Sir,--I am glad that you devote some part of your columns to the good
work of bringing forward facts and anecdotes which, though not generally
known, your readers individually may have happened to notice, and which
illustrate the manners of our ancestors. I dare say few of your
correspondents have met with the _London Magazine_ for the year of 1741.
An imperfect copy fell into my hands when a lad; ever since which time I
have been in a state of great wonderment at the story contained in the
leaf which I enclose. I need hardly say that the _italics_ are mine; and
perhaps they are hardly necessary. Yours, &c., BETA.
"TUESDAY, 21 [June].
"A very extraordinary Affair happen'd at the County Gaol in
Hertford, where four Highwaymen, very stout lusty Fellows, viz.
Theophilus Dean, Charles Cox (alias Bacon-Face), James Smith, and
Luke Humphrys, lay under Sentence of Death, pass'd on them the last
Assizes, and were intended to have been executed the following Day;
Mr. Oxenton, the Gaoler, _who keeps an Inn opposite to the Prison_,
went into the Gaol about four a Clock in the Morning, as was his
Custom, attended by three Men, to see if all was safe, and, having
lock'd the outward Door, sent _one_ of his Men down to the Dungeon,
where the four Felons had found means to disengage themselves from
the Pillar and Chain to which they had been lock'd down, and one of
them, viz. Bacon-Face, had got off both his Hand-Cuffs and Fetters;
on opening the Door, they disabled the Man and all rush'd out; then
coming up Stairs they met the Gaoler and his other two Men, of whom
they demanded the Keys, threatening to murder them if their request
was not immediately comply'd with: they then forced his men into the
Yard beyond the Hatchway, and a Battle ensu'd, in which the Gaoler
behav'd so manfully, tho' he had but one Man to assist him, that he
maintain'd the Possession of his Keys till he was heard by his Wife,
then in Bed, to call out for Assistance, who _fortunately having
another Key to the Gaol_, ran to rescue him; the Fellows saw her
coming and demanded her Key, threatening to murder her if she
offer'd to assist her Husband: By this Time the Neighbourhood was
alarm'd, and several Persons got to the Gaol Door, when Mrs.
Oxenton, notwithstanding their Threats, at the utmost Hazard of her
Life, open'd the same and caught hold of her Husband, who was almost
spent, and with the Assistance of some Persons, got him out and
lock'd the Door without suffering the Fellows to escape: They
continued cursing and swearing that they would murder the first Man
that attempted to enter the Gaol. In the mean Time Robert Hadsley,
Esq., High-Sheriff, who lives about a Mile from the Town, was sent
for, and came immediately; he parley'd with them some Time to no
Purpose, then order'd Fire-Arms to be brought, and, in case they
would not submit, to shoot at them, which these Desparadoes refusing
to do, they accordingly fired on them, and Theophilus Dean receiving
a Shot in the Groin, dropt; then they surrender'd, and the Sheriff
instantly caus'd Bacon-Face _to be hang'd on the Arch of the Sign
Iron belonging to the Gaoler's House_, in the Sight of his
Companions and great Numbers of People; the other three were
directly put into a Cart and carried to the usual Place of
Execution, and there hang'd before seven a Clock that
Morning."--_Lond. Mag._ July, 1741, p. 360.
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