The National Register.
London, England, 1820-12-03 00:00:00

GANG OF HORSE.STEALERS AND MURDERERS.

I i the beginning of September last, two men were
committed to Nlaidstone gaol, on a charge of horse-
stealing, tif the names of Hughes and Greenstreet. The
latter. though not admined to turn evidence for the
Crown, expressed his siailmeness to give all the informa•
tion he knew respecting the transaction, which wool I
lead to the apprehension of others concerned in that
and other robberies. llis readiness to make confessions
became known to those connected in the gangs Of horse-
stealers which have attested that part of the country fur
a considerable time, and which are prnicipally cam-
; °wit of gipen-s, and vengeance was determined on by
the eang against Greenstreet.
Oa Thursday afternoon, the nth of October, as we
have already stated, a basket was received at Maidstone
prtsen by the Carrier front TUIIbridgC•WCIIS, addressed to
William Green,trcet, or Greentrees. On opening it the
contents prat ed to In some clothes, some cheese, a pisce
of bacon, and a boiled plum-pudding, apples, onions,
&c. It so happened that when tile basket was opened
Greenstreet and all the other prisoners had just done
dinner. Greenstreet ate some of the pudding, and he
offered some to his fellow prisoners, but they all de-
clined accepting of any, except one, of the name of
Hearn. In a very short time alter they had partaken of
the pudding, Greenstreet and Hearn were both taken
extremely ill, and no doubt was entertained but that
their sudden illness proceeded lust poison. They con-
tinued in a most dreadful state till both expired. It
being strongly suspected that the plus-pudding contain.
ed poison, it was analysed, when it was found to contain
a large quantity of arsenic, supposed to be an ounce.
On Greenstreet being msorined that he hid taken
poison in the pudding, he expressed as having
no doubt but that it had been dune by a man of the
name of Proudly, who was contracted on ill a desperate
gang of gypsies. Previous to expiring, he made all the
atonement to society he could, by a confession of all the
robberies he knew of to a magiArate.
Great exertions were made in the country to trace out
the perpetrators of the horrible deed, lint Ito trace could
effectually be made as to its planners and executors. In
conseqoence of the application to the Bow-street magis-
trates, on the 17th of last October, Lavender and ashop
were despatched to Maidstone. They ascertained, be•
yond a doubt, tliat &tie basket and its contents had not
been sent by Greensucet's wife, or any of his relations
or friends at itnwlandeastle, as the direction on it pur-
ported to be, but that the arsenic was bought and put
in the plum-pudding at Tunbridge-wells, though there
was no direct proof of it. Ail the articles which were
in the basket were purchased by gypsy-women at Tun-
bridge-wells, and the direction on the basket was written
by a female servant residing there, at the particular re-
.
(pest of a gutsy woman.
Olt the din instant, Lavender learning thar a number
of gipsies resorted to Itomsey fair, which was held there
on that day, he went there, his great object being to
apprehend Proudly, the gypsy, who is charged with
horse-stealing and tea toiler. Lavender remaried on
the look-out in the lair dosing the whole of the day
without success, but he [curia that :lewdly was certainly
expected there.
Lavender, accompanied only by a constable belonging
to Romsey, left lionisey between nine and ten o'clock.
As they were proceeding through a lane, two uteu on
horseback spline:chi:el them, and fortunately, just as I
they came up to them, they stopped their horses to speak
to a man who had called to them to ask a question ;
when Lavender having no doubt but that. one of the
men was Proudly, he seized his horse, and endeavoured
to unhorse him. Lavender proved right in his conjec-
ture as to its being Proualy, who resieed most violently
—Lavender, however. accomplished his object, and,
having once seized hold of him, he was determined not
to let him go. When he got hint ou the ground, he
resisted still more violently, in which he was assisted
by his companion on horseback, and probably a more
desperate reneontre never took place, except with fire-
arms and deadly weapons. Lavender threatened La shoot
hint if he did not surrender, but to no ellect; be kick-
ed and plunged, and made every possible resistance,
and he nearly accomplished the ob ject be had in view
of stripping himself naked, when it is almost impossible
to bold a Mall lay any means; he got oil all his clothes
except his nieeches. Lavender with the greatest difli•
culty handeutled hint, In sne conflict L tvenUer received
several seve:e bruises.

The man who was riding on horseback in company
With Proudly proved to be the brother of Hughes, who
was firm taken into custudy of the gang charged with
horse-stealing. Proudly was taken behire the Mayor of
Ronisey, who ordered him to be cantioed in prison that
night. On the lollo%ving morning Lavender coincyed
hint front Hotusey, and proceeded on his way to Maid-
'vale. On his arrival there Proudly underwent an exa-
mination bettve the urtgis:rates, when he denied his
name being Mond ly, and said it was Pearce; he denied
all knowlege of llu hes; he was, however, committed.
Another very material actor in the diabolical plot was
wanted, viz. toe woIIICII Vo'llo made the plum-pudding,
and put the poison in it; and, suspecting that she was
with a gang of nipsies who were encamped, and re-
sorted l's linekitignainsiiire and Hertfordshire, the of
since tie 17th inst. has been in pursuit of all the
gipsies he could hear of. On Monday night he was so
fortunate a 3 to meet with the woman, calling herself
Mary Baler, encamped with an old man and woman,
and SOW(' gipsy children, about three miles on the Weu-
duver roan, ll4ml Clse3hatll; the Old man and woman
are supposed to be the lather and mother of Ilieglies.
Lavender took the uoulan belore the bevels of ma-
gistrates at Berkhampstead, who ordered her to tre taken
behire the magistrates at laidstone; and Wednesday
Lavender Jr:moved her from London, awl conveyed by r
to Muidstsue.

The Lady Wellington, packet, arrived at Falmouth
from Gibraltar on the 12th ult. in company with
*early 100 sail of vessel,.