JOHN PRICE.
The depravity of human nature was exemplified in its full extent in the character of John Price. The indigence and profligacy of his parents were such, that he received no education, and he was sent into the world to shift for himself at the age of seven. Before this period, he was a proficient both in cursing and lying. It is rather a singular fact, that his habitual lying was once a means of saving his life.
About the age of eighteen he was serving a gentleman in the country, who turned him off for his notorious falsehoods. In going to London, he robbed a woman of eighteen shillings, was apprehended in the act,and convicted; but his late master, who was sheriff, took pity upon his situation, and saved his life. Informed of this, the judges at the next assizes blamed the gentleman’s conduct for allowing a man to escape who had pleaded guilty. The sheriff acknowledged that such a man had been condemned at the last assizes; but then, he knew the fellow to be such an unaccountable liar, that there was no believing one word he said; so his pleading guilty to what was laid to his charge, was in his opinion a sufficient reason for his being believed innocent of the fact, and he would not hang an innocent man for the world. This reply made the judges smile, and he was dismissed with a severe reprimand, and cautioned not to come before them again.
Upon obtaining his liberty, Price went to London; associated with a band of robbers, and in a short time was apprehended for diving into another person’s pocket instead of his own, and for that crime committed to Newgate. He was accordingly sentenced to a severe whipping, and sent on board a man-of-war; but after he had received the punishment assigned to stealing from the sailors, he was discharged from the ship.
He hastened again to London, joined another association of thieves, and abandoned himself to all manner of wickedness. One evening his gang divided themselves into three companies. The first met an attorney, near Hampstead, whom they robbed of eight guineas. The unfortunate lawyer had not gone far when he was attacked by the second party, to whom he related his misfortunes, and into what cruel hands he had fallen. “Cruel!” said one of them; “how dare you use these terms? And who made you so bold as to talk to us with your hat on? Pray, sir, be pleased henceforward to learn more manners.” They then snatched off his hat and wig, and took a diamond ring from his finger. As he was plodding his way home, uncertain which road was safest, the third division came up to him near Kentish Town, bringing with them a man whom they pretended to have completely stripped, and constrained the lawyer to clothe the naked with his own coat andwaistcoat; then told him he might be thankful to get off with his life, which he employed in sowing division amongst society.
In a short time after this, Price and a companion one evening entered a garret, in which there was nothing but lumber, with the intention of robbing the house when all was silent. But in the dark, as Price was laying his hand upon a pistol which he had placed upon a table, it went off and alarmed the people of the house. His comrade instantly ran to the window, where they fastened a rope for their escape, and his companion attempting to slide down, the rope soon broke, though he was not so much injured but he got away. Price seeing the extreme danger of being caught, removed the rope to another window, and it conveyed him to a balcony. He was, however, scarcely there, when all the people in the house were alarmed; on which he leaped into a large basket of eggs which a man was carrying upon his head, from Newgate market; so that the fall being broken, he was able to make his escape, amid the cry of “thieves!”
Jack now began to be so well known about town, that he found it necessary to remove to the country. He was there most industrious in stripping the hedges of all the linen that he found upon them. Putting up at an inn, the landlord soon understood from his discourse that he was a servant who would suit him, and therefore hired him as his tapster. It was this miscreant landlord’s custom to murder travellers who put up at his house; but one gentleman being warned by a maid of his danger, provided for his safety.
Among other things the maid informed him that it was usual for the landlord to ring a bell, on which an assassin, pretending to be a servant, entered the chamber and snuffed out the candle, when the other villains rushed in and murdered the stranger. The gentleman caused the maid to place a lantern with a candle in it under a stool, and he laid his arms ready and stood upon his guard. Scarcely had he sat himself down when it happened as the girl had mentioned; but thegentleman, with the assistance of his servant, killed two of the villains and put the rest to flight. He then seized the innkeeper and his wife, carried them before a magistrate, and they were indicted to stand trial at the next assizes. From the maid’s deposition it appeared that fourteen strangers had been murdered by them, and that their bodies were concealed in an arched vault in the garden, to which there was a passage from the cellar. Both were executed, and the innkeeper hung in chains.
Jack having once more escaped death, returned to his pilfering trade, was committed to Newgate, and whipped for his crimes. But Jack was now determined to follow the example of the great ones of the earth, and to better his circumstances by marriage. Accordingly, he married one of the name of Betty, who gained her livelihood by running errands to the prisoners of Newgate. Nor was Jack, like too many, disappointed in his matrimonial connection, for he was soon elevated to be hangman to the county of Middlesex. In this station he assumed great importance, and held a levee every day that he did business at Tyburn; but though he sometimes ran in debt, yet he was always very willing to work in order to pay his obligations. But envy reached even him, and he lost his place by means of one who had greater ministerial interest. But Jack could never be destitute while he had hands and fingers to lay hold of whatever was within his reach.
He at last suffered from having assaulted a watchman’s wife, whom he met in Bunhill Fields, and used in such a barbarous manner that she died in a few days of her wounds. Two men suddenly came up to him, and, being seized, he was secured in Newgate. After his trial and condemnation he remained impenitent, and endeavored, by intoxication, to stifle the forebodings of conscience. He was hanged on the 31st of May, 1718.