hercules commands respect, and his subjects tremble in his presence. He goes the rounds evert day, and visits each bertit to see if they are keptclean. When he goes the rounds, he puts on a large bearskin cap, and carries in his hand a huge club. If any of his men are dirty, drunken, or grossly negligligent, he threatens them with a beating; and if they are savey, they are sure to receive one.
They have several times conspired against him, and attempted to dethrone him, but he has aways conquered the rebels. One night several attacked him while asleep in his hammock; he sprang up and seized the smallest of them by his feet, and thomped another with him. The poor negro who had thus been made a beetle of, was carried the next day to the hospital, sadly bruised."
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