How Jonathan Wild's House was burnt down.
The day appointed for the execution was now close at hand, and the
prisoner, who seemed to have abandoned all hopes of escape, turned his
thoughts entirely from worldly considerations.
On Sunday, he was conveyed to the chapel, through which he had passed on
the occasion of his great escape, and once more took his seat in the
Condemned Pew. The Rev. Mr. Purney, the ordinary, who had latterly
conceived a great regard for Jack, addressed him in a discourse, which,
while it tended to keep alive his feelings of penitence, was calculated
to afford him much consolation. The chapel was crowded to excess. But
here,--even here, the demon was suffered to intrude, and Jack's thoughts
were distracted by Jonathan Wild, who stood at a little distance from
him, and kept his bloodthirsty eyes fixed on him during the whole of the
service.
On that night, an extraordinary event occurred, which convinced the
authorities that every precaution must be taken in conducting Jack to
Tyburn,--a fact of which they had been previously made aware, though
scarcely to the same extent, by the riotous proceedings near Westminster
Hall. About nine o'clock, an immense mob collected before the Lodge at
Newgate. It was quite dark; but as some of the assemblage carried links,
it was soon ascertained to be headed by the same party who had mainly
incited the former disturbance. Amongst the ring-leaders was Blueskin,
whose swarthy features and athletic figure were easily distinguished.
Another was Baptist Kettleby, and a third, in a Dutch dress, was
recognised by his grizzled beard as the skipper, Van Galgebrok.
Before an hour had elapsed, the concourse was fearfully increased. The
area in front of the jail was completely filled. Attempts were made upon
the door of the Lodge; but it was too strong to be forced. A cry was
then raised by the leaders to attack Wild's house, and the fury of the
mob was instantly directed to that quarter. Wrenched from their holds,
the iron palisades in front of the thief-taker's dwelling were used as
weapons to burst open the door.
While this was passing, Jonathan opened one of the upper windows, and
fired several shots upon the assailants. But though he made Blueskin and
Kettleby his chief marks, he missed both. The sight of the thief-taker
increased the fury of the mob to a fearful degree. Terrific yells rent
the air. The heavy weapon thundered against the door; and it speedily
yielded to their efforts.
"Come on, my lads!" vociferated Blueskin, "we'll unkennel the old fox."
As he spoke, several shots were fired from the upper part of the house,
and two men fell mortally wounded. But this only incensed the assailing
party the more. With a drawn cutlass in one hand and a cocked pistol in
the other, Blueskin rushed up stairs. The landing was defended by Quilt
Arnold and the Jew. The former was shot by Blueskin through the head,
and his body fell over the bannisters. The Jew, who was paralysed by his
companion's fate, offered no resistance, and was instantly seized.
"Where is your accursed master?" demanded Blueskin, holding the sword to
his throat.
The Jew did not speak, but pointed to the audience-chamber. Committing
him to the custody of the others, Blueskin, followed by a numerous band,
darted in that direction. The door was locked; but, with the bars of
iron, it was speedily burst open. Several of the assailants carried
links, so that the room was a blaze of light. Jonathan, however, was
nowhere to be seen.
Rushing towards the entrance of the well-hole, Blueskin touched the
secret spring. He was not there. Opening the trap-door, he then
descended to the vaults--searched each cell, and every nook and corner
separately. Wild had escaped.
Robbed of their prey, the fury of the mob became ungovernable. At
length, at the end of a passage, next to the cell where Mrs. Sheppard
had been confined, Blueskin discovered a trap-door which he had not
previously noticed. It was instantly burst open, when the horrible
stench that issued from it convinced them that it must be a receptacle
for the murdered victims of the thief-taker.
Holding a link into the place, which had the appearance of a deep pit,
Blueskin noticed a body richly dressed. He dragged it out, and
perceiving, in spite of the decayed frame, that it was the body of Sir
Rowland Trenchard, commanded his attendants to convey it up stairs--an
order which was promptly obeyed.
Returning to the audience-chamber, Blueskin had the Jew brought before
him. The body of Sir Rowland was then laid on the large table. Opposite
to it was placed the Jew. Seeing from the threatening looks of his
captors, that they were about to wreak their vengeance upon him, the
miserable wretch besought mercy in abject terms, and charged his master
with the most atrocious crimes. His relation of the murder of Sir
Rowland petrified even his fierce auditors.
One of the cases in Jonathan's museum was now burst open, and a rope
taken from it. In spite of his shrieks, the miserable Jew was then
dragged into the well-hole, and the rope being tied round his neck, he
was launched from the bridge.
The vengeance of the assailants did not stop here. They broke open the
entrance into Jonathan's store-room--plundered it of everything
valuable--ransacked every closet, drawer, and secret hiding-place, and
stripped them of their contents. Large hoards of money were discovered,
gold and silver plate, cases of watches, and various precious articles.
Nothing, in short, portable or valuable was left. Old implements of
housebreaking were discovered; and the thief-taker's most hidden
depositories were laid bare.
The work of plunder over, that of destruction commenced. Straw and other
combustibles being collected, were placed in the middle of the
audience-chamber. On these were thrown all the horrible contents of
Jonathan's museum, together with the body of Sir Rowland Trenchard. The
whole was then fired, and in a few minutes the room was a blaze. Not
content with this, the assailants set fire to the house in half-a-dozen
other places; and the progress of the flames was rapid and destructive.
Meanwhile, the object of all this fearful disturbance had made his
escape to Newgate, from the roof of which he witnessed the destruction
of his premises. He saw the flames burst from the windows, and perhaps
in that maddening spectacle suffered torture equivalent to some of the
crimes he had committed.
While he was thus standing, the flames of his house, which made the
whole street as light as day, and ruddily illumined the faces of the mob
below, betrayed him to them, and he was speedily driven from his
position by a shower of stones and other missiles.
The mob now directed their attention to Newgate; and, from their
threats, appeared determined to fire it. Ladders, paviour's rams,
sledge-hammers, and other destructive implements were procured, and, in
all probability, their purpose would have been effected, but for the
opportune arrival of a detachment of the guards, who dispersed them, not
without some loss of life.
Several prisoners were taken, but the ring-leaders escaped. Engines
were brought to play upon Wild's premises, and upon the adjoining
houses. The latter were saved; but of the former nothing but the
blackened stone walls were found standing on the morrow.