The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-10-15 00:00:00

I.t.GRRSS OF CRIMR • THE CONFRSSIONOV
A CAPITAL CONVICTAI' NORWICH.

--r-
-Ise following is a copy of the confession of James
?I4 y, one of the capital prisoners at the last assizes
' . orwich. It was written after trial at his own re-
by a fellow prisoner, and gives but too lament-
. site a proof of the effects of bad company. We con-
sider it will be some satisfaction to those persons who
have been so unfortunate as to suffer by Lim, to know
that they are freed from such a villain, and it will
tend to reitove the suspicion which may have been
fanned of many suspected yet honest men.
I was bora in the year 1799, at North Walsbam, in
Norfolk. I came to Norwich at a very early age, and
lived servant with Mr. Page, at the Rose. Inn, St. Au-
tastine's. I lived there about seven years, and during
.that period became acquainted with bad company,
wbieh iodated me to spend all the money I could get.
'lto first Mae I committed was—l went into the
Isl6soevant's room, broke open her box, and took 21.
Wit. I went on committing petty crimes until I was
*pied away. I next lived with Mr. Gelded, liquor-
illerchant ; I did not live there more than six months;
for having been discovered in my dishonest practices,
I was seat about my business. I did not go to service
again, but went about to see what 1 could get.
One night, I and a boy named Pearce went
to Mr. Brown's stable, near Magdalen Oaten
!maks open the• door, and stole a great coat;
the same night we stole eight loaves, a cheese,
and cheese knife, from a shop at New Cattle.
We were apprehended for Mr. Brown's robbery, tried,
and sentenced to 4 months imprisonment in Bridewell.
When released, I got acquainted with some well known
characters in this city, went round to the different
fairs picking pockets, and then began to think of turn-
ing house-breaker. One night, 1, Meek, and another,
not in custody, broke into the house of Mrs. Utting,
St. John's Timberhill, and stole 161. and a watch.—
The week following, I, Meek, and three others; not in
custody, went to Shottisham, and broke into a farm-
house, but got nothing but a sack full of meat. A
short time after, I, Meek, Dye, and two others, not is
custody, went to Long Stratton, broke into a fairs-
house, and got a great quantity of plate ; we then
went about a mile through the town, and tried at an-
other house, but some one gave an alarm, and we were
obliged to make the best of our way off.—About a
week after we broke open a gentleman's barge, at Nor-
wich, but got very little beside knives awl forks. The
next we did was a butcher's shop, in the Shamble's;
we got about a stone of beef. In the day time we
went about passing bad notes and base coin. I, Meek,
and Golding, went to Northrepps, broke open a stable,
and stole a black mare and brown horse ; we were
taken for this, and tried at Thetford ; I and Meek got
clear, but Golding was transported for life. One night,
I and two others not in custody, met Mr. Leeds, the
carrier, knocked him down, and robbed him of more
than 21. The next place we went to was Sparkall's
Gardens, in Pockthorpe, opened the bar, and stole two
stone bottles of liquor. We next went to Mr. tlidney's
in Queewstreet, and stole from his warehouse two
sacks of nuts. I and another not convicted went to
Wroxbam, and broke into a gentleman's house ; we
got some plate and V. in copper. A few nights after.
I and two others not convicted, met an old shrimp-man,
at the top of Davey-place; we knocked him down, and
robbed him of his watch and I Is. After that, I, Tuck,
Watts, and another not in custody, stopped a young
man on the Ditches; we knocked him down, filled his
mouth full of sand, and took from him 11. ss. and his
hat. Tuck and Watts were taken for the robbery, and
condemned. A few nights after, I, Poll, and two
others not convicted, stopped Mr. Barker, the white-
smith, and robbed him of his watch ; Poll was taken
for it, committed, tried and condemned. The next, I
and two others not convicted, broke open Mr. Water-
ing's house, and got a great many things; we broke
thirteen locks. For this I was apprehended and tried;
found guilty, condemned, but reprieved, and after-
wards transported for life. Out of all my companions,
Meek, Watts, Tuck, Dye, and Pull, were condemned at
the last Assizes ; the others are at large.
JAMES BULLIT.
These I forgot to mention :-1, Meek, and two
others not in custody, picked the lock of Mr. Fouls-.
barn's house, and stole several articles; Edwards and
Ann Itumsby, the young woman who lived with him,
were taken up and tried for it, but the things being
found upon her she was transported and Edwards got.
clear. One night, I and two others, not is custody
met Mr. Gardener against the Common Pump ; I threw
him down, but got nothing but his hat, he having put
his watch chain through the but on hole, and some one
coming up Ve were forced to leave him. One morn-
ing, I, Meek, and two ethers not convicted, broke
open a watch-maker's shop in Ber-street ; we did not•
get much, for the watches had been removed from the
window; we then broke through a door into a grocer's
shop, and took a loaf of sugar and some candles ; we
were prevented taking more by a dog barking very
much. One night, I, Meek, and two others not in
custody, broke open Mr. Breeze', warehouse, in the
Tilden Craft, and stole six pieces of bombasin. One
morning, I and two others, not in custody, broke open
.Mr. Winter's dwelling-house, and got about 31. in
silver and copper. I, Meek, and three others, not in
custody, went one night to Mr. Taylor's, out of St.
Benedict's gates; we took down the shutter, but were
alarmed at some one firing at us; sore made the best
of our way off. JAMES lICLLEY.
Norwich Gaol, AI

1821

CORONER'S INQUEST.

An inquest was held at 4 o'clock on Saturday after-
noon in the Committee-room of St. James's Infirmary,
• Poland-street, on the bodies of-Benjamin Wyatt and
Briant, labourers, the unfortunate men whose
deaths were occasioned by the accident already de-

scribed.
THOMAS Maas, Esq. the Deputy Coroner for the
County, having called over the Jury, they were sworn
sad then proceeded to view the bodies.
The following witnesses were afterwards euarnined :
John Nicholson deposed, that he lived in Lawson's-
place, Briek-lane, and was esugloyed for the last 20
years in pulling down beetles. Keew William Brian':
was at work with hiss on Friday last, in St. James's
Street. He was CS -year+, of age. About 11 o'clock,
whims, the-deceased, sod seedier tease werwat wen}:
taking doors the tiles front eftrve houses, °sea whide
had been a public house. had prpt.all the tills
stored sway, with the caceptioe of about two hundred,