resolved now to endeavour to procure the means by which he hoped again
to secure her favour; and he accepted a situation as postilion at an inn
in Piccadilly.
In his drives round the metropolis, he not unfrequently saw his rivals
gaily dressed and mounted, but he was rather surprised one day, while on
the North Road, at receiving a sudden summons to stop from a man, whose
figure he fancied he recognised as that of one of them, but whose face
was covered with crape. He speedily obeyed the order which he had so
peremptorily received; and while the man who had called to him stood by
his side with a pistol at his head, another, similarly disguised,
galloped from a by-road to the chaise and demanded the money of its
occupant. A sudden gust of wind now enabled our hero to satisfy himself
of the truth of his surmises as to the highwayman near him, for the
crape being momentarily blown from his face, he at once recognised in
him one of the admirers of the lady of his affections, whom he
subsequently found to be Jerry Avershaw. He stared at the man, but some
persons at this moment appearing in view, the highwayman precipitately
rode off.
Avershaw, it appears, was no less uneasy at the discovery, which he knew
had been made, than Ferguson was astonished; and, pulling up with his
companion at a roadside inn, they gave directions, that Dick should be
introduced to them on his stopping there to water his horses, on his way
home with the return chaise. Upon his entry, an offer was immediately
made to him of a bribe, to prevent his discovering the haunts of the
thieves, and his acquiescence procured for him an invitation to sup with
the highwaymen on the same evening at their rendezvous in the Borough.
With the money our hero flew to his doxy, but the lady having now
discovered his situation declined to have anything more to say to him.
The chance, which had operated to deprive him of the society of the
lady, however, gained for him the companionship of her visitors; and,
meeting Avershaw at the house which he had appointed, he was received
with every mark of attention. A sumptuous supper was served, and a large
party having assembled, the night was spent in boisterous hilarity.
Ferguson was delighted with the society to which he was introduced, and
at once assented to a proposition, that he should become one of their
number--a sharer in their dangers and profits. In obedience to a
suggestion which was offered, it was determined, however, that he should
not yet be called upon to enter into active service, but that he should
furnish his associates with information as to the routes of the various
chaises which went from the inn where he was employed, so that they
might intercept them, and rob them. He pursued this diabolical plan with
so much success as frequently to obtain some share of very large
booties; but, at length, his connexion with the highwaymen being
suspected, he lost his place, and was compelled to take the road
himself. In this new employment, he was long remarked for the most
extraordinary success. Of a bold and daring disposition, he defied
danger. His skill in horses was found to be of the greatest importance
to him; and the headlong pace at which he would travel, when in pursuit
of an object, or when chased, procured for him the name of "Galloping
Dick." Numerous were the escapes which he succeeded in making from his
pursuers, after he had committed robberies; and, in one instance, having
been concerned with two others in stopping two gentlemen in the Edgeware
Road, he succeeded in galloping off, while his companions were secured,
and upon being tried were convicted and executed.
Nor were his successes confined to the road. In his amours he was
equally bold and enterprising, and equally happy. He persuaded two
married women, the wives of publicans in the Borough, to elope with him,
and his intrigues were almost innumerable.
To follow him through the whole of his exploits would be to occupy a
very considerable portion of our limits with the recital of his case
alone. He was concerned in almost every robbery which was committed in
the neighbourhood of the metropolis during the period at which he was
celebrated, and his acquaintance and connexion with other thieves were
almost as extensive as his crimes. He was repeatedly in custody at
Bow-street, and was several times tried at the Old Bailey, but
acquitted: but at length having been a party to a most daring robbery
near Aylesbury, he was taken into custody within a short time of the
commission of his offence, and being fully identified, he was committed
for trial.
He was indicted at the ensuing assizes, and a verdict of guilty having
been found, he was sentenced to death.
Upon his discovering that all hopes of mercy were vain, he sedulously
applied himself to a preparation for his approaching end, and upon the
day of execution conducted himself with decent resignation.
He was executed at Aylesbury in the month of April, 1800.
JOSEPH WALL, ESQ.
EXECUTED FOR MURDER.
Mr. Wall, or as he has been more commonly called, Governor Wall, was
descended from a good family in Ireland, and entered into the army at an
early age. He was of a severe and rather unaccommodating temper; nor was
he much liked among the officers.
Mr. Wall was Lieutenant-governor of Senegambia, but acted as chief, the
first appointment being vacant. His emoluments were very considerable,
as, besides his military appointments, he was superintendant of trade to
the colony. It was an office he held but a short time--not more than two
years; during which he committed the crime for which he suffered, by
ordering Benjamin Armstrong to receive eight hundred lashes, on the 10th
of July, 1782, of which he died in five days afterwards.
As soon as the account of the murder reached the board of admiralty, a
reward was offered for his apprehension; but, having evaded justice in
1784, he lived on the Continent, sometimes in France, and sometimes in
Italy, but mostly in France, under an assumed name, where he was
admitted into good society.
It is most extraordinary that a species of fatality almost invariably
appears to attend persons who have been guilty of offences like that of
Mr. Wall. A gnawing desire to return to London constantly preyed on the
mind of that gentleman, and at length in the year 1797, having first
written to a confidential friend to procure him lodgings, he once more
appeared in the metropolis. His presence was quickly notified to his
relations, who constantly urged the imprudence of this step, and the
importance of his again retiring beyond the reach of the laws of
England, but all remonstrance proved vain, and he continued to reside in
his lodgings in Lambeth, scarcely exhibiting any desire to conceal his
name, character, or situation. He soon afterwards removed to new
apartments in Upper Thornhaugh-street, Bedford-square, and from this
time he seems to have contemplated surrendering himself to the
Government, in order that he might take his trial for the offence
imputed to him. His mind appeared ill at ease, but he was evidently
incapable of coming to any firm determination upon a point of so much
importance to his interests and those of his family. It was not until
the year 1801 that he at length summoned up courage to do that which he
now looked upon as his duty to his country, and then he wrote to the
Government in terms singularly indicative of his disposition, saving
that "He was ready to give himself up," but not immediately tendering
his person to custody.
A communication of this character was not to be overlooked by a minister
of state, and although it was extremely possible, that in case of his
continued silence, no steps would have been taken to procure the
apprehension of Mr. Wall, orders were now given that he should be
secured. At this period he was still living in Upper Thornhaugh-street,
and there he was apprehended by officers, who received instructions from
the office of the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
On the 20th of January, 1802, about twenty years after the commission of
the crime with which he stood charged, Mr. Wall was indicted at the Old
Bailey, and his trial came on before the Chief Baron of the Exchequer,
Mr. Justice Rook, and Mr. Justice Lawrence.
Upon the case being called on, the prisoner informed the Court that he
was deaf, and requested to be permitted to sit near his counsel, but the
Lord Chief Baron informed him, that such an application could not be
acceded to, for that there was a situation pointed out for persons
placed in his condition, and that any distinction would be invidious.
The case then proceeded, and it was proved by the witnesses, that
Armstrong was far from being undutiful in his behaviour; that he was,
however, tied to the gun-carriage; black men, brought there for the
purpose--not the drummers, who in the ordinary course of things would
have had to flog him, supposing him to have deserved flogging;--but
black men were ordered to inflict the punishment ordered. Each man took
his turn, and gave this unhappy sufferer twenty-five lashes, until he
had received the number of eight hundred; and the instrument with which
the punishment was inflicted was not a cat-o'-nine tails, which is
usually employed, but a piece of rope of a greater thickness, which was
much more severe than the cat. During the time at which this inhuman
punishment was being inflicted, the prisoner stood by, and with a degree
of cruelty almost unparalleled urged the executioners to "cut him to the
heart and liver," and in answer to the poor wretch's cries for mercy, he
was proved to have declared that "the sick season coming on, with the
punishment, would do for him." At the conclusion of the flogging, the
miserable being was conducted to the hospital, and there, at the
expiration of five days, he died, declaring that he had been punished
without trial.
The defence set up was, that the deceased had been guilty of mutiny, and
that the punishment was not so severe as reported, but that the deceased
was suffered to drink strong spirits when in the hospital. Several
witnesses were called on the part of the prisoner, particularly Mrs.
Lacy, widow of the captain who succeeded Mr. Wall, and Mary Falkner, who
not only agreed with him in the outrageous conduct of the men, and the
violent language they used, but both positively swore that Lewis, the
first witness against the prisoner, was not the orderly serjeant on that
day.--John Falkner, Peter Williams, and some others who were present,
were also examined, and their testimony went in full corroboration of
the account given by the prisoner, and so far went to his justification;
but in many material points it was in direct contradiction to the
evidence which had been given by the witnesses for the Crown.
The jury, after being out of court some time, pronounced a verdict of
"guilty." The Recorder then proceeded to pass sentence of death upon
the prisoner; that he be executed the following morning, and that his
body be afterwards delivered to be anatomized according to the statute.
Mr. Wall seemed sensibly affected by the sentence, but said nothing more
than to request the court would allow him a little time to prepare
himself for death. On the 21st of January, a respite was sent from Lord
Pelham's office, deferring his execution until the 25th, and on the
24th, he was further respited till the 28th. During the time of his
confinement, previous to trial, he occupied the apartment which was
formerly the residence of Mr. Ridgway, the bookseller. His wife lived
with him for the last fortnight; although he was allowed two hours
a-day, from twelve to two, to walk in the yard, he did not once embrace
this indulgence; and during his whole confinement, he never went out of
his room, except into the lobby to consult his counsel. He lived well,
and was at times very facetious, easy in his manners, and pleasant in
conversation; but during the night he frequently sat up in his bed and
sang psalms, overheard by his fellow-prisoner. He had not many visitors,
and his only attendant was a prisoner, who was appointed for that
purpose by the turnkey.
After trial he did not return to his old apartment, but was conducted to
a cell; and he was so far favoured as not to have irons put on, but a
person was employed as a guard to watch him during the night to prevent
him doing violence to himself. On his return from court, on the day of
trial, his bed was brought to him in the cell, on which he threw himself
in an agony of mind, saying it was his intention not to rise until they
called him on the fatal morning.
The sheriffs were particularly pointed and precise in their orders, with
respect to confining him to the usual diet of bread and water,
preparatory to the awful event, and this order was scrupulously
fulfilled. The prisoner, during a part of the night, slept, owing to
fatigue and perturbation of mind. The next morning his wife applied, but
was refused admittance without an order from one of the sheriffs. She
applied to Mr. Sheriff Cox, who attended her to the prison.
From the time of the first respite, until twelve o'clock on Wednesday
night, he did not cease to entertain hopes of his safety. The interest
made to save him was very great. The whole of Wednesday occupied the
great law officers; the judges met at the chancellor's in the afternoon,
and the conference which then took place lasted upwards of three hours.
All hopes were, however, vain, and at a little after four o'clock, on
Thursday the 28th, the scaffold began to be erected by torch-light.
The prisoner had had an affecting interview with his wife, the night
before, from whom he was painfully separated about eleven o'clock. Mrs.
Wall then reluctantly departed, overwhelmed with grief, and bathed with
tears; while the unfortunate husband declared that he could now, with
Christian fortitude, submit to his unhappy fate.
During the greater part of the night he slept but little; but at about
four o'clock in the morning his sleep was observed to become sound, and,
according to the best recollection of his attendant, he continued in
this sleep rather more than an hour; so that he could not have heard the
fatal machine in its passage to the Debtors'-door. His voice preserved
its usual strength and tone to the end; and, though very particular in
his questions respecting the machinery in every part, yet he spoke of
his approaching execution and death with perfect calmness. At half after
six in the morning, his prison attendant, going to his cell, was asked
by him "whether the noise he heard was not that of erecting his
scaffold?" but he was humanely answered in the negative.
The Ordinary, Dr. Ford, soon after entered, when the prisoner devoutly
joined him for some time in prayer. They then passed on to an ante room,
when the governor asked "whether it was a fine morning?" On being
answered in the affirmative, he said, "The time hangs heavily: I am
anxious for the close of this scene." One of the officers then proceeded
to bind his arms with a cord, for which he extended them out firmly; but
recollecting himself, he said, "I beg your pardon a moment;" and putting
his hand in his pocket, he drew out two white handkerchiefs, one of
which he bound over his temples so as nearly to conceal his eyes, over
which he placed a white cap, and then put on a round hat; the other
handkerchief he kept between his hands. He then observed, "the cord cuts
me; but it's no matter:" on which Dr. Ford desired it to be loosened,
for which the prisoner bowed, and thanked him.
As the clock struck eight, the door was thrown open, and Sheriff Cox and
his officers appeared. The governor approaching him, said, "I attend
you, sir;" and the procession to the scaffold, over the Debtors'-door,
immediately succeeded. He had no sooner ascended it, accompanied by the
Ordinary, than three successive shouts from an innumerable populace, the
brutal effusion of one common sentiment, evidently deprived him of the
small portion of fortitude which he had summoned up. He bowed his head
under the extreme pressure of ignominy, when the hangman put the halter
over it. This done, Mr. Wall stooped forward and spoke to the Ordinary,
who, no doubt at his request, pulled the cap over the lower part of the
face, when in an instant, without waiting for any signal, the platform
dropped.
From the knot of the rope turning round to the back of the neck, and his
legs not being pulled, as at his particular request, he was suspended in
convulsive agony for more than a quarter of an hour. After hanging a
full hour, his body was cut down, put into a cart, and immediately
conveyed to a building in Cow-cross-street to be dissected. He was
dressed in a mixed coloured loose coat, with a black collar, swan-down
waistcoat, blue pantaloons, and white silk stockings. He appeared a
miserable and emaciated object, never having quitted the bed of his cell
from the day of condemnation till the morning of his execution.
The body of the unfortunate gentleman was not exposed to public view, as
was usual in such cases. Mr. Belfour, secretary to the Surgeons'
Company, applied to Lord Kenyon to know whether such an exposure was
necessary; and finding that the forms of dissection only were required,
the body, after those forms had been complied with, was consigned to the
relations of the unhappy man, upon their paying fifty guineas to the
Philanthropic Society.
JOHN TERRY AND JOSEPH HEALD.
EXECUTED FOR MURDER.
These villains were executed for the wilful murder of a poor old woman,
named Elizabeth Smith, aged sixty-seven years; their object being to
possess themselves of a small sum of money, known to have been recently
before transmitted to her by her son.
Their trial came on at York, on Friday the 18th of March 1803; and the
indictment alleged the murder to have been committed at Flaminshaw, near
Wakefield, in the same county.
It appeared that the deceased was a respectable woman, who obtained an
humble living by disposing of the produce of two cows which she
possessed. Misfortune, however, fell upon her, and her cows died; but
through the instrumentality of her neighbours a subscription was raised
for her, by which one cow was purchased. Her son, who was engaged in a
decent way of life at Leeds, sent her eighteen guineas to buy another;
and this was the bait by which the wretched men, whose crime we are
about to describe, were allured. On the morning of the 14th of January
1803, the poor old woman was found to have been murdered in her own
house, under circumstances of very great barbarity; and suspicion having
fallen upon the prisoners, they were taken into custody. Terry then,
driven by remorse, made a confession to Shaw and Linley, the constables
by whom he had been secured. He said that he and Heald, having
determined upon the perpetration of the murder, agreed to meet outside
the house of the deceased at about one o'clock on the morning of the
14th of January. They met in accordance with their appointment; and
Heald having first entered the house, by making his way through the
first-floor window, with his (Terry's) assistance, he directly
afterwards placed something against the side of the house by means of
which he was enabled to follow him. On their gaining the room of Mrs.
Smith, they found that she had been alarmed by the noise which they had
made, and was getting up; but they directly attacked her, and knocked
her down; and when Heald had struck her several blows, he took out a
razor. The deceased was now still on the ground, and he (Terry) held her
head, while Heald cut her throat; but at length his fingers being
wounded, he called to his companion to desist, as they had done enough,
and proposed that they should go and see if all was safe. He then ran
down stairs, but returning in a few moments, he found that Heald had got
the old woman into another room, and was beating her over the head with
a pair of tongs. Upon seeing him, he struck her no more, and then they
directly secured the money and made off. From the evidence of the
constables it further appeared that Heald, on hearing the confession of
the other prisoner, upbraided him for deceiving him, and added, "Thou
knowest I was not with thee." Terry answered, "Thou knowest there is a
God above, who knows all;" and upon Heald remarking, "Thou hadst better
lay it upon somebody else," he replied, "I will not hang an innocent
man; thou knowest there were but us two, and God for our witness."
This, together with some other circumstances of suspicion, proved
against the two prisoners, constituted the evidence against them; and
the jury returned a verdict of Guilty. Sentence of death was then
immediately
[Illustration: _John Smith robbing a Hackney Coachman._
_p. 379._]
passed, and was ordered to be put into execution on the following
Monday; but in the mean time a most extraordinary change took place in
the demeanour of the prisoner Terry.
Upon his being attended by Mr. Brown, the Ordinary, he asserted that
Heald was not guilty, and that if he were hanged, he should be guilty of
two murders instead of only one. He entreated that the clergyman would
endeavour to procure the respite of his fellow-prisoner, and declared
that he could not bear to be hanged with an innocent man. The whole of
the circumstances were in consequence submitted to the consideration of
the learned judge; and every measure of precaution was instantly taken
by that learned individual to prevent the occurrence of an event which
might deprive an innocent person of life; but as it was found that Heald
made no attempt to join in the protestations of his companion, and
further that the whole of Terry's conduct appeared to arise from a
desire only that the execution should be respited, and that his
declarations were contradictory and evidently devoid of truth, the law
was ordered to take its course.
On the way from his cell to the scaffold Terry appeared to be in the
highest state of excitement; and upon his appearance on the platform, he
exhibited a most extraordinary degree of stubbornness. He shouted to the
mob assembled, that they were going to hang an innocent man, and even
made an effort to escape, by jumping from the ladder placed against the
gallows, and which he was only prevented from doing by the clergyman,
who seized him by the collar. He then renewed his protestations of his
own guilt, and the innocence of his companion; and in spite of the
entreaties of the clergyman, and of Heald, that he would allow him the
benefit of the prayers, he continued to make the most clamorous
resistance to the execution of the sentence. By the united exertions of
five men, he was at length dragged to the drop, and the rope was forced
over his head; but in his efforts he tore off the cap; and at the moment
at which the platform sunk, he made a spring, and throwing himself
towards the side of the gallows, got his foot upon the beam, and caught
the corner-post with his arm. In this dreadful situation he supported
himself for about a minute, when he was forced off by the executioner,
and then, with his face uncovered, he was left suspended. In a few
moments both he and his companion in crime were lifeless.
ROBERT SMITH.
EXECUTED FOR ROBBERY.
This singular robber was a Scotchman, and one of those adventurers who,
ingenious in wickedness, devise new plans of depredation, and make the
industrious, whose hard earnings they enjoy, the chief objects of their
prey.