The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-04-07 00:00:00

ROBBERIES BY SERVANTS.

The recent fate of the unfortunate young men, Ferguson and
Walker, in connexion with the fecal disclosed on the trial of the
former, and the confession made by the latter, has naturally called
the attention of the public to the subject of the frequent instru-
mentality.of servants to the perpetration of burglaries. Within
the last six months many trials have taken place, which might, if
necessary, be adduced in confirmation of this alarming truth. The
following confession, however, not only as bearing upon this sub-
ject, but also in other points of view, will no doubt prove interest-
ing to our readers. The letter in which it Is contained, and which
we subjoin, was written by .Nhn Turner Ingrain, on the 20th of
December last, being two days before his execution on Bennett(len
Heath, 11laidstone, for burglary. This unhappy man, at an earlier
period of his life, had lived in several families in the capacity of
footman, and for the most part bore an unimpeachable character.
The last family in which he lived was that of Mr. 41—, from
whose service he was dismissed without • character. It will be
seen by his letter that it is to this last circumstance that he impute*
his errors : be it so or not, there is no doubt but that soon after-
wards lie connected himself with a gang of burglars, and was con.
(tined in numerous robberies, many of them perpetrated by means
of the information he had obtained during the time he was living
in sertiee. In the summer of 11124. together with three other noted
characters, he was committed to Chelmsford Gaol, on a charge of
burglary ; but the evidence being insufficient to secure a convic-
tion, it was thought expedient to admit one of the prisoners as an
evidence against thereat. Ingram was selected for this purpose, arLl
on the trial gave such a history of the transaction as ensured :he
conviction, and finally led to the execution of his acconspliees. it./n
his cross.examination he displayed the utmost effitmtery, and un-
blushingly admitted himself to have been concerned in 14 other
burglaries, and that many of them were marked by features of an
aggravated kind.
Soon after his discharge from this gaol, he was concerned in a
burglary at the country seat of Mr. ll—, of Russell-rquare, si-
tuate at Barnwell, in Northamptonshire. !laving formerly lived
as footman with this gentleman, he was well acquainted with the
premises, tlll,l thus, with comparative ease, himself and associates
were enabled to secure to themselves a booty of plate and other pro-
perty of the value of 5001. and upwards. The burglary was no
sooner discovered than suspicion attached to him, and as a reward
of lOW. was offered for the apprehension of the burglars, he deemed
it prudent to quit his usual haunts, and retire to Sheerness, where
he committed the burglaryfor which lie was capitally convicted
and executed.

A few days before his execution, the son of the gentleman whose
house at Barnwell lie robbed, caused inquiries to be mode of him
at the gaol, in the hope of obtaining information as to the disposhi.
tion of a quantity of try kets of little intrinsic value, but which, It
still entire, they would gladly have purchased at almost any price.,
Theme inquiries were answered by the foilowirg letter, the levity of
which, when it is recollected that it was written only two days be-
fore his execution, will excite astonishnient. As many of the slang
phrases would be unintelligible to a great part of our readers. we
have supplied a glossary. The following is the letter alluded to,
and is givens crbutins a lileratinr :
" Maidstone Gaol, Dee. 2), 1824.
" Sir—lt appears to me that you are desirous of knowing who
robbed your father's house in Northamptonshire ; you, being a
hitlou Kolar, 1 make no doubt but I can give you the wished.foe
information :--After arriving at Barnwell, we proceeded to the
crib (house), and mod an incision in the drawing-roomiiimp (win-
dow), facing the lawn, and little Davy, with myself, bung two
good ferrits, proceeded through this room, and through the grand
hall-dor. leading to the buck slums, or SlanTs apartments (ser-
vants' rooms). I unscrewed the pantry door with my own turn_
screw, and little Davy is no dirt, stood at the bottom of the Jacob
(stair-case), with the parlour poker in his hand, in case any one
should come to lend us a hand to pay them for their trouble. In the
meantime, I collected as much seedr (plate), aa we could well take
away, snit hocirg done this, mad our retreat the same way as WO
came. Dacy wont away a pair of crabs shells (shoes) that stood by
the clock, and then we proceeded to the lane, by the fish-pond :
here we packed our lob (booty), and dinged (threw) several things
into the pond, and started afresh through Shropstone. One and a
half mile arum this, We plautcd (buried the propertj), nu great
way of the spot where you found Monsieur Dodson a log (coat).
(They found a coat in a wood). Near this spot your gardner might
raise a good crop with a little trouble. (They dug at this spot,
but found nothing.) From hence we proceeded to Iligham. where
we took a cup of slop (tea) each, and paid a halls buil (two shillings
and sixpence), cr so ; and went on towards the skit (road),
by way of Olney, and Newport Pagnell, a mile front the
latter town is the canal ; here we shipped ourselves on board
an iron barge, and put the two ours (ores) together—l mean
iron and silver. It was a fine srtagig. We arrived in the City Basin
arseven o'clock at night, after a two days' voyage, in safety. We
mad the Captain of the book (boat) all right, and sent one of the
men for a c/ieee (coach), and had s drop of blue rain at the back of
the wharf; and then we mad fresh sail for Whitfield-street.linsbury-
square, No. —. At this house Mr. Fanz Mac Gazinin lives,
who no doubt was glad to see us. We dozed here this night, and
early next morning Mr. Flifrn Flojrn took the .recdg to the iron.
,far; man (the receiver), and gave each of us our morsel, and told
us to be Carettll, for the pig-men (oiliest%) were up in arms, one of
which hail olered Pitillips ten flint (sovereign.) to say ahem ha
could pick us up. So Davy started down to %'cliing, Beams, and
I to Chatham. Sent; and Bob, who is free of the city. remained
behind with Sally Solomors, who is one of the tribe of Benjamin.
I beg to inform you that I have drawn a bill on Mr. Abrahams
(the person at whose house he committed the burglary for which he
was executed), of Sheerness, and 31n Justice Barrough has mad
it payable at sight on Pennendeo Heath, Dee. 30th. 1824. It will
be quite impossible for me to remit you any moaey for the sioresaid
goods before this bill is due.
I am yours, respectfully,
"JOHN Istoaara."

" P.S. Mr. Bishop of Bow-street office, is cery high learnt, and
if you don't understand this, he will explain. He takes a fee for
his opinion, like all others connected with the law. lie would
rather have had your 1001. for my carkese (carcase) than that I
should have been made a box of coed meat at 3laidatone. It ens
a sad loss to him and his party. Nu doubt they are quite chop.
fallen. This ought to be a caution to the public how they de-
prived .servant of his character, for once driven to thieving the old
master is the first that will suffer. I have robbed nearly all I ever
lived with, and many others, and had I lived longer, I should have
robbed many more, no doubt. In fact, I felt a pleasure in so doing.
This is true, as I am go:ng to die. _ _

-
" JOHN INGRAM."
As the demeanour of this man was in perfect keeping up to the
last moment of his existence, it may not be uninteresting to our
readers, if a e subjoin a short account. On the way to the fatal
spot, he conversed and smoked his pipe with u much gaiety and
apparent flow of spirits, as if he were going to a fair, and even
lacer the rope had been fixed round his neck, on hearing one of
his fellow-sufferers express a desire to have his clothes sent to his
wife liner he was dead, he turned round to him, and asked hint
if lie would wish her to wear the breeches. A Moment after-
wards he was launched into eternity. Tbus lived and thus died
this unhappy man.

MIDDLL SEX HOSPITAL, APRIL S. 182.5.—Montb1c Re-
port of Patients, from the Ist to the Slat of Mara in-
clusive :
In-Patients admitted by Letter - . 102
Ditto Accidents - - 21

Out-Patients admitted by Letter
Ditto Accidents

In-Patients discharged
Remaining in the Hospital

-- 126
153

-- 274
106
189

CORN EXCHANGE. APRIL 6.
We had but very few fresh arrivals of any grain this morning,
yet our Market was again excessively heavy for every article; su
much so, that prices must be stated nominally the same as on
Monday, as scarcely any sales have been effected.

BIRTH.
On the 2d inst. the Lady of John Barclay, Esq. of Devonshire.
place, of a son.

MARRIED.
On the 4th inst. at St. James's church, Dr. P. Leslie, to Bibs
Ilendrie.
On Tuesday, at East Bergholt, Suffolk, the Rev. Wm. Trole„
of Christ's hospital, to Sarah, eldest daughter of II m. Claae,
Esq. of the former plsce.
At Wished], 31r. George Watcrworth, of Scarboro', Yorkshire,
to Isabel Lampary. of AVisbech. The bridegroom is 55, the
bride almost 17. The courtship sae long and tedious, amounting
in all to throe days.

On the 4th inst. at Wotton, in the county of Gloucester, aged !7,
George (*:csat• Hopkinson, Esq.
On the 2,1 Lost. in Upper Belgrava-place, Sarah, the wife of Job's
Jolly, r.sik.

OW the tad hist. in Weymouth-4-e •t Port:and-place, Elisabeth
wife of John White, }:'q. 31.1). late of Cheltenham.
On the 34 i+ !it. at Ilorshaan, Tredcroft, Esq. in the
7Gth year of his age.
On the Ist inst. at the house of Harry Thompson, Earl. Rother-
ham, after only a kw hours' Sarah Ann 31`Deeinot, &nth-
ter of Mrs. Fisher. Short-hill, Nottingham.
On the 3d inst. at her house at ltarnasate, Mary, the relict of
Edward Whitehouse, late of his Majesty's Customs, Esq. in the
334 year of her age.
. . _

On the 2d insC at his house la Newgate-stzert, in the 37th year
of his age, Wm. Ridge, Esq.
flu Monday evening, at kr house in North Audley-street, Mrs.
Davidson widow of the late Msj,.: Davidson.

On the 3.1 inst. at Market Narb •reigh, aged 80, the Ron. Anna
Mara .31ap1etott, relict of the Rev. Nathaniel :II apletoft. Rector of
Ilroughton, Northamptonshire, an t daughter of the Right lion,
Char:tit, focrth I'iscount Cull; n.
At Spa',Hag, on Thursday night hst.litr. Popple, formerly a re
spectable fernier at Pilsgate, ne,,r He took rupper that
evening, apparently in nod health, end retired to bid ; but in a
short space of time, oa his wife p•ing to him, he was found to be
a corpse.

• .
hlf,H IVATER THIS DAY AT LONDON BRIDOL
Morning 65 intr. after 4. t Afternoon 18 min. arm&

Printed at THE BRITISH PRESS Office, by J.W.Vantystart
•111, Strand, awl published by R. Cutwoxi same pkgs.

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