Norwich bulletin., 1914-06-15
FAMOUS TRIALS
TRIAL OF JONATHAN WILD.

We read a great deal about thie5- ing trusts in our days, and in a way look upon them as modern institu- tons. They have existed for cen- turies and tn various forms. More than 200 years ago there was formed in England what was known as sha thief trust" at the head of which was Jonathan Wild. Wild was unique in the business, being d thief who never stole; a business man with no visible employment a scoundrel who helped the law and man of the law who helped scoundrels. In these varied oc- equations his name became famous at the time. and has ever since remained synonym for villainy.
 Wild was born in 1882 He was a bucklemaker by trade, but a thief by profession He went to London as young man and lived life of dissipa- tion which quickly landed him in pris- on for debt. He remained there for four years and became acquainted with a number of the worst characters of London.
 When he emerged from jail. and with the knowlege he gained there, ne drew about him number of croo<s and started inthe business of thiev- ing, employing them to do the work, while he would receive the stolen goods. He hit upon a novel scheme. He would have his men steal the goods. and then he would hunt up the
 
 for stipulated sum. This worked admirably for a time, and Wild, as we'll as the thieves, found an abund- ance of profit in the scheme.
 By the world at large Wild was considered a clever detective, who was especially fortunate in tracting lost property. He managed to get the thieves wholly in his power, and by holding a threat over their heads he made the great army of crooks give him slavish obedience.
 When robbery became SO general parliament was forced to pass a law making it a felony for any one to take money On pretence of restoring stolen the thief. Wild was, by this time, sufficiently wealthy to have retired, but the spirit of graft was too strong for him. At last in 1725 he was ar rested. was tried and was sentenced to be hanged. He was apprehended at his house in the Old Bailey and was carried before Sir John Fryar. The charge against him was that for many years he had been a confederate with great number of highwaymen, pickpockets, house breakers, shop filters and other thieves"
 The trial was begun on Saturday. May IS, the previous day the prisoner having distributed among the jurymen considerable number of printed papers, entitled "A list of the persons discovered, appreheRded and convict ed of several robberies on the higa- way by Jonathan Wild"
 When the jury took their seats, and the prisoner was brought to the bar, the counsel for the king took notice of his extraordinary proceeding in the distribution of these circulars, stating that such practices were unwaTant- able, and not to be suffered in any court of justice as an effort to infiu- ence jury.
 The trial of Wild lasted fer num- Der of days and the most damaging evidence was brought against him, shoHing that he was the greatest ras- cal of the age and pne of the greatest and cleperest that had ever been ap- pEehended. He was found guilty and the death sentence was imposed upon him.
 The evening before the sentence was carried out Wild inquired how the noble Greeks and famous Romans, who slew themselves. came to be so glorious in history, and if seif-murder was crime His jailers gave him no opportunity for self-destruction. At the place of execution Wild, who had been till then half delirious by poison, began to recover and unite with the other criminals in the public prayers, as well as the tumult and the clamor which seemed to give them relief.
 It is not easy to express with what