CAPTAIN JACK AND THE “BAKER’S DOZEN” ARE LODGED IN GAOL, AND AWAIT
THE JUDGMENT OF THE LAW.
If, during his whole lifetime, Wildfire Ned had done nothing more,
the successful capture of Captain Jack and his noted gang was more
than enough to bring his name prominently before the world, with
honourable mention for deeds of daring in the cause of the public
good.
For a long time the public knew but little of the doings of the
“Baker’s Dozen,” as the gang was called, but after their apprehension
so many things came to light to prove their villany that all good
people shuddered when they heard of them.
Old Bates and Captain Jack had long been before the world in the
character of “thief-takers,” but as we have already seen in the pages
of this story, they themselves were the greatest rascals left unhung.
And well did Colonel Blood know it.
But Blood, like a wicked, designing man as he really was, never
breathed a single syllable of their doings, so long as they payed
him well for his silence, or proved of any use to him in his own
nefarious practices.
But now that Captain Jack and his companions were in prison, Colonel
Blood drew up a report of their doings and mode of proceeding, which,
in brief, was as follows:—
“As soon as any considerable robbery was committed, and old Bates
received intelligence by whom, he immediately went to the thieves,
and inquired how the thing was done, where the person lived who was
injured, and what the booty consisted of when taken away.
“Then pretending to chide them for their wickedness and exhorting
them to live honest for the future, he gave it them, as his advice,
to lodge what they had taken in a proper place, which he appointed,
and promised to take some measures for their security, by getting the
people to give them a reward to have their things returned to them
again.
“Having thus wheedled those who had committed a robbery into
compliance with his wishes, his next business was to divide the goods
into several parcels, and cause them to be sent to different places,
always avoiding them being sent to his own hands.
“Things being in this condition, Bates and Captain Jack went to
the persons who had been robbed, and after condoling with them,
pretended that they had some acquaintance with a broker to whom
certain goods had been brought, some of which they suspected to have
been stolen, and hearing that the person to whom they thus applied
had been robbed, they thought it their duty to inform them thereof,
and to enquire what goods they were which they had lost, in order to
discover whether those they spoke of were the same or not.
“People who had had such losses were always ready to listen to
anything of that kind, trusting to know something of their goods.
Therefore, in a day or two, Bates or Captain Jack was sure to come
again, with intelligence that they had found part of the things, and
that, providing no one was brought into trouble, and the broker had
something in consideration of his care, they might be had again.
“This practice of old Bates, if well considered, carried with it a
great deal of policy.
“For, first, it seemed a very honest act to prevail on evil persons
to restore the goods that they had stolen.
“And then it was a great benefit to those who had been robbed to have
their goods again upon a reasonable premium, old Bates all the while
apparently taking nothing, his advantages arising out of the gratuity
left with the broker, and out of what he had bargained to give the
thief, who also found his advantage, the rewards being very nearly
as large as the price given by receivers, since receiving became
so dangerous, and affording, moreover, a certain security into the
bargain.
“With respect to Bates or Jack, this contrivance placed them in
safety from all the laws then in being, so that in a short time he
and Captain Jack began to give themselves out for persons who made it
their business to restore stolen goods to their right owners, and no
more.
“When Captain Jack first did this, he acted with so much art that
he acquired a very great deal of reputation, not only from those
who dealt with him, but even from people of a higher station, who,
observing the industry with which he prosecuted malefactors, took him
for a friend of justice, and, as such, afforded him countenance.
“He was constantly bringing men to the gallows, and, in order that he
might keep up that character which he had attained in all his course
of acting, not one man escaped him.
“When this practice of Jack became noted it produced not only much
discourse but some inquiries into his behaviour.
“Jack and Bates also foresaw all this, and, in order to evade all
evil consequences, they put, upon such occasions, an air of gravity,
and complained of the evil dispositions of the times, which would not
permit a man to serve his neighbours and his country without censure.
“‘For do not I,’ said Jack, ‘do the greatest good when I persuade
people who deprived others of their property to restore it to them
again for a reasonable consideration, and the villains who I have
brought to suffer punishment, do not their deaths show how much use I
am to my country? Why, then, should people asperse me?’
“Besides these professions of honesty, two great things there were
which contributed to his preservation, which were these—
“First, the great readiness government always shows in detecting
persons guilty of capital offences, in which cases it is common to
offer not only pardon but rewards to persons guilty, provided they
make discovery, and this Captain Jack was so sensible of that he
did not screen himself behind the lenity of the supreme power, but
made use of it also as an authority, taking upon him, as it were,
the character of a minister of justice, which, however ill-founded,
proved of great advantage to him in the course of his life.
“The other point which contributed to keep him from prosecution, was
the great willingness of people who had been robbed to discover their
goods, so that, provided for a small sacrifice they regained things
very considerable, they were so far from bringing the offender to
justice that they thought the premium as a cheap price to get off.
“Thus, by the lenity of the subject and the rigour of the magistrate,
Captain Jack claimed employment.
“And, according as the case required it, the poor thieves were either
trussed up to satisfy the just vengeance of the one, or protected and
encouraged to satisfy the demands of the other.
“If any title can be devised suitable to Jack’s character it must
be that of director-general of the united forces of highwaymen,
house-breakers, pickpockets, and private thieves.
“Now the maxims by which he supported himself in this capacity were
these:—
“In the first place, he continually exhorted the plunderers to let
him know precisely what goods they at any time took.
“By which means he had it in his power to give a direct answer to
those who came to make inquiries of him.
“If they complied faithfully with his injunctions he was a certain
protector on all occasions.
“And sometimes he had interest enough to procure them liberty when
apprehended.
“But if they pretended to become independent and despise his rules,
or throw out any threatening speeches against their companions, or
grumbled at the composition made for them, in such cases as these
Jack took the first opportunity of informing some of his creatures of
the first fresh act they committed.
“He immediately set about to apprehend them, and laboured so
indefatigably therein that they never escaped him.
“Thus he not only procured the reward for himself, but also gained an
opportunity of pretending that he not only restored goods to their
rightful owners, but also apprehended the thief as often as lay in
his power.
“In those parts of his business which were not hazardous, Captain
Jack made the people themselves take the first steps by publishing
advertisements of things lost, and directing them to be brought to
him, who was empowered to receive them, and pay such a reward as the
person who lost them thought fit to offer.
“Jack in this capacity appeared no otherwise than as a person on
whose honour the injured person could rely.
“After he had gone on with this trade for several years with success
he began to lay aside much of his former caution, taking a larger
house in Lambeth than that in which he formerly lived, giving the
woman, whom he called his wife, abundance of fine things, and keeping
an open office for the recovery of stolen goods.
“Captain Jack’s fame at last came to that height that persons of the
highest quality would condescend to make use of his abilities when
they had the misfortune to lose their watches or other articles of
value.
“But as his method of treating those who applied to him for
assistance might be misrepresented, what is given here may be relied
on.
“In the first place, when a person was introduced to Jack’s office it
was hinted to him that a guinea at least must be deposited by way of
fee for his advice.
When this was complied with a large book was brought out.
“Then the loser was examined with much formality as to the time,
place, and manner wherein the goods were missing, with a promise of
careful investigation being made, and of hearing more concerning them
in a few days.
“Jack had not the least occasion for questions, but to amuse the
persons he asked.
“For he knew beforehand all the circumstances connected with the
robbery much better than they did, and perhaps had the very goods in
his house at the time.
“When the enquirers came a second time, Captain Jack or Bates took
care to amuse them again.
“He then told them that he had made enquiries, but was sorry to
communicate the event to them, for that the thief, who was a
bold, impudent fellow, rejected the offer that had been made him,
pretending that he could sell the goods for double the price, and,
indeed, would not hear a word of restitution, unless upon better
terms.
“‘But,’ says Jack, ‘if I can but get to speak to him, I do not doubt
of bringing him to reason.’
“After two or three more attendances, Jack would say as a definite
answer to the enquirer,
“‘Provided no questions were asked, and you gave so much money to the
party who brought them, you might have the things returned privately
at such an hour.’
“This was always done with an outward sign of friendship on his
side, and with seeming frankness and generosity; but when you came
to the last part of the agreement, that is to say, what Jack himself
expected for his trouble, then an air of coldness was put on, and
he answered with indifference, that what he did was purely from a
principle of doing good, and as a gratuity for the trouble he had
taken, he left it entirely to yourself—you might do as you thought
proper.
“When money was presented to him, he received it with the same cold
indifference, always putting you in mind that he did not accept your
gift as a reward conferred upon himself, but as a favour conferred
upon you.
“Thus, by his dexterity in his management, he fenced himself against
the rigour of the law, in the midst of these notorious transgressions
of it.
“For what could be imputed to him?
“He neither saw the thief who took away the goods, nor received them
after they were taken.
“The method he pursued was neither dishonest or illegal, if you would
believe his account of it, and no other account could be obtained of
it.
“Had Captain Jack or Bates continued satisfied with this way of
dealing, he, in all probability, would have gone down to the grave in
peace.
“But he was greedy.
“And instead of keeping constant to this safe method, came at last to
take the goods into his own house, giving those that stole them what
he thought proper, and then making such a bargain with the loser as
he was able to bring him to, sending the porter himself, and taking,
without ceremony, whatever was offered to him.
“A gentleman who dealt in silks had a piece of extraordinary rich
material bespoke of him on purpose for a birthday suit, and, having
bought such trimmings as was proper for it, the gentleman made the
whole of it up into a parcel, and placed it at one end of the counter
in expectation of it being called for by the purchaser.
“Accordingly the man came for it, but when the tradesman went to get
him the goods the parcel was gone, and no account could possibly be
had of it.
“As the master had been all day in the shop, there was no pretence of
charging his servants either of carelessness or dishonesty.
“After an hour or so he saw no other remedy but communicating
with Captain Jack in hopes of receiving some benefit from his
assistance; the loss consisting not so much of the things as in the
disappointment of his customer.
“As soon as he called at the house of Captain Jack and acquainted him
with his business, the usual deposit of a guinea being made, and
the common questions of how, when, and where having been asked, the
tradesman, being very impatient, said, with some warmth—
“‘Captain Jack, is it in your power to serve me? If it is I have
thirty guineas here ready to lay down; but if you expect that I
should dance attendance upon you for a week or two, I assure you I
shall not be willing to part with half that money.’
“‘My dear sir,’ replied Jack, ‘I am no receiver of stolen goods, nor
am I a thief, so that if you do not wish to give me time to inquire
you can take what proceedings you may think proper.’
“When the tradesman found he was likely to be left without any
hopes he began to talk in a milder strain, and, with abundance of
entreaties, begged Jack to help him all he possibly could.
“Captain Jack stepped out a minute or two, and as soon as he came
back he told the tradesman,
“‘It was not in his power to serve him in such a hurry, if at all;
however, in a day or two he might be able to give him some answer’.
“The tradesman insisted that a day or two would lessen the value of
the goods one half to him.
“And Jack insisted as peremptorily that it was not in his power to do
anything sooner.
“At last a servant came in a great hurry, and told Jack that a
gentleman wished to see him instantly.
“Jack bowed, and begged to be excused for a few moments.
“Shortly afterwards he returned with a smiling countenance, and,
turning to the tradesman, said—
“‘I protest, sir, you are the luckiest man I ever knew; I spoke to
one of my people to go to a house where I sometimes resort, and
directed him to talk of your robbery, and to say you had been with me
and offered thirty pounds for the things again. This story had its
effect, and if you go directly home I fancy you will hear more of
it than I can tell you. But pray, sir, remember, the thirty pounds
was your own offer, and you are free to give it or not, just as you
please; but as I have taken an interest in the matter an adequate
reward would not be out of place.’
“Away went the tradesman wondering where this affair would end.
“But while walking towards his own shop a fellow overtook him, patted
him on the shoulder, delivered him the parcel unopened, and told him
the price was twenty guineas.
“The tradesman paid it to him directly, and returning to Captain
Jack’s house begged of him to accept the other ten pounds for his own
trouble.
“Jack told him that he had saved him nothing, but he supposed the
people considered twenty guineas enough considering that they thought
themselves safely from prosecution.
“The tradesman still pressed the ten guineas on Jack, who, after
taking them out of his hand, returned him five of them, and assured
him,
“‘That was more than enough,’ adding—
“‘It is satisfaction sufficient to an honest man that he is able to
procure people their goods again.’
“This was a remarkable instance of the moderation Captain Jack
sometimes practised, the better to conceal his villanies.
“Another story is no less extraordinary.
“A lady, whose husband was out of the kingdom, and who had sent over
draughts for her assistance to the amount of between £700 and £1,000,
lost the pocket book in which they were contained near Fleet Street,
where the merchant lived upon whom they were drawn.
“She, however, went to the gentleman, and he advised her to go
directly to Captain Jack.
“Accordingly she went to Lambeth, deposited the guinea, and answered
the questions that he put to her.
“Jack said that in an hour’s time some of his people might discover
who it was that picked the lady’s pocket.
“The lady was vehement in her desire to have it again, and at last
went so far as to offer one hundred pounds.
“Jack, upon that, made answer—
“‘Though they are of much greater value to you, madam, yet they
cannot be anything like it to them; therefore, keep your own council,
and I will give you the best direction I am able for the recovery
of your notes. In the meantime, if you will adjourn to any hotel at
hand, and partake of some refreshment, I will furnish you with an
answer as quickly as possible.’
“The lady would not be satisfied unless Captain Jack consented also
to partake of some with her.
“He at last complied, and ordered a fowl and other refreshment at the
house which he named, and with which he was well acquainted.
“After waiting some time, Captain Jack joined her, and told her he
had heard news of her missing pocket-book, desiring her to lay ten
pounds on the table in case she should have occasion for them; and,
as the waiter came up to acquaint the lady that the fowl was ready,
Jack requested that she would just step down and see if there was any
woman waiting at the door.
“The lady, without minding the mystery, did as he desired her, and
discovered a woman in a grey cloak, who walked two or three times
past the door.
“This aroused her curiosity, and prompted her to go nearer; but
recollecting she had left the gold on the table upstairs, she went
and snatched it up, ran down once more, and went towards the woman in
the grey cloak, who still walked before the door.
“It seems she had suspected correctly; for no sooner did the woman
see her approach towards her, than she came up directly, and
presenting the pocket-book, desired she would open it.
“‘Here,’ she added, ‘is another note.’
“Upon which the unknown woman presented her with a little billet, on
the outside of which was written, ‘ten pounds.’
“The lady took the money immediately, and presented the woman with a
piece for herself.
“This done, she returned to Jack, and told him, with much pleasure,
that she had secured her book, and would now eat her dinner most
heartily.
“When the table was cleared, she considered it was time to return to
the merchant’s, who, probably, now had come back from Change, but
first considered it necessary to make Captain Jack a handsome present.
“For this purpose she put her hand into her pocket, and, to her
surprise, found it was gone, in which was the remainder of fifty
pounds which the merchant had lent her in the early part of the day.
“Upon this she looked very much confused, but did not speak a word.
“Jack quickly perceived her confusion, and asked her if she was
unwell.
“‘I am well in health, sir,’ she replied, ‘but amazed that the woman
took but ten pounds for my lost pocket-book, and at the same time
picked my pocket of thirty more!’
“Jack hereupon seemed in as much confusion as the lady, and said he
hoped she was not in earnest, but, if she were, requested her not to
disturb herself, for she should not lose one farthing.
“Upon this Jack desired her to sit still, while he stepped over to
his own house, and issued, as may be supposed, necessary directions,
for, in less than half an hour a little boy that Jack kept bolted
into the room, and told them the woman was taken, and on the point of
going to prison.
“‘You shall see, madam,’ said Jack to the lady, ‘what exemplary
punishment I will make of this infamous woman.’
“Then, turning himself to the boy, he said,
“‘Was the purse of money taken about her?’
“‘Yes, sir,’ replied the lad.
“‘Oh,’ said the lady, ‘I will take the purse.’
“The lady begged of Jack to have no hand in apprehending or punishing
the poor wretch,
“‘For,’ said she, ‘I would rather lose all I have than the poor
creature should suffer.’
“‘Oh, I beg ten thousand pardons, madam,’ said Jack, with a very
profound bow; ‘I have served your ends, so far, and now this culprit
must serve mine; in less than two weeks you will hear that this
pickpocket has suffered the full penalty of the law.’
“True to his word, the poor wretch did suffer, for she was hung at
Tyburn in less than the time he had promised.
“Thus acted Captain Jack and Bates towards all the notorious
characters with whom they were connected.
“The poor devils in the first place served Jack and Bates by
enriching them with systematic roguery, and, after they had ‘run
their race,’ as Jack was wont to say, with a laugh, the gallows was
sure to be their reward and the chief witness against them in all
cases was Jack or Bates.
“For a long series of years these two villains and the Baker’s Dozen
carried on this devilish system of rearing and fostering thieves, and
afterwards hanging them; but now, to use Jack’s own words, he and the
Dozen had likewise ‘run their race,’ for within a month after their
arrest by Wildfire Ned, Lieutenant Garnet, and the gallant assistance
of Bob Bertram, they were condemned to die, and were hung in gibbets
on the identical cross roads of which Colonel Blood had spoken in an
early chapter of this tale.
“They stoutly protested their innocence, of course, and spoke loudly
against the knavery of Colonel Blood; but, before they suffered,
Captain Jack and old Bates were seized with remorse, and bewailed
their past lives as bitterly as men possibly could do.”