The Chronicles of Crime or The New Newgate Calendar. v. 1/2: being a series of memoirs and anecdotes of notorious characters who have outraged the laws of Great Britain from the earliest period to 1841.Pelham, Camden
History
The Chronicles of Crime or The New Newgate Calendar. v. 1/2: being a series of memoirs and anecdotes of notorious characters who have outraged the laws of Great Britain from the earliest period to 1841.
Pelham, Camden
Crime -- Great Britain; Criminals -- Great Britain; Newgate (Prison : London, England)
When he arrived, he found the garden door on the latch; and going into
the pantry, he hid himself behind a tub till about eleven o'clock, when
Swan brought him some cold boiled beef. About twelve Miss Jeffries and
Swan came to him; when the latter said, "Now it is time to knock the old
miser, my master, on the head;" but Matthews relented and said, "I
cannot find it in my heart to do it." Miss Jeffries then immediately
replied, "You may be d--d for a villain, for not performing your
promise!" And Swan, who was provided with pistols, also loudly abused
him, and said he had a mind to blow his brains out for the refusal. Swan
then produced a book, and insisted that Matthews should swear that he
would not discover what had passed: and he did so, with this reserve,
"unless it was to save his own life." Soon after this Matthews heard the
report of a pistol; when getting out of the house by the back way, he
crossed the ferry, and proceeded to Enfield Chase. Immediately
afterwards Miss Jeffries appeared at the door of the house, and called
out for assistance, and some of the neighbours going in, they found Mr.
Jeffries dying, but they failed in discovering any thing which could
lead to the supposition of any person having quitted the house. Violent
suspicions in consequence arose, and Miss Jeffries was taken into
custody, but no evidence arising to criminate her, she was discharged,
and immediately administered to her uncle's estate and took possession
of his property. Renewed suspicions, however, were raised, and Matthews
having been discovered, Jeffries and Swan were apprehended. Upon this
testimony a verdict of Guilty was returned.
After conviction Elizabeth Jeffries made the following confession:--
"I, Elizabeth Jeffries, do freely and voluntarily confess that I first
enticed and persuaded John Swan and Thomas Matthews to undertake and
perpetrate the murder of my deceased uncle, which they both consented
to do the first opportunity. That on the third day of July 1751, myself
and John Swan (Matthews, to my knowledge, not being in the house) agreed
to kill my said uncle; and, accordingly, after the maid was gone to bed,
I went into John Swan's room, and called him, and we went down together
into the kitchen, and having assisted Swan in putting some pewter and
other things into a sack, I said I could do no more, and then I went
into my room; and afterwards Swan came up, as I believe, and went into
my uncle's room and shot him; which done, he came to my door and rapped.
Accordingly I went out in my shift, and John Swan opened the door and
let me out. That done, I alarmed the neighbourhood. And I do solemnly
declare that I do not know that any person was concerned in the murder
of my deceased uncle but myself and John Swan; for that Matthews did not
come to my uncle's house the day before, or night in which the murder
was committed as I know of.
"ELIZABETH JEFFRIES."
"Taken and acknowledged March 12, 1752."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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