"

and that he might have lived two or three days with the wound in his breaft, which wound could not be given but by an arm that reached over, or was above him.

He further depofed, that he also viewed the lord Mohun's body, and found that he had a wound between the fhort ribs, quite through his belly, and another about three inches deep in the upper part of his thigh; a large wound about four inches wide in his groin, a little higher, which was the cause of his immediate death; and another fmall wound on his left fide, and that the fingers of his left hand were eut.

The defence made by the prifoner was; that "the duke called him to go abroad with him, but "he knew not any thing of the matter till he " came into the field "

Some Scottish noblemen, and other gentlemen of rank, gave Mr. Hamilton a very advantageous character, afferting that he was brave, honest, and inoffenfive: and the jury having confidered of the affair, gave a verdict of" manflaughter," in confequence of which the prifoner prayed the benefit of the ftatute, which was allowed him.

At the time the lives of the above-mentioned noblemen were thus unfortunately facrificed, many perfons thought they fell by the hands of the feconds and fome late writers on the subject have affected to be of the fame opinion: but nothing appears in the written or printed accounts of the tranfaction, nor did any thing arife on the trial, to warrant fo ungenerous a fulpicion; it is therefore but juftice to the memory of all the parties to difcredit fuch infinuations.

But here a reflection will naturally arife, that we hope may be of fervice to our readers of fuperior rank. If all duellifts are, as common fenfe

feems

feems to intimate, MURDERERS, in what light are we to confider their feconds? Certainly in no other than as acceffaries before the fact. The law fays, and with great juftice, that acceffaries in cafe of murder fhall be deemed principals.

With regard to the particular cafe in question, if we believe the plea of the prifoner, we cannot confider him as an acceffary, because he was ignorant of the intention of the duke.

Be this as it may, it is much to be lamented that we have not laws of force fufficient to put an effectual ftop to the horrid practice of duelling: a practice which had its rife in the ferocious manners of the most barbarous ages, and is a difgrace to any people who pretends to be polifhed or refined. Honour is made the vile pretence, and murder, real or intended, is always the confequence.

Men ought to confider that their great Creator has entrusted them with life for more valuable purposes than to put it to the hazard on every frivolous occafion. One would imagine that the reflection of a moment would teach any man in his fenfes that the determination to rush into the prefence of his maker with the crime of murder on his head was fufficient to enfure his perdition!

Happy are those who have been thus tempted to embrue their hands in the blood of their fellow creatures, if they efcape the murdering fword or pittol, and have time allotted them to repent of their mifdeeds; and furely a whole life of peni. tence is fhort enough to atone for the intentional murder of a fellow-creature!

Account

1

Dedd deling?

Scott sculp

WI JOHNSON shooting M.SPURLING, head Turnkey of Newgate, while Jane Mousden (then going to Trial; stands by encouraging him.

Account of WILLIAM JOHNSON, and JANE HOUSDEN, who were hanged for the Murder of the Turnkey of Newgate.

WE

7E infert this narrative on account of its fingularity, as it may not happen that another cafe of the kind fhall ever occur.

William Johnson was a native of Northamptonfhire, where he ferved his time to a butcher, and removing to London opened a fhop in NewportMarket; but bufinefs not fucceeding to his expectation, he took a house in Long Acre, and commenced corn-chandler; but in this bufinefs he was likewife unsuccessful, on which he fold his ftock in trade, and took a public houfe near Chrift Church in Surry.

In the bufinefs of a victualler, he was as unfuc cessful as in his former profeffions; on which he failed to Gibraltar, where he was appointed a mate to one of the furgeons of the garrifon: fo that he appears to have poffeffed a genius turned to a va riety of employments.

Having faved fome money at Gibraltar, he came back to his native country, where he foon spent it, and then had recourfe to the highway for a fupply. Being apprehended in confequence of one of his robberies, he was convicted, but received a pardon, not long before the perpetration of the murder which cost him his life,

Johnson had been formerly acquainted with one Jane Houfden, who had been tried and convicted of coining, but obtained a pardon. It' was not long after this pardon (which was procured by great influence,) before Houfden was again in cuftody for a fimilar offence. On the VOL. I. No. 4.

T

day