Smuggling & Smugglers in Sussex: The Genuine History of the Inhuman and Unparalleled Murders of Mr. William Galley a Custom-house Officer, and Mr. Daniel Chater, a Shoemaker, by Fourteen Notorious Smugglers, with the Trials and Execution of Seven of the Criminals at Chichester, 1748-9Anonymous
History
Smuggling & Smugglers in Sussex: The Genuine History of the Inhuman and Unparalleled Murders of Mr. William Galley a Custom-house Officer, and Mr. Daniel Chater, a Shoemaker, by Fourteen Notorious Smugglers, with the Trials and Execution of Seven of the Criminals at Chichester, 1748-9
Anonymous
Crime -- England -- History; Smuggling -- England -- Sussex -- History
The evening before their execution, after they came down from chapel,
their friends came to take leave of them; and Fairall smoked his pipe
very heartily, and drank freely; but being ordered to go into his cell
to be locked up, said, “Why in such a hurry, cannot you let me stay a
little longer and drink with my friends; I shall not be able to drink
with them to-morrow night.”
* * * * *
I shall next proceed to give the little account of these criminals as
given by the ordinary of Newgate; and afterwards conclude this book
with a relation of some of the most notorious actions committed by
them, and which have been communicated by their confederates.
Thomas Kingsmill, alias Staymaker, aged 28, was born at Goodhurst, in
Kent, a young fellow of enterprising spirit, and for some years past
employed by the chiefs of the smugglers, the moneyed men or merchants,
as they are usually amongst themselves called, in any dangerous
exploits. As his character in general among his countrymen was that of
a bold, resolute man, undaunted, and fit for the wicked purposes of
smuggling, and never intimidated, in case of any suspicion of betraying
their secrets, ready to oppose King’s officers in their duty, and being
concerned in rescues of any sort or kind, so he wanted not business,
but was made a companion for the greatest of them all, and was always
at that service when wanted and called upon.
He would own nothing of himself, and was scarce to be persuaded that he
had done anything amiss by following the bad practices of smuggling.
He acknowledged he was present at the breaking open of the
custom-house, and that he had a share of the tea; and said what was
sworn at the trial was all truth; but that they must be bad men to turn
evidence to take away other people’s lives.
William Fairall, alias Shepherd, aged 25, was born at Horsendown
Green, in Kent, bred to no business, but inured to smuggling from his
infancy, and acquainted with most of the evil practices which have been
used in those parts for some years past. In this behaviour he seemed
equally as well qualified for the work as was Kingsmill, and it is
generally believed that they were both concerned together in most of
their undertakings. Fairall at his trial seemed to shew the utmost
daringness and unconcern; even shewing tokens of threats to a witness,
as he was giving his evidence to the court, and standing all the while
in the bar with a smile or rather a sneer upon his countenance. He came
also to the gang with Kingsmill to the Forest of Bere, and was one of
the forwardest and most busy amongst the company. Yet he would not own
any one thing against himself that he had done amiss, for which his
life should be at stake. However, his own countrymen were glad when he
was removed from among them, because he was known to be a desperate
fellow, and no man could be safe who Fairall should once think had
offended him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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