Volume III
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RICHARD TURPIN A famous Highway Robber, who shot dead one of his own Comrades and was executed at York On 7th of April, 1739 Epping, in the county of Essex, who put him to school to a writing-master; whence he was apprenticed to a butcher of Whitechapel, where he served his time. He was frequently guilty of misdemeanours and behaved in a disorderly manner. As soon as he came out of his time he married the daughter of one Palmer, and set up for himself in Essex, where he was reduced to the necessity of main- taining himself by indirect practices, and accordingly very often used to rob the neighbouring gentlemen of sheep,  lambs, oxen, etc. Once he stole a couple of oxen from Mr Giles, of Plaistow, which he had conveyed to his own house and cut up, but was detected by two of the gentleman's servants, who, having a suspicion of him, from some infor- mation they had received, inquired where Turpin sold the hides of his beasts, and being informed that he generally sold them at Waltham Abbey they went there, and were convinced, on sight of the hides, that Turpin was the man who stole the oxen, and immediately returned to apprehend him; being apprised of this he jumped out of a window and made his escape: when he was gone his wife disposed of the carcasses. Turpin, upon this, immediately formed a design of commencing as a smuggler, for which purpose he went into the hundreds of Essex, where he became acquainted with a gang of smugglers. Soon after he met with a gang of deer- stealers, who, finding him a desperate fellow, and ripe for any mischief, admitted him among them. It was Turpin's being engaged with this crew that brought him acquainted with Gregory, Fielder, Rose and Wheeler, who were after- wards called the "Essex Gang". They followed deerstealing only for some time. Then they formed themselves into a body, by Turpin's direction, and resolved to go round the country at nights. Whenever they knew a house had any- thing of value in it one knocked at the door , and as soon as it was opened the others rushed in and commenced plunder- ing ; nor were they content to take the money, plate and watches, but they seized even household goods if they found any they liked. The first person attacked by them was one Mr Strype, an old man that kept a chandler's shop at Watford, from whom they took what little money he had scraped together, but did him no further mischief. Their next attempt was a scheme of Turpin's, who told the gang he knew an old woman at Loughton who, he was sure, had seven or eight hundred pounds by her. Accordingly they proceeded to Loughton. Wheeler knocked at the door and Turpin and his companions all rushed in. The first thing they did was to bind the old lady, her son, her man and maid; then Turpin began to examine where the money and effects were, telling her at the same time he knew she had money, and it was in vain to deny it, for have it they would. The old gentlewoman persisted that she had none; upon which some of the crew were inclined to believe her; but Turpin, insisting she had money, at last cried: " If you won't tell us I will set you on the grate." She, imagining he only meant to threaten her, remained silent, and even suffered herself to be so served, and endured it for some time, till the anguish at last forced her to discover; when she had done this they took her off the grate and robbed her of all they could find, which was upwards of four hundred pounds. The next person they robbed was a farmer near Ripple- side. They first of all, according to their usual custom, tied the old man, the old woman, the servant-maid and a son- in-law of the old farmer; they afterwards ransacked the house, and in money and things robbed the old farmer of about seven hundred pounds. On Saturday, the 11th of January, 1735, at seven or eight o'clock in the evening, Turpin, Fielder, Walker and three otherscame to the door of Mr Saunders, a wealthy farmer at Charlton, in Kent, and, knocking at the door, inquired if Mr Saunders was at home; being answered he was, they all rushed in, and went directly to the parlour, where Mr Saunders, his wife and some friends were at cards, and de- sired them not to be frightened, for that they would not hurt their persons if they sat still and made no disturbance. The first thing they laid hands on was a silver snuff-box, which lay on the table before them, and having secured the rest of the company obliged Mr Saunders to go about the house with them, and open his closets, boxes and escritoire, from whence they took upwards of one hundred pounds in money, and all the plate in the house, a velvet hood, a mantle, and divers other things of value, and finding in their search some bottles of wine, a bottle of brandy and some mince-pies, they all sat down, drank a bottle of wine and ate a mince-pie, and obliged the company to drink each a dram of brandy. On Mrs Saunders fainting away with the fright they got her a glass of water, put some drops in it and were very careful to recover her. On Saturday, the 18th of January, Turpin, Fielder, Walker and two others made an appointment to rob Mr Sheldon's house, near Croydon, in Surrey, and for that purpose about seven went to Mr Sheldon's. Perceiving a light in the stable they went thither, where the coachman was dressing his horses; him they bound, and going from thence met Mr Sheldon in the yard, whom they seized, and compelled him to show them the way into the house. They took from Mr Sheldon eleven guineas, and robbed the house of several pieces of plate, jewels and some other things of value; but before they left the place they returned Mr Sheldon two guineas of the money, asked pardon for what they had done, and bade him good-night. On Tuesday, the 4th of February, Turpin, Gregory, Fielder, Rose and Wheeler, having formed a design to rob Mr Lawrence, at Edgewarebury, near Stanmore, in Middle- sex, they all went away together to Mr Lawrence's, where they got about half-an-hour after seven. In this robbery they got about twenty-six pounds in money on the whole, besides plate and goods ; yet they made no fair distribution of it among themselves, for to Wheeler, who was set to watch Mr Lawrence and his servants whilst the others were rifling the house, his companions pretended they had got only three guineas on the whole, and about six shillings and sixpence in silver. On the 7th of February, Turpin, Fielder, Rose, Walker, Bush and Gregory, together with Wheeler, met by appoint- ment at the White Bear Inn, at the upper end of Drury Lane, when they agreed to rob Mr Francis, a farmer near Marylebone, where they arrived about seven ; and while they were observing the house one of them perceived some- body in the cowhouse, and finding one of the men-servants there they seized and bound him, and carried him into the stable, where there was another of Mr Francis's men, whom they seized and bound also. But in this robbery, as they had done before, they cheated each other; for, excepting the goods, they divided only nine pounds, twelve shillings and sixpence amongst them; the guineas were secreted by him that laid hands on them. They spent about an hour and a half in rifling the house, whilst Gregory stood sentry over old Mrs Francis and her maid and daughter, and Turpin and Bush over Mr Francis and the two servants in the stable. When they had packed up their plunder they all marched off with what they had got. These transactions alarmed the whole country, nobody thinking himself safe; upon which Mr Thompson, one of the King's keepers, went to the Duke of Newcastle's office, and obtained his Majesty's promise for a reward of one hundred pounds for whoever should apprehend any of them. This made them a little more cautious. However, some of the keepers and others, having intelligence that they were all regaling themselves at an ale-house in an alley at Westminster, pursued them thither, and, bursting open the door, found Turpin, Fielder, Rose and Wheeler, and two women. Fielder, Rose and Wheeler, after a stout resistance, were taken, but Turpin made his escape out of a window And, taking horse, rode away immediately. Turpin, being quite left to himself, took a resolution to be concerned in no other gang, but to go towards Cambridge, as he was not known in that country. But before he reached his journey's end he met with the following odd encounter. King, the highwayman, who had been towards Cambridge on the same count, was coming back to London. Turpin, seeing him well mounted and appearing like a gentleman, thought that was the time to recruit his pockets, and accordingly bade King stand, who, keeping him in discourse some time and dallying with him, Turpin swore if he did not deliver immediately he would shoot him through the head. Upon which King fell a- laughing and said: " What! Dog eat dog! Come, come, brother Turpin, if you don't know me, I know you, and should be glad of your company." After mutual assurances of fidelity to each other, and that nothing should part them but death, they agreed to go together upon some exploits, and met with a small booty that very day, after which they continued together, committing divers robberies, for nearly three years. King being very well known about the country, as Turpin likewise was, insomuch that no house would entertain them, they formed a design of making a cave, and to that purpose pitched upon a place enclosed with a large thicket, situate between Loughton Road and King's Oak Road. Here they made a place large enough to receive them and their horses ; and while they lay, quite concealed themselves, could see through several holes made on purpose what passengers went by in either road, and, as they thought proper, could issue out and rob them. In this cave they lived, ate, drank and lay. Turpin's wife supplied them with victuals and frequently stayed there all night. From the forest King and he once took a ride to Bungay, in Suffolk, where Turpin, having seen two young market- women receive thirteen or fourteen pounds for corn, would rob them, and accordingly did, against King's consent, which occasioned a dispute between them. At their return to their cave they robbed one Mr Bradele, who was taking an airing in his chariot with his two children. Shortly after this Turpin, King and one Potter, whom they had lately taken into their company, set out for London, and coming over the forest, within about three hundred yards of the Green Man public-house, Turpin's horse began to tire. They overtook one Mr Major, and although they were so near the house Turpin ventured to rob him, took his whip, and, finding he had a better horse than his, made him dismount and change, and stay till he had changed saddles likewise, and then rode towards London. Mr Major got to the Green Man, and acquainted Mr Bayes with it, who immediately said: " I dare swear 'tis Turpin has done it." This robbery was committed on Saturday night, and on Monday following Mr Bayes received intelligence that such a horse as Mr Major had lost was left at the Red Lion, in Whitechapel ; he accordingly went thither and found it to be the same, and then resolved to wait till somebody came to fetch it. About eleven o'clock at night King's brother came for the horse, upon which he was seized immediately and taken into the house, when he said he had bought the horse and could produce proof of it. Mr Bayes then charged a constable with him; whereupon he became frightened, and when they declared that they believed he was merely sent to fetch the horse by the rogues that stole it, and if he would tell them where they waited he should be released, he told them there was a lusty man in a white duffle coat waiting for it in Red Lion Street. Mr Bayes immediately went out and, finding him as directed, perceived it was King, and coming round upon him attacked him. Turpin, who was waiting not far off on horseback, hearing a skirmish, came up, when King cried out: " Dick, shoot him, or we are taken, by G-d " ; at which instant Turpin fired his pistol. It missed Bayes and shot King in two places, who cried out: " Dick, you have killed me! " When Turpin heard this he rode away as fast as he could. After this he still kept about the forest, till he was harassed almost to death ; for his place of safety, the cave, had, whilst he was absent, been discovered. Then he made a journey by Lincolnshire, and having taken the name of Palmer he resided for some time at Long Sutton. Afterwards he went to Brough, near Machet Cave, in Yorkshire, and stayed some time at the Ferry House, in Brough; from thence he went sometimes to live at North Cave, and at other times at Welton ; and at these places he continued, under the name of Palmer, about fifteen or sixteen months. While he lived at Brough, Cave and Welton he often took his diversion with the gentlemen of the country, in hunting and shooting. Once, as he was returning from shooting, which was in the beginning of October, 1738, seeing one of his landlord's cocks in the street, he shot at it and killed it ; which Hall, his neighbour, taking notice of, said to him: " You have done wrong in shooting your landlord's cock." To which Palmer replied if he would only stay while he charged his piece he would shoot him too. Upon which Hall went and acquainted the landlord with what "Palmer" had done and said. The landlord immediately thereupon went with Hall to Justice Crowley and obtained a warrant for appre- hending the said Palmer; and the next day he was taken into custody and conveyed before the bench of justices, then sitting in their General Quarter Sessions, at Beverley, and was examined by the justices of the East Riding of York- shire, who demanded sureties for his good behaviour, and he refusing to find any they committed him to the house of correction. Some persons of Brough and Welton, having given in- formation to the justices that Palmer frequently went into Lincolnshire and usually returned with plenty of money and several horses, which he sold or exchanged in Yorkshire, and that there was reason to suspect that he was either a highwayman or horse-stealer, the justices the next day went to the said John Palmer and demanded of him who he was, where he had lived, and what was, or had been, his employment; to which he thus answered: that about two years ago he had lived at Long Sutton, in Lincolnshire, and was by trade a butcher; that his father then lived at Long Sutton, and his sister kept his father's house there; but he, having contracted a great many debts, for sheep that proved rotten, so that he was not able to pay for them, he was therefore obliged to abscond and come to live in Yorkshire. Upon this confession the justices thought it necessary to send a messenger into Lincolnshire to examine into the truth of it, and accordingly ordered Mr Appleton, Clerk of the Peace, to write a letter to Long Sutton, and therein relate the whole affair. This letter they sent by a special messenger, who gave it to Mr Delamere, a Justice of the Peace, who lived at the place. The answer returned by Mr Delamere was as follows. The said John Palmer had lived there about three-quarters of a year, and was accused before him of sheep-stealing; whereupon he issued out his warrant against him, who was thereupon apprehended, but made his escape from the constable. That, soon after his escape, Mr Delamere had several informations lodged before him against the said Palmer for horse-stealing; and that Palmer's father did not live at Long Sutton, neither did he know where he lived, therefore desired Palmer might be secured, and he would make further inquiry about the horse so stolen, and would bind over some persons to prosecute at the next assizes. Mr Appleton, on the receipt of this letter, immediately wrote to Mr Crowley, who, the next morning, came to Beverley, and, understanding what a villain Palmer was, he did not think it safe he should stay in the house of correction, and therefore he was again required to find sureties, he not being able to do which, his commitment was made to York Castle, and accordingly he was sent the same morning, 16th of October, 1738, to the said prison, handcuffed and guarded. After he had been a prisoner in York Castle about four months he was discovered to be Richard Turpin, the famous Essex robber. On the 22nd of March, 1739, he was tried at York Assizes, before Sir William Chapple, Knight, one of the judges of the King's Bench, on two indictments for horse- stealing, and on full evidence was convicted and condemned. After which, to prove that this Palmer was Richard Turpin, the noted highwayman, Mr James Smith and Mr Edward Seward, being called upon to give their evidence, deposed as follows :-- First, Mr James Smith, being sworn, deposed that he had known the prisoner at the bar ever since he was a child; that his name was Richard Turpin, and that he was born at Hampstead, in Essex; that he knew his father and all his relations. Mr Seward said: " I know the prisoner at the bar to be Dick Turpin, the son of John Turpin, who keeps the Bell, at Hampstead. When I spoke to him at the castle I knew him again, and he confessed he knew me." After his conviction he was as jovial, as merry and as frolicsome as if he had been perfectly at liberty and assured of a hundred years of prosperity to come. When it was spread abroad that he was the Turpin who had rendered himself so notorious for his robberies in the southern parts of England, abundance of people from all parts resorted daily to see him. The morning before his execution he gave three pounds, ten shillings amongst five men who were to follow the cart as mourners, with hat-bands and gloves to several persons more. He also left a gold ring and two pairs of shoes and clogs to a married woman at Brough that he was acquainted with, though he, at the same time, acknowledged he had a wife and child of his own. He was carried in a cart to the place of execution, at York, on Saturday, 7th of April, 1739. He behaved himself with amazing assurance and bowed to the spectators as he passed. It was remarked that, as he mounted the ladder, his right leg trembled; on which he stamped it down with an air, and with undaunted courage looked round about him; and after speaking half-an-hour to the topsman threw himself off the ladder, and expired in about five minutes. |