The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1779-08-17 00:00:00, page 1

LONDO N, April 17.
YES TERDAY morning about nine
o'clock the Rev. Mr. Hackman was
brought from Newgate to the bar of
the leffion house in the Old Bailey, where
he was arraigned for firing a pistol at Miss
Ray, as foe was coming out of Covent Gar
den Play-house on Wednesday the 7th in
fant, which killed her on the foot, to which
indictment he pleaded not guilty ; when
the several witnesses were examined, and
they had gave the fame evidences as they
had given before Sir John Fielding. As
foon'as they were gone through, Judge
Backbone, who tried him called on Mr.
Hackman to make his defence, or if he
chose it, he might leave it to his council.
After Mr. Hackman had wiped a flood of
tears from his eyes, he pulled out a fheetof
paper from his pocket, and read, the sub
stance of which was nearly to this purport.
“ % Lord,
CC I should not have troubled the Court
wiih the examination of witnesses to fup
'port the charge againit me had I not
thought that pleading-guilty to the indid
roent g*ave an indication of contemning
death, not futable to my present condition,
and was in some measure being acceffary
to a second peril of my life, and I likewise
thought thatthejuftice ofmy country ought
to be'fatisfied, by Offering my offences to
be proved, and the fad eltablilhed by evi
dence.
“ I stand here this day the most wretch
ed of human beings, and confefs myfelf
criminal in a high degree; yet, while I ac
knowledge with shame and repentance,
that my determination against my own life
was formal and complete, I protest with
that regard to truth which becomes my
fixation, the will to destroy her who was
ever dearer to me than life, was never mine
till a mementary phrenzy overpowered me,
and induced me to commit the deed 1 de
plore. —The letter which I meant for my
brother-in-law after my decease, will have
its due weight as to this point, with good
men.
“ Before this dreadful ad, I trust no
thing will be found in the tenor ofmy life
which the commoncharity of mankind will
not excuse. I have no wish to avoid the
punilhment which the laws of my country
appoint for my crime ; but being already
too unhappy to feel a punishment in death,
or a fatisfadion in life, I submit myfelf
with penitence and patience to the chfpofal
and judgment of Almighty Ged, and to
the consequence of this iniquity into my
conduct and intention "
The Judge afterwards summed up the e
vidence, and gave his charge to the Jury
in a most excellent speech, in which he fair l ,
that the letter found in his pocket, direc
ted to his brother in-law, was Efficient to
conclude he was not insane. The jury,
without going out of the room, found him
TUESDAY, August 17, r„g: THE Number ;m
CONNECTICUT COURANT,
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guilty, when the Deputy-Recorder passed
sentence, ordering h m to be executed on
Monday nex^ and his body afterwards to
be defleaed and anatomized.
Mr. Hackman is a fine figure of a man,
not 25 years of age. His head was bound
up with a white handkerchief and he recei
ved his sentence with the utmost composure
of mind. The whole court were in tears,
and Judge Blackftpne, who tried him, de
livered himfelf to thejury in a manner that
did equal honoyto his heart as a man, and
his abilities as'a' Judge, fitting on so awful
an occasion as that of diftingufhing be
tween murther as effected in a momentory
phrenzy, and a previous intention to kill
with malice aforethought.
Theconvi&ecl prisoner is descended from
a very reputable family, is a person of
great abilities, of a most polite address, and
was well refpe&ed by all his acquaintance.
He is quite competed, and at present ap
pears perfectly reigned to meet his ap
proaching fate with a becoming fortitude.
There was something in theperfon, man
ner and figure of the unhappy lady, which
particularly induced Lord Sandwich to
bestow the most I r Tal education upon her
that this country could supply. There
was scarce any polite art in which she was
notan adept, nor any part of female litera
ture in which fne was mot conversant. All
the world are acquainted with the unrival'd
sweetness of her vocal powers ; but it was
the pecular pleasure of a few only to know
that her conversation, her feelings, and in
deed her general deportment, all partici
pated of an unparalleled delicacy, which
had chara&erifed her through life.
The following are some particulars of
the unhappy murder : Miss Ray, the un
fortunare vi&im, was coming out of the
play-house, accompanied by a gentleman
and a lady, between whom she walked,
when she was met by the man who com
mitted the fad. He then flepped up to
her without the smallest previous menace
or address, put a pistol to her head, and
shot her almost instantly dead. He then
fired at himfelf, which however did not
prove equally effectual. Ihe ball grazed
the upper pa r t of his head, but did not
penetrate fufficiently to produce any fatal
effeds ; he fell however, and so firmly bent
was he on his own deftrudion, that he was
found by Mr. Mahon, apothecary, of Rus
sel-street, beating his head with the but-end
of the pistol. He was carried to the
Shakefpear tavern, where his wound was
dressed. In his peckers were found two
letters ; one a copy cfwhat he had written
to Miss Ray, and the other to his brother
in-law Mr. Booth, of Craven- ft reet. The
firft of these (piffles is replets with warm
expressions of affection to the unfortunate
object of his love, and an earnest recom
m^dation of his passion. The other con
tains ft i athetic relation of the melancholy
resolution he had taken, and a confeflio^
of the cause that produced it. He laid he
could not live without her person which he
had so long admired; and since he found;
by repeated application, that he was shut
out of every hope of possessing her, he had
conceived this design as the only refuge
from a misery he could not support. He
heartily wished his brother-in-law that fe
licity which fate denied him, and reques
ted that the few debts he owed might be
difeharged from the disposal of his effects.
When he had so far recovered his faculties
as to be capable of speech, he enquired ot
Mr. Bond, with great anxiety, concerning
Miss Ray ; being told she was dead, he
desired that her poor remains might not be
exposed to the observation of the prying
multitude; About five o'clock Sir John
Fielding (being preyioufly sent for)arrived
from Brompton, who finding the assassin's
wounds not to be of a dangerous nature, or
dered him to be conveyed by Mr. Bond to
Torhill- fields bridewell, where he feem<
to be in a fair way of recovery, and pro->
per precautions are taken in order to pre^
vent any future attempts upon his life.
In his way to prison he exclaimed " What
a change has a f£ hours made in me—had her
friends done as 1 wifoed them to do, this would
never have happened."
At nine o'clock the coroners inquest, af
ter having gone though all the evidences,
brought in the verdict wilful murder
Alter a re-examination the next day be
fore Sir John Fielding, he was conduced
in a coach to Newgate, in order for trial at
the ensuing Old-Baily fiffions.
April 20. A little ?fer five yefierday morning
the Rev Mr. H/rkman got up, dressed himfelf, and
was at private mediation till near seven, when Mr.
Boswell and two other gentlemen waited on him, and
accompanied him to the Chapel, where prayers were
read by the Ordinary cf Newgate, after whieh he re
ceived the Sacrament; between eight and nine he
came down from the Chapel, and was haltered; when
the Sheriff's officer took the cord from the bag to
perform his duty, Mr. Hackman said, " Oh ! the
light of this fliocks me more than the thoughts efits
intended operation ;" he then shed a few tears, and
took leave of two gentlemen in a very affixing man
ner. He thenwas cendu&d in,o a mourning coach^
attended by Mr. Vidette, the Ordinary, Mr. Boswell
and Mr. Davenport, the Sheriff's officer. On his
arrival at Tyburn he got cut of the coach mounted
the cart, and took an aflcAionate leave of Mr. Bos
well and the Ordinary. After feme time spent in
prayer he was tied epi and about two minutes past
eleven be was launched into eternity. As er harm
ing the usual time, hit body was brought to furgtens
hall for difffaion.
When Mr. Harlman get into the cart under the
gallows; be immediately kneeled dewn with hit farri
towards the horses, and prayed some time; he then
rose, and joined in prayer with Mr. Valette and %
Boswell about a quarter of an hour, when he defind
to be permitted to have a few minutes to birr felf;
the clergymen tlen tock leave of him. His re^urtl
being panted, I e info fried the executioner when hr
was prepared le wcvld drep bis handkerchief a, 2
signal; accordingly, after paying about fix or fovea
minutes to himfelf, be oicfprd bis bar.diet chief,
ard the cart drew so murder bira.