LAW AND POLICE.
In treating the above heading, I have no wish to introduce the "Newgate Calendar" element into this book. Let those who like such literature, consult that work—and, doubtless, they will be rewarded for their pains; but, in going through these old papers, much that is curious is met with, which throws light on the manners, and customs, of our forefathers.
Of Police, as we understand the word, there was none—and the parochial Constables, and watchmen, who were supposed to guard the premises of the rate payers, and to keep the peace, were veritably of the Dogberry and Verges type—utterly useless for the detection, or suppression, of crime, and only fit to "comprehend all vagrom man," or lead some roysterer home.
All day long they were not; but, at night, they came out with the bats, and owls, armed with a long staff, and a lantern, periodically droning out the hour of the night, and the state of the weather. This was done with the laudable intention of shewing their vigilance, but it must equally have acted in an opposite direction, for every thief must have had due warning of the watchman's whereabouts. They had temporary shelters, larger than the Military Sentry box, and the wild spirits of those days delighted to catch a watchman napping, and overturn his box, thus temporarily incapacitating him from giving an alarm, or following their flight. For the former purpose they used huge rattles, smaller specimens of which were carried, for the same purpose, by our own Metropolitan Police, until 1884.
Each parish looked after its own interests, had its own watch and ward, and was mightily jealous of interference from another parish—an arrangement evidently very much to the advantage of a thief. People were always grumbling—but the state of things was never altered. Hear what they said about it in 1788:—
"The Decrepid old Dotards, to whose vigilance the different Vestries have confined their fellow Citizens, are likely to profit from the order of nature being reversed by the life of our modern nobility, who, rising at two, dining at eight, and paying afternoon visits at midnight, have superseded the necessity of having watchmen, and are, in fact, with their servants, a much better patrole than any of the Bow Street Justices could furnish."—(Morning Post, April 21, 1788.)
There were amateur thief catchers like Jonathan Wild, men who would be the companions, and confederates, of Highwaymen, Housebreakers, and Thieves, drawing Money from them until they were sucked dry, and then sacrifice them without an atom of remorse.
And there were the detectives of that time, the Bow Street Runners, or Robin Red breasts as they were called, from their wearing red waistcoats. Peter Pindar sang of them, especially of the three that were detailed for the protection of the Royal family at the time of the French Revolution.
".........
What a bright thought in George and Charlotte,
Who to escape each wicked Varlet,
And disappoint Tom Paine's disloyal crew,
Fixed on Macmanus, Townsend, Jealous,
Delightful company, delicious fellows,
To point out, every minute, who is who!
To hustle from before their noble graces,
Rascals with ill looks, designing faces,
Where treason, murder, and sedition dwell;
To give the life of every Newgate wretch,
To say who next the fatal cord shall stretch,
The sweet historian of the pensive cell."
Seen home by the Watch.—1792.
Townsend, was undoubtedly the sharpest of the three, but he was a pushing, boastful fellow, and never hid his light under a bushel. He was, however, courageous, and never heeded where he went, or what odds were opposed to him; so that the criminal classes began to respect him, and, at last, never thought of opposing him. He was extremely natty in his dress, and his flaxen wig was as well known, as his short stout figure, and his red face—
"Of all the wigs in Brighton Town,
The black, the gray, the red, the brown,
So firmly glued upon the crown,
There's none like Johnny Townsend's;
It's silken hair, and flaxen hue,
It is a scratch, and not a queue,
When e'er it pops upon the view,
Is known for Johnny Townsend's."
It was by his means, that the famous pickpocket, Barrington, was convicted, and transported, a fact which was very much to Barrington's advantage, for he helped to put down a mutiny on board, whilst on his passage out, for which he was well rewarded, and, by his good conduct, he rose from step to step, always in the Colonial police—until he died Chief of the Constabulary in New South Wales.
The laws were then frightfully severe in their punishments, but this severity did not act as a deterrent to crime. The punishment of death, (and hanging was the punishment for many trivial crimes) seems to have had no terror—for we read in the Morning Post, July 11th 1788, "The number of Capital Convicts at present in Newgate is eighty-one!" Of course, these were not all executed, some having their sentences commuted to transportation for life. Let us take a few cases from one Newspaper only, the Morning Post, September 11, 1788. It was the Sessions at the Old Bailey, 9th September:—
"John Dancer, was put to the bar, and tried before Judge Grose, for a burglary, and robbery, in the empty dwelling-house of Daniel Dancer,[15] a farmer, near Uxbridge. This offence is made capital by the 39th Elizabeth. The jury brought in a verdict, guilty, of the value of £5.—Death.
"John Crawford, for a burglary in the house of Francis Bias. The crime being fully proved.—Guilty—Death.
"William Johnson, for a burglary and robbery of poultry, in the dwelling house of Margaret Allen, at Hampstead.—Guilty—Death.
"Thomas Jones, for a highway robbery of a watch &c. He was taken in the manier—i.e. with the watch upon him.—Guilty—Death.
"Several other prisoners were tried and acquitted for various offences, particularly one for a rape—his crime was only Seduction!"
"Monday evening, as a lady was passing along Long-Acre, she was jostled into a Court by a number of those abandoned wretches, who to the disgrace of our police and magistrates, infest every corner of the Metropolis, where they stripped her of her cloak, bonnet, and of almost everything she had on, besides grossly insulting her. The Public Offices of Justice are every morning full of these women of the town, who have been taken up for their disorderly behaviour. But, while the connection between them and the Watchmen subsists, the evil must still remain. It is an evil of the most serious and alarming nature, and peculiarly calls for the interposition of the Legislature."—(Morning Post, Sept. 26, 1788.)
"There are at this time, in Newgate, upwards of Seven Hundred prisoners, the greatest number ever known to be in that place of confinement, at the same time."—(Morning Post, Dec. 5, 1788.)
"Kelly who was pilloried at Reading, brings actions against those who pelted him. This is a new cause of trial, but clearly a legal one."—(Morning Post, Dec. 23, 1789.)
Here, they evidently "caught a Tartar." The pelting could have been no part of the man's sentence—but what was the issue of his appeal to law, I know not.
About the year 1790, occurs a most singular police episode, so singular, and so comparatively unknown, that I cannot refrain from somewhat enlarging upon it.
In the early spring of 1790, murmurs began to be heard of ladies being attacked, and stabbed, by a monster in human form. The murmurs were low at first, and "monster" was printed with a small "m;" but, very shortly, they grew into a roar, and no capitals were found too large for THE MONSTER.
Indeed, even before that, and as far back as May, 1788, a Mrs. Smith had been stabbed in the upper part of her thigh by a man in Fleet Street, and was even followed by him to a house in Johnson's Court, to which she was going, and watched by him until she was let in. In May, 1789, a Mrs. Godfrey was similarly stabbed in Boswell Court, Fleet Street; and another lady was left wounded at her door. In March, 1790, a Mrs. Blaney, of Bury Street, was stabbed at her door after she had knocked. Dr. Smith, seeing an account of this outrage in a newspaper, inserted a notice in the Morning Herald, and that journal, having made some severe remarks on the matter, public opinion began to be awakened, and numerous letters were written, on the subject, to the newspapers of the day. The thing began to be talked of in the higher circles. A young lady named Porter had been stabbed whilst, in the company of her sisters, returning from the Drawing Room at St. James's, on the 18th of January, the Queen's Birthday; and since that time, several people had been wounded by this miscreant, who, fortunately, always failed in doing serious injury to his victims.
Mr. John Julius Angerstein (whose name will ever be associated with the commencement of our National Gallery) was very active, and inaugurated a subscription at Lloyd's, to which the guineas flowed merrily, for the capture, and conviction of the "Monster." The police began to bestir themselves, and they, too, issued placards. One will serve as a type of all:—
"Public Office, Bow Street,
Thursday, April 29, 1790.
"One Hundred Pounds Reward.
"Several ladies having, of late, been inhumanly cut, and maimed, by a person answering the following description, whoever will apprehend him, or give such information to Sir Sampson Wright, at the above office, as may be the means of his being apprehended, shall immediately upon his committal to prison, receive fifty pounds from Mr. Angerstein of Pall Mall, and the further sum of fifty pounds upon his conviction. N.B.—He appears to be about thirty years of age, of a middle size, rather thin make, a little pockmarked, of a pale complexion, large nose; light brown hair, tied in a queue, cut short and frizzed low at the sides; is sometimes dressed in black, and sometimes in a shabby blue coat; sometimes wears straw-coloured breeches, with half boots, laced up before: sometimes wears a cocked hat, and at other times a round hat, with a very high top, and generally carries a Wangee cane in his hand.
"All servants are recommended to take notice that if any man has stayed at home without apparent cause, within these few days, during the daylight. All washerwomen and servants should take notice of any blood on a man's handkerchief, or linen, as the wretch generally fetches blood when he strikes. All servants should examine if any man carries sharp weapons about him, and if there is any blood thereon, particularly tucks; and maid-servants are to be told that a tuck is generally at the head of a stick, which comes out by a sudden jerk. All cutlers are desired to watch if any man answering the above description is desirous of having his weapon of attack very sharp."
The MONSTER cutting a lady.—1790.
All baker's men were asked to give notice at every house they called at, of the above reward, and Mr. Angerstein promised twenty pounds to any man by whose instrumentality the Monster was discovered.
Additional publicity was, moreover, given by other means. The Morning Herald of April 27th says:
"A new musical piece was produced last night at Astley's called The Monster, and being brought forward at a time when the attention of all London was engaged in discovering him, cannot fail of producing full houses. Astley seems to have taken up the matter very seriously, as the piece abounds with much satire against the Monster. The songs also are well adapted: the chorus of one concluding as follows,
'When the Monster is taken in the fact
We'll have him tried by the Coventry Act,[16]
The Black Act
The Coventry Act,'
produced unbounded applause. This piece will certainly be a good acquisition to Astley, who is said to be the author."
One lady (Mrs. R. Walpole) was fortunate enough to escape being wounded, owing to her having an apple in her pocket: an incident which gave rise to some poetic effusions:
"Eve, for an apple, lost immortal life:
From you an apple turn'd the Monster's knife!
Can greater proof, since Eve, be given
Of diabolic strife,
Or interposing Heaven?"
"The apple was, in days of yore,
An Agent to the Devil,
When Eve was tempted to explore
The sense of good and evil;
But present chronicles can give
An instance quite uncommon,
How that which ruined Mother Eve
Hath saved a Modern Woman."
The Monster was even made a party to Anti-slavery agitation, for at the Westminster Forum in Panton Street, Haymarket, "by desire of several ladies," was debated the question: "Which is the greater disgrace to humanity, the ruffian who drags the female African from her family, her kindred, and her native country, or the Monster who has lately wounded, or terrified, many ladies in this metropolis?" The result of this discussion is not handed down to posterity.
Still the Monster kept steadily at his work, and almost every day brought its tale of some woman being stabbed: and, one being injured in St. Pancras Parish, a meeting of the inhabitants was called at the Percy Coffee House, on May 7th, and an association was formed "to nightly patrol the streets of the south division of Saint Pancras, from half-an-hour before sunset, till eleven at night, for the public safety, and especially to guard that sex which a Monster, or Monsters, in opposition to the dictates of nature, and humanity, have dared to assault, and wound, with wanton, and savage, cruelty."
The idea that these outrages were not done single-handed, was on the increase, and the indefatigable Mr. Angerstein again issued a placard, and "informs the public, that from information he has received of the person who, since Friday last, has assaulted and wounded several women, there is great reason to fear that more than one of these wretches infests the streets: it is therefore thought necessary to give the following description of one, who, within this week, has committed many acts of cruelty upon women," and gives four descriptions of the man's dress, which would lead to the inference that the Monster was in possession of a very extensive wardrobe.
People were now gradually getting into a state of ferment, and the Monster was the engrossing topic of public interest. Of course, then as now, the wrong people were arrested occasionally. One "Walter Hill, was brought before the Magistrate at Litchfield Street on suspicion of being one of the wretches who have cut several women; he was apprehended in Windmill Street, Tottenham Court Road, near the place where two women were cut, though Miss Porter, and several other ladies, declared the prisoner was not the person who wounded them." Nothing could be proved against him, and, ultimately, he was discharged.
Even the light-fingered fraternity entered into the spirit of the times, for The World of May 11th has—"Public Office, Bow St., before Sir Sampson Wright. Yesterday evening, about half after seven o'clock, a gentleman of family and fortune, was surrounded in Holborn by a number of pickpockets, who, after hustling him, and robbing him of his watch, money, and hat, called out: 'That is the Monster, he has just cut a woman.' A vast number of people immediately pursued the gentleman, some calling 'The Monster!' others, 'Stop thief,' till at length he was knocked down, and surrounded by near a thousand people, by whom he was very ill-treated, and, probably, would not have escaped with life, had he not been, by some gentleman, taken into Gray's Inn Coffee House; from whence he was conveyed to the Brown Bear, in Bow Street, in a hackney-coach; where the mob were so exasperated that they broke the windows of the house, and, could they have got at him, would, no doubt, have massacred him: by stratagem he was, at nine o'clock, brought to this office. When the above facts appeared, Sir Sampson Wright lamented that it was not in his power to punish the perpetrators of this daring, and alarming, assault, but did all he could, by giving that gentleman his protection until the mob dispersed."
Accounts of mock assaults were written to the papers, one of them extremely circumstantial, telling how a courageous lady drew a pistol "from her pocket and discharged it into the wretch's neck, immediately under the ear, who instantly left her, uttering the most dreadful imprecations." This, it is needless to say, was denied, and exposed next morning.
Imposture, of course, took advantage of such a golden opportunity, and we find that "the account which appeared in all the newspapers of Miss B. of Marylebone Street, having been twice wounded by the Monster, proves to be a fabrication, for the purpose of exciting compassion, and money, and has, in some degree, answered the purpose. The above discovery has been made, by an investigation of this business, by the Select Vestry of Marylebone Parish. This is a new kind of Monster!"
The Oracle of May 17th tells the following little story:—"Tuesday, about nine o'clock, as Mr. Heather was crossing Tower Hill, he observed a well-dressed woman upon the ground: when he went to her, she said a very tall man had just wounded her with some sharp instrument, and begged his assistance to get to the Minories to a coach, which he readily complied with, upon observing blood in several places upon her gown and apron. However, the coach had not been gone ten minutes, before he found she had picked his pocket of his watch, and about three guineas."
Although there was now a cessation of real attacks by the Monster, the public feeling rose to very fever height. As one newspaper remarked: "The Monster is now a mischief of more than common magnitude. Inhuman himself, the villainy is visited upon all who are of the same sex: alike the source of apprehension, terror, and flight. It is really distressing to walk our streets towards evening. Every woman we meet regards us with distrust, shrinks sidling from our touch, and expects a poignard to pierce what gallantry, and manhood, consider as sacred. There must be a very criminal supineness somewhere, or these execrable villains would, with greater speed, expiate with their lives, the insulted humanity of being."
As an example of the pitch to which the excitement was wrought, the following case may be taken. A man met a girl, and went with her into a public-house. They sat down, and he showed her an artificial bouquet, or nosegay, as it was then called, which he had in his hand, and begged her to accept it. The girl, in taking hold of it, felt something prick her, and it made her hand bleed. She went away, and told the story to some of her friends, who immediately insisted that it must be the Monster, and that a dagger was certainly concealed in the nosegay. The man was in consequence arrested, and kept all night in the watch-house. On enquiry in the morning, it was found that the girl's hand had only been pricked by the wire used to bind the flowers together, and the poor man was, of course, discharged.
But Nemesis was at hand. One of his victims—that Miss Porter, who was stabbed after the Drawing Room, on the Queen's birthday—was walking with Mr. John Coleman, in St. James's Park, on Sunday, June 13th, and the Monster passed her. She at once recognised him, and, her agitation being remarked by Mr. Coleman, she said, "There is the wretch who wounded me." Mr. Coleman left her in charge of her friends, and followed the man, who walked very fast—evidently feeling he had been noticed, and endeavoured to dodge about from Spring Gardens, to Admiralty Passage, back again to Spring Gardens, and up Cockspur Street, to Pall Mall: thence to St. James's Street, and Bolton Street, where he knocked at the door of a house, and was let in. He stayed there about five minutes, and then went to Piccadilly, and St. James's Street, where he knocked at another house, and asked the servant some question. Leaving there, he went to Bond Street, Mr. Coleman endeavouring to insult him, by walking before and behind him, and staring him in the face. He then went to Oxford Street—then called Oxford Road—and Vere Street, where he knocked at an empty house. Then Mr. Coleman spoke to him, and asked him what was the use of knocking so violently at a house palpably empty; and he replied that he knew the people of the house, named Pearce, and knocked again for three or four minutes. He then crossed to South Molton Street, knocked at a house, and was admitted. Mr. Coleman asked the master of the house, Mr. Smith, for information as to the man, but he refused to give any, unless some reason was assigned. Mr. Coleman replied that the other had insulted some ladies under his protection, and that he demanded satisfaction. The Monster offered to meet him at any coffee-house, and gave his address as Fifty-two Jermyn Street. Mr. Coleman then let him go, but upon second thoughts hurried back, and again met him in St. James's Street; and looking at him, told him he did not think he was what he described himself, and asked him to come with him to Mr. Porter's house, which was not far off. He consented, and on seeing him, two of the Miss Porters immediately fainted, but upon recovery unhesitatingly declared him to be "the wretch." He turned to Mr. Coleman and asked: "Do the ladies suspect me to be the person advertised? Am I suspected?"
He was given into custody, and on the 15th of June, the newspapers gave full accounts of his capture and examination.
He proved to be a native of Wales, named Renwick (or Rhynwick) Williams, aged about twenty-three, who was sent young to London, where he was bound apprentice to Sir John Gallini, with a view to his becoming a dancer on the stage. A misunderstanding, as to the disappearance of a watch, severed this connection, and he then led a very loose life. For some little time, about two months, he was a lawyer's clerk, but this employment being only temporary, he was reduced to difficulties, until he met with Mr. Aimable Michell, of Dover Street, who taught him artificial-flower making, and with whom he remained until his arrest.
He was dressed very respectably, in a blue coat, lined, and edged, with buff, buff waistcoat, and black satin breeches.
He was fully identified by the Misses Porter, Miss Frost, Miss Baughan, and Mrs. Franklin, whilst numerous ladies who had been wounded could not identify him. He was of course, remanded. Royalty, in the person of the Duke of Cumberland (afterwards King of Hanover), was present at his examination, and great difficulty was experienced in preserving the prisoner from the fury of the exasperated mob.
On the 16th of June he was again brought up, was identified by two more ladies, and confronted with others, who could not be sure he was the man who had wounded them. The Dukes of York, and Cumberland, and Prince William of Gloucester, besides several peers, were present.
He was brought before the magistrates once more, when another lady identified him, and he was committed for trial.
Renwick Williams.—1790.
Owing to the novelty of the crime, great difficulty was experienced as to his indictment, but it was at last settled that he should be tried under the statute 6th Geo. I. c. 23, s. 11, which made it felony, punishable with transportation, for seven years, to assault any person in the public streets, with intent to tear, spoil, cut, burn, or deface, the garments, or clothes, of such person, or persons, provided the act be done in pursuance of such intention.
On Thursday, the 8th of July, Williams was tried at the Old Bailey, before Mr. Justice Buller, charged with making an assault upon Ann Frost, spinster, on the 9th of November last, in Jermyn Street, St. James's, and wickedly, wilfully, and maliciously, tearing, and spoiling, her garments, to wit, the gown, petticoats, and shift, of the said Ann, against the statute in that case provided.
He was also indicted for the commission of a similar offence in Holborn, on the 5th of May, on Sarah, the wife of John Davis. The same on Sarah, the wife of John Godfrey, on the 13th of May, in St. Marylebone. The 26th of September, on Mary Forster, in Maxwell Street. The 6th of December, on Elizabeth Baughan, in Parliament Street. For a like act, on the same day, in the same street, on Frances Baughan. For a like act, on Ann Porter, on the 18th of January, in St. James's Street.
He pleaded not guilty, and was defended by counsel. The case of Miss Porter was then gone into, and the evidence, as already detailed, was adduced. For the defence, he called his master, Mr. Michell, who swore that he was at work till twelve, on the night of the 18th of January, and did not quit his house till after supper at half-past twelve, which was also substantiated by the witness of his sister, Miss Michell, Catherine, and Molly Harmond, and two of the workwomen, besides a customer: and ten witnesses were called as to character. The judge summed up very favourably for the prisoner, but the jury, without hesitation, found him guilty. The judge said, as this was a new case, and he had some doubts as to the indictment, he would respite judgment until he had laid the case before the twelve judges. So this, and the other indictments, were put off until the December Sessions.
There were many accounts of the trial, and numerous portraits were published of Williams, who was by no means bad-looking, thin and pale, with powdered hair "en queue."
The caricaturists took the matter up, and treated the matter as a joke, recommending ladies to have copper petticoats, &c.
But the most awful picture is that of "The Monster going to take his afternoon luncheon," where he is depicted as a terrible being about to devour a pretty girl—but the caricaturist shows us, kindly, "the Monster disappointed of his afternoon luncheon," in which engraving, he has a double shot—one at the somewhat delicate subject of the "dress improver" of the day, and the other, how this fashion might be utilised to baffle the Monster of his intended meal.
There was the usual newspaper correspondents' wrangle, in which, of course, it was unpopular to advance any argument in favour of the Monster. Indeed, The World, of October 16th, says: "Writing a defence of the Monster carries with it more serious consequences than people are at first aware of, because it would appear as if publishing accounts, in the newspapers, or otherwise, could really justify atrocious acts. As Junius has said: 'The people at large are never mistaken in their sentiments, and, if they have formed an opinion, there is no taking them out of it by misrepresentation.'" That there was an opinion in his favour is not only evidenced by this, but at the City Debates, Capel Court, Bartholomew Lane, the question was debated on July 12: "Did the late extraordinary conduct ascribed to Renwick Williams (commonly called the Monster) originate in an unfortunate insanity, a diabolical inclination to injure the fair part of the creation, or the groundless apprehension of some mistaken females?"
Protection from the MONSTER.
But the man kept up the feeling against him, by his own conduct, and could not be quiet in prison. The Oracle, of August the 20th, has the following account of "The Monster's Ball":—"The depravity of the times was manifested last week, in an eminent degree, in Newgate. The Monster sent cards of invitation to about twenty couple, among whom were some of his alibi friends, his brother, sisters, several of the prisoners, and others, whom we shall take a future opportunity to notice.
"At four o'clock the party sat to tea; this being over, two violins struck up, accompanied by a flute, and the company proceeded to exercise their limbs. In the merry dance, the cuts, and entrechats, of the Monster were much admired, and his adroitness in that amusement must be interesting, from the school in which he acquired this branch of his accomplishments.
"About eight o'clock the company partook of a cold supper, and a variety of wines, such as would not discredit the most sumptuous gala, and about nine o'clock departed, that being the usual hour for locking the doors of the prison."
Williams gradually faded away from public notice until early in November, when eleven of the judges met in Serjeants' Inn Hall, and consulted on his case, which had been reserved. The questions were: First, whether his having an intention to cut the person of Miss Porter, and, in carrying that intention into execution, cutting the garments of that lady, is an offence within the statute of 6th Geo. I. c. 23, s. 11, on which he was convicted; the jury having, in their verdict, found that in cutting her person he had thereby an intention to cut her garments? Secondly, whether the statute being in the conjunctive, "that if any person shall assault with an intent to cut the garment of such person, then the offender shall be guilty of felony," and the indictment, in stating the intention, not having connected it with the act by inserting the words that he "then and there" did cut her garment, could be supported in point of form?
Nine out of the eleven judges were of opinion that the offence, notwithstanding the finding of the jury, was not within the statute, and that the indictment was bad in point of law.
This decision reduced the Monster's crime to a misdemeanour.
On Monday, December 13th, he was brought to trial at the Sessions House, Clerkenwell Green, and, as a proof of the interest it created, even the names of the jury are recorded. The trial began at ten, A.M., and was inaugurated by the prisoner reading a paper declaring his innocence. He was indicted for assaulting Miss Porter, with intent to kill, and murder her: there was a second count which stated, that he, "holding a knife in his right hand, did wilfully give the said Ann Porter a dreadful wound, of great length and depth on the right thigh and hip; to wit, of the length of nine inches, and the depth of four." A third count charged him with a common assault. The evidence was similar to that in the former trial, and, after a trial, lasting thirteen hours, he was found guilty.
He was afterwards found guilty of other assaults, and was finally sentenced to two years' imprisonment in Newgate, for each assault on Miss Porter, Elizabeth Davis, and Miss E. Baughan, and at the end of the six years, he was to find bail for good behaviour for seven years, himself in the sum of two hundred pounds, and two sureties in one hundred pounds each.
What finally became of him is not known. Mr. Angerstein offered the reward to Miss Porter, as it was by her instrumentality that the Monster was captured, but she refused it.
The recollection of the Monster, did not quickly fade away, for we read in the Times, 20 Dec. 1799, "Another new Monster on Wednesday, made his appearance in town. His passion is for biting the Ladies' toes and finger ends. They say his name is Frost."
Food riots, the natural outcome of an almost starving and ignorant population were rife; but, in the following paragraph, there is a curious allusion, that the grain was intended to be shipped to France, with which nation we were then at war.
"Several towns in Cornwall were last week visited by large bodies of Miners, from the different works, in search of concealed corn, which they insist upon is intended for exportation to France. At Wadebridge, they found about 25,000 bushels in store, which they obliged the Owners to sell at reduced prices. At Looe upwards of 6000 bushels of grain were stopped by them from being shipped, but we do not hear of their committing any other outrage. Part of the first regiment of dragoons is gone from Devonshire, to assist the magistrates in restoring peace."—(Times, Feb. 6, 1793.)
Highway robberies were of daily occurrence, so much so, that they are not worth chronicling, unless some special circumstance occurs in connection with them.
"The pickpockets are all turned highwaymen. Thus far the metropolis has been delivered from these free-booters: and the relief is certainly owing to the new Police Bill."—(Times, March 9, 1793.)
"At Oxford, a person was convicted of having robbed the Worcester and Oxford Coach, near Woodstock, of a portmanteau, and this peculiar circumstance attended it:—The man committed the offence, was taken, indicted, tried, and convicted, within twelve hours after the commission of the crime. He was indicted for petty larceny only."—(Times, March 28, 1793.)
"Mr. Burdon, the Member for the County of Durham, had 25,000 guineas in his chaise when he was stopped, the other evening by footpads, who robbed him of 25 guineas only. Mr. Burdon was carrying down this sum, for the relief of the Durham Bank."—(Times, April 26, 1793.)
A shocking trade had sprung up, which was not long in developing. As Science grew, so was a knowledge of Anatomy becoming of more vital importance to the medical profession—but subjects for operation were scarce. True, those malefactors who were hanged, and had no friends, were given over to the Surgeons for dissection, but this means of supply, fell far short of the demand—which, however, was met, by the ghastly device of robbing the grave-yards of their newly buried dead. Here are some contemporary records of the doings of these ghouls:—
"Friday, a gang of persons, called Resurrection men, were apprehended between two, and three, o'clock in the morning, near the Churchyard at Hampstead; they had dug up the body of a Mr. John Lloyd, who had been buried the day before, put it into a sack, and a hackney-coach was waiting to receive it; but, by the vigilance, and resolution, of the watchmen, they lost their prey; for, having stopt the coach, they found the body in it, and two men, whose names are Tom Paine, and Peter Mackintosh, together with their shovels, and tools, for opening the coffin. They were both carried before Master Montague, together with John Peach, the driver of the Coach, and were committed to gaol upon the fullest evidence. There were two others of the party, who made their escape. One of them had the appearance of a Gentleman, and is supposed to be a surgeon."—(Times, March 15, 1794.)
"On Monday evening, a set of Resurrectionists, were apprehended at a house near the Turnpike, Mile end. That morning, a coach was observed to stop at this house, and an ill looking man came out of it with a sack; containing as it was supposed, a body, which he carried into the house, and returned immediately with a large hamper:—they then drove off to a neighbouring public-house, when, after a short stay, they took up some others, and were traced to the Launch, at Deptford. In the meantime, the parish officers were informed of the circumstance. About six in the evening, the coach again returned with a similar lading, which was deposited in the house. Some constables, accompanied by a number of people, surrounded the house, and forcing an entrance, they found two men, and a woman, drinking tea on a bench, at one end of which lay the bodies of two children. They were secured: and, on entering an adjoining room, the bodies of six adults were discovered, unmutilated; besides which, the floor was strewed with limbs, in a state too shocking for public description."—(Times, March 20, 1794.)
"A very particular account has been sent to this Paper, of the late shocking discovery of dead bodies at Mile-End: but we deem it unfit for publication, as the circumstances are too horrid to meet the public eye. Every room in the house was a scene of the most shocking brutality, and it is supposed there were upwards of 100 bodies, some whole, others mangled. The remains found at this house have since been removed to Bethnal Green church-yard, for a second interment. We most sincerely hope that his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury will move for a bill in Parliament, making it death to rob a church yard."—(Times, March 22, 1794.)
(Adv.) "Robberies in Churchyards and Burial Grounds.
"Some persons having been discovered, on the evening of the 8th February last, conveying dead Bodies in Sacks, from the Burial-Ground belonging to the Parish of St. Mary, Lambeth, and who, upon the alarm being raised, made their escape; a reward of One hundred Pounds, for apprehending them, was immediately offered by the Churchwardens, to be paid upon their conviction: and the first opportunity was taken of assembling the Parishioners in Vestry, in order to consider by what means they might secure the offenders, bring them to punishment, and prevent, in future, such depredations. A Committee was accordingly appointed for this purpose, and discoveries of similar robberies in Church-yards, and Burial-grounds, in, and near, this Metropolis, have been made, the recital of which, together with an account of the horrid traffic in which many have been long engaged, with impunity, cannot fail to excite the indignation of the Public, and which it is intended, in a short time, to give them, taken from Affidavits made before Magistrates, and from other evidence procured on this melancholy occasion. It will be needless to say, that the Relatives, and Friends, of those who have been lately buried there, before this discovery, have suffered great anguish of mind, and it is not doubted but that all will concur in adopting measures, which may effectually check such abominable practices. For this desirable end, an application to Parliament, early in the next Session, is deemed highly necessary, as, at present, the punishment is found to be by no means sufficient to prevent the crime. The Parishes therefore, within the Bills of Mortality, and near London, will, it is hoped, approve of such application, and it is intended that a Circular Letter shall be sent to them, to invite them to join in it. In the meantime, the Committee of the Parish of Saint Mary, Lambeth, will be glad to receive any communications from any other Parishes, on this subject, under cover, directed to Thomas Swabey, Vestry Clerk, Lambeth."—(Times, April 21, 1794.)
"Early on Tuesday Morning, some suspicion being entertained that the Pesthouse burial-ground, in Old-Street-Road, had been frequently violated, the parish watchmen were ordered to keep a good look out, when a hackney coach was observed, waiting near the spot. Upon the watchman's approaching it, he was assaulted, and beaten, by three men, who then made off: but afterwards, springing his rattle, the assistants took the coachman into custody, who had three sacks in his coach, two of them containing the body of a man each, and the other, three children. Several other bodies, which had been dug up for the purpose of carrying away, were found under the wall of the burying-ground: and, it is generally believed, that almost all the bodies deposited therein, for 5 weeks past, have been stolen, which, upon an average, must have been 15 per week. The hackney-coachman, who owned he was to have had ten guineas for his night's fare, was committed to the New Prison, Clerkenwell. This fellow, it should seem, was hardened to his business: for, though put into the cage with the bodies he was carrying off, he slept so sound, that it was with some difficulty he was awakened by the visit of a brother-whip, previous to his going before a Magistrate."—(Times, Dec, 23, 1796.)
Sentence of death was passed on Criminals for offences we should now think totally inadequate to that punishment—but although sentenced, those convicted of the lighter offences—were almost all respited, and transported for life.
"At the Assizes for York and County, the following prisoners received sentence of death, viz., T. Jewitt, for stealing four heifers: Saml. Bathurst, for privately stealing in a shop; Wm. Atkinson, and Hannah Hobson, for riotously assembling and pulling down the house of John Cooper, of Whitby: John Holt and Richard Watson, for house breaking, and three others for sheep-stealing."—(Times, March 30, 1793.)
"A petition from Wm. Brunskill, (commonly called Jack Ketch) was presented to the Court of Aldermen, stating that he was the public executioner, and, on that account, could not get any other employment: that he was obliged to keep an assistant, though his allowance was so small, and his income so trifling, as to be insufficient to maintain himself, and family, and praying relief.—The Court referred the same to the Sheriffs."—(Times, Jan. 30, 1794.)
The next paragraph, which is very brief, tells its own story.
"There is now a man confined for debt in Newgate, who has been a prisoner there, over fifteen years, for a debt, the original sum of which does not exceed forty-five shillings."—(Times, April 25, 1793.)
In Dec. 1794, and Jan. 1795, there was a terrible frost—and, in the latter month, we hear that seven men, attempting to pass over the ice, to a Collier, by Ratcliffe Highway—were drowned—and how—two days afterwards—two watchmen were frozen to death at Bloomsbury. Hard indeed must have been the lot of the poor debtors, and we may fancy the anxious scrutiny of the box, which the debtor whose turn it was, would rattle outside the bars of Ludgate, making the while his monotonous, and melancholy, whine, "Pity the poor debtors; pity the poor debtors." Some hearts were softened towards them, and they were sensibly grateful for such seasonable assistance.
"Advt.—The unfortunate DEBTORS in LUDGATE PRISON beg leave, thus publicly, to return their grateful Thanks to LADY TAYLOR, of Spring Gardens, for her munificent Benefaction of 149 lbs. of Beef, 21 half Peck Loaves, 21 sacks of Coals, and 66 lbs. of Cheese, each Article being of the best quality.
"At the same time, they entreat the LORD MAYOR to accept their unfeigned Thanks, for his kind present of a Guinea, which was equally divided among the unfortunate Debtors.
"N.B. The smallest Benefaction from their fellow Citizens and other liberal minded persons, will at all times be thankfully received, particularly at this inclement season of the year."—(Times, Dec. 29, 1794.)
"The unfortunate DEBTORS, in Ludgate Prison, beg leave to return their grateful Thanks, to the Right Hon. the LORD MAYOR, for 448 lbs. of Beef and Mutton of the best sort, which he has sent them since the 10th day of Nov., also for two Chaldron, and an half, of Coals sent yesterday."—(Times, Jan. 1, 1795.)
"As the Debtor and Creditor Bill comes on to-morrow, it is recommended to its noble framer, to try the pulse of the Law Lords, by introducing a clause which shall interdict the Marshal of the King's Bench, and the Warden of the Fleet, from taking a shilling per week from each debtor for his bed, unless as the very foundation, and cause of this fee originally was, that the Keeper of the Prison furnishes the Debtor with furniture to the amount of £30. The Keepers have very handsome salaries, and therefore, there should be no exactions from the prisoners. Indeed the nature of their imprisonment interdicts such a practice, for how is the insolvent man to find money? ex-nihilo, nihil fit."—(Times, May 8, 1793.)
"Were any one Lord in the House of Peers to move that the Royal Assent to Acts of Parliament should be given in plain English, and not in old Norman French, the House would unanimously adopt the idea of banishing, in future, the barbarous language of that Country."—(Times, May 10, 1793.)
"A curious matter was heard yesterday before the Borough Police, respecting the wife of a gentleman at Sheerness, who had eloped with a black servant. They were pursued to the Nags Head in the Borough on Sunday, where Blackey fired a pistol at his pursuers, for which he was taken up and committed. The Lady had two children by her husband. The matter, we understand is made up."—(Times, Feb. 11, 1794.)
"The manner in which the Black business was settled, in the Borough, was this:—The husband took her two children, and all the property he found in the coach, desired his wife to go where she pleased, (after she said she'd live with no one but the Black) and Mungo was taken by a press gang, and put on board the tender."—(Times, Feb. 12, 1794.)
"Monday last two Bailiff's followers made a seizure for rent at a house in Kingswood, near Bristol: an alarm being given, they were surrounded by a number of colliers, who conveyed them to a neighbouring coal-pit, and let them down, where they were suffered to remain till about two the next morning, when they were had up, and, each having a glass of gin, and some gingerbread, given him, were immersed again into the dreary bowels of the earth, where they were confined, in all, near twenty four hours. On being released they were made to pay a fine of 6s. 8d. each, for their lodging, and take an oath never to trouble, or molest, any of them again."—(Times, April 25, 1795.)
"The friends of an apprentice to a stocking-weaver, at Lambeth, brought the lad to this office (Public Office, Bow St.) to shew one of the modes of punishment adopted by the master, when the boys committed any fault. It consisted of an iron collar, fastened round the neck, by a padlock. The lad said that he had worn it for above a month, and that he understood it was his master's intention he should wear it till he was out of his time. The master living in the county of Surrey, Mr Bond could not interfere in the business, but advised the parties to go to Union-Hall, in the Borough. The master of the apprentice alluded to, we understand, has got between 60 and 70 boys, most of whom he has had from the different workhouses in the county of Surrey."—(Times, Aug. 27, 1795.)
"Owing to the high price of victualling, the demand for shipping and risque of capture, or the price of insurance, the contract for conveying the last convicts from Great Britain, and Ireland, to Botany Bay, was £80 per man; and the expence exceeding all the good that could arise to either country, from the banishment, or the evil that could arise from the continuance in either country, of the miscreants.
"It is a known fact, that so far are the miscreants, who usually come under sentence of transportation, from considering it a punishment, that they laugh at the joke, and consider it a very great benefit.—Adventurous spirits like those, averse to all manner of industry, insensible to ignominy, and totally unconscious of any such feelings as the amor patriæ, delight in nothing more, than shifting the scene, and being conveyed to a distant country, from that in which they have no hope of existing, but at the perpetual risk of the gallows.
"It is more than probable that severe flagellation, such as military codes prescribe, would prove infinitely more formidable in detering villainy: and it is, at least, worth the experiment of a statute, which costs nothing, to try whether the penalty of 500, or 1000 lashes, which would not cost the country one shilling, would not prove a stronger barrier against larcenies, and clergyable felonies, than transportation to Botany Bay, at the enormous expense of £60 or 80 per man, which operates in reality as a heavy penalty on the Republic of honest men, and a bounty on villainy. Besides, have we not copper mines, coal mines, canals, and other such places of employment, at home, for those criminals, which, at present, alienate the husbandmen, and honest labourers of the country, from the business of agriculture. The labour of criminals, in this way, would prove a benefit to the country, and some compensation to the State, their crimes had injured."—(Times, Sept. 9, 1795.)
"The Calamities of War. Amongst the distresses it has occasioned, it is a lamentable fact, that five Attornies have been deprived of an honest livelihood, and have actually entered as foremast men, on board a frigate in the Thames."—(Times, Nov. 2, 1795.)
"The Lord Chancellor was occupied on Friday, and Saturday, with hearing an important cause. Earl Pomfret v. Sir Ch. Turner.
"It respects a very valuable lead mine, in the vale of Arkinghall, Yorkshire. Such is the expedition of our laws, that this cause has lasted only ninety three years, being first instituted in the year 1703!!!"—(Times, Apr. 12, 1796.)
"The King v. Middleton.
"The defendant was convicted of enticing a number of Artificers from this country, to go to Kentucky in America; a rule was afterwards obtained, to shew cause why the judgment should not be arrested, for reasons, which appeared insufficient to the Court. That Rule therefore, was discharged, and the Defendant received judgment according to the Statute, that is, he was ordered to pay a fine of £500, and to be confined in Newgate for the space of one year."—(Times, June 10, 1796.)
"On Saturday John Paviour (one of these persons called Bullock Hunters) was tried at the Old Bailey—for driving a bullock out of Smithfield Market, early on the morning of the 23rd May last and was found guilty—DEATH. It is hoped therefore, that this prosecution will greatly check, if not wholly put an end to that pernicious practice, by which not only the Property, but the lives of the Public are so much endangered, in and about this metropolis."—(Times, June 28, 1796.)
"The trial which was to have come on at the Assizes in York, concerning estates in Cleveland, for which a Special Jury was to be summoned, of four Knights, and their twelve Esquires, girt with swords, is deferred until next Assizes."—(Times, July 27, 1796.)
"Yesterday, a Jew was convicted at the Public Office Bow Street, for selling a hat, in the street, without a stamped lining, contrary to the late Act of Parliament, and was sentenced to be imprisoned for two months, in the House of Correction. Hatters selling Hats, without a stamped lining, are liable to the penalty of £10. In the above case, imprisonment is the only mode of punishment."—(Times, Sept. 3, 1796.)
"Certainly the number of Lawyers, which is only computed to be 20,000 in Great Britain, is not so much their fault, as our own. We can neither marry, nor die, without them: but then there is no living for them."—(Times, Sept. 28, 1796.)
"The number of Attornies posted up for admission next term, outside the Court of King's Bench, are eighty-two. Surely some stop should be put to this growing evil, for there is not a doubt, but that, with an increase of Attornies, must consequently follow an increase of litigation. For where the numbers surpass all reasonable bounds, they will have recourse to the most desperate means to excite business."—(Times, Jan. 31, 1797.)
"The convict who was lately executed at Leicester, and who adopted the singular mode of travelling, in a post chaise, to the place of execution, was no less remarkable for his crimes, than a copious fund of low humour. He got the following notice put up in the most frequented houses in the town, 'Wanted an agreeable companion, in a post chaise, to go a journey of considerable length, and upon equal terms. Enquire for particulars at the Castle.' It is almost superfluous to mention that upon the terms being made known, the gentleman could not find a partner."—(Times, Sept. 8, 1797.)
The following is a somewhat curious Police Case (Times, Jan. 17, 1798): "Robert Richards, and William Packer, were indicted on a charge of assaulting Ryan Thackars, on the 30th of December, and robbing him of half a guinea, a 7s. piece, and 1s. 6d., in silver, his property.
"The Prosecutor was a Jew, and a common informer, in which character he had gone, on the above mentioned day, to the Fleet Prison, to serve the wife of Mr. Richards, with a notice to answer to an information for wearing hair powder without a licence. On his serving the Notice, Mr. Richards called him back, but he refusing to return, the other assaulted him, threw him down upon his back, said he knew him very well, that he was a damned informer, and that he should be pumped. Then the two Prisoners dragged him to the pump, and, with the assistance of others, kept pouring water upon him, for a quarter of an hour. A pail of water was afterwards thrown, by somebody, on his face. His clothes were all torn: and, when they let him go, he missed his money. Being asked by the Court if he could charge the Prisoners with having robbed him, he answered he could not; nor was the money found on them when apprehended. The Recorder then told the Jury, that as no charge was made out against the prisoners, they must acquit them.—Not Guilty."
"BASE COIN FINISHED AT NEWGATE.
"A very singular circumstance occurred a few days ago at the gaol of Newgate: One of the Magistrates of Police having received information that a person of the name of Pullen, a notorious offender who was sentenced to a year's imprisonment for dealing in base money, had been carrying on his former trade, while in confinement: that the base money of the similitude of a shilling, being previously prepared of blanched copper, with King William's head faintly impressed on one side, and plain on the other, was brought into the prison privately by Agents whom he employed: that after the Cells were locked up, this adroit Coiner prepared a liquid in which very thin pieces of silver were mixed, which, being rubbed upon the Copper shillings, instantly give them the appearance of worn down coin of the Mint: that he was assisted in the operation by several of the prisoners in the same ward, some of whom were his associates in iniquity, and convicted of offences against the Mint Laws: That his customers came regularly to the prison, and purchased the base money so finished at two for one, paying sixpence for each shilling, although intrinsically not worth a halfpenny: that the dies, and some other implements for coining belonging to these delinquents, had been actually lodged in their trunks at Newgate, and they were brought there privately, on every alarm of danger from officers of justice, as a place of greater security. This information having been communicated to Sir William Staines, one of the present Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, with the zeal for the public good which characterises the active Magistrate, he went alone to Newgate, early in the morning, before the cells were unlocked, and caused the trunks, and boxes, belonging to the persons convicted of offences against the Mint Laws, to be searched; and, in a trunk concealed under Pullen's bed, were found no less than £107, 2s. of base money, of the similitude of shillings, ready for circulation, and a machine for rounding, or milling, the edges of half crowns; and in another trunk belonging to an associate of Pullen, were found two plain dies, and two others for halfpence, and farthings. It would appear that some other dies for halfcrowns, and shillings, which had been deposited for some time in a trunk belonging to Pullen, were removed, together with the book he kept for entering the names of his customers who visited him, for the purpose of purchasing base money for the town, and country, circulation.... The Lord Mayor and Sheriffs have investigated the means by which these nefarious practices have been carried on, and, we are happy to learn, that it arose entirely from the arts, and devices, so familiar to criminals, without the knowledge, or privity, of the Turnkeys. The result is, that the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs are taking immediate steps for establishing such rules, as will probably prevent a repetition of the same evil."—(Times, Nov. 29, 1796.)
PRIZE FIGHTING AND DUELS.
Prize fighting was beginning to develop into a fine art, and it was thought no more derogatory in a fine gentleman to assist, by his presence, at a "Mill," than to be present at a Cock fight. It was patronised by Royalty, as we see by the following Newspaper Cutting. Indeed, the Prince of Wales attended several prize fights, until a man was killed, and then he left the ring to itself.
"On Friday, a battle was fought at Blackheath between Crabbe, a Jew, and Oliver, commonly called Death; in which the former was victorious. All the great patrons, and distinguished professors of this fine art were present, and many bets were laid. The battle was honoured, in particular, by the attendance of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales."—(Morning Post, April 18, 1788.)
Even those "feeble folk," those superfine gentlemen, the Macaronis, learned to use their fists, as we see by this illustration.
Any one caring for such particulars will well know that this was the golden age for pugilism. There were Tom Johnson, 1783-1791. Benjamin Brain (Big Ben), 1786-1791. Daniel Mendoza, a Jew, 1784-1820. Richard Humphries, "the Gentleman boxer," 1784-1790. John Jackson, 1788-1795. Bill Hooper (the Tin man), 1789-1797. Tom Owen, 1796-1799-1820. Tom Jones (Paddington Jones), 1786-1805. Bill Warr (of Bristol), 1787-1792. Will Wood, the Coachman, 1788-1804. George Ingleston, the Brewer, 1789-1793. Bob Watson, of Bristol, 1788-1791. Tom Tyne, "the Tailor," 1788-1792. Symonds (the Ruffian), 1791-1795. Jem Belcher, 1798-1809. This is the list of the Chief Gladiators of the period.
"Mendoza's terms for teaching are reasonable enough—eight lessons for a guinea."—(Morning Post, May 26, 1788.)
"Mendoza and Ward, finding that the blackguard exercise of boxing had fallen into disrepute, took up the genteel trade of crimping, and became acting serjeants, at a house in St. George's Fields, until a stop was put to that nefarious business by authority. We are sorry to find that these notorious blackguards have since returned to their former occupation."—(Times, April 16, 1795.)
Boxing made easy, or Humphreys giving a lesson.—1788.
Duels were of as common occurrence, as highway robberies, and need as much comment. Still, I give two, or three, instances to show on what trifles, men, then, ventured their lives.
The first is an ordinary duel between two officers, reported in the Morning Post of 22nd June 1788—in which one of them was wounded in the thigh. This report brings a letter from some one, probably a second, who gives his version thus:—"Sir, in your account of the duel between Captains Tonge and Paterson, in your Paper of the 22nd, there is a mistake or two, which, for the sake of truth, I beg leave to correct. You say, 'that Capt. T. wished to apologise for the injury he had done.' The truth is, Captain T. being not quite himself when the affray happened, remembered very little of what had passed, except that, on some provocation, he had struck Capt. P. Considering himself, therefore, as having, palpably broken the peace, he was ready to ask Capt. P.'s pardon.
"This was not deemed sufficient satisfaction, and the duel took place. You tell us, that Capt. T.'s ball passed Capt. P., thereby implying that Capt. T. actually fired at his antagonist. Now, Sir, I can positively affirm that Capt. T. was determined not to fire his pistol, and that it was involuntarily discharged, after he was wounded, and not levelled at Capt. P. You tell us then, that Capt. T., upon falling, declared that 'he had merited his fate, and begged Capt. P.'s pardon.' His words were, Are you satisfied? I fear I am dangerously wounded, I therefore advise you to fly.
"To enable the Public to judge properly of this affair, it is necessary they should be told, that the first offence was, Capt. T.'s treading accidentally on Capt. P.'s heel, who, though he saw Capt. T. was intoxicated, continued to follow him.
Rich. Weeks."
"Captain Parkhurst and a Mr. Kelly, are the names of the gentlemen who exchanged blows at the Opera House on Saturday evening."—(Times, March 11, 1794.)
"On Sunday morning a duel was fought in Hyde Park between Mr. Parkhurst and Lieut. Kelly of the Navy. The dispute originated in some difference about places at the Opera pit on the preceding night. A brace of pistols was discharged, and the latter gentleman wounded in the shoulder. The seconds then interfered, and brought the matter to a termination."—(Times, March 13, 1794.)
"Friday morning a duel was fought in a field on the Uxbridge Road, between Mr. Duke, surgeon, and Captain D——s, in consequence of an old dispute revived a few nights ago in the Haymarket Theatre. The parties discharged a brace of pistols without effect, but upon Mr. D. discharging his second pistol, a ball was lodged in Capt. D.'s arm—upon which the seconds interfered, and a reconciliation took place."—(Times, Feb. 18, 1793.)
FRENCH EMIGRANTS.
We have seen how, at the outbreak of the French Revolution, the French came over here in thousands—escaping here as to a haven of refuge. For the most part they were of the better class; still there were, as in 1870, a large number of very suspicious characters (to use the mildest term) among them—and the government was compelled to keep a very jealous eye on their movements. Taken, however, as a whole, they behaved wonderfully well, and in no ways abused the asylum, and protection, they had sought.
"Government is ridding the country very fast of Jacobins: and in doing so, it is taking only a proper precaution during a time of war. Some hundreds have been already either expelled, or have quitted the country through apprehension; but many more still remain here: and we recommend very strongly to the notice of the Police Department, the general body of French Dancing Masters practising in London, who are the veriest Jacobins in existence. An exportation of some of these Hop Merchants, and certain French Milliners, whom we could name, might be permitted without a drawback, and without doing any injury to the Revenue."—(Times, Feb. 15, 1793.)
"The Maitre d'Hotel of the Duke of York was, on Saturday last, ordered to quit the country. We some time since remarked that there were several rank Jacobins in his Royal Highness's household."—(Times, Feb. 16, 1793.)
He was sent out of the Country either for theft or embezzlement.
"The Jermyn-Street Gun, which is filled with combustible matter, should be unloaded, and spiked, or it may become more dangerous than it is even at present. A clause ought to be added to the Alien Bill, interdicting Frenchmen to meet, either in public, or private, houses, in a greater number than 5, at one and the same time. We cannot be too strict at this moment: and, being sojourners here, as objects of public bounty, they cannot complain of any regulations which Government may deem necessary to make."—(Times, Feb. 16, 1793.)
"The French Emigrants.[17]
"Some of the papers have circulated very idle reports relative to the arrival, in London, of 140 French soldiers; the story is precisely as follows: These unfortunate Emigrants, most of them descended from opulent, and illustrious, families in France, having saved themselves, with the French Princes, from the daggers of assassins, were necessitated, at the end of the campaign, to enter the service of Spain. They embarked, on the 4th Dec., at Bois le Duc, for Rotterdam, and from thence, they sailed in the ship David and Abraham, commanded by Captain Riendirk. It would be impossible to describe the bad usage they received on board. Obliged to lay upon the bare deck, without a bed, and fed with mouldy biscuit, and beer, mixed with salt water; in this lamentable situation they remained five weeks. These miserable men were covered with vermin, most of them, dreadfully galled with sores, and ulcers. Some had not changed their linen for two years and an half: others had no linen of any kind, and the clothes of the whole troop were in tatters. There is reason to believe that the Captain of the vessel proposed to sell them as malefactors, to be sent to Batavia. The ship, however, was driven on our coast, and as soon as our Government was apprized that these poor men were at anchor in Sheerness, they took every measure to soften the rigour of their fate. Two of their countrymen were dispatched to bring them to London. The barbarous inhumanity of the Dutch Captain was notoriously conspicuous, and we hope some measures will be taken to bring him to justice, and make him an example to others, to avoid similar acts of inhumanity."—(Times, Feb. 28, 1793.)
"It is said that Lord Moira, notwithstanding the strange part he acts in domestic politics, distributes the amount of £10,000 annually amongst the French Emigrants, who are only known to him by their distresses."—(Times, Dec. 27, 1797.)
"A French Emigrant was, yesterday, examined before Mr. Ford, at the Duke of Portland's Office, on a charge of being a Spy. The circumstances adduced were on the information of a Journeyman Shoemaker, against his Master, a Mr. Deboo, for making a pair of boots with a Cavity between the Soles; covered with sheet lead to prevent the wet perforating, for letters of a secret nature. After a long examination, it was proved that he was employed by the Duke d'Harcourt, on a mission to the officers of his corps in Germany, and, his papers containing nothing improper, he was discharged: but, the maker of the boots having been, for some time, considered a disaffected person, is to be sent out of the Kingdom under the Alien Bill."—(Times, Jan. 6, 1798.)
"In order to obtain a correct information of all the Foreigners who reside in this vast metropolis, and whose numbers are said to amount to 80,000, and upwards, Government has ordered the parish Officers to go from house, to house, and to take down the name of any foreigner who resides in the parish. This measure, we conceive, would become still more efficacious, if every landlord, or tenant, of a house, who lets out lodgings, were obliged to inform the Justice of the Peace, of every Foreigner who comes to lodge in his house, or leaves it. None but suspicious persons will have to complain of the severity of these measures."—(Times, March 11, 1797.)