Hunt's Account Of The Las...
The Times, 1824-01-27T00:00:00

LOn the authority of Alr. ktarmer. I W'hiTe we were upon our trial, Thurtel treated rte ery dis. tantly and when his brother was giving bisevidence, I ld no: help expressing my astonisbment at his attributing ta me the ei- pressions which John ThurteD himself had- used, respecting outr being " Ttrpin lAds." I said, "'(;nod God! here's work." John. replied-" Yes, don't alarm yourself, you'll have more work of it presentl_-we have not half done with you yet." But when he af terwards, in addressing the jury, wanted to lay the wvhole crime on me and Probert, I was lost in astonishment, aud every tbing ap. peared enveloped in mist ; but I shall never forget his horrid ex- pression of countenance when he spoke of Barber Beaumont and :Uir. Springfield-I was really frightened to look at hin. I Directly we left the bar, Thurtell addressed me in the most friendly and farailiar manner, and, shaking me by the hand, said, "It's aU up, Joe, we must now make the best of it, and bebave: manfully. I forgive you of every thing wvith all my heart." As we Cane alon.g back iu the chaise, Thurtell asked MIr. Willson lif vie swere not to be executed in the gravel-pit opposite the gaol ?" lMr. WVillson answered, " he believed so."-` Then (said Thurtell) I hope you will have two half hundred weights to my legs, and a goodl fall, so that I may die instantly." I was greatly depressed, and told biwi not to talk so. Thurtell replied,' "Don't tellftne, olI fellow-what's tie use of repinin ? I hope you will meet iorr fifte like a mlan, as I shall do. I ani prepared now, as I told theiejudge to-night, and the sooner tie busine&s is over, the better." While we were on our way, Thurtell expressed sa great desire t' have some refreshment, and addressing Mr. Willson. said, " I hope you iviU be able to give us something to eat, for I ain almost fa- mished." Air. 'ilson replied, that it was against thelawto allov ani thing bht bread and- water, and that a gaoler, wouhl be liable to lose his situation, and forfeit 1001., if he broke through tbe rule. Thurtell said, "sI hope, old fellow, rvou will maniage toget sosnetlhins betterthantbat." iMr. WillaRo said. hewoildtrywhat-be ouald dlo when begot up tot heprison, andthedustsay the sheriffhwould net be very strict in obeving-the law. After we had beenirid-aly furnishcl with some refreSlimentby Vr.Willson,j was confinedin one cel anft Thurtell in another. Throughout the night of Wednesday 1 was inx great distress and anguish of mind, as I fuUy expected that -I wag to sudfer on the Friday morning with ThurtelU; but early in the net day, Mv. Willson told me he believed I was not then to be executed. About 12 o'clock on Thursday, lr. WViLson came to telI mne thatThu-rtell wished toe to be in the satane cdl with hirmn; anT I acconliogly went. On entering hinceil, I fobund him talking with Mr. Sutton, the Sigh Sheriff, and wvith Alr. Franklitir. 3Ur. Sutton. told me that Titmrte)l was perfectly reconciled to me, and wished me to be so with him; and Thurtell came and shook hands with me, and said, ".1 do freely forgive youi, Joe; but 1 have noone to thauk for this buat you." WVe were together at the condemned sermon on. Thursday, and while in the pew I was greatl affiected. Thurtell endeavoured to' sooth me; but at the sanie time said, " Hunt, you brought it all upon yourself: if you had not told where thie body was; these corald have been no trial, and we should have been safe." I answered, " It was to be so, and it cannot be helped; and if it had not then been diuilged, it must have come out at some other time." Inthe course uf the aftemoon and evening, Thurte1l talked a good deal about the trial, and said to Mr. Willson, "1 If it had taken place at the Old Bailey, we mutt both have been acquitted; for who could be- lieve a word that Probert swore, after his stating that Hust told him where to set him down, when it was well known that Hunt was never there in his life? this ought to have been enough to bave acquitted us." Thurtell also said to me, " If I had known as much when the-trial was first to have conid on, as I do Dow, I would have asked lA. armer toletNou say that I was innocent, and that You and Probers did the murder; ad I am sure Mr. Harmer would have consented, becautseif I lid been cleared, you must have been acquitted, and bPwbertonlv would have suffer- ed." He several tmes declred, that he wotld not chauge situa- ionus with Probert, because his sufferings would soon be at an eid; but Probert must lead a life of -wretchedness. In course of tonver. sation, Tlurtell tolI Mr. Wilson that if he bad been acqaittd, end obtained his liberty, there was one man whom he should certainly have destroyed; but he wouldforbtar mentioning the name lr. Vilison said, "Then it is much beter as it is, because you.would. only have been more deeply in crime." 'hurseli answered" yes hais it is, and I am satisfied." : - In the course of the evening, Tliurtell told several anecA4.te.?about Probert and his associates, particularly lawyer _and Mr ff., among otbers, he said, that Probert and these two pelsons weYe- in the jigger at Gill's-hilL; thlat it was a most successful business, for they were getting 3001. a-week when the fo1owving'accdental cir. cumstance brol-e it up,:-Tlie man who set np the still, and vworked it, passed as Pmobert'sgarduher; and from his vorkingoccasionally in the gardeti, and wearing a suitable dress, every body its the neigh_ bourhood supposed' be vwas the character which he assumed, im. til one evening he went ti a public.hotise to smoke- his pipe, wbere there happened to be, two excise-ofricers, who knewe him to be an old haudt at . private stilas,nd they direcnlv asked where he lived ?F As 'thss question was in the bearing of tlie pablicau, be could -not disguse ' the iicf -and h&therefore said, "I have left ofT the old trade, and have gone tonMY own business', and am living as gardiaer to Mr. Probert,' at Gill's.hill Cottav e.", The excise-officers appeaTed satisfied with this -eplana. ton, gut the nian went home as e3ptditiously'as possible. ind cont maunicated'w'bat had occurred.' heO. expecting that they miF be soon: faVoured with a visit, they Uset to vwork, and removed avery VeStige OZIFle wegraL'AINLm .J"'k" 'too Tinoring,' sure enough, the officers aime, but found_tbey i e Ate, and-got notliihig fortehetrjo'u'r.Ie-Y. In the course oifAtheven- ink, Thuirtell rend to meand- the iPNPeev who were s-tting upT~ith ihm, andl about, one o'clok- lh~-jirepared t%gt tot beA, :before' he wvent tosleep, he asqked rito rczd-to hinithe LodlsiPr'ay~r, whilch [did, aTnh-hthen felinto.a ound-repose..arnd Aitbough there--was accasionally a considerbenI e in the 1ownj and ev,r qtime moved or turnied, Iny fetr hail a$ great clifnk, he did n@iawake oiutright;,-but only now and'thin.wbillelI was lying bybhis eide crying, he muitered out in a-low tone," I God bsyoi o,Ihope"you will be saved."' IAbout seven o'clockk Mr.. WilseOn catne into~ the cell- with, some, breald'at.:and Thurtell was then so quLnd aileep, -that Mfr Wi%fliSoa was obligfed to chake hirm by, die an" two or three -ities befo-re he awo'ke. 51r. FrankLlin, the orITDInay, came soon aft wiaids Bud assiated him in his iehigious. duties, but when Mr, Ranldin:_iro- pose .-~ rad ray4's ThjUrael said he wo-ald with fhl- Ue masn'sLpermistion renad themd blunielf and he -end.,~neinio-ud raost 'be Atfhl ."Ate iwe haa -take-a' the eld'b ajat' f anlour )b~fre'he went. ont- tD sufli, TUftel sad tbiUr.Wilisri, "-hbayt one moral fathilir to sequest o`f ,ab~ if' ~a ~anobi~ Alf'; M VAihiOllo iskid *hat itiwas.? !arteu sidd "?l bt~o Mel 'm h6Y fhe great: fght terrnuiatel&!V~ Mr. Wilso sid-l~'dd oti \~ ut~eoMwOgo'out-and inquire; he dd s, adunhisretrn e.sId~"t b" been_ haic hed.oght gren del puisled~but lh& has,w hWl t"O -* , Thtrtell said,"I am gAd t4; -Goa leas hinhhesa otfinof mine." Inabout f iive,intcs aIter -this,teUie.b?t'eil into tlie cel nd hesaid he w&s 0eit1!ed.-sw eruakn~t Place oxecufion,-ThurW1l said "'ycourage -isa notlrse meu to this momeh't ;"-,and.the saighis bhaal at rae, -b1 ad "Joe Joe, 5you shbuld hive kept your own Icuniid- andteni woul not have beentbus!" We were nbwnear thehlt dorbi. he had to pass to aseend.the scaffldlt, and J, in the greetiti affliction, took his handl to bid bima final farewell.; he. received'~ imyhandI in one of' his, and liftinig up the other as high 5 'the hatdcuiks w~oujd 'permnit he clapped It down upon mo -rse hn~ an ressin I ferventlv, he sad, "o ls o,odflo,Ihp o wlb saved !" T pretsse i ad om is n a ota ih agony, an4 shouldhaesk n ntegonidntlrWi- son and soznigentlenetkxd~cm oi sltic.A Mkr. Hzrmer ha esince it yseaymortongi - If LN7's ACCOUATT OF TlH LAST MUOMBENTS OP THIUJ TEBLL.