felons, and who make it their business to help persons to their stolen
goods, and by that means gain money from them, which is divided between
them and the felons, whereby they greatly encourage such offenders; be
it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, that whenever any
person taketh money or reward, directly or indirectly, under pretence or
upon account of helping any person or persons to any stolen goods or
chattels, every such person so taking money or reward as aforesaid
(unless such person do apprehend or cause to be apprehended such felon
who stole the same, and give evidence against him) shall be guilty of
felony, according to the nature of the felony committed in stealing such
goods, and in such and the same manner as if such offender had stolen
such goods and chattels in the manner, and with such circumstances, as
the same were stolen."
Mrs. Stretham then, having repeated the evidence which she had before
given, went on to state that on the evening of the robbery she went to
the house of the prisoner in order to employ him in recovering the
goods, but that not finding him at home, she advertised them, offering a
reward of fifteen guineas for their return, and promising that no
questions should be asked. The advertisement proved ineffectual, and she
therefore again went to the house of the prisoner, and seeing him, by
his desire she gave an account of the transaction and of the appearance
of the thieves. He promised to inquire after her property, and desired
her to call again in a few days. She did so, and at this second visit he
informed her that he had gained some information respecting her goods,
and expected more; and a man who was present said that he thought that
Kelly, who had been tried for passing plated shillings, was the
offender. The witness again went to the prisoner on the day on which he
was apprehended, and said that she would give twenty-five guineas rather
than not have her lace back; on which he told her not to be in too great
a hurry, for that the people who had stolen the lace were out of town,
and that he should soon cause a disagreement between them, by which he
should secure the property on more easy terms. On the 10th of March, she
received a message, that if she would go to the prisoner in Newgate, and
take ten guineas with her, her lace would be returned to her. She went
to him accordingly, and a porter being called, he gave her a letter,
saying it was addressed to the person to whom he was directed to apply
for the lace, and the porter would accompany her to carry the box home.
She declined going herself, and then the prisoner desired her to give
the money to the porter, who would go for her and fetch the goods, but
said that he could not go without it, for that the people who had the
lace would not give it up without being paid. She gave the money and the
man went away, but in a short time he returned with a box sealed up,
but not the box which she had lost. On opening it, she found that it
contained all her lace except one piece. She asked the prisoner what
satisfaction he expected, when he answered "Not a farthing; I have no
interested views in matters of this kind, but act from a principle of
serving people under misfortune. I hope I shall soon be able to recover
the other piece of lace, and to return you the ten guineas, and perhaps
cause the thief to be apprehended. For the service I can render you I
shall only expect your prayers. I have many enemies, and know not what
will be the consequence of this imprisonment."
The prisoner's counsel argued, that as Murphy had deposed that Wild,
Kelly, and she, were concerned in the felony, the former could by no
means be considered as coming within the description of the act on which
the indictment was founded; for the act in question was not meant to
operate against the actual perpetrators of felony, but to subject such
persons to punishment as held a correspondence with felons.
The counsel for the crown observed, that from the evidence adduced, no
doubt could remain of the prisoner's coming under the meaning of the
act, since it had been proved that he had engaged in combinations with
felons, and had not discovered them.
The judge was of opinion that the case of the prisoner was clearly
within the meaning of the act; for it was plain that he had maintained a
secret correspondence with felons, and received money for restoring
stolen goods to the owners, which money was divided between him and the
felons, whom he did not prosecute. The jury pronounced him guilty, and
he was sentenced to be executed at Tyburn, on Monday the 24th of May,
1725.
When he was under sentence of death, he frequently declared that he
thought the services he had rendered the public in returning the stolen
goods to the owners, and apprehending felons, was so great, as justly to
entitle him to the royal mercy. He said that had he considered his case
as being desperate, he should have taken timely measures for inducing
some powerful friends at Wolverhampton to intercede in his favour; and
that he thought it not unreasonable to entertain hopes of obtaining a
pardon through the interest of some of the dukes, earls, and other
persons of high distinction, who had recovered their property through
his means.
He was observed to be in an unsettled state of mind; and being asked
whether he knew the cause thereof, he said he attributed his disorder to
the many wounds he had received in apprehending felons; and particularly
mentioned two fractures of his skull, and his throat being cut by
Blueskin.
He declined attending divine service in the chapel, excusing himself on
account of his infirmities, and saying that there were many people
highly exasperated against him, and therefore he could not expect but
that his devotions would be interrupted by their insulting behaviour. He
said he had fasted four days, which had greatly increased his weakness.
He asked the Ordinary the meaning of the words "Cursed is every one that
hangeth on a tree;" and what was the state of the soul immediately after
its departure from the body? He was advised to direct his attention to
matters of more importance, and sincerely to repent of the crimes he had
committed.
By his desire the Ordinary administered the sacrament to him; and during
the ceremony he appeared to be somewhat attentive and devout. The
evening preceding the day on which he suffered he inquired of the
Ordinary whether suicide could be deemed a crime; and after some
conversation, he pretended to be convinced that self-murder was a most
impious offence against the Almighty; but about two in the morning, he
endeavoured to put an end to his life by drinking laudanum. On account
of the largeness of the dose, and his having fasted for a considerable
time, no other effect was produced than drowsiness, or a kind of
stupefaction. The situation of Wild being observed by two of his
fellow-prisoners, they advised him to rouse his spirits, that he might
be able to attend to the devotional exercises; and taking him by the
arms, they obliged him to walk, which he could not have done alone,
being much afflicted with the gout. The exercise revived him a little;
but he presently became exceedingly pale; then grew very faint; a
profuse sweating ensued; and soon afterwards his stomach discharged the
greatest part of the laudanum. Though he was somewhat recovered, he was
nearly in a state of insensibility; and in this situation he was put
into the cart and conveyed to Tyburn. In his way to the place of
execution the populace treated him with remarkable severity, incessantly
pelting him with stones and dirt.
Upon his arrival at Tyburn he appeared to be much recovered from the
effects of the poison; and the executioner informed him that a
reasonable time would be allowed him for preparing himself for the
important change that he must soon experience. He continued sitting some
time in the cart; but the populace were at length so enraged at the
indulgence shown him, that they outrageously called to the executioner
to perform the duties of his office, violently threatening him with
instant death if he presumed any longer to delay. He judged it prudent
to comply with their demands; and when he began to prepare for the
execution, the popular clamour ceased.
About two o'clock on the following morning the remains of Wild were
interred in St. Pancras churchyard; but a few nights afterwards the body
was taken up (for the use of the surgeons, as it was supposed). At
midnight a hearse and six was waiting at the end of Fig Lane, where the
coffin was found the next day.
Wild had by the woman he married at Wolverhampton a son about nineteen
years old, who came to London a short time before the execution of his
father. He was a youth of so violent and ungovernable a disposition,
that it was judged right to confine him during the time of the
execution, lest he should excite the people to some tumult. He
subsequently went to one of the West India colonies.
The adventures of Wild are of a nature to attract great attention, from
the multiplicity and variety of the offences of which he was guilty. It
has been hinted, that his career of crime having been suffered to
continue so long was in some degree attributable to the services which
he performed for the government, in arresting and gaining information
against the disaffected, during the troubles which characterised the
early part of the reign of George I.; but whatever may have been the
cause of his being so long unmolested, whatever supineness on the part
of the authorities, whether wilful or not, may have procured for him so
continued a reign of uninterrupted wickedness, it cannot be doubted that
the fact of his long safety tended so much to the demoralisation of
society, as that many years passed before it would assume that tone,
which the exertions of a felon like Wild were so calculated to destroy.
The existing generation cannot but congratulate itself upon the
excellence of the improvements which have been made in our laws, and the
admirable effect which they have produced; as well as upon the
exceedingly active vigilance of the existing police, by whom crime,
instead of its being supported and fostered, is checked and prevented.
CATHERINE HAYES.
BURNT ALIVE FOR THE MURDER OF HER HUSBAND.
The case of this atrocious criminal only finds a parallel in that of the
monster of modern crime--Greenacre.
Catherine Hayes was the daughter of a poor man named Hall, who lived at
Birmingham, and having remained with her parents until she was fifteen
years of age, a dispute then arose, in consequence of which she set off
for London. On her way she met with some officers, who, remarking that
her person was engaging, persuaded her to accompany them to their
quarters at Great Ombersley, in Worcestershire. Having remained with
them some time, she strolled on into Warwickshire, and was there hired
into the house of Mr. Hayes, a respectable farmer. An intimacy soon
sprang up between her and the son of her master, which ended in a
private marriage taking place at Worcester; and an attempt, on the part
of the officers, to entrap young Hayes into enlisting, rendered it
necessary to disclose the whole affair to the father. He felt that it
would be useless now to oppose his son, in consequence of what had taken
place, and he in consequence set him up in business as a carpenter. Mrs.
Hayes, however, was of a restless disposition, and persuaded him to
enlist, which he did; and his regiment being ordered to the Isle of
Wight, his wife followed him. His father bought him off at an expense of
60_l._, and now gave him property to the amount of about 26_l._ per
annum; but after the marriage had been solemnised about six years, Mrs.
Hayes prevailed on her husband to come to London. On their arrival in
the metropolis, Mr. Hayes took a house, part of which he let in
lodgings, and opened a shop in the chandlery and coal trade, in which he
was as successful as he could have wished, but exclusive of his profit
by shop keeping, he acquired a great deal of money by lending small sums
on pledges, for at this time the trade of pawnbroking was followed by
any one at pleasure, and was subjected to no regulation.
Mr. Hayes soon found that the disposition of his wife was not of such a
nature as to promise him much peace. The chief pleasure of her life
consisted in creating and encouraging quarrels among her neighbours.
Sometimes she would speak of her husband, to his acquaintance, in terms
of great tenderness and respect; and at other times she would represent
him to her female associates as a compound of everything that was
contemptible in human nature. On a particular occasion, she told a woman
that she should think it no more sin to murder him than to kill a dog.
At length her husband thought it prudent to remove to Tottenham-court-road,
where he carried on his former business, but he then again removed to
Tyburn-road (now Oxford-street). He soon amassed what he considered a
sufficient sum to enable him to retire from business, and he
accordingly took lodgings near the same spot. A supposed son of Mrs.
Hayes, by her former connexion, who went by the name of Billings, lived
in the same house, and he and Mrs. Hayes were in the habit of feasting
themselves at the expense of the husband of the latter. During his
temporary absence from town, her proceedings were so extravagant, that
the neighbours deemed it right to make her husband aware of the fact;
and on his return he remonstrated with her on the subject, when a
quarrel took place, which ended in a fight. It is supposed that at this
time the design of murdering Mr. Hayes was formed by his wife, and it
was not long before she obtained a seconder in her horrid project in the
person of her reputed son. At this time a person named Thomas Wood came
to town from Worcestershire, and seeking out Hayes, persuaded him to
give him a lodging, as he was afraid of being impressed. After he had
been in town only a few days, Mrs. Hayes informed him of the plot which
existed, and endeavoured to persuade him to join her and her son. He was
at first shocked at the notion of murdering his friend and benefactor,
and rejected the proposals; but at length Mrs. Hayes, alleging that her
husband was an atheist, and had already been guilty of murdering two of
his own children, one of whom he had buried under an apple-tree, and the
other under a pear-tree, and besides urging that 1500_l._, which would
fall to her at his death, should be placed at the disposal of her
accomplices, he consented. Shortly after this, Wood went out of town for
a few days, but on his return he found Mrs. Hayes, and her son, and
husband, drinking together, and apparently in good humour. He joined
them at the desire of Hayes and the latter boasting that he was not
drunk, although they had had a guinea's worth of liquor among them,
Billings proposed that he should try whether he could drink half a dozen
bottles of mountain wine, without getting tipsy, and promised that if he
did so, he would pay for the wine. The proposal was agreed to, and the
three murderers went off to procure the liquor. On their way, it was
agreed among them that this was the proper opportunity to carry their
design into execution, and having procured the wine, for which Mrs.
Hayes paid half a guinea, Mr. Hayes began to drink it, while his
intended assassins regaled themselves with beer. When he had taken a
considerable quantity of the wine, he danced about the room like a man
distracted, and at length finished the whole quantity: but, not being
yet in a state of absolute stupefaction, his wife sent for another
bottle, which he also drank, and then fell senseless on the floor.
Having lain some time in this condition, he got, with much difficulty,
into another room, and threw himself on a bed. When he was asleep, his
wife told her associates that this was the time to execute their plan,
as there was no fear of any resistance on his part, and accordingly
Billings went into the room with a hatchet, with which he struck Hayes
so violently that he fractured his skull. At this time Hayes's feet hung
off the bed; and the torture arising from the blow made him stamp
repeatedly on the floor, which, being heard by Wood, he also went into
the room, and, taking the hatchet out of Billings' hand, gave the poor
man two more blows, which effectually despatched him. A woman, named
Springate, who lodged in the room over that where the murder was
committed, hearing the noise occasioned by Hayes's stamping, imagined
that the parties might have quarrelled in consequence of their
intoxication; and going down stairs, she told Mrs. Hayes that the noise
had awakened her husband, her child, and herself. Catherine, however,
had a ready answer to this: she said some company had visited them, and
were grown merry, but they were on the point of taking their leave; and
Mrs. Springate returned to her room well satisfied. The murderers now
consulted on the best manner of disposing of the body, so as most
effectually to prevent detection. Mrs. Hayes proposed to cut off the
head, because, if the body was found whole, it would be more likely to
be known, and the villains agreeing to this proposition, she fetched a
pail, lighted a candle, and all of them went into the room. The men then
drew the body partly off the bed, and Billings supported the head, while
Wood, with his pocket-knife, cut it off, and the infamous woman held the
pail to receive it, being as careful as possible that the floor might
not be stained with the blood. This being done, they emptied the blood
out of the pail into a sink by the window, and poured several pails of
water after it. When the head was cut off, the woman recommended the
boiling it till the flesh should part from the bones; but the other
parties thought this operation would take up too much time, and
therefore advised the throwing it into the Thames, in expectation that
it would be carried off by the tide, and would sink. This agreed to, the
head was put into the pail, and Billings took it under his great-coat,
being accompanied by Wood; but, making a noise in going down stairs,
Mrs. Springate called, and asked what was the matter? To this Mrs. Hayes
answered that her husband was going a journey; and, with incredible
dissimulation, affected to take leave of him, pretending great concern
that he was under a necessity of going at so late an hour, and Wood and
Billings passed out of the house unnoticed. They first went to
Whitehall, where they intended to have thrown in the head; but the gates
being shut, they went to a wharf near the Horse Ferry, Westminster.
Billings putting down the pail, Wood threw the head into the dock,
expecting it would have been carried away by the stream; but at this
time the tide was ebbing, and a lighterman, who was then in his vessel,
heard something fall into the dock, but it was too dark for him to
distinguish any object. The head being thus disposed of, the murderers
returned home, and were admitted by Mrs. Hayes, without the knowledge of
the other lodgers. The body next became the object of their attention,
and Mrs. Hayes proposed that it should be packed up in a box and buried.
The plan was determined upon immediately, and a box was purchased, but
being found too small, the body was dismembered so as to admit of its
being inclosed in it, and was left until night should favour its being
carried off. The inconvenience of carrying a box was, however,
immediately discovered, and the pieces of the mangled body were
therefore taken out, and, being wrapped up in a blanket, were carried by
Billings and Wood to a field in Marylebone, and there thrown into a
pond.