(Note: This item is
concerned with Mr Morris Delany, Born Carlow c1733)
Ordinary's Account, 17th January 1763.
- THE
- ORDINARY of NEWGATE'S
- ACCOUNT of the
- Behaviour, Confession, and Dying Words
- OF FIVE
- MALEFACTORS,
- VIZ.
- EMANUEL MOUNTAIN for Murder,
- Executed on Monday January the 17th;
- MORRIS DELANY and JOHN COLLINS
- For a Robbery on the High-Way,
- and
- WILLIAM CHAMP for Horse-Stealing,
- Executed on Wednesday February the 9th;
- and
- DANIEL BLAKE
for Murder,
- Executed on Saturday February the 26th,
1763.
- BEING THE
- First, Second and Third EXECUTIONS in the
MAYORALTY
- OF THE
- Rt. Hon. WILLIAM BECKFORD, Esq.
- LORD-MAYOR of the CITY of LONDON
|
The Ordinary Of Newgate's Account of the Behaviour,
Confession, and Dying Words, &c.
BY virtue of the King's commission of the peace, oyer and
terminer, and goal-delivery of Newgate, holden for the city of
London and county of Middlesex, at Justice-hall in the Old Baily,
before the Right Honourable William Beckford, Esq. Lord Mayor of the
City of London , Sir Thomas Parker, Knt. Lord Chief Baron of his
Majesty's court of Exchequer; the Honourable Henry Bathurst, one of
the Judges of his Majesty's court of Common Pleas; Sir J. Eardly
Wilmott, one of the Judges of his Majesty's court of King's Bench;
Sir William Moreton, Knt. Recorder; James Eyre, Esq. deputy
Recorder, and others of his Majesty's Justices of oyer and terminer
of the city of London, and Justices of goal-delivery of Newgate, &c.
holden for the said city and county of Middlesex on Friday the 14th,
Saturday the 15th, and Monday the 17th of January, in the third year
of his Majesty's reign, eight persons were capitally convicted and
received sentence of death, for the several crimes in their
indictments laid, namely, Emanuel Mountain, Hans Eeg, William
Autenreith, Morris Delany, John Collins, William Champ, Thomas
Bryant, and George Watson. And on Wednesday February the 2d, the
report of the said malefactors being made to his Majesty by Mr.
Recorder, William Autenreith, Morris Delany, John Collins, and
William Champ, were ordered for Execution on Wednesday the 9th
Instant. And Hans Eeg, George Watson, and Thomas Bryant, were
respited during his Majesty's pleasure.
1. Emanuel Mountain was indicted for the wilful murder of Joseph
Carassa. He stood likewise charged on the coroner's inquest for the
said murder, January the 5th.
This sudden affair happened at the house of John Smith, a
Dutchman, who keeps the Mulbery-Gardens in Nightingale-lane,
Wapping.
See original The deceased, and the criminal were sailors who
lodged at the house beforementioned; the latter, a Portuguese, who
spoke little or no English, and therefore was tried by means of an
interpreter. Whatever gave rise to this quarrel, whether a
fightingbout, which happened the same Day between the prisoner and a
Dutchman, whose part the deceased took, as the prisoner pleaded in
his defence; or whether it was any other provocation, this fact was
attended with circumstances which proved it a cruel and inhuman
murder.
These two having gone up to two seperate beds in the same
room, between ten and eleven o'clock at night, were soon after heard
by the landlord and other company, scolding and fighting overhead.
They went up and found them entangled with each other in a fierce
and obstinate combat, in the dark, on the bed of the deceased, whose
shirt was stript off, the prisoner being uppermost, and the face of
the deceased bloody.
As soon as they were parted, with much
difficulty; Carassa said, Father, it is not my fault; then rising
from his bed, he cried, Lord, I am a dead man! whilst his bowels
were all coming out on his left side - to the quantity of two
handfuls. He said, the prisoner gave me a stab on purpose, on which
the prisoner attempted to go away, but was prevented. Mr. Thompson,
the surgeon who first came to see him in the morning, said also,
that he is a dead man, that his bowels were cut, and he would not
meddle with him.
He was carried to the London-hospital the same
morning, and being viewed and examined by another surgeon, Mr.
Alder; the patient told him the wound was given wilfully, with a
push, by a Portuguese who had been quarrelling with his friend,
whose part he took. He died of that wound three quarters of an hour
after; this surgeon supposed it to be done with a knife. This was
confirmed, by the prisoner's words, to a witness who stopped him in
attempting to escape, to whom he said, Me have done this; - with a
knife - which lay by the bed, where it was found, being a long clasp
knife, all bloody four or five inches deep.
Notwithstanding this clear, consistent and positive evidence
against the prisoner, and hardy attempt was made to shield and
rescue him from the mortal stroke of it, by one Emanuel Rotherek
Corea, who representing himself to be a Portuguese priest, belonging
to the ambassador of that nation, deposed, that as he attended the
dying man to administer the sacrament to him, he exhorted him to
speak the truth, and as he hoped for pardon of God, to pardon the
prisoner, if he had offended him; to which the wounded man replied,
That there was no offence to pardon the prisoner, for that he
himself deserved ten thousand deaths, by being the aggressor in this
quarrel; that he pulled the prisoner out of the bed by the legs, and
struck him to make him fight with him.
But this effort was of so little weight in the scale, against the
opposite united and supported testimonies of six or seven witnesses,
that the jury quickly brought in the prisoner guilty, and he was
immediately adjudged to be executed on the second day from thence,
being Monday the 17th of January following.
As this prisoner did not agree with us in his religion, nor
understand our language, he was not brought to chapel, nor could it
answer any purpose for me to visit him in his cell; hearing also
that no clerical person of his own persuasion had yet visited him,
on Sunday at noon it was by me earnestly recommended to
See original one of the runners, to go and find out a proper
gentleman to visit him. This was done on Sunday evening and Monday
morning. After which he was taken from Newgate, between nine and
eleven, to the usual place of execution; and after a few minutes
delay, wherein enquiry was made among the people, by order of the
under sheriff on duty, whether any one who could speak his language
were present? such a person did offer himself, and speak to him a
little while. He is said to have behaved with a sullen silence in
the way, and at the place. After execution, the body was brought
back to Surgeon's-hall, to be dissected and anatomized, pursuant to
his sentence.
2 and 3.
Morris Delany and John Collins were indicted, for
that they on William Toulmin did make an assault, on the King's
highway, putting him in corporal fear and danger of his life, and
violently taking from his person one silver salve-box value 27s. one
guinea, one 18s. piece, one quarter guinea, and three shillings in
money, numbered, his property, and against his will, December the
31st.
The circumstances most considerable in this fact, for the caution
of honest and well-meaning people, and the warning of daring
criminals were these: It appears from the evidence of the coachman,
who drove the prosecutor and his wife from Wapping towards
Whitechapel, that these two adventurers, and a boy (supposed to be
George Watson, now respited) had watched and dog'd the coach from
the prosecutor's door in Old Gravel-lane, to the middle of the
Newroad, where they stopped and robbed the coach; that the boy acted
as a spy, slily questioned the coachman where he was going, and who
were his fare? which he as unwarily told him; that the moon-light
betrayed them; the salve-box discovered them, and their own pistols
were turned against them: for each of these were means to detect and
convict them, as appears very clearly on the trial. How little did
these blind and hardened transgressors consider, that while they
were lying in wait for their prey, they were lurking privily for
their own blood; and pulling down on their own heads that swift
vengeance, which, before the next setting sun, overtook them.
Morris Delany, about 30 years of age, was born in the
county of Carlow in Ireland, went to sea about his twentieth year,
and on his return, about three years ago, was employed in the river
Thames, working at ballast, and other labour of loading and
unloading ships . He was sometimes also engaged at the west end of
the town, as a partner in carrying a sedan chair ; for which his
robust frame and size bespoke him well adapted. Happy, if he had
never betaken himself to any worse employment!
But not being content
with an honest, laborious course of life, he gave way to the
temptations of vice and villainy; to which he is now fallen a prey
in the prime of his years. For this fact, charged in the indictment,
he was pursued next morning by the coachman, whose coach and fare he
had robbed; but the hand of justice had prevented him. He was taken
the night before on suspicion, as he lay in bed in a new lodging he
had gone to, having a pistol under his arm, and a powder-horn about
him at his entrance into the house; and when searched at the
watch-house, the silver salve-box, with the name of Toulmin
inscribed, was found upon him. Soon after conviction, he was visited
in his cell, and invited to come to chapel, with a view and desire
to do him all possible good offices which his circumstances
See original required and could admit of; he expressed his
intention to attend there, with thanks; but being quickly after
visited by a priest of his own persuasion, viz. of the church of
Rome, he never came to chapel. At another visit he was reminded,
that it was his indispensable duty to confess any other facts he had
been guilty of, so as to give the best satisfaction he could to the
injured, and acquit the innocent, who might otherwise be charged or
suspected; - that no private or auricular confession could excuse
him from doing this.
He was charged therefore to answer as a dying
man, and as he hoped for mercy, Whether he was guilty of the charge
(for which he was formerly tried) of breaking and entering the
dwelling house of Thomas Combe, and thence stealing goods to a
considerable value? he declared to me, he was not the person, nor
knew where the house stands; and that some gentlemen had been with
him to make the same enquiry, and he had answered them in the same
manner. It appears however on the trial of George Watson, that he
was guilty of another burglary and robbery in the shop of Mr.
Rogers, haberdasher and hosier, in Whitechapel; for which Watson was
to have been admitted an evidence against him, if he had not been
already convicted on the present indictment. And this is supposed to
be one reason why Watson was respited; to which another added some
weight, namely, because the said Watson had returned and put out the
lamp left in the shop, after the robbery, lest the house and family
should be burned. So well and wisely is any alleviating circumstance
laid hold of in favour of a criminal, which can open a door for
extending mercy, to him.
But tho' this criminal did not accept of our assistance in
spiritual things, yet was he not neglected in the distribution of
those reliefs of money and provision, which the severity of the
season excited many good people to contribute to the prisoners in
this distress, with an abundant charity, proportioned to their
necessity.
John Collins, (otherwise N - e) the other principal in this fact,
was the person who first attacked Mr. Toulmin with a pistol, opened
the coach door, and robbed him of the money mentioned in the
indictment: and being apprehended the next day in another fact of
the like nature, and brought before the justice, confessed his part
in the robbery, and desired to be transported.
When first visited, after conviction, he shewed all the symptoms
of sorrow unrestrained, and for the present inconsolable; he wept a
flood of tears, he cried aloud, he wrung his hands and bitterly
bewailed his sad lot, that he must be cut off in a moment, in the
vigour of his youth; that he dared not acquaint his friends, already
too much offended by his undutiful behaviour: that he must fall
unpitied, unlamented, at a distance from his friends, now ashamed to
own him, confounded to hear of his dire fate.
Well would it be if the young adventurers, now dismissed from sea
or land service, and tempted by their vices into this high-way to a
shameful death and sure destruction, had beheld and considered this
sad scene of distress! anguish and horror painted in their faces;
and perhaps not one good thought in their hearts to support them.
Surely they would be warned, not to perpetrate any fact to disgrace
themselves and their friends; to sink the services they have done,
or for
See original feit the honour they have gained from their
applauding king and country, ever kind and beneficent to the brave
and honest mariner and soldier. Above all, they would not distrust
that good providence which has hitherto preserved them in the midst
of dangers, nor provoke that almighty power which led them through
fire and water, protected them in the fire of battle and the raging
tempests, still leading them on to victory. - Plumed as they are
with the honours of a successful war, will they stain themselves
with deeds of the vilest cowardice, and turn their weapons against
their unarmed fellow-subjects? Prevent it, heaven! and let every
good principle of honesty and truth within them oppose the base
attempt.
And if such motives of virtue and honour will not restrain
them, let them set before their eyes the desperate hazard they run
of being plunged into quick perdition in the midst of their sins: as
appears but too probably to be the case of a footpad lately
mentioned in all the news-papers under the name of John Dixon,
belonging to captain Long, shot through the breast (expiring with
only two groans, in his attempt to rob the Portsmouth stage-coach)
by Mr. Thomas Young, master-gunner of his majesty's ship Neptune.
And should they escape such a sudden stroke as this, let them still
look forward to the sure (though perhaps a little slower) fate of a
gibbet. These reflexions naturally arise from the case of this and
some other of these convicts, who told me they had served his
majesty at sea .
Collins (a fictitious name) was the son of a reputable tradesman
at Bristol, and had a suitable education. Having been to sea before
this last war, he was early impressed into the service in the
beginning of it; he then entered a volunteer; and his father
encouraging and assisting him, he was made a midshipman on board the
Edgar, in which he served three years. After this he served on board
the Lark, captain Shiley. This he told me; though a witness to his
character on the trial, describes him to be only a boatswain's mate
in a frigate. He, with the other convicts who attended the chapel,
five in number, had daily instructions given them, adapted to their
particular cases and circumstances, to which they seemed to give
diligent attention, to join seriously and devoutly in the prayers,
and to make a hopeful progress in their penitence.
When questioned about the several facts he was charged with, he
persisted in declaring that he never attempted any such thing till
the Friday December 31, and was taken on the Saturday January 1,
being partly drawn in by others; one of which was under the same
sentence with him, though he freely owned he was as forward as the
other.
He was farther examined concerning that heinous crime
mentioned in his first commitment by Sir John Fielding, on oath of
Jeremiah Keeble, "for assaulting him on " the high-way, with intent
to rob him, " and also for wilfully and maliciously" firing a
loaded pistol at him, with intent to kill and murder him;" he
endeavoured to soften and explain away the force of this charge, by
insisting that the pistol went off accidentally, by his falling when
pursued by Keeble in order to apprehend him, and that it was charged
only with gunpowder.
He was farther pressed at other times, to
confess the truth, as he hoped for mercy in heaven. To which he
answered, this is the truth, and that the other account was only a
mistake or misrepresentation of the fact; and in this assertion he
persisted, even after he See original knew himself included in the deathwarrant.
He continued daily to lamént, with the most pungent grief and
dejection of spirit, the cnes he had thus rashly and suddenly fallen
into; which he owned were much aggravated, by being perpetrated
after his recovery from a fit of sickness.
The consciousness of his
ingratitude for this mercy, ut him (as he expressed it) so deep,
that he found it very difficult for some time to receive any
consolation or hope. In farther conversation with him, he described
the manner and occasion of his being drawn in to commit these facts
- that after his recovery from sickness, by which he was drained of
his money and run in debt, sitting idle, in the way of temptation,
at the Cooper's Arms, St. Catharines, near the Tower, a drunken
sailor came in, and would make him drink some hot.
Morris Delany
dropt in, and drank with them; after which it was proposed to go
out, meaning on the high-way: to which Collins agreed; this was on
Friday when they robbed Mr. Toulmin, whose money he confessed he
received in his hat; that on sight of it, he said to him, with
threats, you give nothing but copper; to which he replied, there is
gold and silver among it, and I have nothing left but this silver
salve box, offering it to Collins, but he refused it, though
Delany
afterwards took it unknown to him; and this, it appears, was chiefly
instrumental in detecting and convicting them.
Among the money taken
(he said) they found an eighten shilling piece, a guinea, and a
quarter guinea; out of which Delany claimed, first, a guinea, to pay
for the pair of pistols just before bought for this purpose; that on
this, each took his pistol, and then they, differing about dividing
the remainder, parted that night.
In his next attempt, the following day or night, which was
against a Stratford coach, with four or five men passengers in it,
he was apprehended, by their being too quick for him, and his
falling down, as before mentioned. But he declared he did not
express the words, your life or your money, as sworn before Sir John
Fielding.
The convicts were daily visited and brought up to chapel. Collins
among the rest, behaved with a becoming seriousness; and as he could
read well, performed his part in the service with an attentive
fervency. In his cell, he undertook to assist his fellow-convict,
William Champ, wholly illiterate, by reading to him and praying with
him, who for that purpose was shut up in the same cell with him.
Being asked how Champ behaved on that occasion? he said, he was very
ignorant and stupid, and much inclined to sink into sleep when he
should attend to instruction or prayer.
While they were duly
instructed in the design, use and benefit of this chastisement, and
other points most pertinent to their several cases, each of them,
especially Collins, seemed to improve under the affliction; yet he
found it very difficult to resign himself with patience, after the
death-warrant came, to his sad lot; and when after two or three days
he had well nigh subdued his reluctance, and reconciled himself to
his fate, a new temptation sprung up, by the application of some of
his friends to the throne for mercy; which failing of success, threw
him back, on the day he heard it, into fresh agonies of sorrow and
anguish of soul, opened all his wounds, and afforded no easy task to
stop the current of his grief; to compose him to submission and
resignation.
As notice had been given, at a proper interval of time, for them
to prepare for
See original the holy communion, they were daily instructed for
that purpose; and this subject duly opened, applied and impressed,
assisted greatly in restoring him to peace and a calm spirit; so far
that I judged it proper to administer to him and Champ, the day
before execution, Champ having been diligently instructed in his
preparation in the plainest terms, adapted to his capacity.
On the same day William Fredrick Autenreith was admitted to the
holy communion by a very worthy and intelligent Lutheran divine of
his own country and mode of worship, having first made a full
confession of his guilt in the affair, for which he is convicted, in
presence of his prosecutors, to the great satisfaction of us all,
who had earnestly laboured to bring about this salutary and
desirable effect.
3. William Champ was indicted for stealing one black gelding,
value 10 l, the property of Richard Hutchins, November the 18th.
The prisoner had wrought as a labourer with the prosecutor at
Little Chelsea, and was discharged three days before the felony; he
was met by the prosecutor, who was in quest of him, December the
10th, at the halfway house, between Kensington and Knightsbridge; to
whom, after a little prevarication, he freely confessed the fact
with all its circumstances, so that the owner recovered his horse.
However, this poor simple fellow was committed to New-Prison,
prosecuted, and on his trial convicted; nor could his character of
an industrious, inoffensive man before this fact, given him by five
masters, for whom he had wrought, save him from execution, tho' the
prosecutor was one of the five.
He was born at Shatton in Wiltshire, within four miles of
Highworth, being a little turned of thirty years of age; has left a
wife and three children; was bred up to labouring work and
husbandry, and might, if he had been transported, have become a very
useful hand in the new conquests or colonies. He has wrought in the
neighbourhood of London four or five years; before which he did
labouring work in his native country. He did not deny the fact for
which he is convicted, but declared this is the first fact in which
he ever wronged another in any respect; nor can give a reason why he
was induced to perpetrate this. He complained privately to his
fellow-convict that his wife was turbulent, when he was at home with
her, and had behaved ill in his absence; but did not say this
tempted him to the fact.
Being questioned frequently about his state of mind, he seemed to
become daily more resigned and hopeful of mercy, calmly and
regularly prepared for his last hour, and believed he should find
rest.
Morning of Execution.
IT was told me, by one of the turnkeys, that Autenreith was
respited and when they went up to acquaint him of it, about nine
o'clock last night, they found him hard at work, burning thro' the
door of his cell. Whether his design was to endeavour to burn
himself and the convicts, or (if they could) to escape, seemed
uncertain. When I went up to view the place, and see Autenreith, he
was greatly confused, explained it, that it was a design, concerted
among these three convicts, to break thro' his own door first, and
then to endeavour to open that of the other cell, and attempt to get
thro' the ceiling; and he charged the other two with this to their
face. Collins
See original walked about his cell in great disorder, and with a
countenance so disturbed, as spoke the anguish of his soul; did not
directly deny his being privy to it, but evaded a confession,
bidding the doctor say what he pleased against him, he should not
contradict it. Champ was silent and sullen. The turnkeys believed
these two were not privy to it, because Collins had desired one of
them to watch with him the night past. In the chapel I endeavoured
to bring him to an humble and sincere confession of his guilt.
Collins said this design was spoke of among all the convicts
about ten days since; that they had no thoughts of destroying
themselves, but only to attempt an escape, however difficult it
might appear, but that he had little hopes of it, and therefore did
nothing towards it: however, that the doctor with his privity began
it last night.
When Champ was questioned, he begged I would ask him no
questions: but after solemnly charging them both, as they hoped for
mercy and forgiveness in heaven, to speak the truth, and confess
their whole design, he acknowledged that he was privy to it; but
that, for his part, he was so dejected and weak, that he thought
himself unable to escape, had a way been opened for that purpose.
Collins earnestly desired to have the holy communion administred to
him, as promised and intended, if this affair had not intervened;
but in consideration, it was yesterday administred to them both; and
they had so quickly and shamefully relapsed into this design.
Prayers were earnestly offered up for their renovation; and they
were exhorted to return to the vow and profession they had so lately
made, and hope the benefit of the holy sacrament would be again
renewed to them, of which I could not safely and freely repeat the
administration to them again.
Soon after eight they were dismissed from chapel, and taken down
to have their fetters knocked off, and their arms pinioned. It was
half an hour past nine before this was done, and they put into the
cart: Delany first, then Champ, and Collins last. They all looked
heavy, dejected, and covered with shame and sorrow. They reached the
place of execution in an hour, and being tied up, proper prayers
were offered up with and for them, in which the people joined, at
their request.
They repeated the Belief, and declared their hope of
being saved in that faith; they all declared they were resigned and
composed. Collins and Champ expressed an hearty sorrow for the part
they had taken in the attempt of last night, and frequently asked
pardon for it. Collins acknowledged he had tried to burn a hole
thro' the door with a piece of candle once, but it was several
nights ago; and finding his plan impracticable, he desisted.
Delany, being in a distant cell, and one story higher than these,
did not seem to be privy to it; nor did they, or any one else,
charge him with it. Being asked whether he chose to confess any
particular fact now in his last moment, which might be the means of
saving any innocent person from suspicion or trouble, he answered,
he believed no such person is like to suffer for any thing he had
done; he professed to die in peace and charity with all men, and did
not seem averse to join in our prayers; after which Collins and he
joined hands, and took leave of each other, and then of Champ, their
fellow-sufferer.
A little before the last recommendatory prayer Collins spoke a
few words
See original to the multitude, "to take warning by him, and not
be guilty of any act of fraud or violence which might bring them
there to be made a public spectacle, but to keep within the bounds
of justice, and endeavour to get an honest livelihood; the forsaking
of which, brought him to this sad lot: he reminded them, that many
of them were as deep in sin as himself, and therefore ought to take
timely warning by his example, and break off their sins, before they
brought them to destruction."
The extremity of distress in which he stood and delivered his
words, together with the earnest manner in which he prayed, gave
such force to what he said as melted many into tears.
Having taken an hearty and affectionate leave of their minister,
they continued crying to God for mercy, and saying, Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit! 'till the cart was driven from under them, which
was exactly at eleven o'clock. In three or four minutes they were
all motionless. Champ in half the time.
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