Mr. _Wood_ having Reason to suspect, that _Sheppard_ had robb'd a Neighbour, began to be in great Fear and Terror for himself. And when his Man came not Home in due season at Nights bar'd him out; but he made a mere jest of the Locks and Bolts, and enter'd in, and out at Pleasure; and when Mr. _Wood_ and his Wife have had all the Reason in the World to believe him Lock't out, they have found him very quiet in his Bed the next Morning, such was the power of his early Magick. _Edgworth Bess_ having stol'n a Gold Ring from a Gentleman, whom she had pick'd up in the Streets, was sent to St. _Giles's_ Round-house; _Sheppard_ went immediately to his Consort, and after a short Discourse with Mr. _Brown_ the Beadle, and his Wife, who had the Care of the Place, he fell upon the poor old Couple, took the Keys from them, and let his Lady out at the Door in spight of all the Out-cryes, and Opposition they were capable of making. About _July_ 1723, He was by his Master sent to perform a Repair, at the House of Mr. _Bains_, a Piece-Broker in _White-Horse Yard_; he from thence stole a Roll of Fustain, containing 24 Yards, which was afterwards found in his Trunk. This is supposed to be the first Robbery he ever committed and it was not long e're he Repeated another upon this same Mr. _Bains_, by breaking into his House in the Night-time, and taking out of the _Till_ seven Pounds in Money, and Goods to the value of fourteen Pounds more. How he enter'd this House, was a Secret till his being last committed to _Newgate_, when he confessed that he took up the Iron Bars at the Cellar Window, and after he had done his Business, he nailed them down again, so that Mr. _Bains_ never believed his House had been broke; and an innocent Woman a Lodger in the House lay all the while under the weight of a suspicion of committing the Robbery. _Sheppard_ and his Master had now parted, ten Months before the expiration of his Apprenticeship, a woeful parting to the former; he was gone from a good and careful Patronage, and lay expos'd to, and comply'd with the Temptations of the most wicked Wretches this Town could afford as _Joseph Blake_, alias _Blewskins, William Field, Doleing, James Sykes_, alias _Hell_ and _Fury_, which last was the first that betray'd, and put him into the Hands of Justice, as will presently appear.