Chelsea, in the Olden & Present TimesBryan, George
History
Chelsea, in the Olden & Present Times
Bryan, George
Chelsea (London, England) -- History
The robbery and murder was no sooner known than a reward was offered from
the Secretary of State’s office, for the apprehension of the gang. The
offer was seconded by that of a much larger reward from the City of
London; and also another of £50 from the parishioners of Chelsea.
* * * * *
The murderers, however, remained undiscoverd for a considerable time till
Daniel Isaacs, one of the gang, became the means of discovering his
accomplices, in the following manner:—Isaacs, being touched with remorse
of conscience, &c., sent for a friend and acknowledged himself to be one
of the nine men concerned in the robbery and murder at Mrs. Hutchins’s,
at Chelsea. He desired his friend to inform some magistrate of it; and
having told him the names and places of abode of his accomplices, his
friend went immediately to Sir John Fielding, at Bow Street, who sent the
officers after them, by which means seven of them were taken. The cause
of this confession and remorse of conduct, on the part of Isaacs, was
distress. He applied for relief to the elders of the Jewish synagogue,
but the treasurer refused him any immediate assistance, urging as a
reason that he should not have left his native country, Holland, where he
might have obtained probably an honest living. At that time a great
number of Jews came to this country, and a selection of cases could only
be relieved. Isaacs, in consequence of the refusal, became greatly
distressed, and, in order to gain the reward, offered by the City of
London, made the above confession.
* * * * *
Isaacs was admitted to give evidence against his accomplices, six of whom
were soon apprehended, but the other made his escape. There appears to
have been some discrepancy as regards the number of the gang, one account
states eight, while another mentions nine.
* * * * *
At the Old Bailey Sessions, in December, 1771, Levi Weil, Asher Weil,
Marcus Hartogh, Jacob Lazarus, Solomon Porter, Hyam Lazarus, and Abraham
Linewill, (the man who had absconded) were indicted for the robbery and
murder, when the two of the name of Weil, with Jacob Lazarus and Solomon
Porter, were capitally convicted, and Marcus Hartogh and Hyam Lazarus
were acquitted.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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