Norwich bulletin., 1922-01-04
Famous Trials
THE GENTLEMAN HaeHwAYMAN


At certain periods trials had assum-
ed a fashionable function in England.
and it was not unusual during these
times to see large crowds of the most
respectable ladies present in court, and
they considered it an honor to testi-
fy for the prisoner if he was consid-
cred of some class; while others would
sit in the gallery and shed tears for
the accused, if he was handsome, or
well dressed, or there was a certain
amount of romance about him. and fire.
quently this conduct had a good effect
on the part of the jury, or upon those
who We're trying the criminal.
A strikingg instance of this was the
conduct the women at the trial of
James SMacLean.' The Gentleman
Highwayman," as, he was called, whose
trial occurred at the Old Bailey in
September, 1850, Lady Caroline Peter
ham gave EVIDENCE in the prisoners
behalf and the Honorable Miss Ashe
led a party of weeping ladies along
very much the same lines as the chief
rooter at a college football game leads
his band of students in the college
yells. Miss Ashe, at an effective mo-
ment would give the signal and all
her assistants would at once burst
into tears. His female admirers even
went SO far as to present him with a
purse of money.
What these women could have seen
in the rogue says the historian of Old
Bailey, is beyond explanation for sin
person he was of middle size, well
limbed, and with sandy complexion,
a broad, open countenance, pitted with
the smallpox. but though he was the
GENTLEMAN Higawayman,' and in his
dress and equipage, very much affect
ed the fine gentleman; yet to a man
acquainted with good breeding that
can distinguish it from impudence and
affectation, there was very little in his
address or behavior that could entitle
him to that character.
fThe Gentleman Highwayman" was
the son of SEcotch Presbyterian min
lister. He was well educated, but short
ly after the death of his father, he
spent what little money was left to
him and went to live in London. Here
he became acquainted With a number
of very loose characters. He married
a womaN with a small dover, but she
only lived a shcct time, and with the
money he inherited. he started as a
beau in the hope of gaining the
affection of some young lady of for
tune, and with a broken down abothe-
! cary named Plunket as his pseudo"
footman.
The matrimonial venture was not a
| success, and Plunket suggested the
| highway as a means of livelihood, and
| they were very successful for a time
In the course of his adventures he
met with the distinguished Horace
Walpole and robbed him The robber
/ T..
in which be appointed a meeting al
! Tyburn at Twelfth Night in order that
he might repurchase any trifes thai
he might value in the robbers pos
session.
On the 2sth Of June, 1880. Maclear
robbed the Earl of Eglinton. and par
Of the booty was afterwards found a
! his lodgings. His next victim was Sil
Thomas Robinson, then Mrs Talbot
etc He was finally taken when he triet
to dispose of a laced waistcoast to thu
man whoshad Just sold the lace.
WaIpole, who was present at hi
trial. wrote: His history is yer,
particular for he confesses everything
and is so little of a hero. that he criei
and bees for mercy. Maclean and hi
aceomplice Plunket had several lodg
ings in the fashionable part of Lon
don, and their faces are as wei
known about st. James as any gen
tlemen who live in that quarter
THE Gentleman Hiehwayman" wa
tried on Sept. 10 and cinvicted, an
was brought IN again on the 20tf
when he was sentenced TO death HI
fame had become so widely circulate
that the first Sunday after his condem
nation 1000 persons went TO see hir
in his cell at NeWgate and he fainte
twice on account of the excessive crust