The Chronicles of Crime or The New Newgate Calendar. v. 2/2: being a series of memoirs and anecdotes of notorious characters who have outraged the laws of Great Britain from the earliest period to 1841Pelham, Camden
History
The Chronicles of Crime or The New Newgate Calendar. v. 2/2: 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)
forcibly seized by some person, and put into a chaise in which was the
prisoner, who caught her by the arm; when in the carriage she found her
cloak and bonnet had been previously placed there, which was sufficient
proof of the pre-concerted plan. The prosecutrix, the prisoner, with
Miss Dick, and the other person, were driven to Lurgan, a distance of
twenty miles, before day-light in the morning, the prisoner Dick
guarding the prosecutrix with a pistol! After some time she was again
put into the chaise, and driven to the house of a person named Swayne,
where, after having wept and fasted the whole day, she was prevailed
upon to go to bed with Miss Dick. From the fatigue she had suffered the
two preceding nights, joined to the anxiety of mind she had undergone,
she fell asleep; and found on awaking, that in place of Miss Dick being
her bedfellow, the prisoner at the bar was. The next morning the
prisoner attempted to soothe the prosecutrix by promises of marriage,
and went to Dr. Cupples, of Lisburn, to procure a licence, leaving his
sister and the other person to watch over her till his return; in spite
of them, she contrived to escape to the house of a Mr. English, where
she was protected until delivered into the hands of her uncle."
This statement being supported by the evidence, the jury without
hesitation found the prisoner Guilty--and he was sentenced to death.
ROBERT JOHNSTON.
EXECUTED FOR ROBBERY.
The extraordinary circumstances attending the execution of this
unfortunate man give his case a melancholy interest. Our readers,
doubtless, recollect the singular conduct of the Edinburgh mob, at the
execution of Porteous. A scene, if possible more disgraceful, occurred
on the present occasion.
Robert Johnston was a native of Edinburgh, where he spent the first part
of his life without reproach. His parents were poor, and Robert was
employed as a carter. In his twenty-fourth year he got into bad company,
and was engaged in the robbery of a chandler in Edinburgh, and being
apprehended he was brought to trial with two others, and found guilty.
His companions had their sentence commuted to transportation for life,
but on Johnston the law was ordered to be put in force.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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