No More Learning

In answer to the question, whether the prisoner did not use the men with great humanity and ten derness ? he replied, " that his conduct to the whole crew, excepting James Smart, was invariably most inhuman and despotic;" and, in corroboration, he mentioned several instances of his barbarity.
Lowry here complained to the Court, that he was
am
afraid he is dead, indeed! "
44 MEMOIRS OP
[GEORGE II.
not confined till several days after the death of Hos- sack ; and that Gatherah, who was at the head of the conspiracy, seized the ship, altered her course, and carried her to Lisbon, where they were all appre hended, and sent home by the English consul for piracy ; and that the crew had sworn this murder, to
prevent him punishing the witness and the rest for mutiny.
The Court demanded of Gatherah the reason (the murder being committed on the 24th of December,) he did not confine the prisoner until the 29th. He observed, that after the death of Hossack, the men
on-board were very uneasy about the murder, and were for confining the captain ; but he (the witness) represented to them, that, as the ship was very leaky, so as to require two pumps to be kept going night and day, and the men sickly, they could not spare one hand that was able to work ; that the captain, so long as he was on-board the ship, was perfectly se
cure ; and that the fate of Hossack would, no doubt, influence him to treat them better during the re mainder of their voyage; and that they could, on their arrival in England, bring him to that punish ment he merited. To this proposal they all agreed ; but instead of the prisoner's behaving better, in two
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 45
or three days he went on as before, having broke the finger of one man, and bit another man's so dread fully, that he was advised by the witness to let him cut it off. At another time, he fractured the skull of one man with his great cane ; another he beat very severely on the side, and, if he had disabled one man more, in all probability the whole must have perished. On this they resolved to deprive him of his command, and confine him, but so that he had the use of his cabin, and might come on the quarter-deck whenever he pleased. He had a light in his cabin, that he might know at any time what course was steered. The log-book was shown to him every day as soon as it was made up. Such was the leaky condition of the vessel, and the despair of the men, that expecting she must go down before the rising of the morrow's sun, and that a watery grave awaited them, they abandoned the
pumps, resigned themselves to the Divine will, and took an affectionate farewell of each other.
By the witness's persuasions they were induced to take to the pumps again ; and, with the prisoner's advice, they made for Lisbon, where they arrived on the 13th or 14th of January. On reaching the rock of Lisbon, they hoisted a signal for a pilot, and a fishing-boat came with one ; yet, as they had no
VOL. IV. H
george ii. ]
46 MEMOIRS OF [george u.
product, they were not allowed to come in, but compelled to anchor where they were. By this pilot the captain sent a letter to the British consul, with a complaint against the ship's company, and they were presently put under arrest ; soon after which, the consul came on-board, examined them, and re-instated the prisoner again in his ship, when
the witness, with the rest of the crew, was put on board a man-of-war, and sent home to England.
This witness further said, that in his examination before the consul, he had given the same account of the murder as he had now done ; and when on board the man-of-war, they were not treated as pri soners, but worked in the ship during the passage,
in the same manner as the ship's company did. On their arrival in England, they were put into the cus tody of the marshal of the Admiralty, not as close prisoners, but allowed to go and return as they
pleased, without a keeper : and that they looked on themselves, in their confinement, not as under an accusation of mutiny and piracy, but as witnesses against the prisoner.
Captain Lowry here desired that the log-book of the 29th of December might be read, to show they were guilty of mutiny and piracy, when it appeared :
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 47
" December 29. Unanimously agreed to confine the captain, and make the first port. "
The prisoner then demanded of the witness, if he did not see Roberts, the second mate, beating him ; and if he did not part them ? The witness answered, he certainly saw the prisoner and Roberts engaged, and that he took the prisoner off him as they were down together; but this was after the prisoner was deprived of his command, and that he had committed the aggression by knocking Roberts down. As to
the prisoner's charge that Roberts sold rum to the
people, whereby they got drunk and neglected their duty, the witness knew nothing of, and indeed they could not well get drunk, for the prisoner would not
allow them what was their due.
Several of the crew gave their evidence, all in
support of that given by Gatherah ; and among them James Smart, a foremast-man, who, being questioned by the prisoner, whether he was not always tender of his men, when they were sick ? answered, that to him indeed he was very kind ; but used him bad enough when he was well, as he did every one on-board the ship. . . r.
Being asked by the Court, whether he thought the usage the deceased received from the prisoner was
georqe ii. ]
48
MEMOIRS OF
[george u.
the cause of his death ? answered, as they all had
done, he did believe it was, and would have killed
him had he been in health and strength, or the stoutest man living.
Captain Lowry, in his defence, attributed charge against him to proceed from a conspiracy among his crew, and observed, he had not been long at sea before he discovered he had got a set of the most wicked, drunken, idle fellows, that ever came into a ship, of which he informed Captain Dalton
of the Nancy, who left Jamaica in his company ; but who did not appear at his trial. He said, he had
no witnesses to call,
would be sufficient to support what he had said in his defence, as the witnesses, who had sworn against him, had sworn with halters about their necks, in order to screen themselves from their wicked acts of mutiny and piracy, well knowing, that if he es
caped, they must be hanged. He then proceeded to call several gentlemen in testimony of his character, some of whom were tradesmen, others who had sailed with him, and many who had known him for several
years, all which gave him the character of a good- natured humane man.
Mr. Stone, the Marshal of the Admiralty, was then
the
but thought the
log-book
george ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 49
called upon, and deposed, that, on the 7th of March last, he received a warrant from the Lords of the Admiralty to apprehend the prisoner. Upon in quiry he found the ship was not come home : that when he received intelligence of her being in the river, he went thither, and was informed the prisoner had quitted the ship on coming into the Downs, and had gone to London by land. He made diligent inquiry after him, but so ineffectually, that upon re
ceiving a reprimand from the Lords of the Admiralty,
they thinking he had neglected
to take him, he ad reward for his apprehension,
vertised ten guineas
which was paid to the person that discovered him.
The judge having summed up the evidence, the jury withdrew, and, in about half-an-hour, returned
with a verdict, guilty, death.
He was executed pursuant to his sentence, and
hung in chains, by the river's side.
50 MEMOIRS OF
[george n.
This young Scotchman was nearly related, if not brother, to the celebrated Flora Macdonald, who made herself so conspicuous by her attachment to, and following the fortunes of, the second Pretender, in the year 1745. The rebellion was greatly accele
rated in Scotland, by the severity with which govern ment treated the Highland regiment that deserted from Highgate, under an impression, that after having been the instruments in disarming their northern brethren, their services were to be rewarded by being disbanded and draughted into different regiments, far removed from their native country. Four of these unfortunate men were shot in the Tower of London, as an example ; and several others under went a less severe punishment. The Scotch nation felt bitterly the affront put on and induced many, who otherwise would at least have remained neuter, to flock round the young Pretender and among many others was Ranald Macdonald, the whole of whose known personal history comprised in
is
it, ;
RANALD MJDONAND.
geobge ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 51
the inscription under his portrait, drawn and en graved by a Scotch artist, named Robertson. It
informs us :—
•
" That Ranald Macdonald, of Bellinfag, in Ben-
bicula, at the age of eighteen, being grievously
wounded and stripped in the battle of Culloden, remained about two-and-twenty hours in the open air; but at length safely escaped by the humanity
(then a very rare quality,) of a person named James Hamilton, an Irishman, and lieutenant of the Chol- mondeley Legion, having, in the mean time (I shud der at the mention of seen his wounded fellow- soldiers murdered in cold blood, and most wretch edly butchered on all sides, so that the earth was defiled with the slaughter. Monstrous and horrible
atrocity "
The above inscription in Latin, and curious,
from the peculiar circumstances of many of the words being contracted, and these contractions being
represented by figures, in order (perhaps) to give partial concealment of their obvious meaning, inas much as so freely speaks of the butcheries which were practised after the battle of Culloden.
The wanton and savage treatment of the unfor
it
!
a
is
is
it)
52 MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
tunate wounded rebels in this battle, created a heavy odium and reflection on the person and character of the old Duke of Cumberland, who had the chief command ; and, to the present day, in Scotland he is stigmatized by the appellation of biLly the
BUTCHER.
The family of Macdonald to a man was in the
interest of the Pretender ; Ranald Macdonald joined him soon after he came to Scotland, and received a captain's commission. He was educated by an uncle, who told him he would tarnish the glory of his ancestors, who had been warmly attached to the cause, if he failed to act with courage. Macdonald was ever foremost where danger presented itself; he was particularly distinguished at the battle of Preston-pans, and joined with Lord Nairn, in taking possession of Perth ; services that greatly recom
mended him to the Pretender.
Macdonald was exceedingly assiduous to learn the art of war, and made himself of so much con sequence as to be intrusted with the command of two thousand men. The Duke of Perth having ordered two men, who refused to enlist, to be shot, Mac donald complained to his uncle, who had likewise
george
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 53
a command in the rebel army, of the injustice of this proceeding; but the uncle ordered the nephew into custody, and told him that he should be shot on the following day ; and actually informed the Pretender of what had passed. Macdonald, however, was only reprimanded, and dismissed, on promise of more cautious behaviour in future. He proceeded with the rebels as far as Derby ; but, when they returned to Carlisle, he was taken into custody, and sent with other prisoners to London, in order to
take his trial.
After his commitment to prison, he frequently
wished that he had been shot. Being advised to repent, he said it would be fruitless, and he should like still to hear a tune on the sweet bag-pipes, that used to play before the army. He often told the keepers of the prison, that, " If they would knock off his fetters, and give him a pair of bag-pipes, he would treat them with a Highland dance. "
He said he thought the Pretender's service honorable, when he first engaged in which he would never have done, had he been aware that he was so ill provided for the expedition. He likewise expressed the utmost resentment against the French king, for not sending them assistance.
VOL. IV.
very
I
it,
54 MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
Being brought to trial, with two others, they were found guilty, and executed on Kennington-common, the 22d of August, 1746.
The portrait of Ranald Macdonald, which is very uncommon, is in the collection of John Goodford, Esq. , of Yeovil, Somersetshire. .
9
george i! . ]
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 55
Sarah Malcolm was of honest and respectable parentage, in the county of Durham. Her father had an estate (according to her account,) of about 100/. a
year, but her mother, being an Irishwoman, prevailed on her husband to visit Dublin, where he settled, and purchased a public place in that city, with the remnant of money he had saved from the sale of his estate ; Sarah, being an only child, received a good educa tion in reading, writing, and such other learning
proper for a female above the lower order. She lived with her father and mother almost to woman's estate, and was noticed for her sprightly temper. Her parents, however, having some affairs which brought them to London, were accompanied by their daughter, who, some time after, went to service, and lived in several good families, performing her duty to the
satisfaction of her employers. Her father, inconse quence of his business, returned to Dublin, and took his wife with him, where they both shortly after died.
I2
56 MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
Sarah was now left to her own discretion, when form ing some acquaintance, she obtained a situation as one of the laundresses, or char-women, of the Temple, where she attended some gentlemen for a considerable time. Before this, she was in a situation at a place called the Black Horse alehouse, where she became known to Mrs. Tracey, and likewise to the two bro thers, Thomas and James Alexander.
Among other persons Sarah Malcolm occasionally did char-work for, was Mrs. Lydia Duncomb, a widow
lady, about eighty years of age, who had lived forty years in chambers, four pair of stairs high, in the Inner Temple ; she had one maid, Elizabeth Harrison, who had been with her many years, and was grown old in her service, for she was about sixty, and very infirm : but though she was now past labour, the good lady, (who was bed-rid herself,) still retained her, in regard for her former faithful services, and hired others to do her work, which sometimes occasioned the service of Sarah Malcolm. About three months previous to the unfortunate catastrophe, Mrs. Duncomb had hired Anne Price, who was nearly seventeen years of age, to be a constant servant. Mrs. Duncomb had a mid dling fortune left her by her husband, and lived con tented in peace with her two servants, until February
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 57
1733, when they were all found murdered. The maid-servant, Ann Price, was supposed to have been murdered first, having her throat cut from ear to ear
but by her cap being off, and her hair much entangled, was thought she had struggled hard with her mur
derer. It was conjectured her companion was strangled though there were two or three wounds in her throat, that appeared as they had been given by
nail. Mrs. Duncomb was probably smothered, and killed last, as she was found lying across the bed, with gown on the other two were in bed. A trunk in
the room was broke open and rifled.
This barbarous fact remained undiscovered till
Sunday noon, when Mrs. Love, who used to visit Mrs. Duncomb, came to dine with her. She found the door shut, and having no answer when she knocked, she concluded that the old maid was sick,
and that the young one was sent out on an errand. After waiting considerable time for her return, but to no purpose, she went down to Mrs. Rhymer,
friend of Mrs. Duncomb's, living likewise in the Temple,) and acquainted her with the circumstance, who came back with her to the door, but could gain no entrance. They began to think some misfortune
george ii. ]
a aa it ;
4>,
a
;
if
;
68 MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
had happened ; and meeting Ann Oliphant, a laun dress, (whose master's chambers were opposite to Mrs. Duncomb's,) they persuaded her to get out of her master's garret-window, and so into Mrs. Dun- comb's chambers. She did so, and opened the door to Mrs. Duncomb's friends, when, on entering, they discovered the bodies as already described.
About twelve o'clock the same night, Mr. Kerrel coming home, found Sarah Malcolm, who was his laundress, in his chambers ; he was surprised at seeing her there at such an hour. He had heard of these murders, and that she had formerly chared for Mrs. Duncomb, whereupon he asked her if any person had been taken up on suspicion ? She said, No. He told her, it was suspected the fact must have been done by somebody that was acquainted with the deceased ; and, as he had heard that she had formerly attended there, she should continue no longer in his service, and therefore desired her to prepare for quit ting him. Upon examining, he missed some of his clothes, when she confessed having pawned them. This made him more uneasy, and he resolved she
should stay no longer: upon which she went down stairs. His suspicion caused him to search further,
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 59
and in the close-stool he found some linen, and a silver tankard, with the handle bloody. Looking under his bed, he found a shift and an apron all besmeared with blood. These discoveries gave him an extraordinary concern ; he called the watch, and sent them after her:
who found her sitting between two watchmen near the Inner Temple gate. When brought back to Mr. Kerrel's chambers, he shewed her the tankard and the linen, bloody as they were, and asked her if they were her's ? She said, yes, and that the tankard was left her by her mother. The officers of the Temple carried
her to the constable, by whom she was taken before Alderman Brocas, and committed to Newgate. On her trial, which took place February 23, 1733, Roger Johnson, one of the officers of Newgate, deposed, the
prisoner was brought there on the 5th instant ; that he had some knowledge of her before, as she used to come there to see one Johnson, an Irishman, who was convicted for stealing a Scotchman's pack. On seeing a room in which the debtors were, she asked if
she might not be in that room ; and being told it would cost her a guinea, and that she did not look like one that could pay so much ; she said, if it were two or three guineas she could send for a friend that would raise the money. In consequence, suspecting she
george ii. ]
GO MEMOIRS OF [george ir.
had money secreted, he began to search her, when,
under her cap, concealed in her hair, he found a bag of
money, consisting of twenty moidores, eighteen gui neas, five broad-pieces, a half-broad piece, five crowns, and two or three shillings, all of which she confessed to have taken from Madam Duncomb; but denied any participation in the murders. This testimony was corroborated by Mr. Alstone, who was placed in a dark place to note her conversation with the witness. Her examination and confession, taken on oath, Fe bruary 6, before Sir Richard Brocas, Knt. was then read: who on oath saith, "That on Sunday morning last, about two o'clock, she, this examinant, was con cerned with Thomas and James Alexander, brothers, and Mary Tracey, who murdered Elizabeth Harrison, Lydia Duncomb, and another person, whose name she, this examinant, does not at present know, on or about the time last-mentioned, in the Temple, in this city, which was done in the manner following : — that she, this examinant, had several conferences with the aforesaid persons, concerning the robbing of Mrs. Duncomb ; and that about ten o'clock, on Saturday night last, James Alexander got into Mrs. Duncomb's chambers, and concealed himself under a bed till about two o'clock, when he opened her
REMARKABLE PERSONS.
chamber-door, and let the said Mary Tracey and Thomas Alexander into the said chambers; and, that she, this examinant, stood on the stairs as a watch, whilst they committed the said murders, and at the same time stole from out of the said chambers about 300/. in money, a silver pint-tankard, and a spoon, with divers other goods to a great value ; which said money and goods were by the above said persons brought down to her, and then distributed in equal portions amongst them, between four and five o'clock on Sunday morning last past. "
The prisoner, in defence, admitted she was accessary to the robbery, but was innocent of the murder; and gave the following particulars: "That she lived with
Mrs. Duncomb about three months before she was murdered, and that the robbery was contrived by Mary Tracey, then in confinement, and herself, from her own vicious inclinations. Mrs. Tracey coming to her master, Mr. Kerrel, on the Sunday before the murder was committed, and he not being at home, they talked about robbing Mrs. Duncomb, when Sarah objecting to do it herself, the other proposed the two Alexanders to help them ; and, in consequence, they all met the Friday following in Cheapside,
when they agreed, on the next night, to put their VOL. IV. K
george ii. ]
62 MEMOIRS OF [ceorge ii.
scheme into execution. Next day, being Saturday, Sarah went between seven and eight in the evening to see Mrs. Duncomb's maid, Elizabeth Harrison, who was very bad, and staid but a short time, having appointed to meet Tracey and the two Alexanders at ten o'clock; who, coming to the time, were impatient
to go about it then. " Sarah proceeds, " I told them I would go and see, and so I went up-stairs, and they followed : I met the young maid on the stairs with a blue mug ; she was going for some milk to make
a sack-posset, and asked me who those were that
I told her they were people going to
came after me ?
Mr. Knight's below. As soon as she was gone, I said to Mary Tracey, ' Now do you and Tom Alex ander go down ; I know the door is left a-jar, because the old maid is ill, and can't get up to let the young one in when she comes back. ' Upon that they went
down, and James Alexander,* by my order, went in
* A boy about seventeen years of age, living servant with a person who kept the Red-Lion ale-house at Bridewell Bridge, hearing it said, in his master's house, that Sarah Malcolm had given in an information against one Thomas and James Alexander, and Mary Tracey, said to his master, " my name is James Alexander, and I have a brother named Thomas, and my mother nursed a woman
ceorge ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 63
and concealed himself under the bed ; and, as I was going down myself, I met the young maid coming up
again. Asking me if I had spoken to Mrs. Betty, I told her, no ; though I should have told her otherwise, but that I was afraid of creating suspicion, in case of her being informed that I had not been there. I past
her, went down to Tracey and Alexander, and afterwards to my master's chambers, and stirred up the fire. I staid about a quarter of an hour, and when I came back I saw Tracey and Thomas Alex ander sitting on Mrs. Duncomb's stairs, and I sat
where Sarah Malcolm lived. " Upon this acknowledgement, the master sent to Alstone, turnkey of Newgate; and the boy being confronted with Malcolm, she immediately charged him with being concealed under Mrs. Duncomb's bed, previous to letting in Tracey
and his brother, by whom and himself the murders were committed. On this evidence he was detained ; and frankly telling where his brother and Tracey were to be found, they also were taken into custody, and brought before Sir Richard Brocas : here Malcolm persisted in her former asseverations ; but the magistrate thought her unworthy of credit, and would have discharged them ; but, being advised by some persons present to act with more caution, com mitted them all to Newgate. Their distress was somewhat alleviated by the gentlemen of the Temple society, who, fully convinced of their innocence, allowed each of them one shilling per diem during
the time of their confinement.
K2
64 MEMOIRS OF [george n.
down with them. At twelve o'clock we heard some people walking, and by-and-by Mr. Knight came home, went to his room, and shut the door. It was a very stormy night ; there was scarcely any person stirring abroad, and the watchmen kept up close, except just when they cried the hour. At two o'clock, another gentleman came and called the watch to light his candle, upon which I went further up stairs, and soon after this I heard Mrs. Duncomb's door open ; James Alexander came out, and said, ' Now is the time ! ' Then Mary Tracey and Thomas
Alexander went in, but I staid upon the stairs to watch. I had told them where Mrs. Duncomb's box stood : they came out between four and five, and one of them called tome softly, and said, 'Hip! how shall I shut the door? ' I replied, ''Tis a spring-lock ; pull it to, and it will be fast;' and so one of them did. They would have shared the money and goods upon the stairs, but I told them we had better go down ; so we went under the arch by Fig-tree Court, where
there was a lamp. I asked them how much they had
got? they said, they had found fifty guineas and some silver in the maid's purse, above 100/. in the chest of drawers, a silver-tankard, and in the box money, with several other things ; so that, they obtained to
geobgk ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 65
the value of about 300/. in money and goods. They told me they had been forced to gag the people; they gave me the tankard with its contents, and some linen for my share, and they retained a silver- spoon, a ring, and the rest of the money among them selves. They advised me to be cunning, and plant the money and goods under ground, and not be seen to be flush ; then we appointed to meet at Greenwich, but I did not go. All that I have now declared is
fact, and I have no occasion to murder three innocent persons by a false accusation ; for I know I am a con demned woman, I know I must suffer an ignominious death, which my crimes deserve, and I shall suffer willingly.
I thank God that he has granted me time to repent, when I might have been snatched off in the midst of my crimes, and without having an opportunity of preparing myself for another world. "
The jury, after retiring for about a quarter of an hour, returned with a verdict of guilty.
She was executed on Wednesday, the 7th of March, 1733, in Fleet-street, near Fetter-lane, amidst an amazing concourse of spectators. At the place of execution, she appeared at first tolerably calm and serene ; but afterwards fainted away from extreme agitation of spirits. Just before the cart drew away,
MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
she looked towards the Temple, and cried out, " Oh ! my master, my master! I wish I could see him;" and then looking up to heaven, often exclaimed, " Lord have mercy on me ! Lord, receive my spirit! " so con tinuing until the cart withdrew from under her.
1> ATVIKJj MALDK^.
george ii. ]
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 67
Samel Jftaliiem
Daniel Malden was a native of Kent, and re
sided for some years at Canterbury, where he gained a tolerable livelihood as a postillion at one of the prin cipal inns in that city. Here he married, and for a time appeared to live in the greatest harmony with his wife ; but she turning out a complete virago, fre quent quarrels arose between them, which generally terminated in blows. Rendered thus unhappy at home, Malden came to the determination of abandon ing his wife, and Canterbury, and coming up to Lon don to seek a situation. He had not, however, been long in town, before he fell into vicious company, and
not meeting with immediate employment, betook
himself to the practice of privately stealing, frequent ing taverns and public ordinaries, where he would purloin silver-spoons, salts, tankards, and any other description of plate he could lay his hands on. In one of these speculations Malden was, for himself,
most unfortunately detected in stealing a silver-tank
68 MEMOIRS OF [george it.
ard, and, being conducted before a magistrate, was fully committed to Newgate, in order to take his trial.
tried at the Sessions-house in the Old Bailey, and found guilty on the clearest evidence, he received sentence of death, May 10, 1736. On the
14th of the same month, he, in company with six other prisoners, under sentence of transportation, found means to get down the common sewer ; and four of them got up a vault in Fleet-lane, three of whom went through the shop and made their escape ; the remaining one, however, was secured and carried back to Newgate. Among those that effected their escape was Daniel Malden ; but his enlargement was of short duration, being soon retaken and conducted in safety to his former lodgings.
On Monday, the 4th of the following June, Malden made a second escape, by sawing his chains near the staple that fastened them to the floor of the con demned hold, and getting through the brickwork, dropt into the common sewer. —Several persons were employed to search after him, but to no purpose, though the chains about him weighed nearly one hundred pounds: in their search they found the bodies of two men, who, attempting to escape, in a similar manner, had been smothered.
Being
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 69
This additional exploit of Malden's made consi derable noise, and he was as much talked of as the famous Jack Sheppard. Notwithstanding that a des cription of his person, with the offer of a reward for his apprehension, was sent to every sea-port and public place in the kingdom, Malden continued undetected until Sunday, September 26th, following his last escape ; when being at Canterbury, and quar relling with his wife, to whom he had fled for safety, he was again secured, brought up under a strong guard to Newgate, and chained down in the hold, with such precaution as to make escape impracticable. On Friday, October 1 5th, he was arraigned at the bar of the Old Bailey, to receive his former sentence ; and on Tuesday, the second of the next month, Novem ber, 1736, was executed with two other convicts, at Tyburn.
George ii. ]
VOL. IV.
MEMOIRS OF [georce u.
THE FEMALE BONE-SETTER.
Mrs. Sarah Mapp, a female of masculine habits, distinguished herself by some extraordinary cure she effected, merely resulting from personal courage. — She was called the bone-setter, or shape mistress. Her maiden name was Wallin. Her father was also a bone-setter, at Hindon, Wilts; but, quarrelling with
him, she wandered about the country, calling herself
crazy Sally. On her success in her profession she married, August 11, 1736, Hill Mapp, a servant to Mr. Ibbetson, mercer; on Ludgate-hill. In most cases her success was rather owing to the strength of her arms, and the boldness of her undertakings, than to any knowledge of anatomy or skill in chirurgical operations. The following particulars relative to her are collected from the Grub-street Journal, &c. and serve at least to shew, that she was a character consi derable enough to deserve the satire of Hogarth.
August 19, 1736. —" We hear that the husband of
MR. S SARAH MAPP
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 71
Mrs. Mapp, the famous bone-setter, at Epsom, ran away from her last week, taking with him upwards of one hundred guineas, and such other portable things as lay next at hand. Several letters from Epsom mention, that the footman, whom the female bone-
setter married the week before, had taken a sudden journey from thence with what money his wife had earned ; and that her concern at first was very great ; but soon as the surprise was over, she grew gay, and seemed to think the money well disposed of, as it was like to rid her of a husband. He took just one hundred and two guineas. "
The following verses were addressed to her in
george ii. ]
August,
1736: —
" Of late, without the least pretence to skill, " Ward's grown a fam'd physician by a pill ; " Yet he can but a doubtful honour claim,
" While envious death oft blasts his rising fame. " Next travell'd Taylor, fill'd us with surprise, " Who pours new light upon the blindest eyes ; " Each journal tells his circuit thro' the land ; " Each journal tells the blessing of his hand :
" And lest some hireling scribbler of the town " Injures his history, he writes his own.
" We read the long accounts with wonder o'er ; " Had he wrote less, we had believ' him more. " Let these, O Mapp ! thou wonder of the age ! " With dubious arts endeavour to engage :
L2
MEMOIRS OF [georgeii.
72
September 2, 1736. —" On Friday, several persons, who had the misfortune of lameness, crowded to the White-hart Inn, in Whitechapel, on hearing Mrs.
Mapp, the famous bone-setter, was there. Some of them were admitted to her, and were relieved as they apprehended. But a gentleman who happened to come by, declared Mrs. Mapp was at Epsom, on which the woman thought proper to move off. "
ADVERTISEMENT.
September 9, 1736.
" WheFeas it has been industriously (I wish I could
say truly) reported, that I had found great benefit from a certain female bone-setter's performance, and that it was to a want of resolution to undergo the operation, that I did not meet with a perfect cure : this is therefore to give notice, that any persons afflicted with lameness (who are willing to know what good or harm others may receive, before they venture
on desperate measures themselves) will be welcome
* While you, irregularly strict to rules,
" Teach dull collegiate pedants they are fools :
" By merit, the sure path to fame pursue ;
" For all who see tby art, must own it true. "
george ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 73
any morning to see the dressing of my leg, which was sound before the operation, and they will then be able to judge of the performance, and to whom I owe my present unhappy confinement to my bed and chair.
" Thomas Barber, Tallow-chandler,
" Saffron-hill. "
September 16th, 1736. —" On Thursday, Mrs. Mapp's plate of ten guineas was run for at Epsom. A mare called " Mrs. Mapp" won the first heat, when Mrs. Mapp gave the rider a guinea, and swore if he won the plate she would give him 100 ; but the second and third heats were won by a chesnut-mare.
" We hear that the husband of Mrs. Mapp is re turned, and has been kindly received. "
September 23d, 1736. —" Mrs. Mapp continues making extraordinary cures ; she has now set up an equipage, and on Sunday waited on her majesty. "
Saturday, October 16, 1736. —"Mrs. Mapp, the bone-setter, with Dr. Taylor, the oculist, was at the
play-house in Lincoln's-inn-Jields, to see a comedy called ' The Husband's Relief, with the Female Bone-setter and Worm-doctor which occasioned a full house, and the following epigram :—
74
MEMOIRS OF [george ii.
" While Mapp to th' actors shew'd a kind regard,
" On one side Taylor sat, on th' other Ward:
" When their mock persons of the drama came
" Both Ward and Taylor thought it hurt their fame ; " Wonder"d how Mapp cou'd in good humour be —
" Zounds! cries the manly dame, it hurts not me, " Quacks without art may either blind or kill,
" But* demonstration shews that mine is skill. "
And the following was sung upon the stage: —
" You surgeons of London, who puzzle your pates, " To ride in your coaches, and purchase estates ;
" Give over, for shame, for your pride has a fall,
" And the doctress of Epsom has out-done you all.
Derry down, &c.
" What signifies learning, or going to school,
" When a woman can do, without reason or rule, "What puts you to nonplus, and baffles your art, " For petticoat-practice has now got the start.
Derry down, &c.
* This alludes to some surprising cures she performed before Sir Hans Sloane, at the Grecian Coffee-house; (where she came once a week from Epsom, in her chariot drawn by four horses) viz. , a man of War dour -street, whose back had been broke nine
years, and stuck out two inches; a niece of Sir Hans Sloane in the like condition ; and a gentleman who went with one shoe-heel six inches high, having been lame twenty years of his hip and knee, whom she set straight, and brought his leg down even with the other.
george i! . ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 75
" In physics, as well as in fashions, we find,
" The newest has always the run with mankind :
" Forgot is the bustle 'bout Taylor and Ward;
" Now Mapp's all the cry, and her fame's on record.
Derry down, &c.
" Dame nature has given her a doctor's degree,
" She gets all the patients, and pockets the fee ;
" So if you don't instantly prove it a cheat,
" She'll loll in her chariot whilst you walk the street.
Derry down," &c.
October 19, 1736, London Daily Post. —" Mrs. Mapp being present at the acting of the Wife's Relief, concurred in the universal applause of a crowded audience. This play was advertised by the desire of Mrs. Mapp, the famous bone-setter, from Epsom. "
October 21st, 1736. —" On Saturday evening there was such a concourse of people at the Theatre Royal, in Lincoln s-inn-Jie Ids, to see the famous Mrs. Mapp, that several gentlemen and ladies were obliged to
return for want of room. The confusion at going out was so great, that several gentlemen and ladies had their pockets picked, and many of the latter lost their fans, &c. Yesterday she was elegantly entertained by Dr. Ward, at his house in Pall-mall. "
" On Saturday and yesterday Mrs. Mapp per formed several operations at the Grecian Coffee
76 MEMOIRS OF [oeorge il
house, particularly one upon a niece of Sir Hans Shane, to his great satisfaction and her credit. The patient had her shoulder-bone out for about nine years. "
" On Monday, Mrs. Mapp performed two extraordi nary cures ; one on a young lady of the Temple, who had several bones out from the knees to her toes, which she put in their proper places : and the other on a butcher, whose knee-pans were so misplaced that he walked with his knees knocking one against another. Yesterday she performed several other sur prising cures ; and about one set out for Epsom, and carried with her several crutches, which she calls tro phies of honour. ''
November 18, 1736. —" Mrs. Mapp, the famous bone-setter, has taken lodgings in Pall-Mall, near
Mr. Joshua Ward's," &c.
November 25, 1736.
" In this bright age three wonder-workers rise, " Whose operations puzzle all the wise ;
" To lame and blind, by dint of manual slight,
" Mapp gives the use of limbs, and Taylor sight. " But greater Ward," &c.
December 16, 1736. — " On Thursday, Polly
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 77
Peachum, Miss Warren, (that was sister to the fa mous Mrs. Mapp) was tried at the Old Bailey, for marrying Mr. Nicholas; her former husband, Mr. Somers, being living. "
December 22, 1737- —" Died last week, at her lodgings, near the Seven Dials, the much-talked-of Mrs. Mapp, the bone-setter, so miserably poor, that the parish was obliged to bury her. "
george ii. ]
VOL. IV. m
MEMOIRS OF [georgr ii.
Stephen UfautomteU
Stephen Macdaniel was one of those detes table villains that no epithet is vile enough to brand their infamy. This fellow, in conjunction with John Berry, James Egan, and James Salmon, followed the profession of swearing away the lives of innocent unsuspecting persons, for the sake of the reward given by government, for the conviction of capital offenders : —the young, friendless, and destitute, were sure to become their prey ; and father and motherless lads, of from sixteen to eighteen years of age, were their most favourite game. This profitable merchandise was carried on for a series of years, undiscovered and indeed unsuspected. Macdaniel had kept a public- house, (the sign of the Angel) in Scroop's-court, facing St. Andrew's Church, Holborn, frequented mostly by thieves, thief-takers, women of abandoned character, and pick-pockets. It was during his re sidence in this house that he became acquainted with the thief-taker Berry, and shortly after adopted the
Stephen Macdaniel,. (Thief Taker. )
REMARKABLE PERSONS. 79
same profession ; and, when thieves sufficient could not be found to answer the purpose of these in dustrious gentlemen, rather than be idle, they fur nished a few thieves of their own manufacturing.
Two lads, named Ellis and Kelly, were unfortunate enough to be seduced, and drawn into the toils of the thief-takers, by a kind of underling, or scout, they
called Thomas Blee. This Blee pre vailed on the two boys to accompany him on a scheme he pretended of stealing linen ; but this was merely a device to lead the lads to an adventure, already planned to entrap them, and ensure the re ward. James Salmon, a breeches-maker, one of the confederates, was the person fixed upon to be robbed ; and the place appointed was between New-cross turnpike and Deptford, to entitle them to an addi tional reward offered by that parish. Every thing succeeded agreeable to the plan proposed ; Salmon was met on the road by Blee, Ellis, and Kelly, and robbed of a bundle containing a pair of leather-bree ches, and from his waistcoat-pocket a clasp-knife, a tobacco-box, two shillings and sixpence, and a
pocket-piece. Blee now takes the lads with him into the Borough, and safely lodges them in Kent- street ; and the following morning leads them to the M2
georgb ii. ]
employed,
80 MEMOIRS OF [george ».
Spread-eagle public-house, where he had agreed with Macdaniel, Berry, Salmon, and Egan, to meet and take them : first, however, taking care to secure his own retreat. It happened that Mr. Joseph Cox, chief-constable of the lower half-hundred of Black- heath, received information that a breeches-maker had been robbed in the parish of Deptford, by three
footpads, and that two of them were taken by Macdaniel and others, and sent to Maidstone-gaol ; and that the third person concerned in this robbery was Tom Blee, who had frequently been seen in
company with Macdaniel.
Mr. Cox, with laudable anxiety for Blee's apprehen
sion, resolved to proceed in search of him himself, and, after two or three days looking about, he very fortunately, with the help of a constable, took him into custody, very early in the morning of the 9th of August, 1754, in Newgate-street. He conveyed him directly to the water-side, in order to carry him to Greenwich ; when, as soon as he had got him into the boat, he said he would discover all he knew
concerning the robbery of the breeches-maker. Mr. Cox and the constable advised him not to divulge any thing in presence of the waterman, but reserve what he had to say until he went before a magistrate ;
george ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 81
when, being taken to Justice Bell, at Greenwich, he made a full and clear confession of the whole nefa rious transaction, from the beginning to the end.
As soon as the confession of Blee was taken and sworn to, Mr. Cox was advised to attend the trial of Ellis and Kelly, and not to discover he had Blee in custody till after the trial. Mr. Cox accordingly went to Maidstone, taking Blee with him still in custody, and arriving there in the night, stopt short of the town, leaving him in safe keeping, while he attended the trial the following day; but nobody knew that Blee was in custody, or so near the town. Henry Serjeant, a constable of Deptford parish,
to conduct Ellis and Kelly to Maid- stone-gaol, and, while on the road, they told him Tom Blee was concerned with them in the robbery, where he lived, and what sort of clothes he wore ;
this he took down in writing, and shewed it to Justice Bell on his return from Maidstone, who de sired him to go and take him. Serjeant replied, he would give directions to a thief-catcher, and applied to one Ralph Mitchell ; but he refusing to act in Mr. Cox was informed of the circumstance, and lost no time in accomplishing Blee's apprehension. On the trial of the two lads, Ellis and Kelly, Macdanjel,
was employed
it,
82 MEMOIRS OP fGEORGE H.
Salmon, and Egan, severally gave evidence, but Berry did not appear in Court. The circumstance of the robbery being clearly proved, and the prisoners not being able to deny the leading facts, were found guilty. But immediately after the trial, the whole gang of blood-money gentry was taken into custody, by virtue of a warrant sent purposely down to Maid stone, by the magistrate of Greenwich, Colonel Bell, who had kept the confession of Blee, and his deten tion in custody, a secret.
At the following Old Bailey sessions, Macdaniel, Berry, Egan, and Salmon, were indicted as acces saries, before the felony was committed, in feloni ously and maliciously abetting, assisting, counselling, hireing, and commanding Peter Kelly and John Ellis to commit a robbery on the highway. There was a second count in the indictment, as an offence
at common law.
Joseph Cox produced a copy of the record of the
conviction of Peter Kelly and John Ellis, and swore he had it of Mr. Knapp's clerk, with whom he ex amined it with the record, the purport of which is, " That Peter Kelly and John Ellis were tried the 13th of August, 17,54, at Maidstone assizes, before
Sir Dudley Rider, Knt. and Sir Michael Foster, Knt.
GEORGE ii. ] REMARKABLE PERSONS. 83
for the said robbery on the defendant Salmon, and
found guilty. "
Thomas Blee being sworn, developed the whole
of the abominable transaction, and being corrobo rated by several other witnesses, in respect of the close connection and subsequent conduct of the defendants, the jury found the whole four guilty of all the facts charged in the indictment; but, whether the facts charged were within the 4th and 5th statutes of Philip and Mary they knew not, and therefore prayed the assistance of the Court, so it was made special.
This. special verdict was afterwards argued by counsel before the twelve judges, at Serjeants'-inn- hall, in Chancery-lane. Their lordships being of opinion, that the facts charged were not within the statutes of the 4th and 5th of Philip and Mary, and the 3d and 4th of William and Mary ; an order was given that they should be indicted for a conspi racy, in which the facts with which the prisoners were charged might be more clearly explained ; and they to receive such punishment as might be inflicted on them by law.
Accordingly, February 28, 1755, they were again arraigned at the sessions at the Old Bailey, in the
84 MEMOIRS OF [george n.
mayoralty of Slingsby Bethel, Esq. , upon an indict ment for combining and conspiring together, that one Thomas Blee should procure two persons, namely, Peter Kelly, and John Ellis, to go to Deptford in Kent, and to take divers goods and money from the person of James Salmon, on the king's highway, who should be waiting there for that purpose ; with intent that they should cause the said two persons to be apprehended, and convicted for robbing the said
Salmon on the king's highway, and so unjustly and wickedly procure to themselves the rewards men tioned in the act of parliament, proclamation, and other parochial rewards, for the apprehending of high waymen, July 24, 1754.
Tom Blee was the chief witness against the pri soners in this, as he was upon the former trial ; and the evidence he gave upon both was to the same purport, with this addition, that Berry told him, that
when he, Kelly, and Ellis, robbed Salmon on the Deptford-road, he, Berry, lay behind the four mile stone, and saw the robbery committed.
The prisoners having nothing material to say in their defence, the jury found them guilty. The sentence pronounced against them by the Court was, to be imprisoned in Newgate for the term of seven years ;
oeorge ii. ]
and, in that time, to be each of them set in the pillory twice, in manner following; Macdaniel and Berry in Holborn, near Hatton-garden ; Egan, or
Gahagan,
HEMARKABLE PERSONS. 8&
and Salmon in the middle of Smithfield. Afterwards, Macdaniel and Berry at the end of King- street, Cheapside ; and Gahagan and Salmon again
in Fleet-street, near Fetter-lane ; and, at the end of that time, to find sureties for their good behaviour for three years, and to pay a fine of one mark each.
Pursuant to their sentence, Macdaniel and Berry,
on the 5th of March, stood in the pillory in Holborn,
near Hatton-garden, and were so severely handled by the populace, that it was with the utmost difficulty that one of the sheriffs and the keeper of Newgate, who stood in a balcony just by, prevented their being utterly destroyed ; and so great was the mob, that the peace-officers found it impossible to protect the
prisoners from its fury.
March 8th. — Egan, or Gahagan, and Salmon stood
in the pillory in the middle of Smithfield rounds; they were instantly assaulted with showers of oyster- shells, stones, &c. and had not stood above half-an- hour before Gahagan was struck dead, (supposed by a marble, or stone shot from a cross-bow, which en tered his forehead,) and Salmon so dangerously
VOL. IV. N
86 MEMOIRS OF [george n.
wounded in the head, that it was thought impossible he could recover. Thus, though the law could not find a punishment adequate to the horrid nature of their crimes, yet they met with their deserts from the
rage of the people.