The Chronicles of Crime vol II by Camden Pelham Esq

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Title: The Chronicles of Crime or The New Newgate Calendar. v. 2/2
being a series of memoirs and anecdotes of notorious
characters who have outraged the laws of Great Britain
from the earliest period to 1841

Author: Camden Pelham

Illustrator: Phiz

Release Date: August 16, 2014 [EBook #46595]
[Last updated: April 4, 2015]

Language: English

Character set encoding: UTF-8

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Contents.

(etext transcriber's note)

THE

C H R O N I C L E S O F C R I M E.

Trial by Battle

Trial by Battle

THE

CHRONICLES OF CRIME;

OR,

The New Newgate Calendar.
The New Newgate Calendar.

BEING

A SERIES OF MEMOIRS AND ANECDOTES

OF

NOTORIOUS CHARACTERS

WHO HAVE OUTRAGED THE LAWS OF GREAT BRITAIN FROM THE EARLIEST

PERIOD TO 1841.

COMPRISING

COINERS.
EXTORTIONERS.
FORGERS.
FRAUDULENT BANKRUPTS.
FOOTPADS.
HIGHWAYMEN.
HOUSEBREAKERS.

INCENDIARIES.
IMPOSTORS.
MURDERERS.
MUTINEERS.
MONEY-DROPPERS.

PIRATES.
PICKPOCKETS.
RIOTERS.
SHARPERS.
TRAITORS.
&c., &c.

{ii}

{iii}

INCLUDING

A NUMBER OF CURIOUS CASES NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED.

EMBELLISHED WITH FIFTY-TWO ENGRAVINGS,

FROM ORIGINAL DRAWINGS BY “PHIZ.”

BY CAMDEN PELHAM, ESQ.,

OF THE INNER TEMPLE, BARRISTER-AT-LAW.

VOL. II

LONDON:

T. MILES & CO., 95, UPPER STREET.

1891.

CONTENTS.

Note.—The offence mentioned opposite to each name is that alleged against the person charged.

PAGE

Abrahams, Alice. “The Gold Dust Robbery”,
480

Agricultural Riots,
213

Anderson, John, alias Beveridge. Piracy,
228

Balls, Robert. Forgery,
404

Banks, William. Burglary,
201

Barnett, Edward. Murder,
185

Bartlett, Charles Samuel. Murder,
453

Bell, James. Burglary,
201

Bell, John Amy Bird. Murder,
252

Berryman, James and Thomas. Burglary,
367

Beveridge, John, alias Anderson. Piracy,
228

Birmingham Riots—1839,
499

Bishop, John. Murder,
274

Bolam, Archibald. Manslaughter,
474

Bowers, Richard. Fraud,
126

Brandreth, Jeremiah. Treason,
17

Brock, Thomas. Coining,
1

Broughton, Edward Delves. Murder,
469

Brown, George. Conspiracy,
3

Brown, James. Coach Robbery,
242

Brown, William. Murder,
358

Brunt, John Thomas. Treason,
34

Burdock, Mary Anne. Murder,
398

Burke, William. Murder,
166

Burt, William. Murder,
118

Calthorpe Street Riots,
378

Cant, George. Rape,
490

Canterbury Riots,
460

Cardigan, the Earl of. Assault with intent to Murder,
607

Carroll, Patrick. Murder,
401

Cashman, John. Riot,
3

Caspar, Lewin and Ellis. “The Gold Dust Robbery”,
480

Chalker, Edward. Murder,
397

Chartist Riots—1839-40,
515

Clarke, Edward. Murder,
247

Collins, Dennis. Treason,
356

Cook, James. Murder of Mr. Paas,
345

Corder, William. Murder,
146

Costello, William. Abduction,
65

Coster, Richard. Forgery,
370

Courvoisier, François Benjamin. Murder,
563

{iv}

{v}

Cox, Job. Letter-stealing,
376

Cox, John, John, and Robert. Murder,
157

Crofts, John. Burglary,
382

Cussen, John, alias Walsh. Abduction,
65

Darwell, George. Embezzlement,
456

Davidson, William. Treason,
34

Davis, George James, alias Huntley. Piracy,
228

Day, John, alias Smith. Murder,
455

Devann, Patrick. Murder,
14

Dick, Samuel. Abduction,
26

Dillon, Luke. Rape,
230

Dobell, George, alias Thomas. Murder,
546

Doody, Daniel and William. Abduction,
65

Dorchester Labourers,
384

Edwards, John, alias Heath. Assault,
389

Ehlert, Jacob Frederick. Murder,
488

Eliot, Francis Lionel. Murder,
469

Ellis, William, alias Lambert. Murder,
546

Emond, Robert. Murder,
204

Evans, James. Murder,
105

Fauntleroy, Henry. Forgery,
93

Fisher, William. Burglary,
415

Fitzmaurice, Walter, alias Captain Rock. Abduction,
65

Flather, Harrison. Larceny,
619

Fletcher, George. Murder,
458

Flynn, John Turner. Forgery,
602

Garside, William. Murder,
393

Gilbert, Samuel. Robbery,
107

Gilchrist, William and George. Coach Robbery,
242

Gould, Richard, alias Nicholson. Burglary and Murder,
556

Greenacre, James, and Sarah Gale. Murder,
428

Haggart, David. Murder,
59

Harley, William, and Hills, James. Burglary,
415

Harris, Ann. Murder,
157

Harris, Thomas. Forgery,
404

Hart, John Minter. Forgery,
421

Heath, John, alias Edwards. Assault,
389

Hibner, Esther and Esther. Murder,
188

Higgins, Mary Anne. Murder,
247

Hogsden, Edward. Rape,
251

Holloway, John. Murder,
262

Hooper, John. Treason,
7

Howard, William. Assault with intent to Rob,
141

Hunt, Henry. Misdemeanour,
29

Hunt, Joseph. Murder,
69

Huntley, George, alias Davis. Piracy,
228

Hunton, Joseph. Forgery,
161

Hussey, Charles. Murder,
22

Inglett, James. Manslaughter,
634

Ings, James. Treason,
34

Jobling, William. Murder,
354

Johnson, William. Murder,
362

Johnston, Robert. Robbery,
27

Jones, William. Murder,
138

Jourdan, William, alias Leary. Custom-house Robbery,
407

Kennedy, William. Murder,
358

{vi}

Keppel, Charles. Murder,
68

Keys, Jeremy. Murder,
397

King, William. Robbery,
246

Kinnaister, Charles. Murder,
472

Lambert, William, alias Ellis. Murder,
546

Leaky, David, James, and Maurice. Abduction,
65

Leary, William, alias Jourdan. Custom-house Robbery,
407

Lecasser, Peter. Assault,
389

Lees, William. Murder,
494

Leith, Alexander Wellesley. Manslaughter,
98

Lightfoot, James and William. Murder,
551

Long, John St. John. Manslaughter,
217

Lovelace, James. Administering unlawful Oaths,
384

Ludlam, Isaac. Treason,
17

Lynn, Charles. Murder,
103

Mackcoull, James, alias Moffat. Burglary,
55

Mackey, Robert. Conspiracy,
3

Macnamara, Henry. Larceny,
309

Marchant, William John. Murder,
478

Martin, Jonathan. Arson,
192

Martin, Thomas. Body-stealing,
233

Medhurst, Francis Hastings. Manslaughter,
477

Merthyr Tydvil Riots,
256

Miller, William. Murder,
136

M‘Keand, Alexander and Michael. Murder,
109

Moir, Capt. William. Murder,
207

Montgomery, John Burgh, alias Wallace, alias Morgan. Forgery,144
Moore, Richard. Forgery,
621

Moseley, Joseph. Murder,
393

Moses, Emanuel. “The Gold-dust Robbery”,
480

Moses, Mordecai. Forgery,
404

Mott, Henry. Custom-house Robbery,
407

Nesbett, James. Murder,
53

Nicholson, Arthur, alias Gould. Murder and Burglary,
556

O’Connor, Feargus. Sedition,
542

Owen, James. Murder,
546

Oxford, Edward. Treason,
583

Page, James. Houghing Cattle,
389

Patteson, Thomas. Manslaughter,
599

Peacock, George Edward. Forgery,
419

Peele, John, alias Watson. Forgery,
119

Pegsworth, Jonathan. Murder,
425

Pelham, John. Coining,
1

Penruddock, C. W. W. Assault,
426

Pierce, Alexander. Murder,
91

Power, Michael. Coining,
1

Preston, Thomas. Treason,
7

Probert, William. Horse-stealing,
100

Pugh, James. Murder,
157

Rae, Alfred. Assault with intent to commit a Rape,
386

Race, William. Manslaughter,
550

Reform Riots,
314

Riedy, Daniel. Abduction,
65

Riots, Agricultural,
213

Riots at Birmingham, 1839,
499

Riots at Bristol,
322

Riots, Calthorpe-street,
378

{vii}

Riots at Canterbury,
460

Riots, Chartist, 1839-40,
515

Riots at Merthyr Tydvil,
236

Roach, William. Murder,
458

Robinson, Ann. Murder,
188

Rock, Captain, alias Walter Fitzmaurice. Abduction,
65

Ross, Elizabeth. Murder,
305

Salmon, Robert. Manslaughter,
417

Sams, David. Burglary,
632

Scanlan, John. Murder,
50

Seale, Wm. Custom-house Robbery,
407

Sheen, William. Murder,
123

Slade, Joshua. Murder,
134

Smith, Alexander M‘Laughlin. Murder,
604

Smith, John, alias Day. Murder,
455

Smith, John, alias Sapwell. Murder,
209

Smithers, Jonathan. Arson and Murder,
342

Solomon, Isaac, alias Ikey. Receiving stolen goods,
235

Stacey, John and John. Murder,
195

Stanynought, Henry. Murder,
403

Stephenson, Alexander, alias Telford. Piracy,
228

Stevens, Joseph Plant. Robbery,
244

Stevens, Rev. Joseph Rayner. Sedition,
495

Stevenson, William. Larceny,
633

Stoffel, Philip. Murder,
68

Sullivan, Stephen. Murder,
50

Sullivan, Thomas. Custom-house Robbery,
407

Summers, William. Larceny,
405

Swallow, William, alias Waldon. Piracy,
228

Taylor, John. Body-stealing,
233

Taylor, Robert. Polygamy,
594

Taylor, Thomas. Murder,
458

Telford, Alexander, alias Stephenson. Piracy,
228

Thistlewood, Arthur. Treason,
7

Thistlewood, Arthur. Treason,
34

Thomas, George, alias Dobell. Murder,
546

Thornton, Abraham. Murder,
19

Thurtell, John. Murder,
69

Tidd, Richard. Treason,
34

Timms, George. Murder,
455

Turner, William. Treason,
17

Varnham, John. Murder,
455

Vaughan, George. Conspiracy,
3

Wakefield, Edward Gibbon, William, and Frances. Abduction,
327

Waldon, William, alias Swallow. Piracy,
228

Wallace, John, alias Montgomery. Forgery,
144

Wallace, Patrick Maxwell Stewart, and Michael Shaw, Stewart.
Inciting a person to cast away a Ship,
624

Wood, George Alexander. Manslaughter,
98

Young, John. Murder,
469

T H E

C H R O N I C L E S O F C R I M E,

OR,

THE NEW NEWGATE CALENDAR.

{viii}

{1}

THOMAS BROCK, JOHN PELHAM, AND MICHAEL POWER,

CONVICTED OF COINING.

IN the year 1816, when Sir Matthew Wood was lord mayor of London, several conspiracies of a most diabolical nature were

detected, and some of the conspirators punished. The conduct of the chief magistrate was such as to do honour not only to his
understanding and ability, but to his disinterestedness and humanity.

The legislature, with the intention of stimulating the exertions of police-officers, and inducing others to give information, had

awarded certain rewards to the parties who should contribute to the conviction of offenders against the laws. The object was laudable,
but it was capable of great perversion, and was liable to many objections; it gave the prosecutor an interest in the conviction of the
accused, and on that account tended to impress the public with the belief that the condemnation, and not the acquittal of the prisoner,
was the object of our criminal laws. It was too true that “blood money,” as this species of remuneration was emphatically denominated,
did contribute in reality to the evil we allude to. But had not a development of unparalleled villany put scepticism to flight, we could not
have brought ourselves to believe that those who were paid to detect crime should be found the most active in seducing innocence and
youth to its commission. Yet it is an indubitable fact that, for ten years preceding 1816, victims were brought up, session after session,
to be convicted of crimes to which they were seduced by the very men who gave evidence against them, that they might revel on the
“blood money,” or make use of it to provide other victims for the law. Several of those connected with the police-offices, particularly
the patroles, were detected in this traffic of blood;[A] but only one officer of any note, named Vaughan, was convicted of this most
atrocious crime.

The discovery of this diabolical system took place in the course of the trial of three men named Quin, Riorton, and Connolly; it

appears that these unfortunate beings were detected in fabricating base shillings and bank tokens, and being brought to trial, they were
convicted. During the examination of the witnesses for the prosecution, however, whose names appear at the head of this article, some
circumstances came out, which induced a suspicion in the mind of the lord mayor that the prosecutors were in some way mixed up with
the guilt of the prisoners. An investigation in consequence took place; but the convicts, on being confronted with their accusers, refused
to say anything against them, saying that they were “under an oath.” They were Irishmen and Catholics, and the rigid observance which
they pay to an oath is well known; but a priest having at length persuaded them that they were not bound by such an oath administered
unlawfully, they disclosed the whole particulars of the plot, and their accusers were in consequence secured.

The three new prisoners were then indicted for their participation in the crime of their dupes, which amounted to high treason; and

at the session held on the 25th of September 1816, were brought to trial at the Old Bailey.

A man named Barry then swore that Pelham had applied to him to get some men to make bad shillings, which Power, it was said,

could colour. Barry said they must go to the market for them, which was in Cheapside, at the corner of King-street, where poor
Irishmen were waiting for employment. Some days after he went with Brock and Power to the market, when Quin and Riorton were
engaged by them. Being told they could not be employed unless they would be sworn to secrecy, they took an oath on a piece of
paper. A room was hired, and tools procured by the prisoners, and the poor Irishmen were set to work to cut brass into the form of
shillings, &c. under the superintendence of Power. Connolly was sent for to assist. He said to Barry, in Irish, “We are doing a job that
will hang us all,” to which he replied that if he thought so he would not work another day at it. The Irishmen were then employed in
colouring the metal, and everything being in readiness, notice was given, the officers entered, and the Irishmen were seized, tried, and
found guilty.

Pelham’s landlady proved that the scissars used by the Irishmen in cutting through brass had been procured by her at Pelham’s

request; another woman also swore that the hammer and files taken in the coining room had been sold by her to Brock and Pelham.

Brock, in his defence, declared his innocence. Power denied either going to the market or the room; and Pelham said the Barrys

were noted perjurers, and the women were false witnesses.

The jury, without hesitation, however, brought in a verdict of Guilty, and the prisoners were transported.
The three Irishmen were then pardoned; and the lord mayor having interested himself in their behalf, a subscription was opened,

and they were enabled to return to their own country, and there to purchase small farms.

GEORGE VAUGHAN, ROBERT MACKEY, AND GEORGE BROWN.

CONVICTED OF A CONSPIRACY.

The following were the parliamentary rewards for the conviction of felons:—

1. By 4 W. & Mary, cap. 8, forty pounds on the conviction of every highwayman.
2. By 6 & 7 Wm. III. cap. 17, forty pounds upon the conviction of every person who had counterfeited the

coin, or clipped &c. the same, or had brought into the kingdom clipped coin, &c.

3. By 5 Anne, cap. 31, forty pounds on conviction of every burglar or housebreaker.
4. By 14 Geo. II. cap. 6, ten pounds on the conviction of every sheep-stealer, &c.
5. By 15 Geo. II. cap 28, forty pounds for conviction of any person of treason or felony relating to the coin,

upon this Act; and ten pounds on conviction of counterfeiting copper money.

6. By 16 Geo. II. cap. 15, twenty pounds upon conviction of a person returning from transportation before

the expiration of his term.

[A]

{2}

{3}

WHILE the lord mayor was detecting the “men of blood” in the city, the magistrates at Bow-street were not less meritoriously

employed in tracing similar crimes to a police-officer, named Vaughan, and several others not immediately employed by the
magistrates, but who were well known as loungers about the different offices. Several of these atrocious wretches were apprehended,
and many revolting circumstances disclosed.

George Vaughan, Robert Mackey, and George Brown, were tried at the Middlesex sessions, on the 21st of September 1816, on

a charge of conspiring to induce William Hurley, Michael Hurley, William Sanderson, William Wood, aged thirteen, and Dennis
Hurley, to commit a burglary in the house of Mrs. M‘Donald, at Hoxton; and, by having them convicted of the fact, thereby procure
for themselves the rewards given by parliament for the conviction of housebreakers.

The case was clearly proved against the prisoners; and it appeared that through the instrumentality of one Drake, who had been

an acting lieutenant in the navy, the dupes were employed to commit the burglary, and that on their proceeding to Mrs. M‘Donald’s
house, the three prisoners came up and took them into custody.

The prisoners being found guilty were sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in the house of correction, and ordered at the

conclusion of that time to find security for their future good behaviour. Vaughan was tried on a subsequent day for a robbery in the
house of one James Poole, on the 16th of December 1815, and being found guilty was sentenced to be transported.

JOHN CASHMAN

EXECUTED FOR A FELONY COMMITTED AT THE SPAFIELDS’ RIOTS.

ON the cessation of the protracted war which consigned Buonaparte to St. Helena, Great Britain found herself subject to those

temporary domestic difficulties which always succeed a sudden return from hostility to peace. The revulsion was felt by nearly every
individual in the kingdom; agriculture, trade, and commerce became, for the instant, almost torpid, and thousands of the labouring
classes were thrown out of employment.

In this moment of paramount distress, the evil-minded and the designing, taking advantage of the disposition of the people, and

urged by personal considerations, continued those attacks upon the ministry of the country which they had hitherto made without that
success which they required, and the people, whose attention was now withdrawn from the object which had hitherto served to keep
their minds occupied, were easily led away and persuaded that the dangers and difficulties which appeared to exist were the result of
bad management only, and were of a nature likely to be permanent, and most injurious to their well-being. The existence of the evil
was attributed to some defects which were pointed out in the representative system; and as this was considered to be the root of the
evil, the name of radical (from radix, the Latin word for a root) was given to the persons who espoused these new opinions. The party
in itself, both as regarded reputation and numbers, was contemptible to a degree, and the names of a few only who were its leaders
will be handed to posterity. Thistlewood, Watson, and Hunt, were the most notorious of these agitators, who, as it will hereafter
appear, met with very different fates. Thistlewood was hanged; Watson escaped to America; Hunt, by a most extraordinary
circumstance, eventually became a member of parliament.

Englishmen have an undoubted privilege of assembling for the purpose of declaring their grievances and soliciting redress, whether

from the sovereign or the parliament, and this liberty afforded the demagogues a good opportunity for inflaming the passions of the
deluded, and disseminating their own pernicious opinions. Meetings were held in various parts of the kingdom for the ostensible
purpose of petitioning for parliamentary reform, and the metropolis followed the example. When we come to the case of Watson and
Thistlewood, we shall enter fully into the atrocious scheme of those who devised many of these meetings, but at present it is necessary
to confine ourselves to a detail of facts, which will serve as an illustration of what is to follow.

The first meeting, which may be called the preliminary to the riot, took place November the 15th, 1816, in the Spafields, then a

wild uninclosed space. A flag was unfurled bearing the following words:—“Nature to feed the hungry—truth to protect the oppressed
—justice to punish offenders.” Hunt attended in consequence of an invitation, and some violent speeches having been made, he was
deputed to carry a petition to the Prince Regent. This meeting dissolved, after having passed a resolution to meet at the same place on
the 2nd of December, to receive the answer to the petition; but the circulation of some addresses proved that the object of the meeting
was not of that peaceful nature which its promoters pretended to ascribe to it. On the day appointed, soon after twelve o’clock, the
assemblage of the mob commenced, and in less than half-an-hour about 5000 persons had collected round a party supporting tri-
coloured flags, and a banner bearing the inscription—“The brave soldiers are our brothers; treat them kindly,” who had placed
themselves within about thirty yards of the field next to Coldbath-fields’ Prison. A cart was found to have been placed on this spot,
and in a short time Dr. Watson, his son, and a Mr. Hooper, all carrying tri-coloured cockades in their hats, ascended this rostrum, and
were hailed with loud cheers. The doctor and his son then addressed the meeting in most inflammatory speeches; and the latter having
wound himself up to a pitch of the most ungovernable fury, called upon the people to follow him, and jumping from his elevated
position, he rushed, pistol in hand, at the head of the mob, towards Clerkenwell. The people were under the impression that he was
going to lead them to the Mansion-house; but a cry of “Arms” being set up in Smithfield, they rushed down Snow Hill to the shop of
Mr. Beckwith, a gun-maker. Young Watson, with five of his followers, immediately entered the shop, the former exclaiming, “Arms,
arms, I want arms!” and a Mr. Platt, who was at the door, attempting to arrest his progress, he deliberately shot at him, and wounded
him, and then endeavoured to knock him down with the but-end of his weapon. A struggle took place, in which the pistol fell to the
ground, and Watson being pushed into the counting-house, and charged by Mr. Platt with having shot him, he cried out, apparently in
much alarm, “I am a misled young man—I have been at Spafields—send for a surgeon,—I am a surgeon myself,” and immediately set
about dressing the wound in a manner which exhibited his ability to afford the aid which he proffered. A surgeon was, however,
procured, and during a quarter of an hour, for which he remained in the counting-house, he repeatedly cried out that he was a misled
young man. The mob at first had been under the impression that their leader was killed, and on the report of the pistol, many of them

{4}

{5}

fled, but having caught sight of him in the shop they demanded that he should be restored to liberty. Measures were now taken to
secure his person, but the mob being infuriated at his long detention, they burst into the house, and having compelled its inmates to fly
for safety, and set their leader at liberty, they proceeded to ransack the premises for arms. Having procured all that the establishment
contained, they marched under the guidance of their leader to the Tower, and then while young Watson endeavoured to win the
soldiers from their allegiance, by assuring them of the good feeling which prevailed towards them on the part of the people, and that
they should receive 100 guineas per man if they would join them, the mob continued to scour the neighbourhood in search of arms.
While, however, the great body of the rioters had thus followed in the steps of their leader, others pursued a different direction, and
taking St. Giles, St. Clement’s, and the Strand, in their march, despoiled every shop which they approached of such articles as they
deemed might be useful to them. The irruption was so sudden, that the means of opposing the proceedings of the rioters could not
speedily be obtained. The lord mayor, Sir Matthew Wood, showed great determination; and notwithstanding the most violent
proceedings on the part of these fellows, he and Sir James Shaw, the chamberlain, succeeded in securing three of the insurgents, who
had entered the Royal Exchange and who were armed with guns.

The military at length appeared, and many of the rioters were secured, while the others, having thrown away their arms, quickly

disappeared. Young Watson, however, was nowhere to be found; and it appears that immediately after he quitted the Tower, being
alarmed at his position, he hastily returned to his lodgings, and possessing himself of some papers and other articles he went to a
public-house in Fetter-lane, where he found his father and Thistlewood. The trio considered themselves as being likely to be taken into
custody, and they in consequence quitted London for Northampton immediately. On their arriving at Highgate, however, they were
seized on suspicion of being footpads, but a scuffle taking place, the elder Watson alone remained in the hands of their assailants, while
his companions effected their escape. Young Watson had the good fortune to reach London again in safety, and his friends having
provided him with the means, he sailed directly for America.

Several of the rioters were brought to trial, but John Cashman, a sailor, alone was capitally convicted and punished. There can be

no doubt as to the justice of the sentence and punishment inflicted on this man; but it is also equally clear that while he was indubitably
guilty of a most gross offence, others were even more culpable, inasmuch as they were actuated by deliberate motives of mischief,
while he was goaded on by hunger and misery; and besides, as many believed, was occasionally in some degree affected by symptoms
of insanity. It appears that Cashman was one of the most active of the rioters who attacked and demolished Mr. Beckwith’s shop in
Skinner-street. Several persons deposed that he frequently brought out bundles of fire-arms and distributed them among the mob in the
street, and he was actually apprehended with one of Mr. Beckwith’s guns in his hand, at the Royal Exchange, being one of those
seized by the lord-mayor.

For this offence Cashman, with four others, was brought to trial at the Old Bailey, January 20th 1817. The indictment did not

charge them with any species of treason, being confined to capital felony only, for stealing the fire-arms, &c., stated to be considerably
above the value of two hundred and fifty pounds. The names of the four others were,—John Hooper, R. Gamble, William Gunnell, and
John Carpenter. Two of these were apprehended at the same time as Cashman, and under similar circumstances, and the evidence
against them all went to implicate them in the crime of felony; but the jury, to the apparent astonishment of the court, acquitted all but
Cashman, who was found guilty and sentenced to death.

When asked what he had to say why sentence of death should not be passed on him, he addressed the court as follows:—
“My lord—I hope you will excuse a poor friendless sailor for occupying your time. Had I died fighting the battles of my country, I

should have gloried in it; but I confess that it grieves me to think of suffering like a robber, when I call God to witness that I have
passed days together without a bit of bread rather than violate the laws. I have served my king for many years, and often fought for my
country; I have received nine wounds in the service, and have never before been charged with any offence. I have been at sea all my
life, and my father was killed on board the Diana frigate. I came to London, my lord, to endeavour to recover my pay and prize-
money, but being unsuccessful I was reduced to the greatest distress; and being poor and penniless, I have not been able to bring
witnesses to prove my innocence, or to acquaint my brave officers, or I am sure they would all have come forward on my behalf. The
gentlemen who have sworn against me must have mistaken me for some other person, there being many sailors in the mob; but I freely
forgive them, and I hope God will also forgive them, for I solemnly declare that I committed no act of violence.”

Wednesday morning, March the 12th 1817, was the time appointed for the execution of this unfortunate man, and to make the

dreadful ceremony as awfully impressive as possible, it was ordered that he should suffer in front of Mr. Beckwith’s shop, where the
crime for which his life was forfeited had been committed.

After conviction, the unhappy man stated that on the day of the riots he had been to the Admiralty to endeavour to procure the

payment of 200l., to which he was entitled for prize-money, and that on his way home he was persuaded by a brother sailor to go to
Spafields. On their way they drank a great deal of liquor, and having had but little food during the two preceding days, it had a great
effect upon him. He expressed a desire that his prize-money should be given to his brother and mother.

On the morning of the execution great precautions were taken to prevent any disturbance, and troops and constables were

placed throughout London to quell any appearance of riot. At eight o’clock Cashman was brought from his cell, and he appeared
perfectly composed, but exhibited a great deal of levity. As he passed through the Press Yard, he exclaimed with an oath, that he
wished a forty-four pounder would come and cut him in two, rather than he should go into Jack Ketch’s hands.

On his leaving the prison, he bid every one good-bye whom he met, and exhibited great want of feeling. When he arrived at the

scaffold the mob expressed great indignation by groans, and hisses, in which he joined; and the executioner having at length completed
his preparations, the drop fell in the midst of his abusive exclamations.

JAMES WATSON THE ELDER, JAMES WATSON THE YOUNGER, ARTHUR

THISTLEWOOD,

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THOMAS PRESTON, AND JOHN HOOPER.

INDICTED FOR HIGH TREASON.

AFTER the military had dispersed the rioters on the 2nd of December 1816, Dr. Watson, his son, and Thistlewood, quitted

London in haste, and were pursuing their journey into the country when the patrole stopped them at Highgate on suspicion of their
being highwaymen; what helped to confirm this opinion was, the circumstance of a pistol protruding itself from Dr. Watson’s breast, in
consequence of which he made him prisoner, but with considerable difficulty; and in the squabble which ensued, the younger Watson
and Thistlewood made their escape. Some people coming out of a public-house at this instant, the doctor was given in charge to them,
while the patrole went in pursuit of the fugitives. During his absence the doctor made an unsuccessful effort to regain his freedom, and
in the struggle stabbed one of his detainers with a cane-sword.

For this offence or accident, Dr. Watson was indicted at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, January the 21st 1817, charged under the

cutting and maiming act; but the counsel for the prosecution having stated the case, the judge who presided suggested the necessity of
stopping it, as the indictment could not be supported.

The doctor was acquitted, but not liberated, for a charge of great magnitude was suspended over his head, which, at length,

descended in the form of an accusation for high-treason.

The government had received information of a formidable and dangerous conspiracy, in which Dr. Watson and others were

stated to be deeply implicated, and the parties were in consequence apprehended, and with the doctor were committed to the Tower.

A bill being found by the grand jury, Watson, Thistlewood, Preston, and Hooper, were brought up from the Tower to the court

of King’s Bench, on the 17th May 1817. They severally pleaded not guilty, and were then taken back to the Tower, from which they
were again brought up on the 9th June.

Dr. Watson was first arraigned, and John Castles was the witness called to prove the most material facts against him. He said that

he knew the prisoner, and had not had any promise of pardon for giving evidence. He became acquainted with the prisoner about a
month before the Spafields meeting, and saw him at the Cock in Grafton-street, where he went to meet a society called the Spenceans.
On the following night he met Watson and Preston by appointment at the Mulberry Arms, Moorfields, at a society of the same
description; and he there saw present young Watson, Hooper, Thistlewood, the two Evanses, father and son, and one John Harrison.
After the meeting broke up, he walked away with the elder Watson, who observed, that it was a very easy matter to upset
government, provided a few good fellows would act together. He then said, that he had drawn out a plan that would debar the cavalry
from acting, by interrupting the horses, and that he had got several people who had solicited at different houses, and that they had
formed a committee which was sitting, to devise the best modes and plans. He inquired where the witness lived, and promised to call
the next morning, and show him the plan.

In pursuance of this appointment he called at the lodging of Castles on the following Sunday morning, and produced several

papers, one of which was a plan of the Tower, and another a plan of the machine, which he had described on the Thursday before, for
obstructing the cavalry. It was to run upon four wheels, with sharp knives, which were to be on each side, and spikes in the middle.
The knives were to be something like scythes, and placed horizontally. There were also several other drawings of the Tower-bridge,
and different places and entrances about the Tower. “He then,” continued Castles, “asked me how many men I could bring; and how
many I knew. I told him I knew a great many, but I did not know whether they would act when put to the test; he begged I would
exert myself as much as I could. I told him that I was a smith, and that I had nothing but my little business to live on; but he said never
mind that, they would find something better for me than that; they had plenty of money for everything. We then made another
appointment, and I met him at one Newton’s. Similar conversation took place there, and he said they had got a committee consisting
of five; namely Harrison, Preston, Thistlewood, and his son, and himself; and that I should be made one of the generals, and head a
party of pikemen and other men, and that I should hear further in a few days, and might consider myself as one of the committee from
that time; that I should make the sixth, and they would not have any more.

“Shortly afterwards I met the elder Watson, and we went to King Street barracks, and across the Park to a small magazine in

Hyde Park, where the powder is kept, to examine the whole of the avenues, and determine which was the best place for setting fire to
the barracks. There was also one Skinner with us, but he left us in the Park, and Watson said he thought that Skinner had been a
cleverer man than he was; that he intended to have made an officer of him, but he found him not at all calculated, as he had not any
cultivated idea whatever.

“About this time I was introduced to Thistlewood by one John Harrison. Thistlewood asked me how much money it would take

to make a few hundred pikes, and how long it would take me. I told him it would entirely depend on their size, and the steel or iron
they should be made of. He said they should be about nine or ten inches long, and I told him that they would come to about fourpence
or fourpence-halfpenny a pound. He wished me to make one for a pattern, and I told him I would; but that I had no place to make
them in, and Harrison replied that he knew a person who would lend me the use of his forge. Hooper and Harrison went with me to a
little shop in a cellar, kept by a man of the name of Bentley, in Hart-street. I asked him to allow me to make use of his forge to make a
pike, to put round a rabbit-warren, or fish-pond. He told me that if I would look out a piece of iron, he would make it himself, and,
when done, it was given to me, and I took it away. I afterwards carried it to one Randall’s, where I met the two Watsons, and
Thistlewood, Harrison, and Hooper; and Watson said that it was a famous instrument. Watson then wrote down the name of the house
where the committee sat, No. 9, Greystoke-place, on a paper for me. On the night before, I had been to Paddington with Thistlewood
among the bargemen to seek to make converts, and we found a great number of them out of employ, and treated them with some
beer. We sounded them, and they said that they wanted a good row, for that they would rather be killed than be as they were. We
told them that we wanted them for a job, and asked how many they could collect together, and they said that they could get five or six
hundred any morning, as there were so many out of employment. We afterwards went to two public-houses in Long Acre and in
Vinegar Yard, which are used by the soldiers who attend the theatres, and we treated them with beer. We asked them how they were
treated by their officers, and what was their pay, and one of them, a Yorkshireman, spoke violently against the government. The

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conversation was about their pay, and as to their being discharged without pensions. We also went to the Fox-under-the-Hill, in the
Adelphi, where we found a great number of coalheavers, and having entered into conversation with some of them, they said that they
could get fifty or sixty of their fellows, who were out of employment, to join us any day. I subsequently went about alone with the same
object, and if I found any man more violent than the rest, I took down his name and communicated it to Thistlewood. A day or two
afterwards the committee met in Greystoke-place, to deliberate upon the best plan to set fire to the barracks, and to get all the men we
could together. A pike was produced, and Thistlewood directed that Bentley should make 250 of them immediately. Dr. Watson and I
reported that we had examined the barracks at Portman-street, and King-street, and had ascertained the number of their avenues; one
object being to see how many entrances there were in order to guide us in ascertaining how much combustibles would be necessary to
set the whole on fire, so that the soldiers should not escape. A general meeting was appointed at Greystoke-place, to arrange the
whole of the business, and how it was to be conducted in each way, and we met on Sunday, previous to which I paid part of the
money to Bentley for the 250 pikes, and ordered them to be made off-hand as soon as possible. When we met, Thistlewood
produced a map of London. It was marked out which were the best roads to take; and we arranged the number of men who were to
be collected together at the different barracks and places to be attacked. The whole of the committee were to act as generals; to have
their several stations; and were to attack the separate barracks at one given time and moment. Watson proposed Thistlewood as the
head general. Thistlewood and young Watson were to take the guns and two field-pieces that were in the artillery-ground in Gray’s
Inn-lane; Preston was to attack the Tower; Harrison the artillery-barracks near the Regent’s Park; and I was to set fire to the King-
street barracks, and either to take the men prisoners, or kill those that might attempt to escape; the elder Watson was to set fire to the
Portland-street barracks. We were to attack the whole of those places at a given hour, and set them on fire at one in the morning; we
were to take any person we met, and make them join us—such as gentlemen’s servants; and coachmen were to be taken from their
carriages, and those who could ride were to have the horses, which were to form a cavalry, and the coaches and carriages were to be
used to barricade the entrances. After I had set fire to the King-street barracks, and after we had seen that all were in flames, and that
none had made their escape, I was to meet the elder Watson at the top of Oxford-street. Harrison was to join us with the artillery,
which he was to bring from the barracks by the Regent’s Park, and as soon as that was done, there was to be a volley fired, to let the
remainder know we had got possession of the artillery. Piccadilly gate was to be fastened and chained, and a party stationed there to
fire upon the horse if they attempted to come from the barracks, and then others were to proceed towards Charing Cross and
Westminster Bridge, and barricade there all the avenues upon that side, to prevent them coming round by Chelsea and that way, and
then young Watson and Thistlewood, after getting possession of the guns, were to break open all the oil-shops and gunsmiths’-shops,
in which they could find either combustibles or arms. They were then to blockade Chancery-lane, and Gray’s Inn-lane to St. Giles’s,
where Thistlewood was to make his grand stand. One gun was to be pointed up Tottenham Court-road, and the other up Oxford-
street.

“Preston, if he had not succeeded in taking the Tower, was to barricade London Bridge, to prevent the artillery coming from

Woolwich. He was then to barricade Whitechapel, to prevent any troops coming from the country that way; and then when he had a
body sufficient, the main body was to have met at the Bank.

“After this arrangement had been made, Watson calculated how much combustibles it would take for every avenue, such as

sulphur and spirits of wine, and how much they would cost. He said they would come to one hundred pounds. Thistlewood said, ‘Let
us not spare a hundred pounds; let us roast them well.’ Watson replied, that it would burn so rapidly, and the stench would be so
strong, that it would stifle them in a few minutes. Young Watson and I were appointed to look after a house between the King-street
and the Portman-street barracks to lodge the arms and combustibles in. We were to take it as an oil and colour shop, so that no
suspicion should be excited as to our receiving the combustibles. The attack upon the barracks was to have been made on the
Saturday night or the Sunday morning, between the 9th and 10th of the month, as it was supposed that at that time there would be a
great number of persons about drunk, and the greater confusion would be produced. It was then arranged that we should have a
committee of Common Safety, to be called together, if we got the better of the soldiers. If the soldiers joined us, we were to be called
together, and to form a new parliament; the greatest part of the names of the members were mentioned by Watson and Thistlewood.
These were, Sir Francis Burdett, the Lord Mayor, Lord Cochrane, Mr. Hunt, Major Cartwright, Gale Jones, Roger O’Connor,
Fawkes of Bainbridge, a person named Brookes, Thompson, of Holborn Hill, the two Evanses, Watson the elder, and Thistlewood. A
proclamation was to be issued immediately we had got the better, announcing that the new government would be formed immediately,
and offering a bounty of 100l. to the soldiers if they would join us, or double pay for life, at their option. Things being thus far settled,
and several meetings having been held at public-houses in Spitalfields, and other places, it was at length finally determined to call a
public meeting to see how many people could be collected together. The place talked of was Spafields, and young Watson and some
others left the committee sitting, to go and inspect the ground. They returned saying that it was a famous place, being so near the
Tower and the Bank that they could get into the town and take them by surprise. A placard was to be posted through the town and
hand-bills were to be distributed, and the bill having been drawn up, it was read and agreed to, and it was determined that it should be
published in the “Statesman” newspaper immediately, as the meeting was to be called on the 15th of November. Thistlewood then
produced a 10l. note to pay for the printing of the bill, and to pay for the remainder of the pikes, and I undertook to get a waggon to
speak from. We were to have a flag of three colours, green, red, and white, with the motto, “Nature, truth, and justice,” and I
undertook to carry it. I also went to Paddington to get some navigators to carry about some placards, and on the following morning I
met young Watson at a coffee-shop in Kingsgate-street, Holborn, to receive the money to fetch away the pikes, and to buy two mail-
bags to put them in. When we went to the printer, he said that he was afraid of publishing them, for that he feared he might get into
trouble, and that he would destroy 200 of them which he had finished. His wife and several of us, and a gentleman who was with him,
and another who came in afterwards, all wanted to persuade him to let us have them, and promised that we should cut his name off so
that he should not get into any harm. He said “No,” he would have nothing to do with them, and that he should destroy them. It was
then resolved that Watson the elder should go to one Seale, a printer in Tottenham Court-road, to see if he would print the bills, and
he returned, and reported that there would be two hundred and fifty copies ready by eight o’clock on Wednesday morning. Letters
were then written to Sir Francis Burdett and Mr. Hunt, to invite them to attend the meeting.

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“By this time we found it necessary to give up our plan of burning the barracks in consequence of our having met with more

difficulty than was anticipated in getting possession of the house intended for the depository of the combustibles, but having obtained a
promise from Mr. Hunt that he would preside at the ensuing meeting, it was settled that we (the committee) should be on the spot
previous to his arrival, and that the two Watsons and Preston should address the mob, and if we saw the spirit of the people was ready
to act, we were to jump down, and head them into the town. There were six cockades, and some flags prepared, and those cockades
were to be placed in our hats or bosoms, and if the mob called out for weapons, we were to tell them that we should soon find them
weapons: for, at that time, there was scarcely a gunsmith’s shop in London which had not been inspected, to see what number of guns
it contained. We were to proceed to the Bank, and take it by surprise, and to place men upon the roof to destroy the soldiers if they
should attempt to retake it: they were not only to get to the top of the Bank, but also upon the tops of the surrounding houses, and to
get glass bottles, and everything that would kill or hurt; the whole of the Bank books were to be brought out, and burnt, in order to do
away with the national debt.

“On the morning of Friday, the 15th of November, which was the day of the first Spafields’ meeting, I went to Thistlewood’s

lodgings, in Southampton Buildings, and received the colours and six cockades from Thistlewood, in the presence of Mrs. Thistlewood
and her son, and I went off to the meeting, carrying the colours in my bosom, and the staff to fix them on in my hand. When the
business of the meeting had commenced, and Hunt had got on the top of a coach to address the mob, Thistlewood desired me to hoist
the colours; I took them out of my bosom, and tied them on to the staff, as I stood upon the box of the carriage. A motion was
afterwards made for us to remove to the house, and I then handed them to some person in the one pair of stairs room. Several
speeches having been addressed to the populace, the meeting was adjourned to the Monday fortnight; and we got into a hackney-
coach to return. I showed the colours out of the window, and the horses were taken out by the populace, and we were drawn along,
but had not proceeded many yards, when by some means or other we were run against a wall, and we all got out.

“Preparations were now made for the second meeting, fixed for the 2nd of December, and young Watson and I were sent out to

collect subscriptions for defraying the expenses, and also for the purpose of inspecting gunsmiths’ shops, and to see where the arms
and ammunition were situated about the Tower, and amongst the various wharfs and gun wharfs, and the establishments of those
gentlemen who served the ships, such as ship chandlers, and ship brokers, to ascertain where balls, canister, and grapeshot might be
found, and what quantity there was. We also examined the oil-shops where there were any combustibles, such as oil, turpentine, and
such things, and regularly reported to the committee every night what was done.

“Among other things, it was proposed at one of the meetings of the committee, that we should get a couple of hundred young

women together, and dress them in white, who were to walk first, in order to take off the attention of the soldiers. We were all actively
employed in distributing bills announcing the meeting for the 2nd December, and in going from one public-house to another to secure
the co-operation of the soldiers and labourers; and I hired a waggon to be taken to Spafields to be used as a stage for the speakers:
young Watson and I were also employed in purchasing fire-arms for our own party. Flags and cockades were then prepared and
delivered into my custody. On the morning of the day of meeting, we assembled at the Black Dog in Drury-lane, and it was agreed that
the colours should be affixed to the staff, and that in the event of any of the civil authorities interfering they were to be shot, or run
through. Some bullets and slugs were put into an old stocking, and tied in an old dirty white handkerchief, in order to be carried to the
waggon. I afterwards found Keens preparing the banner, bearing the inscription “The brave Soldiers are our Friends, treat them
kindly,” and I then went to the plac...