I frankly, never heard the exact story of how Moore died. What I had heard was that Kidd recruited his crew along the Delaware, in New Jersey, with the promise of high pay from the looting. When Kidd was ordered to stop all pirating or privateering, the crew rebelled and an attempted mutiny was led by Moore.
There was an old ditty (folk song) that was song by Moore’s granddaughter to her grandchildren about Capatain Kidd, that was all anyone really knew about the story, except that Moore was her maternal grandfather.
The new ship, the Adventure Galley, was well suited to the task of catching pirates; weighing over 284 tons, it was equipped with 34 cannons, oars, and 150 men. The oars were a key advantage as they would enable the Adventure Galley to maneuver in a battle when the winds had calmed and other ships were dead in the water. Kidd took pride in personally selecting the crew, choosing only those he deemed to be the best and most loyal officers.As the Adventure Galley slid down the Thames, Kidd unaccountably failed to salute a Navy yacht at Greenwich as custom dictated. The Navy yacht then fired a shot to make him show respect, and Kidd’s crew... responded with an astounding display of impudence - but turning and slapping their backsides in [disdain]. (Botting 106)
Because of his crew's refusal to salute, the Adventure Galley was stopped by the HMS Duchess, whose captain was offended by Kidd's failure to fire the customary salute to his vessel, and retaliated by pressing much of Kidd's crew into naval service, despite rampant protests. Thus short-handed, Kidd sailed for New York City, capturing a French vessel en route (which was legal under the terms of his commission). To make up for the lack of officers, Kidd picked up replacement crew in New York, the vast majority of whom were known and hardened criminals, some undoubtedly former pirates.
Was William a hardened criminal?
Here is the account of the death of Gunner Moore, from Defoe's book:
"The first prize he met was a small vessel belonging to Moorish merchants. He seem'd to have some fears upon him lest these proceedings should have a bad end, for, coming up with a Dutch ship when his men though tof attacking her, Kidd oppos'd it; upon which a mutiny arose. And Moore, the gunner, talking with Kidd about the said Dutch ship, some words arose betwixt them, and Moore told Kidd, that he had ruin'd them all. Upon which, Kidd, calling him dog, took up a bucket and struck him with it, which breaking his skull, he died the next day."
"If I am a lousy dog, you have made me so; you have brought me to ruin and many more!"