The confederates of Shepherd, in order to obtain a ready market for their goods, employed one Field to sell them, but he being occasionally dilatory, they hired a warehouse, and there deposited what goods they stole. Field, displeased at being turned off from his lucrative employment, importuned them to show him their stores, as he had several orders for goods, and could therefore dispose of them to advantage. He was conducted to the warehouse and shown the goods, and though he had not the courage manfully to rob any person, yet he emptied the warehouse of every rag it contained. In the course of business, Shepherd robbed a Mr. Kneebone, and was tried at the ensuing sessions. He appeared simple and almost foolish at his trial, alleging, as his principal defence, that Jonathan Wild had disposed of part of the goods, and ought therefore to be punished as well as himself. He was however sentenced, and conducted himself, in the whole of his defence, more like an ignorant and simple man, than one who was formed to excel in his own or any other profession. But necessity is the mother of invention. While in the condemned hole, he prevailed upon one Fowls, who was also under sentence of death, to lift him up to the iron spikes that were over the top of the door which looks into the lodge. By the aid of a strong tall woman, and two others, his head and shoulders were got through, and the whole of his body following, he was by them let down, and, without the least suspicion of the keepers, conveyed through the lodge, put into a hackney coach, and out of reach before the least notice of his escape could be given. But Jack had scarcely breathed the fresh air when he returned to business. He associated with one Page, a butcher, who dressed him in one of his frocks, and both betook themselves to the highway. They went to a watchmaker’s shop, in a daring manner broke open one of the glasses, and seized three watches before the boy who kept the shop could detect them. Upon this occasion Shepherd had the audacity to pass under Newgate. But as Shepherd would not conceal himself nor give over his depredations, he was soon apprehended and again committed to Newgate, was put into the stone-room, loaded with irons, and stapled down to the ground. Being left alone, he with a crooked nail opened the lock, got free of his chains, wrought out two stones in the chimney, entered the red-room, where no person resided, threw down the door, got into the chapel, broke a spike of the door, and by it opened four other doors, got upon the roof, and from thence, by the means of his blanket, went in at a garret window belonging to an adjacent house, and through that house into the street.