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.