The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-06-12
REMARkABLE CRIMINAL.

lie WAS Of tail stature, vriv great bod
~ sticngih, OF surprising ingenuity,
and OF undaunled courage. At u very
eaily age he commenced the business
of poacher. tempted on the one hand
by hi, wants, aud on the other, hy
the wages Of lniqnity the price
offered ior game-lhe abundance IN
his ne,ebborhood--anl the ficility OF
taking, md diSpoSlng of il without do
eclion BY snafing, which for some time
he pracnscd with success ending the
vigilance of the gamekcepefs, by his
activity and skill, he acquired sufficient
mean, to provide himself with gun
| This sun WIS soon afterwards heard ut
npid IN ere of the woods nCar Gunton.
Dnc of the principal keepers Instantly
proceeded Ia the spot, Us usual for The
purpose Of accommodating the enemy,
and finding only one man, he did moi
summon lat, assistants, but advanced
| upon Green alone As il happcned,
IN this keeper Green found man oil
| equal prowesS, and of maturer nerve,
which my be easily imagined, when
the fact is stated, that some years
afterwards (at The agc Of siNty-6ye) this
same keeper, III single combat which
lasted nearly an hour with Il very dcspe-
rte haracter, and a powerful man only
htlI his own age, finally oNerp0werrd his
ahtlponst, and made him prisoner. A
| similar tale attended Green. He was
takon with his auu aud pheasant IN his
posse 1sion, and committed, for short
| term OF Imprisonment to the House OF
| Correction NJ Aylcshtm. y he
remained very few days, before his
escape, of which lac availed himself but
he was very soon retnken, and he re-
manned III safe coninem. nj I'LL tho term
expired. The conflict which he had
maintained So maniuIly with a veteran,
aud the circumstance ui breaking prison
rendered Inn in some drprcc, notorious
and Ii IS To be presumed that he did mol
| afterwards find II easy loobIan employ
ment. lie associated with other idle
and diSsolute persons; and' whether he
resumed his habits ofpoaching or not,
he committed another offence, VIII that
Of breaking open watchmakef's shop.
lie was uicd for the burglary.
convicted, and condemned TO be hang
| cd, but the sentence vas committed for
transportation. Wilde he WIS awaiting
the execution of his sentence, ne twice
madr his escape from the Castle Of
! Norwich. He effected IT tho first time
in the following extraordinary mpnncr j:
Between his apprehension aud com
mllmenl, he couiflvcd to have an non
sb"wor ticd up within tail which he
had WON similar 10 those ,tlI ifcquenl-
ly worn by sailors. With this skewer
hG picked hole through the wall ofhls
cell, With was one of those furthcst
from the ground in that lofty building.
The hole was four feet below the ROOT
of the castle and rs | am informed by
Mr. Johnson,th e present keeper OF thai
prison, from his own observation. the SIZE
of the aperture measured only twelve
inches by nine. lie cut his bedding
into 5hreds aud bound them round his
body. He was then heavily ironcd, yet
he crept through this small space, and
contrived 10 reach the roof four lcei
above hlm, probably, as it is supposed
pulling hmselfup TO il by means Of one
of the shreds OF the bedding, which be
must have previously thrown round one
OF the balticmcnts upon tho edge Of the
rooi This place 81 egfecs was imme-
diately over paved court yard j; aud 10
use the keepers own words, from
whom ! received the account. had
Green missed staps,h musf have fallen
upon the pavement and have been
dashed to pieces. Having trasersed
thc roof 10 the opposite side Of the
castle, he lowered himself down to the
ground he had then to climb over
some very high railing, covered with
tenter hooks but.he escaped, and final
" found his way to conrade in the
city OF Norwich, as it has been believed
who flied off his irons and thus he WIS
set at complete liberty. Whether hewas
rctaken or not, before he had committed
fresh offence. | 10 not remember, bet
he was certainly agaIn in Norwich
castle about TWO years afterwards, and
again escaped. The second escaped
was effected by means Of key with
which another prisoner had been
furnished. On this occasion lie relieved
himself from his irons b. the good luck
as be- termed it, OF finding the back
spring ola knife in his cell, or in tire
airing yard, and of this he coniriyed TO
make a saw. Having once more
reached the part Of the roof of the castle
by the hcIp of "A rope made as before,
Of some shreds OF his blanket, he
lowered himself down upon the roof of
the. Shire Hall Ia building less eleva-
ted aud hrom thence he descended
safely to the ground by clinging to a
leadcn water pipe III corner oil the