The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-09 00:00:00

IWNTS CONFESSION.

[Continued from the Dritid P less of Monday lasi
According to this arrangement. I dressed myself in the clothes •f
Thomas Thatch's servant, Knnison, that is. I wore his fustian
jacket and white apron, and went about seven o'clock in the morn.'
tng to Wood's lodgings in Castle-street, and told him (as had been
previously settled between me and Thurtell). that a lady ramed
Brew wanted to see him, and had sent me to fetch him to her at a
friend's house at Westminster. This lies. Brew is an old lady
who lodges at Cousioa's, at Kensington, ar.d who heart great friend-
ship fir ;Ir. Wood. 3lr. Wood asked me if I knew why she
wished to see hint ; I told hint that she had had some words with
Mr. cousins, and she wished to see him before she returned to
! kensington. Ile accadingly acconip:utied me, and in the way
he asked the name of the street, which 1 told hint I did not recoi-
-1 lest, but would lead him to the house.

On reaching No. 10, Ilanchester-buildings, I said that was the
place, and rapped at the door. The door I found was a-jar, and
gave way, on which I pushed it open and entered, expecting that
Wood would follow me • he, however, stopped on the thr..shold.
He was no doubt deter'red from going in by observing that the
house was uninhabited, and, as 1 think, from seeing Thurtell, who
was standing at the foot of the stairs, close to the back parlour
door, with his coat and shoes off; a red handkerchief over his head
to disguise him, and a dumb bell in each hand ready to strike
on the head. As I found Wood did not follow me, and was
gone from the door, I went to see what had become of him, and 1
Just saw him running round the corn. rof the buildings. I then
went to John Thurtell, and told him ►food had run off: Thurtell
said, •• It was lucky for him he did run, or else he would never
have run again." In order to prevent any alarm in Wool's mind
as to the real intention, and as we knew he was in difficulties, we
resolved to write to him to make him believe it was a stratagem of
sheriffs' o'fcers to arrest him for debt. We therefore ran across
the Park to Thomas Thu-tells, at the Haymarket, and there John
Thunell wrote a nose to Wood, as if coining limn a friend, to ad-
vise hint to keep out of the way, as these were several writs out
against him. _ .

-Boolean, who is a firefolam of the Morten', was sent to deliver
it, and 1 dare say it was at Castle-street, • very.few minutes alter
Wood got hack. In order to keep up the deception, anoth:r letter
was written the same evening by John Thurtell. in the nano: of
" Clarke," to say that he bad to thank Cunis tic the endeavour
that had oeen made that morning to arrest hint. Thu loiter l de-
livered; and to convince M'ood drat these letters were genuine, and
that the object in getrios him to Manchester-buildings was an in.
gcuisaus decoy of Streerffie officers, J. Thirteen prevailed on
to swear a debt against him of 29L, and ..he was actually arrested
the bert day on this false oath.
After the failure of this scheme, Theetell said he would buy •
pair of pistols, and shooit him souse night as he went home front
the house he used, whifhltas kept by a man named Thornton, in'
a street near the Haridavket. This, however, was aftawards re-
linquisimd, and Thisbe said be should leave him fur a month or
two, and pick out abater of his enemies.
•••••• ••• **** • was aware of the different plans
against Wood, and frequently, when we were discoursing on the
saject, he used to say " D.—n and blast Wood ; what is the I
use of killing him ? Barber Beaumont is the man we want out of
the way ; why don't you do for hint ?" John Thurtell replied,
"Never fear ; he Is booked—we shall have him safe enough, you
may depend on The reason why they wished Barber }Sew_
moot to he destroyed was, that he was the only cause of the money
nut being paid by the Fire Llffice, and they feared he would urge
theynorecution to be turned on ter a conspiracy; and foe several
niguts and days John Thurtell laid in wait for him with the air.'
gun charged, in the neighbourhood of the Fire Office. lie gene-
rally took his station at the door of Me. M'ard'a, the corner of
Sherrard-street ; and he set me to watch at the office door, in
order to ascertain at what hours Mr. Beaumont went in and out.
111 discovered hint, I was to run and give notice to Thurtell which
way he went, and he was to fellow, and shoot him. I, however,
could never make out which was Mr. Beaumont, for I did not
know his person until some ore pointed him out to me at the In-
quest. The air.gun resembied a knotted walking-stick, and held
no less than sixteen charges. It aas let by merely pressing one
of the knots with the linger, and the only noise was • slight whizz,
scarcely perceptible to any °Le who aught happen to be out the
spot.

John Thurteil mentioned to me that some of his friends were
obliged to leave this country for France. and among others he
named William and ticorge , on account of sonic in-
formations or prosecutions against them for gaming ; and he had
every tessera to think Wears was one of the informers.
I was present at a public house kept by Ms. (;urly, in Orange-
court, when a man named ••• • ••• • told John Thurtell that a
young gentleman named Graham, who bad kilt motley, and was
proaecueing, or infonning, and also a Caplan* Yeily, ewe ob-
noxious to Pis frieseila, and inet if he entered!) know how to set
rid of them, he could oridertake to say that SOUL woold.be.ail
object to those who were at that tiumedsligeel Indies fa Frame, on
account of those nrosecutions. Austen atiida "1f paw can gat
thwrite •:•411 n
us ide his send for the money, it shad be done."
..ea " I will speak to tin/cgs, and I have a° doubt
he will under-take to rimy the money, if they are completely cot of,
the way and when 1 get his answer you shall as. ate again.
Aft was gain John Thureell said to ine, "If George'
will pass his word toe ant it is sure to be paid; the men
he wants pot out of the wan alma bedtaid of in a week. and 1
• ill do it m welt a wan Mae the publinWil hellietethey all killed
themselves."
The react e why Kelly was to be got rid of wu, that he dm
terribly violent at the gaining homes fur when he hail bet money
he insisted on its being restored to Min ; and if it was not, or it the
proprietors did not lead him what money he oaken for, he assaulted
them, and broke their glasses and furniture. The way Thurtell
proposed to despatch ,Itiot was, by inviting him to meet some
young gentleineu to play, from whom money was easily to be won ;
and he was by this pretence to tae drawn into the Park, as being
in the wainao eon place appointed. Thurtell was there to shout
him with the air.guo, and I was inuuediately to go up, and piece a
discharged pistol is his hand, and then make au alarm, and call
out for andatance. The moment arty one came I was to declare
that I had seen him engaged in a duel ; and that he had tired
without elieci at his adversary; that the shot was returned, and he
had fallen
It whereupon hie opponent ran off:
Jobs horde frequently expressed his intention to kill an
Attorney named Spnngliclu, who lived at Norwich, because he
had used him ill in his bankruptcy.
About three weeks betere Vi tare's munler,John Morten, Thom
Morten, and tuyselt, were walking towards Spring-gardens; J.
Thurtell said be would go and see Itezworthy, and we all went
into his billiarenroom which had been newly titted up. I there
saw a gentlemanly looking mop sitting down. John Thurtell
went up to bun and said, " It'eare, bow are you?" The
gentleman got up, they shook hands together and appeared very
identity; and after coovereing together tee about a quarter of an
hour, they salt out together tai remained absent an hour. On
their return, Thomas Thurtell said, he must be on; and we went
away. Itlien we got out, John Tbenteli told me that the man I
had seen hint in company with, and Yi@ ••••• had won 30101.
from hint in one night, at Mind Hockey. I said that is a great
deal of money. •• Yes," said he, " and what is worse, when I
asked them, and particularly Wean, to lend me AL, he told me
to go a thieving for it, as be did; and that I had better say
nothing about it, as the money was my creditors'." Tburtell alto
said, " I do noe forget this treatment, and shall soon settle an.
counts wall some of sum, and Audi never the easy until I have my
revenge of Wean."
Shortly after the indictment for the conspiracy was found, and
when the ust.ceni were expected to be ou the look out for the
Protrart introduced them to .11r. Tetasd ; told him
that warrants wegi out against them ; and begged he would
let them loop ,anis house aid keep a good loon-out to deny
Mein, it any person should make inquiries of whom he had sus-
picion ; 11,11 Mr. 'l'essall accordingly let them have a private
mom above stairs. Probers and John Thurtell were almost
continually in company together, either in London or in going
backward and forward to toe cottage ; anti I believe they adangeo
and settled the plan of Mr. Weares murder beture the particulars
were communicated to me; tor although I heard it mentioned se-
veral times that it was to be done, I was not informed of the man-
ner in which it was to be perpetrated until just before the murder
took place; but although 1 was ignorant, Probert, from the ob-
servations he naule and the directions which he gave, appeared to
know every particular. It wanatit until the Friday morning that
he murder waaconiutitted at Mein that I-was let into the secret as
to several of the arrangements. I understood from Frobert that he
was in great distress and difficulty, and that unless lie got some
money he should be compelled to leave the cottage elnaiestinely ;
and as he was in daily expectation of his landlo.d coming to seize
and take posemaion of tin place' he thud Thurtell not to delay any
i long= than he could help, and tsaid--" If it is done there, it can
never be found out, because it is so bye and private a place;
for I kept a private jigger there, and it was never discovered;"
and from his representations it was, as 1 believe, determined by
Thuatell to commit the murder at Oars II ill, or its neighbour-
hood. Thurteil told Probed sod toe ti:at Wean, the mats it was
intended to urre,•htwer carried • less than from one thousand to
fifteen buednd pounds secreted about his person, and that he
knew where to find it. He besides nerd, that lie should tell him
that he had become acquainted with a young gentleman who
had just come into possession 0$ a large property, and who had an
inclination for gaming, but could ma be tempted to ploy unless it
was for large slakes. That this gentleman had given him an invi-
tation to runic down to his country house and bring a friend with
hint to take two ev three days shooting ; he should, therefore, per.
suede Wrote to accept this pretended invitation, and impress on
his mind the nice city of taking a large sum if he intended to do
any goetl. because, AM he (ntrien) had no money to em ice the
gentleman to play, Wean must provide it, and if he did so, they
could introdnoe coeds, hazard, or backgammon after dinner, and
make &finnan thing of it. Thurtell said he had no doubt this
would be a suideient bait to catch Wean t that he would take
plenty of cash with him, and they should be sure to get four or live
handreni pounds a-piece, which would be no bad thing. Probert
answe " No, that sum will just relieve me from my present dif-
ficulties." About two nights tratine the mnrdera conversation took
place at Tetaall's between Probert and John l'hurtell, in which
Prober& said., You had better make it Friday night if yothcan,
because I am usually down at the cottage 03 a Saturday, and by
thawing myself to the neighbours no suspicion will tail on me,
if the moo is missed." Thurtell menden to arrange fur that night
it he Could.

On themoening of Friday J. Thurtell mid he had settled every-
thing vitli Weave; that he WWI to nicer buss that evening at Cons.
bawd Cate wish a chaise, to take hint down to the gentlemen's
mansion ; and that no time was therefore to be loot in making the
necessary preparations. In the forenoon of Friday I went with
Thurtell to purchase the pistols. They were bought at a jewelld's
in 111 4terc
t.
Marylehone, for 11. lie. At about two o'clock the
piatoi were matte. The two 'fburtella, Probcrt„ and myself,
were tin the front room, on the first floor, at Mr. Tctsall'a.

The lead for making them was melted in afire-shovel, which'
held over the fire. Fear bullets were east
while we we were all preseht ; Probeet handled them, and said they
did not appear to him to be large enough to kill a man on the spot :
on which John Thurtell repited, "You would be d—el sorry to
have one of them through youttbea‘ small as they ere ; and if yew
had, you would not get to II dl cottage in a hurry."
Probert said he was sure the air-gun would not kill any one on
the spot, and John Thurtell rplied, " I know that as well ea you,
Bill, or what the hell should I buy these Pops for,„if it was not be-'
cause I would not trust to the air-gun, and added, " I was a
bl—y fent to go all the way to my friend Harper, at Norwich. to
borrow that air-gun ; but I will take care not to miss that bl—y
I thief %Vetere, as -I did your short--(using a vulgar expression)
friend Master Wend." Probert laughed and said, •• You made a
had business of that, Jach, for I expected Wood would have
been d,atl, and you would have had the girl long ere this." John
Thurtell then made answer, " Well, you shall see what sort of
a miss I will make of Weare before this night is out—and after
him comes Wood and two or three more that yuu know, Bill."
Probert said, " 1 hope you will do your business well, and that
your friend may have plenty of money with him." Thurtell
replied, "'!'here is no tea: of that, as he thinks I am going to
take him into the country a flat-cotchiar." Probert soil
laughed inernly at this observation, and John Thurtell
went on saying, •• It will be pretty flat.catching, Bill, fa I will
lay Os? fiat enough before. I have done with him."
We were also all four present when the pistols were prepared and
loaded. The lock was tried, and being found stiff in consequence
of the pistols being new, I was sent to get some oil to grease the
hannuers and the triggers, to make the pistols go dr readily.
In the course of conversation, Thurtell said, •• How shall we
manage about your old woman, to prevent her looking out ?"
Probevt replied, " Oh, never fear, I have a plan to p;et her to bed."
Thor ell asked what it was? and said, he should like to know it,
so that we might all know how to act when we got there. Prubert
said, 6' 11-hy, Hunt must sing us two or three songs, and, after a
little while, the old woman will get sleepy, and 1 can then say
that, having my friends down, I must situp with them to keep
them company, and as we mean to enjoy ourselves, that she and
Nancy had better go to bed; and when they find we are determined
to sit up, they will be glad to go to bed." It was arranged that
Probert and myself were to watch Thurtell and Weare past
. and then to follow at a little distance, so as to prevent any one fol-
lowing up the lane, to interrupt J. Thurtell; and, if any one ap-
preached, we were to give him notice. Thurtell was to pass the
cottage out of hearing of pistol-shot, and then to shoot Weare while
sitting beside him in the gig. Probert himself told Thurtell how
to do it ; he said. " Jack, it the man hiss any suspicion about the
lane, you can tell ben you think you have unseal your way, and
when you.have got to a convenient spot, as you are the driver you
can make some remark, and point his attention to make him look
to the left, and directly he turns his head, that is your time to shoot
him." After the act was done, the body was to be put into a sack
and brought to Proberes, and thrown into the pond by him and
Tburtell, white I was to be engaged amusing the people in the
house, as had been before settled.

The FATAL MYSTERIES of ICNARESBOROUGIL

KNARESROROUGH THURSDAY, FED. 5.
Nothing yet has been heard of Mary GUI and lien child ; search
continues to be made for the bodita without success.

Another case, which is at present involved in great mystery, and
has excited very general interest here, is the sudden disappearance
of Mr. James Prigg, a respectable young man, a gardener and
nurseryman, in this town. It appears, that on Sunday, the 25th
of !January, Mr. Prigg left home for Leighton, a rillat7 between
Knaresborough and Vi'etherby„ in company with two young men,
for the purpose of receiving a sum of mcney, which he had lent to
one John Richardson, a servant out of place, in the neighbourhood
of Leeds. When they arrived at Leighton, Prigg left his compa-
nions in the public-house a few minutes, and, on his return, said
he had mistaken the day, as his friend would not be there until to-
morrow ; accordingly, the party returned to Knaresborough, and,
on Monday, the 2nth of January, James Prigg started again for
Leighton ; he called on his road at the public-house at Ribstone,
and drank a glass of ale ; he had then two miles to walk to Leigh-
ton ; in the course of a short time he returned, and informed the
landlady he had received his money, but had been alarmed by two
men, who saw him receive it, and who had crossed him frequently
on the road in a way that excited his suspicion. He added, that
there 'rasa young titan who bad gone on to Ribstone Hall, and who
wan going to linaresbottnigh, and he would wait until he arrived,
as he had promised to call for him. After waiting three hours,
during which time he drank two half-pints of ale, he set out alone,
about eight o'clock in the evening, the young man not having ar.
rived. Ribstone is three miles from Knareshorough, two miles of
which is nearly all wood, running parallel with the flyer Nidd, an]
in this distance of two miles there is not a house within the hearing
of the human voice. Prigg has never been seen nor heard of since
his bidding good night to the landlady at Ribstone, and it is strong-
ly suspected he has been way-laid, murdered, anithrown into the
river.

His friends here are in the utmost distress about him. He is de-
scribed as In amiable young man, in good circumstances, acd with-
out any possible inducement to absent herself.
It is proper to observe, that a letter has been found in Prigg's
home, since he disappeared, signed " John Richardson," request-
ing him (Prigg) to meet him at Heighten en the itrith of January,
" at the same place they caet berme at," and he would pay him his
motley.
On Wednesday, the 28th of January, as one of Lord live-
wood's woodmen was pairing through the trood, he road, a few
yards from the road, at a place called Ribatone Spring, a pocket-
book, emptied of its controls, and lying open. This pocket-book
proves to be James Prim's, and contained, amongst others, the
following mrsoomodunt, written in pencil Janoso7, 1824,
received of John itithardson 241. being money 1 lent him lad N-
ovember, signed J. Prigg." On the romi wee found his pocket gar-
dening knife, and is the void, hot for from the river, a spotted,
handkerchief, which be wore about his neck, with his name on it.
On Tuesday, W. L. F. Scott, Esq. the Magistrate, met the ofls- I
ens from Knareabotough at Itibstene, and, in the most laud-
able =met, assisted in the search in the river. Through the ac-
tivity of the Magistrate and officers, great hopes are entertained that
thismysterions affair will be brought to light. A clue has already
been discovered ; but, in the present stage of the business, it would
be highly improper to any more. Up to this period, four o'clock, no
tidings of the body have reached this place. The search in the ri-
ver continues with the utmost activity.
A report prevailed yesterday, that the body of Mr. Prigg had
been found, much bruised, in a livid near Knareaborough, on
Thursday evening ; but by our accounts received last night front
that place, we tied that the rumour was unfounded ; and we are
not altogether without hopes that no murder has been committed,-_
Lads Allercr7 irf Saturday.