have been an apparatus for washing linen, as an article of that
description was found in his possession at the time of his being taken
into custody. It was fortunate for the individual with whom the
correspondence was commenced, that the intimacy proceeded no farther
than it did, for inevitable ruin and misery must have followed upon a
matrimonial connexion. The letters to which we have alluded as having
been written by Greenacre on the morning of his death, were addressed to
his relations and to his legal assistants, Mr. Price, and Mr. Hobler. In
both these effusions he maintained the same ground which he had taken
both before and after his trial, that the death of Mrs. Brown was an
_accident_; and that Mrs. Gale was totally unacquainted with the death
of his victim until she was in custody.
Sarah Gale, it appears, had received a moderate education, and at an
early period of her life is stated to have joined the theatrical corps
of an East-end theatre, under the name of Wiston. From this position she
sunk to that of an "unfortunate," and in that station she is stated to
have been a frequent attendant at the theatres of the metropolis. While
thus circumstanced she became acquainted with a member of the legal
profession, with whom she lived for a considerable time, and by whom she
had one child which died in its infancy. The intimacy with her
protector, however, being broken off, she was considerably reduced, and
was eventually married to a hackney-coachman. She now applied to the
gentleman to whose acquaintance with her we have alluded, and by his
assistance she was enabled to commence business in the borough of
Southwark in a chandler's shop. Her husband soon dissipated all her
profits, and again reduced to poverty by his desertion of her, about two
years before the period of the murder, for her participation in which
she was convicted, she became acquainted with Greenacre, with whom she
lived at intervals up to the time of their apprehension. Her maiden name
was Farr; and the child which remained with her throughout her
confinement, was understood to be that of her husband.
A short memoir of the life of Mrs. Brown shall conclude our notice of
this dreadful case. Mrs. Brown, it appears, was born in the year 1780,
within two miles of the city of Norwich, of respectable parents. Her
maiden name was Gay. At the age of sixteen years she entered into
service in the family of Lord Wodehouse, at Crimley-hall, but after
remaining there for four years, she determined to come to London. For a
considerable time she supported herself there as a servant, but at
length she was married to a person named Thomas Brown, a shoemaker. This
union proved an unhappy one, and at the expiration of two years her
husband quitted her in order to proceed to Jamaica to claim some
property, to which, by the death of a relation, he had become entitled.
On his voyage he was washed overboard; and his wife, unacquainted with
the precise nature of his claim, was unable to secure the bequest of her
husband's relative. From this
[Illustration: _Bartlett shooting M^{rs.} Lewis._
_P. 453._]
period she appears to have lived constantly in service, and it was
supposed by her friends that she had amassed a considerable property by
her savings. She was a person of reserved disposition, however, and
communicated with few as to her position in life. Her acquaintance with
Greenacre appears to have commenced only about three months before her
murder, but the precise manner in which that connexion originated does
not seem to have been known to her friends.
CHARLES SAMUEL BARTLETT.
EXECUTED FOR MURDER.
At the Gloucester Assizes on Thursday the 6th of April 1837, Charles
Samuel Bartlett was indicted for the wilful murder of Mary Lewis, his
mother-in-law, on the 10th of September, in the previous year, at
Stapleton, near Bristol.
The case had excited an unusual degree of interest, and the court was
much crowded. On his being called upon to plead to the indictment, the
prisoner said, "With the word of God upon my heart and lips, I can
firmly and truly say 'Not Guilty.'" This assertion, however, was
satisfactorily and by indisputable evidence disproved. The circumstances
which were detailed by a great number of witnesses were these:--The
prisoner was a young man of decent parentage and education, but of a
somewhat dissipated disposition; and he had followed a wandering life as
a member of a strolling company of players, called Ingleby's Company,
frequenting fairs, race-courses, and other such places of entertainment.
In the month of August 1836, he visited Monmouth with his troop; and
having become acquainted with the daughter of a shoemaker named Lewis,
he was married to her. He received 45_l._ as her wedding portion, and a
promise of a further amount upon the death of her father; and after a
short sojourn with his wife's friends, he proceeded to join his party.
On the 5th of September, hearing that her daughter and son-in-law were
at Bristol, Mrs. Lewis went to see them, and she visited them there
repeatedly, the prisoner being engaged in the usual manner in attending
the fair. On the 9th of September, Bartlett was seen in the possession
of a horse-pistol; and he sent a boy to purchase powder and percussion
caps, and the boy saw him roll up a piece of lead in the form of a
bullet. Previously to this he and his mother-in-law had had some
difference; but on Saturday, the 10th of September, they quitted his
lodgings together, and were seen walking on the Stapleton-road. They
entered the Mason's Arms, and partook of some refreshment; and while
there Bartlett borrowed a knife from the landlady, saying that he wanted
to cut a piece of wood. He went out to the back yard with it where the
firewood was kept; and on his return to the house, he was observed to be
agitated, and he strove to conceal his features. Having then paid for
the liquor which they had had, he and Mrs. Lewis went away, and they
were seen to turn down a place called Tebbutt's-lane, leading towards
the river Frome. Soon afterwards a shot was heard; and within an hour
the murdered body of Mrs. Lewis was discovered stretched on the ground.
Her dress was disordered, her bonnet and shawl had been torn from her
person, and one of her legs was found doubled under her, as if in the
agonies of death. She was instantly conveyed to the Mason's Arms; and
upon an examination of her person she was found to have been shot
through the back part of her head, the ball having passed through her
bonnet. Bartlett went to the Mason's Arms to see the body; and on being
introduced to the room where it lay, he exclaimed, with affected
surprise, "Good God! it is my mother-in-law!" Suspicion had already
attached to him, and he was now taken into custody; and upon his
lodgings being searched, a pistol was found which had been recently
discharged, together with a piece of wood newly cut into the form of a
ramrod. The evidence extended into the most minute particulars in
reference to the transaction; and the chain of proof which was procured,
appeared to leave no possible doubt on the guilt of the prisoner.
The defence which was set up was, that Bartlett had left his
mother-in-law immediately on his quitting the Mason's Arms, and that the
pistol which had been found at his lodgings was one which he had been in
the habit of discharging at the fairs, in order to attract attention to
his employer's booth.
The trial lasted during the whole of two days, and then a verdict of
"Guilty" was returned. Upon the unhappy man being called up for
judgment, he threw himself into a theatrical attitude, and delivered a
set speech of some length, which was distinguished by great force and
vehemence both of style and manner, and produced an extremely strong and
painful sensation throughout the court. He stated in substance that he
should meet his death with firmness and resignation, protesting his
innocence even in his dying moments, and calling upon God to visit with
his awful retribution the murderer of his mother-in-law. Sentence of
death was then passed, and the prisoner was removed from the bar.
On Saturday, the 15th of April, the sentence of the law was carried into
effect upon the wretched criminal. He had been visited by the clergymen
of the jail, but they could not succeed in making any impression on him;
and although in his demeanour he was serious and respectful, he remained
firm and prompt in his denial of the existence of any circumstances from
which an inference of his guilt or even guilty knowledge could be drawn.
Throughout the whole of the preparations for his execution he maintained
his characteristic steadiness; and he walked from his cell to the
platform without any appearance of wavering, except that his face became
fearfully pale. He held a bible in his hand, and bowed respectfully to
the various officers presiding over this final operation of the law.
When arrived on the drop he gazed on the assembled multitude, and looked
as if he desired to address them. The executioner motioned for silence;
and perfect stillness prevailing, he spoke in a calm and impressive
manner as follows:--
"Englishmen and Fellow-countrymen--I have a few words to say to you, and
they shall be but very few. Yet let me entreat you, one and all, that
the few words that I shall utter may strike deep into your hearts. Bear
them in your mind, not only now while you are witnessing this sad scene,
but take them to your homes--take them and repeat them to your children
and friends. I implore you, as a dying man, one for whom the instrument
of death is even now prepared; and these words are, that you may loose
yourselves from the love of this dying world, and its vain pleasures.
Think less of it, and more of your God. Do this; repent! repent! for be
assured that without deep and true repentance, without turning to your
heavenly Father, you will never attain or can hold the slightest hope of
ever reaching those bowers of bliss and that land of peace to which I
trust I am now fast advancing.--I will say a few more words. All good
Christians and repentant men that behold my disgrace here, shall--at
least I trust they will--behold my glory hereafter; and my last words
are--I am an injured man!" The cap was then drawn over his face, and in
a few moments the drop fell from under his feet, and he ceased to exist.
As an instance of the cool determination of this wretched man, we may
mention, that on being locked up on Friday night, he inquired if there
was a phrenologist in the town, and on being answered in the
affirmative, he expressed a wish that his head might be delivered to
him, and that his trunk, for the good of society, might be sent to the
Infirmary.
JOHN SMITH, _alias_ DAY; JOHN VARNHAM; AND GEORGE TIMMS.
EXECUTED FOR MURDER.
At the Norwich Assizes, on Thursday the 6th of April, 1837, John Smith,
_alias_ Day, John Varnham, and George Timms (all of whom were about the
age of twenty-six), were indicted for the wilful murder of Hannah
Mansfield, at Denver, in the County of Norfolk, on the night of Monday,
the 1st of January, in the same year. The unfortunate object of this
violence was a woman of about forty years of age, who resided alone in a
house at Denver, adjoining a common, across which a path led from the
high road to the residence of the deceased, and of a Mrs. Dungay, which
was under the same roof. Being possessed of a small property, (of what
nature it did not appear), this woman had eked out her subsistence by
professing the mysterious trade and occupation of a conjuror and
fortune-teller, in which she had gained much reputation among her
neighbours and such was her success that she had become (unfortunately
for herself), the possessor of a considerable quantity of silver plate,
consisting of cream jugs, tankards, table and tea-spoons, sugar-tongs,
and four salt-cellars. These articles she was wont to keep in a corner
cupboard; and she had been known, on many occasions, boastfully to have
displayed what, for persons in her class of life, was esteemed wondrous
wealth; in addition to which her more intimate friends had frequently
seen her take out her curious old leathern purse, and empty its precious
contents in her lap, and count out her treasures. These latter consisted
of various coins current in England, at the beginning of this century,
which the poor fortune-teller used to take an especial pride in
burnishing, and keeping as bright as they had ever been on the day they
first issued from the Mint.
Such being the habits and situation of the deceased, Hannah Mansfield,
it was shown that the prisoner Smith had, about fifteen months before,
had an opportunity of becoming acquainted with them, for he was known to
have called late one evening at Mrs. Dungay's house, when he asked, "for
advice on some losses;" but being advised of his mistake, he was
conducted by Mrs. Dungay to the conjuror. There he held a conversation
at the door of the house, while two men, by whom he was accompanied,
stood aloof. Satisfied with the result of his visit he went away, and
nothing more was seen of him till about eight o'clock of the evening
preceding the night on which the murder took place, when it was proved
that he was seen, with two other men described in a manner corresponding
to the other two prisoners, by a boy, on the high road leading to
Denver, at a spot about three miles from that place. Thence they
proceeded to a public-house at Hilgay, where they remained till nearly
eleven o'clock, drinking and spending the evening in the public room.
This was the last time they were seen that day. During the night a noise
was heard to proceed from the fortune-teller's door, by Mrs. Dungay, and
she got up, and opening her window, listened. Nothing more being heard,
no further notice was taken of the circumstance till next morning, when
it was discovered, about ten o'clock, that the poor creature had been
most foully murdered, and her property carried off. Suspicion rested on
the prisoners; they were traced through the snow, and, upon the clearest
testimony, the atrocious deed was fixed upon them. They were found
guilty, and received sentence of death.
During their subsequent imprisonment they confessed their guilt. They
were all men of low station, and procured a livelihood as labourers; but
occasionally employed themselves in the less creditable occupation of
tramps. Lately before the murder they had been engaged as workmen on the
railroad at Berkhampstead. Smith, it appeared, was the leader of the
party, and he had persuaded his companions to assist him in the
execution of his plot. He had obtained information of the riches of the
deceased during a short residence at Downham, in the beginning of the
year 1836. He then determined on robbing her, but was unable to put his
design into execution until January 1837, when he procured the
co-operation of his fellow-convicts. Both of them had expressed
unwillingness to join in the enterprise, but Smith led them on, and he
and Timms murdered the old woman, while Varnham kept watch. Varnham was
respited, and his sentence commuted to transportation; but Smith and
Timms were executed on Saturday the 29th of April, 1837.
GEORGE DARWELL.
CONVICTED OF EMBEZZLEMENT.
The scene of the very extraordinary case of this person was Liverpool,
where he had for a considerable time occupied the situation of
confidential clerk to Mr. Wolstenholme, a cotton-broker of that city. On
Saturday the 14th of October, 1837, he was taken in the custody of
Whittle, a police-officer, before Mr. Hall, the chief magistrate of
Liverpool, charged with having embezzled a sum of money amounting to
8,264_l._ the property of his employer: and at the same time a fat and
somewhat vulgar woman, named Frances M'Lean, _alias_ Flood, _alias_
Butler, and Richard M'Lean, were charged with having participated in the
proceeds of the robbery.
The circumstances of the case were remarkable, and afforded a striking
instance of the extent of delinquency which may be produced by the
commission of one error. Darwell was about fifty years of age, and it
appeared that some years before his apprehension he had formed an
intimacy with Mrs. M'Lean, the result of which was the birth of an
infant. Alarmed for the effects which a general knowledge of this
circumstance might produce upon his character, he was induced to hand
over to her various sums of money, to secure her silence as to the
paternity of her child; and his own means being exhausted, he at length
gave her money which was the property of his employer. Having thus taken
one false step, every month served to increase his difficulties; and the
new demands which were made upon him, accompanied by threats of exposure
if they were not complied with, in the course of a considerable length
of time, drew from him various amounts, until at length he had
appropriated money to the extent of upwards of 8,000_l._, of his
master's property. The abstraction of so large an amount, it may be
presumed, could not long remain undiscovered, and at length Whitty
having received certain information upon the subject, he took the
prisoner into custody. Darwell at once candidly confessed to him his
criminality, and explained to him the manner in which he had disposed of
the money; informing him at the same time that he would find Mrs. M'Lean
residing in Junction-street, Manchester. Whitty, in consequence,
proceeded thither, and finding the male prisoner M'Lean, he demanded to
know whether he was acquainted with a person named Darwell? He answered
in the negative; but the officer having searched the house, found a
great number of documents in the handwriting of Darwell, which appeared
to be letters in which money had been transmitted to the female
prisoner. M'Lean, it was ascertained, had been recently married to the
woman, and it was also found that he had engaged largely in the business
of brick-making, and had a stock valued at between 2,000_l._ and
3,000_l._ Mrs. M'Lean was not then in the house, and upon his return to
Liverpool Whitty found that she had just before arrived there, having
started upon another expedition to procure money from Darwell. Upon his
finding her, he acquainted her with the fact of the apprehension of
Darwell, when she declared her regret for what had occurred, and
admitted that she had received about 8,000_l._ from him; but assured the
officer, that she had always believed that the money belonged to Darwell
himself, whom she took to be a person of property. She expressed her
willingness to give up all that she retained, but asserted her innocence
of any felonious intention. The officer added, (in his evidence), that
he had found books in the possession of the female prisoner, in which
the amounts, which she had received from Darwell, were regularly entered
and posted up; and he ascertained from them, that since the preceding
Christmas, he had paid her no less than 2,273_l._
These were the main facts of the case, and a legal gentleman, who
attended for the two M'Leans, contended that there was nothing in the
proofs to implicate them in the felonious charge. The prisoners were all
remanded; but after another examination the M'Leans were set at liberty,
and Darwell was committed for trial.
Between the period of the inquiry before the magistrates, and the final
investigation of the case before the jury, upwards of 5,000_l._ were
given up by the M'Leans to Mr. Wolstenholme; and a singular circumstance
in the transaction was elicited, in the fact that Mrs. M'Lean, at the
very time at which she was so unscrupulously receiving such large sums
from Darwell, was in the possession of a handsome annuity, granted to
her by a merchant resident in America, in respect of the same child,
which had been the cause of the unfortunate Darwell's crime.
At the Liverpool sessions, on Friday the 27th of October, Darwell was
put upon his trial. The facts of the case were clear and uncontradicted,
and a verdict of "Guilty" was returned. Mr. Wolstenholme recommended the
convict to the mercy of the court; and in consideration of the atonement
which he had made, by his confession and interference to procure the
return of the money, he was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment
only.
GEORGE FLETCHER, WILLIAM ROACH, AND THOMAS TAYLOR.
EXECUTED FOR MURDER.
These unhappy men underwent the infliction of the penalty of death for
the murder of an aged pensioner of the 49th regiment of foot, named
William Bennett, on Wednesday evening, the 28th of October 1837.
It appears that Bennett, the murdered man, had lived at Temen-green, a
place about four miles distant from Hertford, for a great number of
years, and he had a pension of one shilling and tenpence halfpenny per
day, which he was in the habit of going to Hertford to receive
quarterly. He went to Hertford for that purpose on the day of the
murder, and called upon Mr. Duncan, the superintendant of the Hertford
police, who accompanied him to receive his pension, which amounted to
nearly ten pounds; and Mr. Duncan observed that at this time he had more
money about him. He left Hertford about four o'clock in the afternoon,
perfectly sober and collected. Nothing more was seen of him until about
half-past four o'clock, when a boy named Bolton met him about a quarter
of a mile from his own house, and he also observed four men in the wood
by the road side, who were evidently watching the unfortunate man. The
boy said to the deceased, "Who are those men?" The deceased replied,
that he knew who they were very well, and he did not mind them. The boy
went on his way, and the deceased was never more seen alive. A labouring
man going to his work about half-past five o'clock on the next morning,
saw the body of a man lying by the roadside at Temen, and on going close
to it he discovered it was that of the deceased. He immediately gave an
alarm, and assistance being procured the body was taken to the Feathers
public-house, Temen-green, where Mr. Davies, a surgeon, was sent for. It
was then discovered that the head of the deceased had been literally
crushed by repeated blows of a bludgeon and kicks. It was found that the
bulk of the deceased's money had been taken, as well as his watch and
pocket-book, but in his waistcoat pockets were still a half-sovereign
and a small quantity of silver, and some half-pence. The moment the
knowledge of these facts came to the magistrates of Hertford, they took
the most prompt measures to apprehend the parties who had perpetrated
the horrible crime, and Mr. Duncan, the superintendant of police,
received directions to institute the minutest inquiries upon the subject
with that view. Accordingly Mr. Duncan, accompanied by Knight and
Baker, two of his men, proceeded to the neighbourhood of Temen-green,
and they there obtained information which led to the apprehension of two
men, Fletcher and Sams, the former at Burling-green, near the place
where the murder was committed, and the latter at a beer-shop in
Hertford.