ancient family, and through the instrumentality of his uncle, Lord Mark
Ker, he had obtained his commission. In the year 1745, he had married a
young lady of good family named Murray, with whom he received an ample
fortune; and in the year 1752, he was ordered to England to endeavour to
procure his complement of men for his regiment. His bad fortune led him
to Henley, and there he formed an intimacy with Miss Blandy. At this
time Cranstoun was forty-six years of age, while Miss Blandy was twenty
years his junior; and it is somewhat extraordinary that a person of her
accomplishments and beauty should have formed a _liaison_ with a man so
much older than herself, and who, besides, is represented as having been
devoid of all personal attractions.
A short acquaintance, it appears, was sufficient to excite the flame of
passion in the mind of the gallant captain, as well as of Miss Blandy;
and ere long, their troth was plighted, that they would be for ever one.
The captain, however, felt the importance of forestalling any
information which might reach the ears of his new love of the existence
of any person who possessed a better right to his affections than she;
and he therefore informed her that he was engaged in a disagreeable
lawsuit with a young lady in Scotland who had claimed him as her
husband; but he assured her that it was a mere affair of gallantry, of
which the process of the law would in the course of a very short time
relieve him. This disclosure being followed by an offer of marriage,
Cranstoun was referred to Mr. Blandy, and he obtained an easy
acquiescence on his part in the wishes expressed by the young lady.
At this juncture, an intimation being conveyed to Lord Ker of the
proceedings of his nephew, his lordship took instant steps to apprise
Mr. Blandy of the position of Cranstoun. Prejudice had, however, worked
its end as well with the father as the daughter, and the assertion of
the intended bridegroom of the falsehood of the allegations made was
sufficient to dispel all the fears which the report of Lord Ker had
raised. But although Captain Cranstoun had thus temporarily freed
himself from the effects of the imputation cast upon him, he felt that
some steps were necessary to get his first marriage annulled, and he at
length wrote to his wife, requesting her to disown him for a husband.
The substance of this letter was, that, having no other way of rising to
preferment but in the army, he had but little ground to expect
advancement there, while it was known he was encumbered with a wife and
family; but could he once pass for a single man, he had not the least
doubt of being quickly promoted, which would procure him a sufficiency
to maintain her as well as himself in a genteeler manner than now he was
able to do. "All, therefore, (adds he) I have to request of you is, that
you will transcribe the enclosed copy of a letter, wherein you disown me
for a husband; put your maiden name to it, and send it by the post. All
the use I shall make of it shall be to procure my advancement, which
will necessarily include your own benefit. In full assurance that you
will comply with my request, I remain your most affectionate husband."
Mrs. Cranstoun, ill as she had been treated by her husband, and little
hope as she had of more generous usage, was, after repeated letters had
passed, induced to give up her claim, and at length sent the desired
communication. On this, an attempt was made by him to annul the
marriage, this letter being produced as evidence; but the artifice being
discovered, the suit was dismissed, with costs. Mr. Blandy soon obtained
intelligence of this circumstance, and convinced now of the falsehood of
his intended son-in-law, he conveyed a knowledge of it to his daughter;
but she and her mother repelled the insinuations which were thrown out,
and declared, in obedience to what they had been told by the gallant
captain, that the suit was not yet terminated, for that an appeal to the
House of Lords would immediately be made. Soon after this, Mrs. Blandy
died, and her husband began now to show evident dislike for Captain
Cranstoun's visits; but the latter complained to the daughter of the
father's ill-treatment, and insinuated that he had a method of
conciliating his esteem; and that when he arrived in Scotland he would
send her some powders proper for the purpose; on which, to prevent
suspicion, he would write "Powders to clean the Scotch pebbles."
Cranstoun sent her the powders, according to promise, and Mr. Blandy
being indisposed on the Sunday se'nnight before his death, Susan Gunnel,
a maid-servant, made him some water-gruel, into which Miss Blandy
conveyed some of the powder, and gave it to her father; and repeating
this draught on the following day, he was tormented with the most
violent pains in his bowels.
The disorder, which had commenced with symptoms of so dangerous a
character, soon increased; and the greatest alarm was felt by the
medical attendants of the old gentleman, that death alone would
terminate his sufferings. Every effort was made by which it was hoped
that his life could be saved; but at length, when all possibility of his
recovery was past, his wretched daughter rushed into his presence, and
in an agony of tears and lamentations, confessed that she was the author
of his sufferings and of his inevitable death. Urged to account for her
conduct, which to her father appeared inexplicable, she denied, with the
loudest asseverations, all guilty intention. She repeated the tale of
her love, and of the insidious arts employed by Cranstoun, but asserted
that she was unaware of the deadly nature of the powders, and that her
sole object in administering them was to procure her father's affection
for her lover. Death soon terminated the accumulated misery of the
wretched parent, and the daughter had scarcely witnessed his demise, ere
she became an inmate of a jail.
At the ensuing assizes at Oxford, Miss Blandy was indicted for the
wilful murder of her father, and was immediately found guilty, upon the
confession which she had made. She addressed the jury at great length,
repeating the story which she had before related; but all was of no
avail, and sentence of death was passed.
After conviction, the wretched young woman behaved with the utmost
decency and penitence. She spent the night before her execution in
devotion; and at nine in the morning of the 6th of April 1752, she left
her apartment to be conducted to the scaffold, habited in a black
bombasin dress, her arms being bound with black ribands. On her
ascending the gallows, she begged that she might not be hanged high,
"for the sake of decency;" and on her being desired to go a little
higher, expressed her fear that she should fall. The rope being put
round her neck, she pulled her handkerchief over her face, and was
turned off on holding out a book of devotions, which she had been
reading.
The crowd of spectators assembled on this occasion was immense; and when
she had hung the usual time she was cut down, and the body being put
into a hearse, was conveyed to Henley, and interred with her parents, at
one o'clock on the following morning.
It will be proper now to return to Cranstoun, who was the original
contriver of this horrid murder. Having heard of Miss Blandy's
commitment to Oxford jail, he concealed himself some time in Scotland,
and then escaped to Boulogne, in France. Meeting there with Mrs. Ross,
who was distantly related to his family, he acquainted her with his
situation, and begged her protection; on which she advised him to change
his name for her maiden name of Dunbar. Some officers in the French
service, who were related to his wife, hearing of his concealment, vowed
revenge, if they should meet with him, for his cruelty to the unhappy
woman: on which he fled to Paris, from whence he went to Furnes, a town
in Flanders, where Mrs. Ross had provided a lodging for his reception.
He had not been long at Furnes when he was seized with a severe fit of
illness, which brought him to a degree of reflection to which he had
been long a stranger. At length he sent for a father belonging to an
adjacent convent, and received absolution from his hands, on declaring
himself a convert to the Romish faith.
Cranstoun died on the 30th of November, 1752; and the fraternity of
monks and friars looked on his conversion as an object of such
importance, that solemn mass was sung on the occasion, and the body was
followed to the grave not only by the ecclesiastics, but by the
magistrates of the town.
JOHN M'CANELLY AND LUKE MORGAN.
EXECUTED FOR BURGLARY.
These men were of that class who usually visit England during harvest,
from the sister kingdom, and who, if they possessed honesty, would prove
most useful to the community of this country.
It appears that in the year 1751, Mr. Porter, a farmer of great
respectability, residing in Cheshire, had engaged a number of Irish
people to assist in gathering his harvest, when on one evening in the
month of August he was alarmed, while sitting at supper, by hearing that
they had attacked his house. Every effort was employed by him and his
family to oppose the entry of their assailants, but their power being
small, in the course of a few minutes the doors were burst in, and they
found themselves surrounded by a gang, whose ferocious demands for money
or blood convinced them of the uselessness of resistance. Mr. Porter,
however, for a while delayed meeting the demands which were made upon
him, in the hope that some assistance might arrive; but his ruffian
assailants bound him with cords, and threatened instant destruction if
his money and plate were not instantly brought forth. Miss Porter at
this moment made her appearance, supplicating for the life of her
parent, when she in turn was seized and bound, and was compelled to
discover the chest in which the valuables were kept.
In the confusion created by these proceedings, the youngest daughter, a
girl of thirteen, whose presence of mind and courage were alike
admirable, made her escape, and determined to procure some assistance to
repel the attack which had been made; and running into the stable, she
got astride the bare back of a horse, with the halter only in his mouth,
and galloping over hedges and ditches, so as to avoid the house, from
which she might be seen by the villains, she rode to Pulford, a village
at a short distance, to inform her eldest brother of the danger to which
their relations at the farm were exposed. Young Porter, with a friend
named Craven, (whose conduct certainly was the very opposite of his
name,) immediately resolved upon attacking the villains in turn, and,
with the girl, set off at full speed to render such aid as lay in their
power. On their reaching the farm, they discovered a fellow on the
watch, whom they instantly killed with so little noise as to create no
alarm, and then proceeding to the parlour, they found four others in the
very act of placing old Mr. Porter on the fire, having deprived him of
his clothes, in order to extort from him a confession of the depository
of his money, his daughter being on her knees at their side praying for
his life. The appearance of two strangers was sufficient to induce the
villains at once to desist from their horrid purpose; and being now
violently attacked, they were compelled to use their utmost exertions to
defend themselves. A desperate conflict took place, but one of the
robbers being felled senseless to the ground, and the others wounded and
deprived of their arms, they jumped through the window and ran off.
They were instantly pursued by the young men, and the alarm having by
this time been given, M'Canelly and Morgan were secured on Chester
bridge, having a silver tankard in their possession which they had
stolen from Mr. Porter's house. A fellow named Stanley, who turned out
to be ringleader in this desperate attack, was subsequently apprehended
on board a vessel bound for the West Indies, at Liverpool: and with
M'Canelly, Morgan, and a youth named Boyd, who had been left in the
house, was committed to Chester jail for trial.
They were indicted at the ensuing assizes held in March, 1752, and after
a long investigation, were found guilty and sentenced to death; but
Boyd, in whose case some mitigating circumstances were proved, was
respited, and his punishment eventually commuted to transportation for
life.
On the night before the execution, Stanley slipped his irons, and got
clear off from the jail, not without some suspicion that his escape was
connived at by the keeper.
On the 25th May, 1752, M'Canelly and Morgan were brought out of prison
in order to be hanged. Their behaviour was as decent as could be
expected from persons of their station. They both declared that Stanley,
who escaped, was the sole contriver of the robbery. They died in the
Catholic faith, and were attended by a priest of that persuasion.
ELIZABETH JEFFRIES AND JOHN SWAN.
EXECUTED FOR MURDER.
The case of these offenders is one of the greatest atrocity. It appears
that the female was the niece of a gentleman of respectability residing
at Walthamstow, who, having acquired an ample fortune, and having no
children, adopted his brother's daughter, and made a will in her favour,
bequeathing to her nearly his whole estate. The girl, however, returned
her uncle's kindness with ingratitude, and having heard him declare that
he would alter his will on account of her bad behaviour, she determined
to
[Illustration: _Duel between Lord Mahon and the Duke_]
prevent his carrying his design to her detriment into execution by
murdering him. She soon discovered her inability to complete this
project single-handed, and she gained the assistance of her accomplice
in the crime, John Swan, who was in the employment of her uncle, and
with whom there is good reason to believe she was on terms of intimacy.
They endeavoured to suborn a simple fellow named Matthews to assist
them, but although the promise of a large reward at first staggered him,
his terrors eventually steeled him against the temptations held out to
him. The night of the 3rd July, 1751, was fixed upon for the completion
of this villany; and at the trial, which took place at Chelmsford,
before Mr. Justice Wright, on the 11th March, 1752, the following facts
were proved:
Matthews having travelled from Yorkshire was accidentally met in Epping
Forest by Mr. Jeffries, who gave him employment as an assistant to Swan,
who was his gardener. After he had been at work only four days, he was
sent up stairs by Miss Jeffries to wipe a chest of drawers, and she
followed him, and asked him if he was willing to earn one hundred
pounds? He answered that he was, "in an honest way;" on which she
desired him to go to Swan. He accordingly joined him in the garden, and
he offered him seven hundred pounds to murder their master. He
acquiesced; and on his being dismissed two days afterwards, Swan gave
him half a guinea to buy a brace of pistols; but having spent the money
given to him, he was ordered to meet Miss Jeffries and Swan at
Walthamstow on the Tuesday following, at ten o'clock at night, the
object being then to carry out their intentions with respect to the
murder.
When he arrived, he found the garden door on the latch; and going into
the pantry, he hid himself behind a tub till about eleven o'clock, when
Swan brought him some cold boiled beef. About twelve Miss Jeffries and
Swan came to him; when the latter said, "Now it is time to knock the old
miser, my master, on the head;" but Matthews relented and said, "I
cannot find it in my heart to do it." Miss Jeffries then immediately
replied, "You may be d--d for a villain, for not performing your
promise!" And Swan, who was provided with pistols, also loudly abused
him, and said he had a mind to blow his brains out for the refusal. Swan
then produced a book, and insisted that Matthews should swear that he
would not discover what had passed: and he did so, with this reserve,
"unless it was to save his own life." Soon after this Matthews heard the
report of a pistol; when getting out of the house by the back way, he
crossed the ferry, and proceeded to Enfield Chase. Immediately
afterwards Miss Jeffries appeared at the door of the house, and called
out for assistance, and some of the neighbours going in, they found Mr.
Jeffries dying, but they failed in discovering any thing which could
lead to the supposition of any person having quitted the house. Violent
suspicions in consequence arose, and Miss Jeffries was taken into
custody, but no evidence arising to criminate her, she was discharged,
and immediately administered to her uncle's estate and took possession
of his property. Renewed suspicions, however, were raised, and Matthews
having been discovered, Jeffries and Swan were apprehended. Upon this
testimony a verdict of Guilty was returned.
After conviction Elizabeth Jeffries made the following confession:--
"I, Elizabeth Jeffries, do freely and voluntarily confess that I first
enticed and persuaded John Swan and Thomas Matthews to undertake and
perpetrate the murder of my deceased uncle, which they both consented
to do the first opportunity. That on the third day of July 1751, myself
and John Swan (Matthews, to my knowledge, not being in the house) agreed
to kill my said uncle; and, accordingly, after the maid was gone to bed,
I went into John Swan's room, and called him, and we went down together
into the kitchen, and having assisted Swan in putting some pewter and
other things into a sack, I said I could do no more, and then I went
into my room; and afterwards Swan came up, as I believe, and went into
my uncle's room and shot him; which done, he came to my door and rapped.
Accordingly I went out in my shift, and John Swan opened the door and
let me out. That done, I alarmed the neighbourhood. And I do solemnly
declare that I do not know that any person was concerned in the murder
of my deceased uncle but myself and John Swan; for that Matthews did not
come to my uncle's house the day before, or night in which the murder
was committed as I know of.
"ELIZABETH JEFFRIES."
"Taken and acknowledged March 12, 1752."
Swan for some time expressed great resentment at Miss Jeffries's
confession; but when he learned that he was to be hung in chains he
began to relent, and seemed at length to behold his crime in its true
light of enormity.
On the day of execution the convicts left the prison at four in the
morning, Miss Jeffries being placed in a cart and Swan on a sledge. The
unfortunate woman repeatedly fainted on her way to the gallows; and
having fallen into a fit, had not recovered when she was turned off. The
execution took place near the six-mile-stone on Epping Forest on the
28th of March 1752; and the body of Miss Jeffries having been delivered
to her friends for interment, the gibbet was removed to another part of
the forest, where Swan was hung in chains.
DOCTOR ARCHIBALD CAMERON.
EXECUTED FOR HIGH TREASON.
The Scottish rebellion had been suppressed nearly eight years, and
England had, during that time, enjoyed internal peace, when Doctor
Cameron fell a victim to his exertions in the cause of the Pretender.
Doctor Cameron was the brother of the chief of the Highland clan of the
same name; and it appears that having studied successively at Glasgow,
Edinburgh, Paris, and Leyden, he returned to Scotland admirably
qualified to practise the profession of medicine, to which he had been
brought up. Although educated in a manner which rendered him fit to mix
in the best society of the day, he took up his residence in the district
of Lochaber, where, in a short time, he was married to a lady of
respectable family. Universally esteemed, and beloved by his neighbours
for his zealous and effectual services in the civilisation of the
manners of his countrymen, and for his generous conduct in the
attendance of the sick poor, he was residing in the bosom of his family,
when the rebellion of 1745 broke out, which laid waste the country, and
introduced misery and wretchedness to many a happy home. The chief of
the Camerons was a zealous friend to Prince Charles; and although he
firmly believed that any attempt at the restoration of the Stuart family
to the throne of England must prove abortive, yet being pledged to
assist his prince, he generously sacrificed his own feelings, and
appeared in arms at the head of nearly twelve hundred men. Thus arrayed
he sent for his brother to undertake the medical charge of his troops;
but although the doctor urged every argument which could be raised
against so rash an undertaking as that which was proposed, he was at
length compelled to forego all further resistance, and to attend the
army in his professional capacity, although he absolutely refused to
accept any commission. Thus circumstanced, Doctor Cameron was remarkable
throughout the whole advance and retreat of the rebel army for the
humanity and assiduity with which he attended all, whether friend or
foe, who required his aid. And when the battle of Culloden put an end to
all the hopes of the Pretender, he and his brother escaped to France in
a vessel belonging to that kingdom. While in France, the doctor was
appointed physician to a French regiment, of which his brother obtained
the command; but the latter dying about two years afterwards, he joined
Ogilvie's regiment in Flanders.
In the meantime proceedings had been taken against the rebel leaders in
England, many of whom had forfeited their lives to the offended laws of
their country, and by an act of attainder passed in the year 1746, for
the effectual punishment of persons concerned in the rebellion, the life
of Doctor Cameron was declared to be forfeited. In the years 1750 and
1752, subscriptions were entered into in Scotland for the support of
those persons who had escaped into foreign countries, and Doctor Cameron
having already more than once visited his native country, finally in the
latter year came over to Scotland, for the purpose of procuring some
permanent relief for himself and his suffering fellow-countrymen abroad.
Rumours were soon set afloat that he was in Scotland, and a detachment
of Lord George Beaufort's regiment was sent in search of him. Being made
acquainted with the vicinity of his hiding-place, but being unable for a
considerable time to discover its exact locality, the soldiers were
unable to secure their prisoner; but at length perceiving a little girl,
who appeared to be acting as a scout, they followed her until she met a
boy, who was evidently employed in a similar capacity, to whom they
observed that she whispered something. They directly pursued the boy,
but being unable to reach him, they presented their guns, threatening to
shoot him if he did not immediately stop. Having then secured his
person, they menaced him with instant death if he did not inform them of
the hiding-place of Dr. Cameron. The boy pointed to the house where he
was concealed, and the unfortunate gentleman was directly placed under
arrest, and was then immediately sent to Edinburgh, and from thence
subsequently to London, where he was placed in confinement in the Tower.
Upon his examination before the Privy Council, he denied that he was the
person mentioned in the Act of Attainder; but being brought to the bar
of the Court of King's Bench on the 17th of May, he acknowledged that he
was the person who had been attainted; on which Lord Chief Justice Lee
pronounced sentence in the following terms:--"You, Archibald Cameron, of
Lochiel, in that part of Great Britain called Scotland, must be removed
from hence to his Majesty's prison of the Tower of London, from whence
you came, and on Thursday, the 7th of June next, your body to be drawn
on a sledge to the place of execution, there to be hanged, but not till
you are dead,--your bowels to be taken out, your body quartered, your
head cut off, and affixed at the king's disposal,--and the Lord have
mercy on your soul!"
After his commitment to the Tower he begged to see his wife, who was
then at Lille, in Flanders; and, on her arrival, the meeting between
them was inexpressibly affecting. The unfortunate lady wept incessantly;
and on her going to take her final leave of her husband, on the morning
of execution, she was attacked with fits, which left her only after
grief had deprived her of her senses.