Volume III
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JOHN EVERETT Highwayman, Turnkey and Ale-House Keeper. Executed at Tyburn, 20th of February, 1729 fordshire, and had been well educated, his father possessing three hundred pounds per annum. He was apprenticed to a salesman, but running away from his master he entered into the army and served in Flanders, where he behaved so well that he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. On the return of his regiment to England he purchased his discharge, and repairing to London bought the place of an officer in Whitechapel Court, in which he continued about seven years; but having given liberty to some persons whom he had arrested, one Charlesworth, a solicitor of that court, caused him to be discharged, and then sued him for the amount of the debts of the parties whom his inconsiderate good nature had liberated. To evade imprisonment Everett enlisted in Lord Albemarle's company of Foot Guards. Soon after his re-engaging in the army he fell into company with Richard Bird, with whom he had been fornierly acquainted. This Bird hinted that great advantages might be acquired in a particular way if Everett could be trusted, and the latter, anxious to know what the plan was, learned that it was to go on the road; on which an agreement was immediately concluded. Thereupon they set out on their expedition, and robbed several stages in the counties adjacent to London, from which they obtained considerable booty, in jewels, money and valuable effects. Thus successful in their first exploits they went to Hounslow Heath, where they stopped two military officers who were attended by servants armed with blunderbusses; but they obliged them to submit, and robbed them of their money and watches. The watches were afterwards left, according to agreement, at a coffee-house near Charing Cross, and the thieves received twenty guineas for restoring them. Soon after they stopped a gentleman in an open chaise near Epsom. The gentleman drew his sword and made several passes at them, yet they robbed him of his watch, two guineas, his sword and some writings; but they returned the writings at the earnest request of the injured party. They also made a practice of robbing the butchers and higglers in Epping Forest, on their way to London. One of these robberies was singular. Meeting with an old woman, a higgler, they searched the lining of a high-crowned hat, which she said had been her mother's, in which they found about three pounds, but returned her hat. Soon after this they stopped a coach on Hounslow Heath in which were two Quakers, who, calling them sons of violence, jumped out of the coach to oppose them; but their fellow-travellers making no resistance, and begging them to submit, all the parties were robbed of their money. Everett, remarking that one of the Quakers wore a remark- ably good wig, snatched it from his head and gave him in return an old black tie, which he had purchased for half- a-crown from a Chelsea pensioner. This sudden metamor- phosis caused great mirth among the other company in the coach. About ten days after this he and his companion walked to Hillingdon Common, where, seeing two gentle- men on horseback, Everett stopped the foremost, and Bird the other, and robbed them of upwards of three guineas and their gold watches ; they then cut the girths of their saddles and secured the bridles, to prevent pursuit. They now hastened to Brentford, where, understanding that they were followed, they got into the ferry to cross the Thames; and when they were three parts over, so that the river was fordable, they gave the ferrymen ten shillings and obliged them to throw their oars into the river. They then jumped overboard and got on shore, while the spectators thought it was a drunken frolic, and the robbers got safe to London. Some time after this, Everett was convicted of an attempt to commit a robbery on the highway, for which he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment in New Prison, Clerkenwell. After some time he was employed to act here as turnkey, and, his conduct mecting with approbation, he remained in that station after the term of his imprisonment was expired; but the keeper dying, he took a public-house in Turnmill Street. He had not been long in this station when the new keeper who had been appointed frequently called on him and made him advantageous offers, on the condition of his reassuming the office of turnkey. This he did. But when Everett had perfectly instructed him in the management of the prison he dismissed him, without assign- ing any reason for such ungenerous conduct. Everett being now greatly in debt, and consequently obliged to remove within the rules of the Fleet Prison, took a public-housc in the Old Bailey. After which he took the Cock ale-house, in when the Warden of the Fleet persuaded him to keep the tap house of the said prison. While in this station he was charged with being concerned with the keeper in some malpractices, for which the House of Commons ordered him to be con- fined in Newgate; but he obtained his liberty at the end of the sessions, as no bill had been found against him. During his confinement his brewer seized his stock of beer, to the amount of above three hundred pounds, which reduced him to circumstances of great distress. He even now resolved on a life of industry if he could get employment, but his character was such that no person would engage him. Thus distressed, he once more equipped himself for the highway. He committed several robberies in the neighbour- hood of London, the last of which was on a lady named Ellis, whom he stopped near Islington; but, being taken into custody on the following day, he was tried and capitally convicted. He had been married to three wives, who all visited him after sentence of death. Mr Nicholson, the then minister of St Sepulchre's Church, attended the prisoner while under sentence of death, and kindly exerted himself to convince him of the atrocious nature of his offences ; but the numbers of people who visited him from motives of curiosity took off his attention from his more important duties. However, he was at times serious, and would then advise his brethren in affliction to prepare for that death which now appeared unavoidable. The gaol distemper having seized him while in Newgate, a report was propagated that he had taken poison, but this was totally false. At the place of execution he behaved in such a manner as induced the spectators to think that his penitence for his past crimes was unaffected. |