Lives and exploits of the most noted highwaymen, robbers and murderers of all nations: Drawn from the most authentic sources and brought down to the present timeWhitehead, Charles
History
Lives and exploits of the most noted highwaymen, robbers and murderers of all nations: Drawn from the most authentic sources and brought down to the present time
Whitehead, Charles
Brigands and robbers -- Great Britain; Criminals -- Great Britain; Murderers -- Great Britain
The history of this unfortunate man adds another to the many examples
already given in this volume, that the company of profligate women has
plunged men into scenes of dissipation and vice, to which they would
have been entire strangers, had it not been for such associates. He
was first enamored of one Elizabeth Lion, a woman remarkable for her
stature and strength. Having separated from her, he associated with one
who stimulated him to all manner of pilfering, in order that he might
be the better able to feed her extravagances.
One day, informing her that she had received his last half-crown, she
instigated him to rob a wealthy pawnbroker. Shepherd left her about
one in the morning, and returned with goods to the value of twenty-two
pounds. It was not long before the two who had planned the robbery
exhausted the booty.
The first favorite of Shepherd was committed to St. Giles’ round-house,
for some pilfering pranks. Jack went to see her, broke open the doors,
beat the keeper, and set Bess Lion at liberty. It is scarcely necessary
to add, that this action gained him great fame among ladies of her
description, and stimulated him to more daring acts of depredation.
About this period Jack supplied his brother with a little money to
equip him for the honorable profession he himself followed: and they
broke into a linen draper’s shop, from whence they extracted goods to
the amount of fifty pounds. The younger brother, however, being rather
a novice in the art, was too open in the disposal of the goods, by
which means he was detected, and his first return for the kindness of
his brother was to inform upon him and several of his confederates.
Jack Shepherd was accordingly apprehended, and committed to the
round-house for farther examination. This place could not long retain
so bold a spirit, and marching off, he that very evening committed a
robbery, and vowed to be revenged upon Tom for his ungenerous conduct.
Detection produced no reformation. Jack, in common with one Benson,
attempting to steal a gentleman’s watch, was discovered and committed
to New Prison. The first person whom he discerned there was his old
favorite Bess Lion, who had been sent there upon a similar errand.
After exerting all his cunning and stratagem in vain, Bess and he by
force escaped, and instantly repaired to her old lodgings. There he
remained concealed for some time, but, taking leave of his friend,
he again associated with one Grace in raising contributions. These
two villains becoming acquainted with one Lamb, an apprentice to Mr.
Carter, they enticed him to introduce them into his master’s house,
from whence they extracted goods to a considerable amount. Shepherd and
Grace, however, differed in the division of the spoil, and betrayed
each other; when Grace and Lamb were apprehended. The misfortune of
poor Lamb, who was so simply inveigled, excited the compassion of some
gentlemen, who by their exertions succeeded in mitigating his sentence
to transportation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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