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)
It is a remarkable circumstance in the life of this offender, that while
he was corresponding with the enemy, and taking measures to subvert the
government, he had no predilection in favour of the Pretender. On the
contrary, he declared, while he was under sentence of death, that "he
never thought he had any right to the throne of these realms."
RICHARD THORNHILL, ESQ.,
CONVICTED OF MANSLAUGHTER, IN KILLING SIR C. DEERING IN A DUEL.
This was a case which arose out of the practice of duelling, which has
always existed almost peculiarly among the higher classes of society.
Mr. Thornhill and Sir Cholmondeley Deering having dined together on the
7th of April, 1711, in company with several other gentlemen, at the Toy
at Hampton Court, a quarrel arose, during which Sir Cholmondeley struck
Mr. Thornhill. A scuffle ensuing, the wainscot of the room broke down,
and Thornhill falling, the other stamped on him, and beat out some of
his teeth. The company now interposed, and Sir Cholmondeley, convinced
that he had acted improperly, declared that he was willing to ask
pardon; but Mr. Thornhill said, that asking pardon was not a proper
retaliation for the injury that he had received; adding, "Sir
Cholmondeley, you know where to find me." Soon after this the company
broke up, and the parties went home in different coaches, without any
farther steps being taken towards their reconciliation.
On the next day, the following letter was written by Mr. Thornhill:--
"April 8th, 1711.
"Sir,--I shall be able to go abroad to-morrow morning, and desire
you will give me a meeting with your sword and pistols, which I
insist on. The worthy gentleman who brings you this will concert
with you the time and place. I think Tothill Fields will do well;
Hyde Park will not at this time of year, being full of company.
"I am your humble servant,
"RICHARD THORNHILL."
On the 9th of April, Sir Cholmondeley went to the lodgings of Mr
Thornhill, and the servant showed him to the dining-room. He ascended
with a brace of pistols in his hands; and soon afterwards, Mr. Thornhill
coming to him, asked him if he would drink tea, but he declined. A
hackney-coach was then sent for, and the gentlemen rode to Tothill
Fields, where, unattended by seconds, they proceeded to fight their
duel. They fired their pistols almost at the same moment, and Sir
Cholmondeley, being mortally wounded, fell to the ground. Mr, Thornhill,
after lamenting the unhappy catastrophe, was going away, when a person
stopped him, told him he had been guilty of murder, and took him before
a justice of the peace, who committed him to prison.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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