The Chronicles of Newgate, vol. 1/2Griffiths, Arthur
History
The Chronicles of Newgate, vol. 1/2
Griffiths, Arthur
Criminals -- Great Britain; Newgate (Prison : London, England); Prisons -- England; Punishment -- Great Britain
John Arthur was soon afterwards condemned and executed. Henry Arthur was
acquitted, but soon after quarrelling about a tavern bill in Covent
Garden, he was killed in the _mêlée_.
All manner of men took To the road. Some of the Royal guards were
apprehended for robbing on the highway. Lifeguardsmen followed the same
gentlemanly occupation when on duty. “Thompson, a lifeguardsman,
committed on suspicion of robbing Welsh drovers, is refused bail, there
being fresh evidence against him.”[69] Captain Beau, or Bew, formerly of
the Guards, was seized at Knightsbridge as a highwayman, and afterwards
poisoned himself. Seven of his gang were committed to Newgate. Harris,
‘the lifeguardsman’ tried at the Old Bailey for robbing on the black
mare and acquitted, was again tried a month later, and condemned. He was
then reprieved, and Sir William Penn obtained the Queen’s pardon for
him, and a commission as lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Militia, to
which colony he was to transport himself. Persons of good social status
engaged in the perilous trade. One Smith, a parson and a lecturer at
Chelsea, when brought up at Westminster for perjury, was found to be a
confederate with two highwaymen, with whom he had shared a gold watch,
and planned to rob Chelsea Church of its plate. Smith when arraigned
appeared in Court in his gown, but he was “sent to Newgate, and is like
to be hanged.” Disguised highwaymen were often found in reputable
citizens and quiet tradesmen, who upon the surface seemed honest folk. A
mercer of Lombard Street was taken out of his bed and charged by a
cheesemonger as being the man that rubbed him two years previously.
Another mercer was taken up near Ludgate on suspicion of being a
highwayman, and committed. Saunders, a butcher of St. James’ market, was
charged with robbing the Hampton coach, and discovered three
confederates, who were captured on Sunday at Westminster Abbey. “Two
highwaymen taken near Highgate, one of whom was said to be a broken
mercer, the other a fishmonger.” Two of Whitney’s gang were said to be
tradesmen in the Strand--one a goldsmith and one a milliner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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