day that she was to be tried, and just as fhe was brought down to the bar of the Old-Bailey, Johnfon called to fee her: but Mr. Spurling, the head turnkey, telling him that he could not fee her till her trial was ended, he inftantly drew a piftol, and shot Spurling dead on the spot, in the prefence of the court, and all the perfons attending to hear the trials; Mrs. Houfden, at the fame time encouraging him in the perpetration of this horrid murder.

The event had no fooner happened, than the judges, thinking it unneceffary to proceed on the trial of the woman for coining, ordered both the parties to be tried for the murder; and there being fuch a number of witneffes to the deed, they were almost immediately convicted, and received fentence of death.

From this time to that of their execution, and even at the place of their death, they behaved as if they were wholly infenfible of the enormity of the crime which they had committed; nay, though there were fo many witneffes to the fact, they had the confidence to deny it to the last moment of their lives; nor did they fhew any figns of compunction for their former fins.

On the 19th of September, 1712, they were executed oppofite the feffions-house in the Old Bailey, after which Johnfon was hanged in chains near Holloway, between Iflington and Highgate.

There is fomething fo extraordinary in the cafe of thefe 'malefactors that one is almost at a lofs what judgment to form of the enormity of their guilt. Johnfon had been capitally convicted, and received a free pardon: and Housden had experienced a like effect of the royal mercy. What then fhall we think of the man committing a daring murder in fuch a place, and on fo folemn

an

an occafion, and of the woman, in circumstances fo calamitous as hers, encouraging him in the perpetration of fo horrid a crime? A crime, that the flighteft reflection would have told them must neceffarily be punished in an exemplary manner. To escape was impoffible :-to commit the crime then, argued a folly as well as bafeness that is, perhaps, without example.

The turnkey was doing no more than discharging the duties of his office, and had not given the least provocation to the parties for the horrid murder that enfued.

Their behaviour under fentence of death evinces to what a fhocking degree their minds muft have been hardened; and, upon the whole, the inftance before us affords a proof that the human heart is corrupt above all things, and defpe "rately wicked."

"

Account of RICHARD TOWN, who was Executed for Defrauding his Creditors under a Commiffion of Bankruptcy.

IN

September, 1712, Richard Town was indicted at the Old Bailey for withdrawing himfelf from his creditors after a commiffion of bankrupt iffued against him, and for removing and fraudulently carrying away fifteen tons of tallow, valued at 400l. and 400l. in money, with his debt-books, and books of accounts, with intention to defraud his creditors

Having pleaded not guilty to the indictment the council informed the jury that the act of parliament had exprefsly declared that "if any "perfon, being a bankrupt, after the month of

T2

"Aprik

1

"April, 1707, did fraudulently conceal, em"bezzl, or make away with goods or money to "the value of 201. he should be deemed guilty of felony."

A number of witneffes were now called to prove his being a regular trader, and to make it appear that he had committed an act of bankruptcy; but the princ pal of thefe was Mr. Hodgson, who depofed that being fent after the prifoner by the commiffioners of bankrupt, he apprehended him at Sandwich, and searching him by virtue of his war ant, found in his pocket twenty guineas in gold, and about five pound feven fhillings and fixpence in filver; and that he had three gold rings on his fingers: that he took from him the gold, and five pounds in filver, and left him the odd filver.

Town had intended to fail in a fhip which was bound to Amfterdam, but being too late he went on board a packet-boat bound to Oftend, but being taken fea-fick, he went to the fide of the vessel, and stooping down, dropped eight hundred guineas, which were in two bags between his coat and waistcoat, into the fea.

A ftorm arifing at fea, the packet-boat was driven back, and obliged to put into Sandwich, in confequence of which Town was apprehended by Hodgion, as above mentioned.

When Town was examined before the commiffioners he acknowledged that he had ordered Thomas Nor is to carry off his books of accounts, plate, and papers of value, and likewife to convey away a large quaintity of tallow, which he fuppofed was then arrived in Holland,

Now the council for Town infifted that, as Norris was a joint agent with him, the act of one was the act of both; and that he could not legally be

con

convicted till the other (who was then abroad) could be apprehended, and tried with him. But in order to fruftrate this argument, it was proved that Town had fhipped off large quantities of goods on his own account: befides, the circumftance of his being taken at Sandwich by Mr. Hodgson, with more than twenty pounds of his creditors money in his poffeffion, was a fufficient proof of his guilt; wherefore the jury did not hefitate on his cafe, and he received fentence of death.

This unhappy man was a native of the county of Oxford, and for fome time had carried on a confiderable bufinefs as a tallow chandler with great reputation; but it appears too evident that he had formed a defign of defrauding his creditors; because, at the time of his abfconding, he had confiderable property in the funds, and was otherwise in good circumftances.

Before his conviction he was indulged with a chamber to himself in the prefs-yard: but after fentence was paffed on him he was put into the condemned hole, with the other prifoners: but here he catched a violent cold, which brought on a deafness, a diforder to which he had been fubject; wherefore, on complaining of this circumftance, he was removed to his former apart

ments.

While under féntence of death he refused to acknowledge the juftice of his fentence, declaring that a person whom he had relieved, and preferved from ruin, had occafiond his destruction. He attended the devotions of the place, declared that he forgave his enemies, and begged that God would likewife forgive them.

He was executed at Tyburn on the 23rd of December, 1712, being exactly forty-one years

of

of age on that day: a circumftance that he remarked to the Ordinary, on his way to the fatal

tree,

Mr. Town was the first person who fuffered on the act which made it felony for a bankrupt to conceal the value of 201. or upwards. It is the fate of many an honest man to become a bankrupt, and it is but too common for the unfeeling world to brand all bankrupts with the general name of villain: but, we hope, for the honour of human nature, that this name is not deserved once where it is applied a thousand times.

It has been the misfortune of fome of the worthieft men we have ever known to become bankrupts. On the contrary, many of the moft contemptible of the human race have been fuccefsful traders, and, in the language of the city, have been "good men." Undoubtedly there have been fraudulent bankruptcies; but, comparatively speaking, we believe very few. We have not many inftances of traders flourishing in a great degree, after a bankruptcy and what man would with, if it were in his power, to meet the public contempt and derifion, for the fake of embezzling a few paltry hundred pounds, and this too, at the hazard of his life?

With regard to the particular inftance before us, we see a strong proof of the wisdom and juftice of Providence, in preventing this offender from making his escape; in the first place, by the ship being failed, and in the fecond, by the packet boat being obliged to put back, through itrefs of weather.

Hence let all who are tempted to commit crimes of a fimilar, or of any other nature, learn that they can never escape the fight of a juft God, who ruleth the world in righteousness.

Account