Pirate captain on deck by Howard Pyle, from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates, circa early 20th century. Repro ID: D6169-1 ©National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, LondonThey did, but it doesn’t appear to have been as common in fact as in fiction. There is one account, from 1822, of a Captain William Smith of the Jamaican sloop, Blessing, being murdered by pirates when his vessel was captured by

'a long black schooner, the name of Emanuel marked on her stern...on the following day, not producing any money, a plank was run out on the starboard side of the schooner, upon which he made Captain Smith walk, and that, as he approached to the end, they tilted the plank, when he dropped into the sea, and there, when in the effort of swimming, the [pirate’s] captain called for his musket, and fired at him therewith, when he sank, and was seen no more.'

The tone of this survivor’s affidavit seems to imply that this was not an entirely unheard of practice. However, more victims of piracy were undoubtedly just thrown overboard than suffered this heartless ritual.