The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-16 00:00:00

HUNT'S CONFESSION.

(CONTINUED.)
After dinner Probert said, " Have you got
every thing you want, Jack?" " No," answered John Thor-
tell, "we must send e for a six-buahel sack, a hank of cord,
and the horse and chaise." Probert said, "We must 'have
some punch, Jack, before you start, and we must order,it di-
rectly, because it will not do for you to keep him waiting."
It was agreed that John 'Mullen was to start first, and Pro-
beat and I were to follow him in about three quarters of an
hour. I wished to stop and take some punch, but Probert told
me I had better be of E, and get'the things for Jack ; and as we
were to remain for three-quarters of an hour, we could have
some punch together after he was gone. Besides these things,
I was sent by Thomas Thurtell to get a box-coat belonging to
him, which was at Mr. Cribb's, in Pantos-street ; and alio with
a note to the man who was in possession at the Cock, for a coat
and red shawl of John Thurtell's, which were left in his room.
This red shawl was the same which John Thurtell had round
his head when he intended to destroy Woods, in Manchester-
buildings, and which was afterwards found round the neck of
Mr. Weare. •
.1 went to Probat's, the stable-keeper, to hire a horse and
chaise ; they had no chaise, but they lent me a horse, and I got
a chaise at Mr. Cross's. It had been previously arranged that
I should say I was going to Dartford, and 1 did so. I then
wentdo Buckingham's, in Broad-street, and there bought a
sack and a hank of cord ; also to Cribb's, for the box-coat ; but
as'he was not at home, 1 could not get it. I then went to the
Cock, and on delivering the note, got the great coat and red
shawl, anti drove to Tetsall's.
When I returned into the room, I found several persons,
who were strangers to me, had joined the Thurtells and
Probert; I therefore called Probert and John Thurtell into
the passage, and told them every thing was ready, and
showed them the sack, which Probert examined and said,
" I ani sure this is not a six • bushel sack—this will not be
large enough for him Jack." Thurtell answered—" Never
mind, Bill, we must make shift with it; we have no time
to lose." And he further remarked, " What a b y fool
my brother Tom is, to have a parcel of people here at a time
like this." Probert said, it was a foolish thing, but he was sure
Torn did not expect any person, and as they were come to serve
him about his bail, he could not well deny himself. Thur.
tell then said, " Well, never mind, let them stop and be
d—d • I must be off. You go into the room, Bill, and bring
me iom's drab great coat." Probert went and fetched it ac-
cordingly. John Thurtell put the red shawl round his neck,
and- the drab great coat on, and being ready to start, he asked
Probert to repay him the 101. which he had let him have to take
up a bill a few days before, out of the money for which I had
sold a horse to a Mr. Simcock ; and Thurtell said he must
have it or a part of it, because he trail no money. Probert said
he would let him have part then, and the rest next week, but
he had no money himself, and must therefore borrow it of
Charles Tetsall, the landlord. ;He accordingly borrowed some
money of Mr. Tetsall, and gave it to Thurtell, but how much
I cannot say. John Thurtell told Probert not to be long after
him, and got into the gig and drove off. After Thurtell was
gone, Probert and myself went into the room and had some
puneh, and in about three quarters of an hour Probert desired
Mr. Tetsall's son to bring his horse and chaise to the door.--
lie then left the room, and in about five minutes returned,
saying, " Hunt, the chaise is ready." I wished the company
good night, got into. thegig, Probert followed, and we drove
off. In Oxford-street I got out and bought a loin of pork, at
the desire of Probert. We then went on to a Mr. Harding's,
a publican 'in the Edgeware-road, where. we had some brandy
and water, and again started. On our getting near the Bald-
faced Stag, Probert wished that I should get out and walk on,
saying that he would soon overtake me.
It was not at my desire on account of the horse-cloths, as
Probert stated at the inquest; fOr so far from my wishing to
avoid the people of the lioune, I on the following morning stop-
ped there to " breakfast With Thomas Thurtell. and Prohert's
boy. I had never been it the 'iodise but once, and that was to
a supper at the invitation of Probert ; and the cloths were not
lent. o meehut borrowed by Probert for a friend of mine,
named Morgan; and I went away, leaving John Thurtell and
Probert there. While they were in this house on this occasion,
John' Thurtell fought with three countrymen, and they after-
wards told me that, in the confusion they robbed one of the
countrymen of his watch; which Thurtell pawned for ees. some_
where in London. and they divided the money between them.got AtotEd to purchaseigevrarewestopeoprend.
he was in the shop I saw at a corn-chandler's, and Probert
Thurtell and Weare pass. When Probert came out I told him
they were gone by, and me went on to Field's; the Artichoke, at
Llstree, where we, waited in expectation of their passieg us again
and had three or four glasses of brandy and water: -At last the
chaise with Thurtell and Weare passed the house, and Probert
nugged me and whispered,. "'There they go, we must be after
them." Field, the lapdlord, about this time brought us another
shilling's worth of brandy and water, and on my exiwessing my
anxiety to be off, Probert said, "Never mind, we shall be time
enough; for as theireborse is, a hired horse, ate must be nearli
knocked up, and as aura is fresh we shall soon overtake them.
—We finished our brandy and water, and then Probert set off
in a gallop in the same direction they had gone, and on arriv-
ing at a place where-a road branches off, and which I now
know is near Mr. Phillimore's Lodge, but which I was then,
totally unacquainted with, as I had never been that road before,
Probert said, " You get out here, and I will& on to the cottage,
and see if Jack is there, and it' all is right." I accordingly
with the horse and chaise as hardagos thoeucto,
ualdn and
down Probertth e went n
lane.
In our way down, Probert frequently alluded to the money
that vies expected to be found upon Weare, and his apprehen-
sions lest Thurtell should-well it (meaning keep it to himself.)
He said, " We know Jack is re very determined fellow, and is
suredo do the trick ; but if he don't do the thing that is right
papersby
giving us our share, we shall be sure to learn by the news-
, and we shall know how to act
hereafter." After an absence' of near an hour, Probert came
back to the spot where he had left me, and directly he was
within hearing, he began singing " Bright Chanticleer pro-
claims the da vn, r and when I got into the chaise he
said, " It is all over, Jack has killed him!" (meaning Thurtell
had killed Weare)— I have seen Jack, and Jack has shown
".
watch." I said, "He 'must
have
et hbee
emnuartd
ye roeudr man'ssho
some
nctitpune e
?"
placeOh yes," replied orb-
bert, at least an hour,
for his horse and chaise are put up,
"
and the horse dressed ; but Jack tells me the man had not got
so much money as he expected."
On our arriving at the cotte Thurtell was leaning against
the stable door, and Probert 's lad was cleaning down his horse.
Probert sent me into the kitchen with the loin of pork, and told
me to desire the cook to dress it for supper, while he went into
the stable to Thurtelli In about ten minutes they came to me
in the kitchen, and we all went into the parlour, where Probert
introduced me to his wife, saying, " This is my friend Hunt,
of whom you have so often heard me speak as being so good a
singer; and I have brought him down to entertain you." After
a little time had passed, Probert told his wife that while supper
was getting ready, it would be better for us to get out of her way,
and we should therefore go to the ['table and see to the putting
up of the horses. We accordingly went to the stable, and Probert
sent the boy into the kitchen, and told him tostop there till he gave
him further orders. Directly they boy left us together, Thur.
tell showed me the gold watch and appendages,' and then he,
Probert, and myself took the lantern from the stable, and went
across a ploughed field, in order to search for the body of the
deceased. As we were proceeding to the spot, J. Thurtell said
that he had got Weare's purse, which had only two or three
sovereigns in it, but that he did not have time to-search i
thoroughly for the other money.
On crossing the ploughed field, we came directly upon the
body, which was lying near the hedge on the inside, and there
was a gap in the hedgi, which lied evidently been made by
dragging the body through it. The head and face were
covered with Th.urtell's red shawl, which also appeared to be
tied round the neck of the deceased. I held the lantern, and
Probert held up the body, under the arms, while John Thurtell
rifled the pockete. Nothing was found while I was present, ex-
cept four 51. bank notes, which were taken by Thurtell from the
trousers' pocket of the deceased. These were folded together
carelessly, and not enclosed in any purse or pocket-booka:—
Thurtell and a'robert expressed themselves as being much dig-
{ appointed, and I also joined in similar expressions; but I have
now reason to believe that either one or both of them mast have
deceived me as to the money found on the deceased ; because it
was not likely Mr. Weare would have brought so small sum
down, considering the object he had in view ; nor was it pro-
irable that lie would carry his notes loose, when he had a silk
note-case in his possession. This note-case had been taken by
Thurtell from the deceased, before Probert and I arrived ; and
besides, how should he have been able to tell Probert that the
man had not so much money about him as he expected, un- i
less he had then made a complete search ? My opinion is, that
he had got the money, and kept it in his own posseasion, ex-
cepc the 201., which he putinto the pocket as a blind to us; and
I tun the more confirnied in this opinion, because he afterwards 1
had plenty of money, and has boasted that he could give 3001. 1
to get witnmses to clear him.
After the searching was finished, the body was put into the
sack 1 had purchased, and which Probert had brought from the
chaise, and when it was secured, we consulted as to how long
it was to be left there, and it was arranged that the deceased
was not to be removed until after the women should be gone to
bed, and then the horse was to be taken to fetch the body to the
garden so that it might be thrown into the pond until a con-
venient opportunity offered to bury it.
The following is the account J. Thurtell gave us of the cir-
cumstances attending the actual commission of the murder :
" Cri reaching Tyburn-turnpike, I found Weare waiting for
me ix the coach; I saw his head looking out of the whacker. As