The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1853-05-21
The ksmaH,t II tnmt.

N"tNH y NANN - tANlNN NHf|f 70 fINNINr
20 the fspcr- respecting the man l.,
The ssPpase,i maricrrs II the En-
man B'-si-on. NJ Cayabpga Failsd
BIS Unsigned identity wiih n uoiodr.
lssh burgiar, nAmc,i Dickinson. whSl
from Jssiire ia bis nnii,c laud. mr..
rrtd ~ ihis cruniry some years -.
We have met With gentleman W.
well acquainted With the particular
the early career q ihst criminsl,l
uho furnishes % some incidents
necird herewith which viii prove ia
esiing. and probably useful nj this Il 1
The man Dickinson, who Is suppose,
be identical with Parks. was NATIVE .
Clhlcrce. 10 Lancashire, England {,
From bis earliest days. he VA. lcs ;
ine spirit among the gang. Of poaclr
and thieves. by which that poriioDf
the county wns infested, md brrc
noted Is reckless and daring ado.
inrer. NJ the age Of 2j. he had pa,d
seven years Of hi. lie within the vi,
81 = prison, and wa. the terror orhe
noighborhood be- infested. Iii. fuly
were poor but industrious people n,
lniher aud sister being in The emplo Of
Mr. GarneIi, a magistrate and extenve
cotton factor, residing at Low MIR.
near Cl'iheroc, on the banks of the =.
e. kibblc. which divides the Counss
- ancasbirc and Yorlsi;-- . "a
spot. ~ - .aars nf age hc was HsNn
confined in jail for some poaching Of
fence, but was liberated on promise Of
amendment, through the intcrcessisn OF
Rev. Mr. Abbott, clergyman o the
nrighborhood. This was toward The
close OF the year 1910. In the winter
Of lSi0-il, however, he committed
some offence in company with one John
Briggs, for which warrant for his APP
prehension was issued. in consequence
of Dickinson's well known desperate
character, n party OF police were de-
tailed 10 apprchcnd the offenders nj u
place called Grindleion, in Yorkshire,
whittier they had fled after the con-
mission Of their crime. The offenders
were arrested and confined in tavern
by the officers who had them in cuslo-
dy, and who failed to convey them at
once to a place of security. In the
night the tavern was attacked by gang
OF DickinsoD's comrades, armed with
guns, the officer in command was com.
PEELED TO release his prisoners, and was
himself eased Of some loose change by
them in order that they might have
wherewithal 10 drink his health at the
bar. Dickinson and Briggs then prowl.
ed around the ncighborhood. commit.
ting various robberies, attended with
brutal violence, and became the dread
of the surrounding country. They
managed for some weeks to cludc the
vigilance Of the officers, shifting their
quarters from county TO county. Upon
one occasion they deliberately shot a
gamekeeper named Harrison, in the
back, because they had some spite
against the man. Their intended vic
tim recovered from his wounds.
In March, lSil, at a place about
nineteen miles east Of Clitheroe, called
Bakcup, the villains were guilty of an.
other disbolcal act. About three miles
from the village is hill, called Dirply
hill, on which was situated lonely Ia
vern, kept by James Simpson, his wife
and daughter, who were the only occu.
pants Of the house. A son, also named
james. lived n short distance from the
tavern. In the night time, on Sun.
day, Dickinson and Briggs. went to the
elder Simpsons dwelling, and, having
perempiorily demanded admission un.
der pretence of obtaining some refresh.
mcnts, they beat the old man in n bru.
ial manner, and proceeded to plum.
der the house. The daughter escaped
while the rufIians were endeavoring 10
throw her father down into a cellar,
and fed TO the sons house, who imme.
dia,cly proceeded TO the rescue. Young
Simpson was n powerful man, and he
grappled with Briggs, the larger of tho
robbers. and had well nigh overpower,
ed him, when Briggs called on Dickin,
son 10 fire. Dickinson then drew Q
pocket pistol and shot young Simpson
the bullet passing into his side. The
two ruilians then fled, leaving Simpson
for dead. The bullet was subsequent,
extracted, and the young mans liz,
was saved, although he was disabled fol
life. The hue and cry after the would
be murderers was then loud, and they
were compelled 10 take 10 the woods
Shortly afterwards they attacked n but
ier-dealer, who was on his road to mar,
kei, near kcigbtley. Yorkshire, and
shot him in the face. lie escaped from
them, however. before they succeeded
in robbine him. They were pursued
closely, night and day, aud fed to Man.
chester. Information being forwarded
10 the police Of that city, strict look
out was kept, and the fellows were
traced to Newton, lonely village OF
the borders Of York shire, Lancashire
and Cheshire. A trap was laid To catcl
the two together, but it failed and Briqg
nlone was Dickinson making
I good his escape 10 this country. Brigg'
was tried at Lancaster assizes, and hat
sentence OF death recorded against him
Z This sentence Was afterwards commut
ed to transportation for life, and he wa,
sen, TO Norfolk Island, one Of the wors
I penal settlements in the world. Tn,
warrant against Dickinson still remain,
in force. His career in this country
surprising him to be the man now know
as Parks familiar to all our readers
aud his last act, il he is found to b,
guilty, promises TO end his dcsparai,
I career.
Oar Informant gives Ne the following
description o. Dickinson; lie is abou
81 years Of age Stout built about hy,
feet seven in height sallow complex
ION we'll formed features has los
some of his front teeth, aud is yer,
slightly pilied with the smallpox hii
eycs and hair are dark IL !, a. Gun
ming ns a fox, and bis thoughts durin:
.