RICHARD TURPIN.
There never was, perhaps, a man in the particular profession to which this notorious fellow devoted himself, whose name was more familiar in the mouths of the common people than that of Richard Turpin. But, since it invariably happens that a certain proportion of curiosity respecting the life and actions of a man is sure to beget a corresponding desire to satisfy it, we cannot wonder if the perplexed biographer should sometimes resort to fiction to supply the deficiencies of fact. Hence it has happened that certain exploits have been attributed to Turpin which do not properly belong to him; amongst others, the unparalleled ride from York to London in an unprecedentedly short period, performed, it is averred, on a single horse. We have never been able to find any authentic account of this feat, nor have we, as yet, discovered any conceivable necessity that should compel him to such a rapid journey. Turpin was never tried but once, and that was, indeed, at York; but the reader will perceive that he had no opportunity of escape, nor did he attempt any thing of the kind after his first apprehension.
Richard Turpin was the son of John Turpin, of Hempstead in Essex, and was put apprentice to abutcher in Whitechapel, where he served his time, during which period he was frequently guilty of misdemeanors, and conducted himself in a loose and disorderly manner.
As soon as his time was up, he married, and set up in business for himself at Suson in Essex, where, having no credit in the market, and no money in his pocket, he was shortly reduced to the necessity of maintaining himself by indirect practices; and, accordingly, very often used to rob the neighboring gentry of sheep, lambs, and oxen.
Upon one occasion, he stole a couple of oxen from a farmer at Plaistow, which he caused to be conveyed to his own house and cut up. Two of the men belonging to the farm, having a suspicion of Turpin, went to his house, and seeing an ox slaughtered, were convinced of his guilt; and having traced the sale of the hides, returned to Suson to apprehend him. Turpin, apprized of their intention, left them in the front room, jumped out of a window and made his escape.
By this time his character had become notorious, and he never could entertain a thought of returning to Suson, or of following the trade of a butcher in that county. He, accordingly, resolved to commence smuggler; and raising as much money as he could scrape together, he betook himself to the hundreds of Essex, where he soon became connected with a gang of smugglers. This his new profession he followed for some time with tolerable success; but fortune taking a turn, he lost all that he had acquired; upon which he began to turn his thoughts to another, but by no means more honest, mode of life. In a word, he connected himself with a gang of deer-stealers, who finding him a desperate fellow, and fit for their purpose, admitted him among them. This desperate gang, afterwards known and feared under the title of the Essex Gang, not only robbed the forest of deer, but thinned several gentlemen’s parks of them, insomuch that they obtained a considerable sum of money. They followed deer-stealing only for some time; but not finding the moneycome in so quickly as they wished, and being narrowly watched by the park-keepers, they, by Turpin’s direction, resolved to go round the country at nights, and when they could find a house that had any thing valuable in it, one was to knock at the door, which being opened, the rest should rush in and plunder it, not only of plate but of household goods.
The first person attacked in this manner was aMr.Strype, an old man who kept a chandler’s shop at Watford, from whom they only took the money he had by him; but Turpin informed his companions that he knew an old woman at Loughton, who, he was certain, had seven or eight hundred pounds in her possession. The plan being declared feasible, away they went, and coming to the door, one of them knocked, and Turpin and the rest of the gang rushed in. The first thing they did was to blindfold the old lady and her maid. Turpin then examined the former touching her money, upon which she declared that she had none, being naturally loth to part with it. Some of the gang were inclined to believe her, but Turpin, with an oath, declared that if she remained obstinate he would set her on the fire. The poor old lady imagining that this was a mere threat, suffered herself to be lifted on to the fire, till the anguish she had endured for a long time compelled her to disclose, and the gang retired with about four hundred pounds.
They then consulted together who should be their next victim, and agreed to wait upon a farmer, near Ripple Side. The people within not answering the door so soon as they would fain have had it opened, they broke in, and according to their old custom tied the old man, the old woman, the servant maid, and the farmer’s son-in-law. They then ransacked the house, and robbed the old farmer of about seven hundred pounds. Turpin, seeing so considerable a booty, cried, “Ay, this would do if it were always so,” their share being about eighty pounds a man.
The success the gang met with made them resolve to proceed against those who had attempted to detect them.They accordingly agreed to attack the house of Mason, the keeper of Epping Forest. The time was fixed when the house was to be attacked; but Turpin having still a great deal of money in his possession, could not refrain from coming up to London to spend it, and getting drunk, forgot the appointed time for putting their design into execution: however, the rest, resolving not to be balked, set out for Mason’s, after having bound themselves by oath not to leave one whole piece of goods in the house. Accordingly they went, broke open the door, beat poor Mason in a cruel manner, and finally killed him under the dresser. An old man sitting by the fireside, who declared that he knew nothing of them, got off untouched. After ransacking the lower part of the house, and doing much mischief, they proceeded up-stairs, and broke every thing in their way; at last, espying a punch-bowl, they broke that, when out dropped a hundred and twenty guineas, which they seized upon and made off with.
Turpin, with five others, in January, 1735, came to the door ofMr.Saunders, a wealthy farmer at Charlton in Kent, and knocking, inquired if the gentleman of the house was at home; he was answered he was, and that being the signal, they rushed in, and going directly to the parlor, whereMr.Saunders, his wife, and some friends were amusing themselves at a quiet game of cards, desired them on no account to be alarmed, for that they would not hurt their persons, if they sat still and made no disturbance. A silver snuff-box that lay on the table Turpin at once appropriated to himself, and the rest having bound the company, obligedMr.Saunders to accompany them about the house, and open his closets and boxes, to prevent the necessity of laying violent hands upon them, and perhaps upon himself. They then possessed themselves of upwards of a hundred pounds in money, besides other property, including all the plate in the house. While this was proceeding, the maid-servant, a girl of some presence of mind, ran up-stairs, and barring herself in one of the rooms, called out lustily at the window for assistance; but one of therogues following her, broke open the door with a poker, and brought her down again. In their search for all things of value in the house, they hit upon some bottles of wine, a bottle of brandy, and some mince-pies, with which they immediately sat down and regaled themselves, inviting the company to partake, indeed compelling them to drink a dram of brandy each, to work off the fright. Mrs. Saunders, however, fainted, and a glass of water with some drops in it was instantly provided, with which they bathed her temples, and were very anxious for her recovery. After staying about two hours in the house, they packed up their plunder, and made off with it, threatening the inmates of the house, that, if they stirred within two hours, they would murder them.
The names of Turpin’s principal associates were Fielder, Rose, and Walker; there was another, also, whose name we have not learned. These made an appointment to rob a gentleman’s house at Croydon, and for that purpose agreed to meet at the Half-Moon tavern, which they accordingly did, about six o’clock in the evening. Walker, having some knowledge of the house, went at the head of his companions into the yard, and found the coachman dressing the horses; him they bound, and going from thence metMr.Sheldon, the master, whom they seized and compelled to show them the way to the house. As soon as they entered, they tiedMr.Sheldon’s hands behind him with cords, and having served the rest of the family after the same fashion, fell to plundering the house. Eleven guineas, and several pieces of plate, jewels, and other things of value, was the result of this adventure; but before they left the place they returned two guineas, thankedMr.Sheldon for the very courteous manner with which they had been received, and bade him good night.
Their next design was upon the house ofMr.Lawrence, at Edgeware-bury near Stanmore. About five o’clock they went from the Queen’s Head at Stanmore, and proceeded to the destined spot. On their arrival, they left their horses at the outer gate, and climbingover the hatch into the sheep-yard, met with a boy just putting up some sheep. They seized him, and presenting a pistol, told him they would shoot him if he offered to cry out, but if he would inform them truly what servantsMr.Lawrence kept, and who was in the house, they would give him money. The boy, terrified at their threats, told instantly what they desired, and one of them thereupon knocked at the door. When it was opened they all rushed in with pistols in their hands, and seizingMr.Lawrence, rifled his pockets, out of which they took one guinea, a Portugal piece of thirty-six shillings, about fifteen shillings in silver, and his keys. Dissatisfied with so small a booty, they then drove him up-stairs, and breaking open a closet, plundered it of money, silver cups and spoons, gold rings, and many other things of value. A bottle of elder wine which they found they divided amongst the servants, lifting it to their mouths, as their hands were pinioned behind them. A maid-servant who was churning in an outhouse, hearing a noise, suspected there were thieves in the house, and put out the candle to secrete herself. One of them, however, discovered her, and dragging her from her hiding-place, menaced her with the most horrid threats if she raised an alarm. All of them, indeed, disappointed and enraged at their ill success, (for they had calculated upon a rich return for their trouble and hazard,) practised on this occasion the most savage cruelties. Having stripped the house of every thing of worth, even to the sheets from the beds, they draggedMr.Lawrence down stairs again, and declared, with the most dreadful oaths, that they would cut his throat if he hesitated to confess what money was in the house; and being answered that there was none excepting that which they had taken, they beat him barbarously with the butt-ends of their whips, and inflicted a terrific cut upon his head with a pistol. One of them took a chopping-bill and swore he would cleave his legs off; another a kettle of water from the fire, and flung upon him, which happening, however, to have been recently filled, did no seriousinjury. In their search, besides the beforementioned particulars, they met with a chest belonging to one ofMr.Lawrence’s sons, which they broke open, taking therefrom twenty pounds, and all his linen. Some of these things were afterwards traced to a place called Duck-lane, where two of these fellows were apprehended.
Although in this robbery they got about twenty-six pounds in money in the whole, yet they made no fair distribution of it amongst themselves. The honor mentioned as existing among thieves was, in this instance, at any rate, something of that character which distinguishes their dealings with others not of their profession; for it appeared upon evidence, that those who were most fortunate in the plunder, on the division of the spoil, could bring their minds to produce no more than three pounds nine shillings and sixpence.
These frequent and daring burglaries induced his majesty to offer a pardon to any one of the criminals who had been concerned in entering the house ofMr.Lawrence, and committing such atrocities on the evening of the 4th of February; and further, a reward of fifty pounds to every person who should be instrumental in the discovery of any of the offenders.
Notwithstanding which, on the 7th of February the party again met by appointment, having fixed upon the White Hart in Drury-lane, as the best place whereat to concert future depredations. Accordingly, they agreed upon making an attempt to robMr.Francis, a large farmer near Mary-le-bone, at whose house they arrived shortly after seven. The details of this outrage are much the same as the previous robberies in which they were engaged. They succeeded in obtaining thirty-seven guineas and ten pounds in silver, a quantity of jewels and linen, and the unfortunateMr.Francis’ wig, all of which they carried off; not forgetting the latter, the value of which, excepting to the owner, we are quite at a loss to conceive.
They also formed a design to rob the house of a country justice, and with that intention met at a publichouse near Leigh. Not rightly knowing, however, the way into the jolly justice’s domicile, they concealed themselves under some furze bushes; but while they were thus lying perdue there, they heard several persons riding along together, who happened to be some of the neighboring farmers returning from the table of the rustic Rhadamanthus in a state of noisy mirth, induced, doubtless, by the genial fumes of the justice’s wines; and by their conversation it was plain that there were others still remaining there, who, dreading neither riotous spouses nor the midnight bottle, might probably have determined with wine and song to “out-watch the bear;” they, therefore, deemed it advisable not to attempt it that night, and adjourned accordingly their attack to some more promising period, which so far proved of advantage to them, that it thereby prevented their being taken, as otherwise they unavoidably would have been; for they had been observed by some of the neighborhood, and being suspected as smugglers, information was given to the custom-house, and a party of dragoons sent out after them, whom they met; when after a strict search, nothing having been found upon them, they were suffered to pass. Thus the jolly justice escaped.
The daring robberies of these men at length roused the country, and one of the king’s keepers waited on the duke of Newcastle, and obtained his majesty’s promise of a reward of one hundred pounds to him who should be fortunate enough to apprehend any of them. This made them lie a little more concealed; but some of the keepers and others receiving intelligence that they were regaling themselves at an alehouse in Westminster, they pursued them there, and bursting open the door, took three, after a stout resistance; two of whom, the third turning evidence against them, were hanged in chains accordingly. Turpin, however, made his escape by leaping from a window.
The gang thus broke up, and Turpin, quite left to himself, made a determination never to command another, but to go altogether upon his own bottom; andwith this view he set out for Cambridge, as he was not known in that county.
Notwithstanding this resolve, the following strange encounter provided him with his best companion (as he would call him) before he reached his journey’s end. King, the highwayman, who had been towards Cambridge on professional business, was returning to town. Turpin seeing him well mounted, and bearing the appearance of a gentleman, thought it was an excellent opportunity to recruit his pockets, and accordingly, with a loud voice, commanded King to stand. King, enjoying the joke, though at the ugly prospect of a bullet through his head if he carried the jest too far, assumed all the conduct of a person so unceremoniously addressed. “Deliver!” shouted Turpin, “or by —— I’ll let daylight through you.” “What,” said King, laughing heartily, “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 one another, and that nothing should part them till death, they agreed to go together upon some exploit, and met with a small booty that very day; after which they continued together, committing divers robberies, for nearly three years, when King was accidentally shot.
King being very well known about the country, as likewise was Turpin, insomuch that no house would entertain them, they formed the idea of dwelling in a cave, and to that end pitched upon a place enclosed with a large thicket, between Loughton Road and King’s-Oak-Road; here they made a place large enough to receive them and two horses, and while they lay concealed there, they could see, through several holes purposely made, what passengers went by on either road, and as they thought proper sallied out and robbed them. This they did in such a daring manner and so frequently, that it was not safe for any person to travel that way, and the very higglers were obliged to go armed. In this cave they drank and lay; Turpin’s wife supplied them with food, and frequently remained in the place all night with them.
From the forest, King and Turpin once took a ride to Bungay in Suffolk, where the latter had seen two young market-women receive thirteen or fourteen pounds, and was determined to rob them of it. King attempted to dissuade him from it, saying, they were pretty girls, and he would never be engaged in an attempt to deprive two hard-working women of their little gains. Turpin, however, persisted, and coming up with them, relieved them of the burden of their coin, which exploit occasioned a dispute between them.
As they were returning they robbed a gentleman, who was taking an airing in his chariot, with his two children. King first attacked him, but found him so powerful and determined a person, returning such sound replies in the shape of blows to poor King’s civilities, that he was fain to call upon his companion for assistance. Their united strength at last overcame him, and they took from him all the money he had about him, and then demanded his watch, which he declined on any account to part with; but one of the children became frightened, and persuaded its father to let them have it. They then insisted upon taking a mourning ring which they observed he wore, and an objection was raised on his part, even to that proposition. Finding, however, it was useless to oppose them, he at length resigned it, telling them it was not worth eighteen pence, but that he much valued it: upon which information they returned it to him, saying they were too much of gentlemen to take any thing which another valued so much.
About this time the reward offered for the apprehension of Turpin had induced several poor, but resolute men, to make an attempt to get him into their power. Among the rest a man, groom to aMr.Thompson, tempted by the placard setting forth the golden return in the event of success, connected himself with a higgler to ward off suspicion, and commenced his search. Turpin one day standing by himself in the neighborhood of his cave, observed some one who, he supposed, was poaching for hares, and saluted him with, “Nohares near this thicket; it’s of no use seeking, you’ll not find any.”—“Perhaps I shall aTurpin, though,” replied the fellow, and levelled his piece at him. Seeing his danger, Turpin commenced a parley, retreating at the same time by degrees towards his cave, the groom following him with his gun presented. “I surrender,” said Turpin, when he reached the mouth of the cavern, and the man dropping the point of his piece, the former seized his carbine, and shot him dead on the spot. Turpin instantly made off to another part of the country, in search of King, and sent his wife a letter to meet him at a certain public house, at which, in a few days, inquiring for her under a feigned name, he found she was awaiting his appearance. The kitchen where she was happened to be at the back through a public room, where some farmers and others were regaling themselves. On passing through, a butcher, to whom he owed five pounds, recognised him, and taking him aside, said, “I know you have money now, Dick; if you’d pay me, it would be of great service.”—“My wife has certainly money to some amount,” replied Turpin, with a most unmoved countenance; “she is in the next place; I’ll get it of her, and pay you presently.” When Turpin was gone, the butcher apprized the company who he was, and added, “I’ll just get my five pounds of him, and then we’ll take him.” Turpin, however, was not to be so caught, and instead of going to his wife, leaped out of the next window, took horse, and was off in an instant, much to the discomfiture of the knight of the cleaver and the assembled company, who doubtless had calculated most correctly the proportion of the reward that would be due to each by virtue of the king’s signet.
Having discovered King, and one of his associates whose name was Potter, they determined to set out at once for London; and coming over the forest about three hundred yards from the Green Man, Turpin found that his horse, having undergone great fatigue, began to tire. On such an occasion it was no question with Turpin how he should provide himself with another,for, overtaking a gentleman, the owner of several race-horses, he at once appropriated his steed and a handsome whip to his own peculiar use, and recommending his own broken-down jade to the kind consideration of the party, speaking highly of his points, left him to mount the sorry courser, and urge the wretched quadruped forward in the best way he could.
This robbery was committed on a Saturday night, and on the Monday following the gentleman received intelligence, that such a horse as he had lost and described was left at an inn in Whitechapel; he accordingly went there, and found it to be the same. Nobody came for it at the time appointed, but about eleven o’clock at night, King’s brother called for the horse, and was seized immediately. The whip he carried in his hand the gentleman instantly identified as that stolen from him, although the button upon which his name had been engraved was half broken off; the latter letters of his name, however, were plainly distinguishable upon the remaining part. They charged a constable with him, but he becoming frightened, and on the assurance that if he spoke the truth he should be released, confessed that there was a lusty man in a white duffel coat waiting for it in a street adjoining. OneMr.Bayes immediately went out, and finding the man as directed, perceived it was King. Coming round upon him,Mr.Bayes (the then active landlord of the Green Man, to whom the gentleman at the time had related the robbery,) attacked him. King immediately drew a pistol, which he pointed toMr.Bayes’ breast, but it luckily flashed in the pan. A struggle then ensued, for King was a powerful man, and Turpin hearing the skirmish, came up, when King cried out, “Dick, shoot him, or we are taken, by ——!” at which instant Turpin fired his pistol, but it missedMr.Bayes, and shot King in two places. “Dick, you have killed me, make off,” were King’s words as he fell, and Turpin, seeing what he had done, clapped spurs to his horse, and made his escape. King lived for a week afterwards, and gave Turpin the character of a coward;tellingMr.Bayes that if he pleased to take him, he was to be found at a certain house near Hackney Marsh, and that when he rode away, he had three brace of pistols about him, and a carbine slung. Upon inquiry, it was found that Turpin had actually been at the house which King mentioned, and made use of something like the following expressions to the man. “What shall I do? where shall I go? Dick Bayes, I’ll be the death of you; for I have lost the best fellowman I ever had in my life; I shot poor King in endeavoring to kill that dog.” The same resolution of revenge he retained to the last, though without the power of effecting it.
After this, he still kept about the forest, till he was harassed almost to death; for he had lost his place of safety, the cave, which was discovered upon his shootingMr.Thompson’s groom. When they found the cave, there were in it two shirts in a bag, two pair of stockings, part of a bottle of wine, and some ham. Turpin was very nearly taken while hiding in these woods by aMr.Ives, the king’s huntsman, who, thinking he was secreted there, took out two dry-footed hounds; but Turpin perceiving them coming, climbed up a tree, and saw them stop beneath it several times, as though they scented him, which so terrified Turpin, that as soon as they were gone, he made a resolution of retiring that instant to Yorkshire.
Soon after this, a person came out of Lincolnshire to Brough, near Market-Cave, in Yorkshire, and stayed for some time at the Ferry-house. He said his name was John Palmer; and he went from thence sometimes to live at North Cave, and sometimes at Welton, continuing in these places about fifteen or sixteen months, except such part of the time as he went to Lincolnshire to see his friends, which he frequently did, and as often brought three or four horses back with him, which he used to sell or exchange in Yorkshire. While he so lived at Brough, Cave, and Welton, he very often went out hunting and shooting with the gentlemen in the neighborhood. As he was returning one day fromshooting, he saw one of his landlord’s cocks in the street, and raising his gun shot it dead. A man, his neighbor, witnessing so wanton an act, complained of such conduct, asking him by what authority he shot another man’s property. “Wait one moment,” saidMr.Palmer, “just stay till I have charged my piece, and I’ll shoot you too.” The landlord being informed of the loss he had sustained by the death of his favorite bird, and the man who saw the act being enraged at the threat Palmer had used towards him, they both obtained a warrant against him, and he was brought up at the general quarter sessions, where he was examined. Sureties for his good behavior in future were the penalty alone exacted from him, which, however, refusing to find, he was committed to the house of correction. His conduct thus excited great suspicion; for it was strange that a man who was in the habit of bringing from his friends in Lincolnshire half-a-dozen horses at a time, and plenty of money, should be so forsaken as not to be able to provide sureties; and still stranger, that on so trivial an occasion as the present, if he could find them at all, he did not produce them. A man’s pride under other circumstances might be concerned, or a consciousness of innocence that excluded the possibility, or the benefit of release, under other conditions than free acquittal; but on a charge of this nature, which might have been made up even by the purchase of the fowl, or a simple excuse, his refusal was very suspicious. Inquiries were set on foot in all quarters; and the magistrate, not contented with the accounts he gave of himself of having been a grazier in Lincolnshire, despatched officers to learn how far that statement was consistent with truth. The result was a confirmation of Palmer’s account, so far as the fact of his having lived in Lincolnshire, and having been a grazier there; that is, that there he had something to do with sheep, confined principally, however, to the expert practice of stealing them.Mr.Palmer, upon the receipt of this information, was removed from the Beverly house of correction to York castle, and accommodatedon the way with the use of handcuffs, and a guard of honor. When he arrived at his new abode, two persons from Lincolnshire challenged a mare and a foal which he had sold to a gentleman, and also the horse on which he rode when he came to Beverly, to be stolen from them off the fens in Lincolnshire. We need not add thatMr.Palmer was one and the same person with Dick Turpin, the notorious highwayman.
Turpin at one time, with another fellow, laid a scheme for seizing the government money, ordered to be paid to the ships at Portsmouth. Both of them were to have attacked the guard in a narrow pass, with sword and pistol in hand; but Turpin’s courage failed him, and the enterprise dropped. Gordon, his accomplice in this design, was afterwards taken on a charge in which he alone was concerned; and while in Newgate he declared that “after that, Turpin would be guilty of any cowardly action, and die like a dog.”
Turpin was tried and convicted of stealing the horse and the foal and the mare from the fens, and was executed on Saturday, April 7th, 1739. He behaved himself with remarkable assurance, and bowed to the spectators as he passed. It was observed that as he mounted the ladder his right leg trembled, on which he stamped it down with violence, and with undaunted fortitude looked around him. After speaking to the executioner for nearly half an hour, he threw himself off the ladder, and expired in about five minutes.
His corpse was brought back from the gallows and buried in a neat coffin inSt.George’s churchyard. The grave was dug deep, and the persons he appointed to follow him (mourners we hesitate to call them, for we cannot imagine anybody to mourn upon the death of such an unprecedented ruffian,)—those persons, whoever they were, however, took all possible care to secure the corpse: notwithstanding which, some men were discovered to be moving off the body, which they had taken up; and the mob having got information where it might be found, went to a garden in which itwas deposited, and brought it away in a sort of triumph, and buried it in the same grave, having first filled the coffin with slacked lime.