The Smugglers: Picturesque Chapters in the Story of an Ancient CraftHarper, Charles G. (Charles George)
History
The Smugglers: Picturesque Chapters in the Story of an Ancient Craft
Harper, Charles G. (Charles George)
Smuggling -- Great Britain
On April 4th of the same year four other members of the terrible
Hawkhurst Gang—Kingsmill, Fairall, Perrin, and Glover by name—were
together brought to trial at the Old Bailey, charged with being concerned
in the Poole affair, the breaking open of the custom-house, and the
stealing of goods therefrom. They had been betrayed to the Government by
the same two ex-smugglers who had turned King’s evidence at the
Chichester trial, and their evidence again secured a conviction. Glover,
recommended by the jury to the royal mercy, was eventually pardoned; but
the remaining three were hanged. Fairall behaved most insolently at the
trial, and even threatened one of the witnesses. Glover displayed
penitence; and Kingsmill and Perrin insisted that they had not been
guilty of any robbery, because the goods they had taken were their own.
Kingsmill had been leader in the ferocious attack on Goudhurst in April
1747, and was an extremely dangerous ruffian, ready for any extremity.
Fairall was proved to be a particularly desperate fellow. Two years
earlier he had been apprehended, as a smuggler, in Sussex, and, being
brought before Mr. Butler, a magistrate, at Lewes, was remitted by him
for trial in London.
Brought under escort overnight to the New Prison in the Borough, Fairall
found means to make a dash from the custody of his guards, and, leaping
upon a horse that was standing in Blackman Street, rode away and escaped,
within sight of numerous people.
Returning to the gang, who were reasonably surprised at his safe return
from the jaws of death, he was filled with an unreasoning hatred of Mr.
Butler, the justice who, in the ordinary course of his duty, had
committed him. He proposed a complete and terrible revenge: firstly, by
destroying all the deer in his park, and all his trees, which was readily
agreed to by the gang; and then, since those measures were not extreme
enough for them, the idea was discussed of setting fire to his house and
burning him alive in it. Some of the conspirators, however, thought this
too extreme a step, and they parted without coming to any decision.
Fairall, Kingsmill, and others, however, determined not to be baulked,
then each procured a brace of pistols, and waited for the magistrate,
near his own park wall, to shoot him when he returned home that night
from a journey to Horsham.
Fortunately for him, some accident kept him from returning, and the party
of would-be assassins, tired of waiting, at last said to one another,
“Damn him, he will not come home to-night! Let us be gone about our
business.” They then dispersed, swearing they would watch for a month
together, but they would have him; and that they would make an example of
all who should dare to obstruct them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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