£ ; ^^^^^*%^^^^«^*^?^^y^wf*^w^«% T >H E AFFECTING CASE OF THE UNFORTUNATE THOMAS DANIELS. <^r^,/«.^Ti a ^ crimes ; and his moft extraordinary de- kjk^'M 0003 )^ liverance from an ignominious fate, and be- ing reftored to liberty unconditionally and free ! will natu- rally render the cafe of Thomas Daniels a fubjecl: of eager curiofity and warm debate. That perfons in the fu- perior ftations of life mould fometimes find means to evade the punifhments incurred by infringing the laws of their country, and by difturbing the order of fociety, does not greatly excite our wonder ; an experience of the man- ners ( 4 ) ners and cuftoms of the world, occafions our hearing fuch inftances as things of courfe ; we make a natural reflection or two on the occafions, and think no more of them. But when a perfon in one of the lowed: claffes of mankind, by a fatal accident, appears before a court of juftice with apparent evidences of guilt, fufficient to influence a jury of his impartial countrymen to fentence him to the rnoft fe- vere penalty the law can inflict ; when this man, meetly from the advantage of a good character in the narrow cir- cle of his acquaintance, and from a re-examination into the probability of the fact, for which he was condemned, mail have the inferences drawn from the depositions on his trial, totally invalidated, fo that the fentence paffed on him is freely remitted ! it is fuch a fanttion of his inno- cence, that it would be cruel and unjuft, in particulars, af- terward to retain any fufpicions injurious to him. It ought to be principally attended to in this affair, that his Majefty, whofe regal virtues are fo generally known and acknowledged, cannot appear in a more amiable view, than in the attention with which he is faid to have endea- voured to difcdver the merits of the interceflion made for this poor convict. An inftance which, as it may be deem- ed too trivial to engage any particular fhare of princely coniideration, yet is certainly one of the truly parental du- ties of a Monarch, and will endear him in the hearts of many of his ufeful fubjects, who are beneath caring for the retention of Guadalupe or Canada. And it is doing juftice to the poor fellow, to own, that he feems to retain a grateful, if not a politely expreffed, fenfibility of the great obligation he owes to the royal parent of this his fe- cond period of exiftence. But ( 5 ) But as an imputation of fo bafe a nature, confirmed by a court of juflice, would .naturally prejudice female mj universally againft him, too ftrongly for any after teftimo- ny in his favour eafily to efface -, and as Mr. ~D.c:ii:U i.- npt vet old enough to relinquifh all thoughts of matrinv.: v, and feems to polTefs too happy a mare of vivacity to be toi..:./ depreifed by his paft misfortunes, however fever e they have been ; it is probable he may be hardy enough yet to ven- ture on a fecond trial of that ftate, can he find any good girl candid enough to venture on him : but however this may be, from many important confederations the poor man is willing to give the world all the fatisfaction in his power, relating to the unhappy woman who was lately his wife, and on whofe account he has gone through fo much trou- ble and anxiety from his firft connexion with her : and it is charitably hoped, that, as he has fo- folemnly authen- ticated the particulars of it, the. fame degree of credibility will be allowed him, which would be granted to any other perfon of fair character and good eftimation. The following particulars concerning this unfortunate couple, were penned by Thomas Daniels himfelf, fince his enlargement ; and are faithfully exhibited with no other alterations than what were abfolutely necefTary, with regard to fpelling, ftyle, and difpofition, to render the narrative in fome meafure clear and fit for perufal. This drefiing was not intended to give any undue colouring to fads, but fimply to fupply the deficiencies of the writer ; whofe la- borious fituation in life has denied him thofe literary ad- vantages indifpenfable to the writing his flory with tolerable propriety. C Thus ( « ) Thus much being premifed, it is 'time to let the princi- pal offer his plea, as candidate for the favourable opinion of his readers. " It was in the year 1757 that I firft became acquaint- ed with Sarah Carridme, by living in the fame neighbour- hood. She was a very pretty girl; and I had a great affecti- - on for her, as I imagined her to be a good induftrious per- fon. I made my friends acquainted with my regard for her, but they were entirely againft my having her, becaufe of her living in a public-houfe : but Iwasobftinate, and told them I loved her and would marry her at all adventures, as I believed flie would make a good wife : upon this they faid I might have another far preferable to her, but that if I was refolved not to liften to their advice, they would have nothing more to fay to me, and I mould never come near them more. Finding therefore it was in vain to hope for my father's confent in this affair, I confulted with her what to do, and at her defire I agreed that fhe mould take a lodging for us both, and her mother took one accord- ingly. I then left my former lodging and lived with her ; but as I ftill worked with my father as before, he foon found that I had changed my lodging, and upon what ac- count. This difcovery made him very angry, and we had a quarrel about it, which made me refolve not to work with him any. more. This laid me under a peceflity of fceking for bufinefs elfewhere; and in my walks for this purpofe, I met with fome acquaintance, who told me they had entered on board the Britannia privateer, and that fhe was a fine fhip. By their encouragement I entered myfelf alfo. I went home, and told Sarah Carridine what I had done ; fhe cried fadly, but I begged her to make herfelf eafy, for that the • cruize ( 7 ) cruize was but for fix months, that we were going to make our fortunes, and that I would marry her when I came back ; and in the mean time would advife her to go to fervicc. This pacified her, and fhe promifed To to do. We failed on the ?oth of AugujU on our cruize, hut had very bad luck, and I returned home in April, 1758. As foon as I came to London, I went to my mailer, Mr. Archer y who keeps the fign of the White Bear, the corner 'of Barbican in Alderfgate Street ; there I fent for my father and mother, and we ipent the evening together very agree- ably, much rejoiced at our meeting again. I enquired of mymiilrefs where I could find Sarah Carridine? She refer- red me to Mr. John Jones the founder, who (he faid could inform me. Jones took me over the water to an alehoufe at the bridge foot, where I faw her. I ufed in the even- ings to go and fup with her, at her mother's, after my day's work ; and Mr. Jones, lodging in the fame houfe with me, frequently went with me. Jones and I had been old acquaintance for fome years ; he pretended great friendfhip for me and Sarah Carridine, and offered to be father to her and give her away. This was very agreeable to me, andT fixed upon St. James's day for our mar- riage. I informed my friends of my intention, but I could not obtain their confent. I ailed my mailer to lend me a guinea to defray the wedding charges ; but being refufed, y^^advifedme not to be beholden to any of them, but to raife fome money upon my watch : I diere- fore put it in his hands, and he pawned it for me. This will ierve to fliew how officious he was in this tranfaction. We lived for fome time after our marriage in ready-fur- nifhed lodgings, until my wife's mother perfuaded us to come ( s ) come and lodge with her; fhe lived : n Catharine-lVhee! Alky, JVhiteckapel. This we did u itil I procured fome goods of my own. While we lived ■..*..■ e, fhe ufed to be frequently abroad when I came home ti tny work. I cannot but take notice in this place, that, however wrong it may be efleemed by others, and however difagreeable to me, to fpeak ill of the dead ; yet the pe$ uiiarity of my fi- tuation will, I hope, excule the obligation I am under of declaring the truth, this being now the difcharge of a duty I owe to myfelf. Whenever I afked her mother where fhe was gone ? fhe would tell me fhe was gone to fee fomc young women in Spital Fields. When fhe came home fhe was often in liquor, and I would then lay, ' Sally, what makes you drink fb much ?' her mother would reply, « Lord, a little matter gets in her head, for fhe is a poor drinker.' I then refolved to take a little fhop to employ her : I did fo, and put her in a little fhop in the Minories, to fell pork, greens, and other articles -, and fhe might have done very well there if fhe had minded her bufmefs, and not have oone to fee the young women fo often as fhe pretended. At lafl however I went to fee where thefe young women lived, but they had not feen her a long time. As I was returning back, I faw my wife with Mr. Jones, going be- fore me, whom I followed until I faw they turned into a public-houfe. On this I went back to her mother, and enquired whether fhe was returned ? fhe replied, ' Lord, I fuppofe they will not let her come yet.' With that I faid, it is very odd, but I believe I know where fhe is ; I will go and fee. When I went back there they were both to- gether. So, faid I, this is your going to fee Bett Reed I She replied, I am but juft come back. Pray, faid I, how came Mr. Jones here? She anfwered, fhe found him there, ( 9 ) there, and believed he came to fee me. I then faid, 1 rather believe he came to fee you ; I favv you both come in, arm in arm. She was then drunk, which made me fend her home. I told him he had no bufinefs to keep my wife from me ; but if he was a man he would come out, and try who had the beil right to her. He would not, but went away. When I came home, my wife and her mother and I, quarelled, and I had them both upon me at once : (lie then ran away, and ilaid all, night. The next day by her mo- ther's perfuaiions we made it up, and agreed that me mould go and mind her (hop, and never go into Jones's company more. After this he did not come near us until the next Lord Mayor's Day, when he knew, I fuppofe, that I w r as gone to my mailer's hall. My mopmate and I went to carry my mailer's great coat; my mailer gave us a bottle of wine, and we went into the kitchin and got fome victuals to it; this we carried home to my wife, thinking to enjoy it quietly there. I aiked her mother where Sally was ? She faid fhe was gone to the Three Kings, and bid me go and call her. Before I went I heard a noife upon the ilairs, and, upon taking a candle to fee what was the matter, there flood my wife ; and hearing fomebody going down to the cellar, there ilood John Jones ! My wife and I had a great quarrel on this occan\ n ; (he pretended that he came only to give her fome ribbons, as he had been a whiffler in the proceilion. Perceiving what a loofe difpofition ihe was of, I refolved Cnc mould keep fhop no more ; I therefore {hut it up. There are people enough in that neighbourhood futlbiently acquainted with fe tranfactions ; and with my wife's general i . >ur. D I ( io ) I then thought we mould be rather more quiet if I moved her from her mother's, for we were always quarrelling. I got fome goods of my own, and my wife and my mother took a room for me in the hit tie Minor ies, when for fome time we lived more loving than before. However (lie quick- ly began her old irregularities again, which occafioned freiri quarrels, to the great uneafinefs of our landlady, for the people of the houfe were very good fort of people. She would often talk to my wife, and give her wholefome ad- vice, but all to no purpofe; which determined me to leave her. I again entered on board the Britannia privateer as carpenter's mate, without acquainting any body with my intention, and went down to Greenhithe where the fhip lay, to work on board her. Before I had been there ma- ny days, to my great furprize down came my wife with 'John "Jones I They ftaid on board all night, my wife crying bitterly to perfuade me to come home again, promif- ing- an entire reformation in her conduit. I faid I could not come back now, becaufe I had entered myfelf; but fhe lamenting and behaving like a mad woman, I was per- fuaded to return home with her. To do this, I obtained leave of our lieutenant to go to London, to bring my tools down, when my wife prevailed on me to flay at home. I T then went to work again in town, and my wife faid if I would try her once more, by putting her in a mop, fhe would be very good. Then it was I took a houfe, at the corner of Hare Court, Aider/gate Street, where, for fome time, fhe managed very well, but foon returned to her old ways again. By our frequent quarrels the neigh- bours were at firft inclined to think I ufed her ill, but had they then known how affairs were circumftanced, they would ( »» ) would not have blamed me ; for her temper grew fo un- accountable, that me would frequently come after me, where ever I happened to be at work, or at the alehoule, and abufe me for nothing. When I came home at nights from my work, thinking to pafs the even- ings comfortably with her, me would conftantly find fome pretence to quarrel with me, and to render my life un- eaiy. One time, in particular, when I came home, fhe threw the pewter quart pot, fhe had been drinking out of, at my head; and then running out of the houfe, (lie, in the violence of her rage, darned her elbow through the glafs window of our (hop, and then ran up to my mailer Archer with her bloody arm, crying out, c See here what your rogue has done' — Thus fhe endeavoured to pre- judice me in the minds of all my friends and acquaint- ance ; when afterward fhe confefTed to Mr. Mo- fcs Owen, a barber in Old Street, who compleated the cure of her arm, that fie did it berfelf pirpofely. Another time, when I worked at St. Mary Axe, fhe, and one of her acquaintance, having been to Billingfgate to buy oyfters for her fhop, came to me to the Crown alehoufe in Camomile Street, where I was then at dinner with my fhopmates : there fhe wanted me to treat her with drink, which, as I obferved her to be already in liquor, I re- fufed, and would have gone back quietly to my work -, fhe then matched off my hat and wig to detain me, but find- ing that not to anfwer her intention, fhe abufed me in a moil vile manner, and with a fmall cod which fhe had with the oyflers, beat me in a moil ridiculous manner about my head and face ; and, as all my brother jour- neymen may well remember, obliged me to go back to my labour bareheaded ! One ( 12 ) One day, when my bufmefs carried me to the other end of the town for the whole day, my wife gave Jones no- tice of it, and quickly after I was gone , dreffed herfelf, fhut up her (hop, and went out with him to fpend the day. He was that day drefled in a new fuit of cloaths. At night when I came home, not being able to get into my houfe, I went to her mother's in WhitechapeU expect- ing to meet with her there. By the way as I was coming back, who {hould I fee before me but my wife and John Jones I I followed them into an alehoufe, where I quar- relled with them both, and in my pafTion threw fome beer in her face, on which me ran out to her mother's. I challenged Jones to fight me, but he would not. But meeting with him afterward, he then challenged me, for reporting the familiarity between him and my wife. On this we (tripped, and had two or three blows ; he fell againft a table, and, as he fays, broke two of his ribs, for which he took me up, but I was bailed out by my miflrefs. As my wife thought proper not to come nigh me, I lett the mop which fhe kept and lodged at my matter's. She continued away about feven weeks, only calling up- on me now and then to abufe me ; and going home to my houfe to fcold and threaten my lodgers, whom I had ad- mitted upon her deferting me. At length fhe and her mother came together to me ; her mother threatened, if I would not take my wife home again, to arreft me for her board ; upon this I urged her bad treatment of me while fhe was at home, her neglect of her family affairs, and her fcandalous attachment to this John Jones ; and laftly, her voluntary elopement. How- ever we entered into a treaty of pacification, in the courfe of ( 13 ) of which, fhe confeffed her intimacy with Jones, and the terms on which it had iubfiued. It feems their connexion began while I was on my cruize in the Britannia privateer; he promifed to marry her if I mould not return, and if I did, that he would frill continue his kindnefs to her, and that in cafe he was to die, to leave her all his goods, and all his intereft in the capital of a box-club, of which he was a member. This confelTion, though it was an odd one for me to hear, yet, as it ^as accompanied with what appeared to me lincere promifes of amendment, I, in an evil hour, agreed to live with her once more. Accordingly I moved my bed into the two pair of flairs room, which one of my lodgers then quitted 3 this was about nine months before her unhappy death. When fhe came home again, though I believe me did not continue her acquaintance with Jones, yet her beha- viour was otherwife fo diforderly as rendered me very un- happy. For at times, when I came from work, expect- ing my breakfaft, dinner, or fupper, I frequently found the door locked, and fo was drove to the necefhty of eat- ing my meals at an alehoufe > a very difagreeable refource to a man, who, having a wife and a home, naturally ex- pected the comforts refnlting from fuch feeming advantages. But this was not all ; fhe fometimes coming home in the interim, would feek me through all the public-houfes in the neighbourhood, and when fhe found me, would ftrike me with whatever lay next her, raving at me for not com- ing home, and denying her having been out. Once, in particular, having bought a piece of veal for my Sundays dinner, when the morning came, truly me would not dine E at ( H ) at home, fhe would go to her mother's, though I con vine- ed her that the weather, being hot, would fpoil the meat by the next day. 1 then went to my fhoemaker to fetch me a pair of flioes, and they in friendship aifced me to eat, as I found them at dinner ; I was foon followed by my wife, who, finding me eating, was hardly withheld from ftabbing me, firft with a knife, and afterward with a fork. One Sunday, with a view to entertain her, I took her down to Ilford, that we might fpend the day agreeably. We dined at the White-Horfe there, and after dinner flie drank very freely. When the reckoning came to be paid,, flie threw herfelf in a great pailion with the landlord, on account of his charge ; and I unluckily attempting to mo- derate matters between them, drew all her rage upon my- felf. She was fo violent in her refentment, that fhe de- clared (lie would not go home with me, but would go with the firfr. perfon who mould afk her, or even with the next man who went by. Jufr. at this time, a man drelTed like an officer flopped in a chaife to drink ; my wife foon entered into difcourfe with him, and afked him to let her ride home in his chaife : the man agreed, and away they drove together ! This now was a meafure fhe was not un- der any neceffity of taking, becaufe, not believing flie would be able to walk home, I had offered her a place in the ftage, which was quickly to pafs the door. Thus abandoned by her, I walked home, and after waiting due time went to bed. About two o'clock in the morning I was roufed by a knocking at the door : there was my wife fo drunk as hardly to be able to fland, attend- ed ( »5 ) erl by her mother ! The mother made what excufes fhe could for her daughter, to induce me to let her in, plead- ing 1 , for the latenefs of the hour, that, after the man had carried her a Ion? wav out of her road on the foreft, he, at lail, left her to walk home alone. I let her in, but her mother was obliged to flay and put her to bed, as fhe was entirely incapable of undreiTing herfelf. Though her intimacy with Jones was discontinued, yet (lie was not destitute of a gallant : one William Charlton* a man of my own bufinefs, was now her paramour ; but as he Was a married man, I had the additional mortification of having his wife come to fcold me for Raftering my wife to decoy away her hufband ! After having been with this Charlton, about a fortnight before her death, (he came home very drunk, and abufed me fadly. She beat me over the moulder with a pair of tongs ; I wrefted them from her, and, as I purpofe to fpeak the truth, I will con- fefs, that, in my paffion, as fhe ran down flairs, I followed her and gave her a blow with them on the head. Upon this fhe ran direclly to Mr. Clark the conflable, the fame who fince apprehended me on the occafion of her death, to get me taken into cuflody. Mrs. Clark kindly wiped her fore- head where the fkin was broke, and advifed her to go home peaceably, and make up the difference between us. This enraged her fo that fhe gave Mrs. Clark many foul words, fo that Mr. Clark came to expoflulate with me, not on the blow I had given my wife, but on the ill lan- guage the had bellowed on his wife! Mr. Clark and I talked the matter over a tankard of beer, but I law no more of my wife that night. There ( 16 ) There was alfo one Stroud, a Smithy in the number of her intimates, but I knew little of their concerns, more than what I underflocd from his wife, who came fre- quently to me, enquiring .after him, and complaining greatly of my wife, for enticing him away from his family •and his work. Theie few inftances I have been able to recollect, may, in fome meafure, ferve to give the reader of my unhappy tale, an idea of my wife's character and conduct, which I folemnly declare, I am not folicitous to expofe, as the poor creature is dead, more than is abfolutely needful, to fhew whar fort of perfon (he was, and as it may tend to clear me in the opinion of the world. So quarrelfome was (he by nature, that we never went out together, but me would find fome occafion to abufe either me, fome of the com- pany, or even paiTengers in the ftreet; if any one cafually happened to brum her in paffing, fhe would give them a blow in the face, and then call upon me to {land kick and cuff for her, while fhe having ftirred up the mifchief, ran away, unconcerned at my fate in the mob : and in our pri- vate difputes, I have been beat by her, her mother, and a fervant girl of her mother's, all at one time. Nay, me has frequently threatened both to deftroy herfelf, 2nd to murder me. A threat, fhe has fince very nearly accom- plished. The night before this melancholy accident, I came home, to be fure not entirely fober : where not finding my wife, 1 went dircfly to her mother's, where I found her very drunk. It being night, her mother faid it would not be proper to attempt taking her home in that condition -, and therefore advifed me to lie there that night, while fhe and her girl would go and fleep at my lodging. We did fo. Being ( i7 ) Being now come to the unlucky day of my wife's death, I propofe to be as particular in all my actions that d::y as recollection will enable me. In the morning, after my wife's mother cnme back, we all breakfaftcd together at her lodgings. After breakfaft, I went to Mr. Clark, Timber Merchant, in St. Mary Axe, to folicit tor fome India Company % work : from whence I went to the Man/ion Houfe alehoufe, and drank a pint of beer. I then intended to go to work at Mr. Perry's in Noble-Jireet, but it being near dinner time, I Hopped at the Bel!, oppofite his houfe, for another pint of beer, where meeting fome acquaintance eating beef-flakes, I dined with them. As I was eating, in came my wife and her mo- ther ; me at firft abufed me for being at the alehoufe, but they afterward, in great iteming good humour, drank with me, and as they wanted money, I gave my wife two millings, and lent her mother a fix and ninepenny piece, which I had juft received in change for half a guinea, from the matter of the public houfe. As the day was now far fpent, and as I was pleafed with the profpecl of work- ing for the Eajl-India Company, I thought it not worth while to begin a day's Work fo late. I therefore w r ent to Smithjield, to fee how the horfe-market went. From thence I went to Warwick-lane, to fee for a young man, whom I had promifed to get to work for the company alfo. I took him to Mr. Clark, in St. Mary Axe; and afterward went with him to two or three places more, the lad: place was the Nagg's Head in HounJ ditch; and about half an hour after nine o'clock went Home. When I came there, I went in at the back door, which is under the gateway; and which ufed to be only on a tingle latch, for the conveniency of my lodgers : I went up to my room door, but fi it fa ft, came down flairs :. There was ance over the way in to fee the meaning ofi imagining mv wife v :e to be engaged in it. F Not ( IO ) Not finding her in the croud, I returned, and went up flairs a^ain ; while I was on the ftairs, I heard my wife cough, by which I knew fhe was at home. Finding my door ftill fait, I knocked and called again; frill me would not an'wer. I then find " Sally, I know ycu are at home, and I dcfire you would open the door, if you will not I will burft it open." Nobody yet anfwering, I fet my back againft the door, and forced it open. Upon this fhe iumpcd out of bed; I immediately began to undrefs me, by flipping off my coat and waiftcoat, faying at the fame time " Sally,, what makes you ufe me fo? you follow me wherever I go to abufc me, and then lock me out of my lodging ; I never ferve you fo." On this ihe flew upon me, called me a fcoundrel dog, faid ihe fuppofed I had been with feme of my whores ; and fo faying, tore my rnirt down from the bofom : on this, I pufhed her down, She then ran to the chimney corner, and matched up fe- veral things, which I fucceffively wrefted from her : in the ficufrle a table and a fcreen tumbled down. At length fhe ftruck me feveral blows with a hand-bruih j and while I was ftruggling to get it from her, Ihe cried out feveral times " Indeed, indeed, I will do fo no more." When I got the brufh from her, which I did with fome difficulty, I gave her a blow with it, and then concluded (he would be eafy. She fat down on the floor by the cupboard door, tearing her fhift from her back, which had been rent in the skirmifh ; I fat down on the oppofite fide of the bed, with my back towards her, preparing to go into it ; and feeing her fling the remnants of her fhift about in fo mad a manner, I faid, ' Sally ; you are a filly girl, why don't you be eafy ?' On that me fuddenly rofe up, and with fomething gave me a blow on the head, which flruck me down. I fell on the bedftead with my head again ft the folding doors of it. I imagine ihe was then afraid fhe had killed me, for I heard her cry two or three times O fave me, fave me ( '9 ) me, fave me ! How (he went out of the window it is im- poffible for me to fay, in the condition (lie left me in ; but from her cries I iupppfed her gone that way ; and in my confternation when I role, I ran down one pair of flairs, where, not knowing how to behave, I went up a°;ain, and fat me down on the bed from whence I rofe. In this pofition Mr. Clark, the conflable, and the numbers who followed him, found me. He faid, Daniels you have Jabbed your wife, and flung her out of the window. I re- plied, No, Mr. Clark, I have not, jhe threw her/elf out. Mr. Clark took a candle, and examined all the room in fearch of blood, but found none; and lucky it was for me that neither of our nofes happened to bleed in the fray, though mine was fubjecl to bleed on any trifling occafion. He then went to the window, where he found a broken piece of a faucer, and afked what it was ? I faid, I did not know ; but recollected afterward, that it was what I fed my fquirrel in; though I know not how it came broke; it was whole that day. From thence I was taken to the Compter, and the pub- lic are already acquainted with the proceedings on my trial : when I was condemned for the fuppofed fact. I am informed that the next morning they found a pair of fmall watchmaker's plyers bloody in the window, w r hich were then confidered as a great proof of my guilt. Thefe plyers were what I have mended my fquirrel's chain w r ith whenever he broke loofe, which was fometimes rhe cafe. How they fhould be bloody, as God is my Saviour, I cannot anfwerj but as no wound was perceived on the body, they were not produced as evidence againfl me. However, when my wife was brought up from the ftxeet, it is faid me was blooded, and that the bafon was put in the window where thefe plyers were found. It is there- fore pofiible that, in fuch confuiion, a drop or two might acci- ( 20 ) accidentally be Ipilt upon them ; more dpecially when \vc confider the tumult of a morning's exhibition of the dead body, for penny gratuities, by the unprincipled mo- ther of it. In the courfe of my trial,, the coroner laid fome ftrefs on the abfence of Charles Hilliard, the lodger under my room; but Mr. Hilliard appeared however before the {&f- iions were concluded, to fave his recognizances : he then depofed before the judges, all he knew relative to the ac- cident ; which being materially the fame with the evi- dence he gave at the coroner's inqueft, and as I have no reafon to wiih it fupprefTed, I made it my buiinefs to re- queft Mr. Hilliard to recoiled! the whole of it, which he was kind enough to give me in writing ; and here it is. " Charles Hilliard gave evidence before the coroner as follows. " That Mrs. Daniels came into his apartment about eight o'clock in the evening to light her candle, and then went up to bed : that about ten Mr. Daniels came home, and knocked at the door, calling Sally, two or three times : that not being admitted, he broke the door open : that then he thought he heard a knocking to make good the breach, after which fome words enfued between the parties, and blows followed : that he heard Mrs. Daniels afk forgivenefs, faying, fhe would never do the like again : that Daniels mould fay — Damn my breeches, "what do you Jhut me out for ? don't I pay my rent f after which he heard a rumbling in the room, but did not dif- tinguiih any thing more, to the beft of his knowledge, till Mrs. Daniels fell from the window. " I lived in Mr. Daniel's apartment but little time, in which I heard many quarrels and debates between them, which frequently happened by her aggravation and ill- treatment of him." ( 21 ) I was fentenced to be executed on Monday, September 21 ; the coronation-day was to be the day following, which led forne perfons into a conjecture, that this auguft folem- nity was the canfe of the flrft refpite, which made way fur my pardon. This however was a miftaken opinion, for I owed the redemption from my hard fate entirely to the kind Chrifrian offices of my friends whe, from a perfuafion of my innocence, applied to the worthy magistrates of London ; from whom, the circuin- ftances of my lituation were reprefentcd to his Majefty. The gracious condefceniion of this ben: of Kin^s, in at- tending to the representations made to him on my account, will never be forgotton, while I enjoy that remnant of life I now owe to his goodnefs ! I was condemned on the Friday ; on the Saturday I was comforted with the news of a refpite until the Friday following : I then heard of a farther refpite, and was ap- pointed to die with Campbd and Gurnet ; before the exe- cution of whom, I was again granted a longer time : and then my execution was to be forborn until farther orders. I received my pardon on Thurjday, OBober 28, and was difcharged from confinement Sunday, November 1 . From the time of receiving fentence, to the time of my receiving a full pardon was fix weeks clofe confinement in the cells of Newgate ; where, by the terms of fentence, I was to be fubiifted on bread and water only. I can how- ever affirm with truth, that, confeious of my own inte- grity, not all the terrors of fo ignominious a death, and the ftamp of infamy attending it, ever could deprefs my fpirits from the firft to the laft. I relied on the juftice of God, who could penetrate beyond the ken of fhort-fighted man -, and with the utmoft reverence would I acknow- ledge the extenfion of his providence toward me, in pro- tecting me in this life, from the confequences of prema- ture judgment. I have been frail in common with the reft of mankind -, and I have feverely fuffered. How- G ever, ( ?? ) ever, as my misfortunes in marriage drove me into carel efTnefs and exceffes, which, together with them, haye been the ruin of me ; I hope that fo remarkable a de- liverance from the brink of the precipice of eternity, has called home my fcattered thoughts, and will make me more fober and induftrious than I have heretofore been. I now conclude this narrative with the mod thankful ac- knowledgments to all whofe kindnefs has been inftru- mental in my deliverance, from the awful fate from which I fo hardly efcaped." The reader has now feen what the poor fellow had to offer for his own juftification. It may not be improper juft to add a few remarks, firft, on the probabilities and improbabilities of the alledged fact, and then to compare the fair refult of fuch examination with the tenor of the depofitions on his trial ; thefe will tend greatly to clear our conceptions with regard to the man. The window of Daniels's room has two cafements fold- ing againft each other, with garden pots before them. One of thefe cafements only, ufed to be opened; the other being in general kept fhut. Thefe cafements were each about fixteen or feventeen inches wide, and the window was about a yard and a quarter high. When this acci- dent happened, one cafement was open, the other fhut, as ufual ; confequently the opening then through the window, was about fixteen or feventeen inches wide, and a yard and quarter high. Through this fpace a man was to thruft a woman nearly as ftrong as himfelf ! If fuch a thing had been attempted, the following confequences muft be inconteftably allowed to enfue. I. The woman would refift the attempt. II. When perfons ftruggle to avoid imminent danger, and are driven to defpair, they are capable of a furprifing degree of exertion, beyond their ordinary abilities. III. ( S3 ) III. This woman would therefore have continued in Co narrow a gap a very considerable while before (lie could have been forced through, and would all that time 1. uttered cries, intreaties, and exclamations, too expreflivc of her fituation to have been mistaken by the neigh bouis and fpectators. IV. Her refinance would have overturned the before- mentioned garden-pots, and would have (nattered the glafs of the cafement that was (hut, and even forced open, or broke the cafement itfelf, which obfiruded her paflage. V. In breaking the glafs of the window, her skin mutt have been greatly fcratched and torn, and her limbs, naked as (he was,have been otherwife greatly maimed and bruifed. VI. The man who undertook to force her out, as he mutt have been greatly agitated himfelf by his pafiions ; as he was very clofely employed, on no very eafy job ; and as the actions of the fuffering party cannot be iuppofed to be meerly defenfive through the whole courfe of the fray ; he mull: probably have been obferved by fome of the fpec- tators at the inftant of his effecting his purpofe ; and muft po(itively have borne fome very confpicuous marks of his helpmate's reciprocal affaults. The two firft of thele proportions will be univerfally granted. The third is contradicted by all the evidence on the trial, who unanimoufly agree, that the moment the woman was feen, (he came through the window ? and was only then heard to ufe expreffions which Daniels accounts for better than any one elfe. In reply to the fourth, the pots were not difcompofed, nor the window broke, except one pane -, and it does not appear that even that pane might not have been broke before. In * ( 24 ) In anfv/er to the fifth j the body, by the evidence of the furgeon, did not appear to have received any flSer damage than the natural confequences of fo great a fan. As to the laft ; the man was not feen at the win- dow at all: and as to any wounds or bruifes fuftain- cd by him, the conftable, when afked, whether he faw the blow on his head, which he affirmed to be given him by his wife ? declared he did not. But he was not asked whether he looked for it ; a queftion, it may be prefumed, he would have anfwered in the negative. In fuch a fituation, it is to be concluded, the poor fellow was little heard and lefs regarded, concerning whatever he might alledge in his own behalf. A man may be ftunned by a blow that might not perhaps exhibit "any remarkable appearance; and had it been feen, his account of it would have weighed but little. i It is not even probable, had he knocked this woman on \the head firft, that he could have fent the body through the window fo* compleatly, as either by fright, or defign, ihe accomplished, herfelf. But that the came there living, is pad doubt. To conclude : The evidence againfl this unfortunate man, was only prefumptive at moll: ; and upon clear fcru- tiny is really prefumptive of nothing ; fo that as he is dif- charged by royal authority, fo has he alfo a juft claim to an acquittal in the minds of all judicious and candid people. FINIS. THE LKJRAKrT ENIVEI: . iUFORNOf