Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1921-12-08
Famous Trials
JACK SHEPPARD

JON Sheppard. commonly known as
Jack IS the most picturesque figure ~
English criminal history OF poor BIZ
honest ica-ents who left him an orpta a
when quite young Jack followed a caraer
that was as rrnarkable as il was daring
ard fral!y W-:und up suspended upon :
9i-f5et. at Ty5u-n 1T the youthful age "
81
The first theft of this price o.
thieves was that of two spoons and
shortly af erwards. by his own con fes
son Il fell to robbi-g almost every
that Stood in my way" In Arril 1924,
owing to tho treacllcry IF lis brother. IN
ether associates he was committed to st
Giles Roundh- use from which he s!SiEal!.'
made his escape.
Like adv nture7 Of unrarolle'ed cool
ness and impfudenc4 fo'lowe1 in qJi-k
succession. and on Whit Monday May 81
1924 he lr Ike out of New Prison Hi'
escape Involved getting rid of new irons
Gu tirg through a double grill OF new
oakep and iron bars. descending - fee
by means OF sheet and blanket. and the1
scaling q wall of % fc~t, wiaich h SIR
mounted with q companion on his back.
| Shortly he vas again a. preh erde4
| through tie betrayal Of THE celebrated
receiver of stol.n goods iona han Wild.
Sheppard was trie1 at the Old Faiov
hcfore Jrs ice Blackberry. on Aug. IA.
1124. ana con termed to 6e0th. II WAS
! tt:ad u7on Fro ind I'M mt s vera
! other pros rnutinne rio',t rave b, en-
brought ar,inst him. but this was tho'isI
sufficient 10 rd he Nor of 50 capi.:=l an
Offender. He Me@yed ca ncstv fer rams
srtstion to the most extreme part OF His
Ma 'est''s domirfonS. H. plead ID youth
| and Srorapca as the motive that nal
pr9ci ,it1tr1 him INTO tie guilt; but the
court. deaf TO his irnpor unitias, gaye him
- satisfactory answer.
The da.e set f,~ Vie o-ocnt:2- w. Eli
day. SPIT l. Only several days befo7
that cate h. was in le L, 81 tpe
and vas ne reca>tr~e' Ut S :. 10
whrn be VS. ta'5e1 h'~ll II - ca-' n
chained down to the floor This they fe
| was not sufficient s sur. s. IL wa
taken TO a dungeon known as the Cestle
where h. was chained to heavy ron bars
Now it was thought that he was beyon
al possible chance of escaaa. On the St
lof Oo,ober, however, when his keeper Wis
tied bis cell he beheld almost cartloa'
of bricks and rubbish about the room
and the prisoner gone Six great doors
one of which had not been open for seye1
wears were forced and found ajar, h
|
the main hall and stairway.
lie wro.e his j2ilers a polite letter an
at once took to stealing again. He was ap
pretended on Nov 10 and was a one
carried 10 the Kings Bench Bar at Wost
minister where the record of his convic
ton was read and it was ordered that ii
be hung on Monday. /.
The day came. but Jack had still som
hope of eluding justice. One of his pro
jects was that as soon as his body wa
cut down his companion should take
and cut IT in warm bed and bleed him
for he believed If such care were take
: they might bring him to life again.
Sheppard was hanged at Tyburn o
Monday, Nov. Is 1724 He died wit
great difficulty. When he had hung abou
t a quarter of an hour his body was Gu
down by soldier and delivered to hi
friends, but insted of CRYING out hi
suggestions they buried him.
Sheppard was for considerable tim
the common subject Of conversation
Several different histories of his life wer
f published at the tirRs. His portrait wa
S painted by no less a distinguished arts