5 See, for example, H.Fielding, An Enquiry into the causes of The Late Increase of Robbers, &c., London, 1751.
4 THE LIFE AND ACTIONS OF JAMES DALTON, (The noted Street-Robber.)
containing
All the Robberies and other Vil
lanies committed by him, both alone and
in Company, from his Infancy down to
his Assault on Dr. Mead.
WITH
A particular Account of his Run
ning away with the Ship when he was
first Transported; and likewise of the
Tricks he play’d in the West-Indies.
As taken from his own Mouth in his Cell
in Newgate.
LONDON;
Printed and sold by R.WALKER, next
Door to the Elephant and Castle, without
Temple-Bar.
(Price One Shilling.)
[p. iii]
TO THE READER.
THINGS of this Nature being generally pyrated, or false and spurious Ones impos’d upon the Publick, I thought it proper to let the World know, that this is the true and exact Account of my Life, which I have done to the utmost of my Memory: And notwithstanding several Persons, since my Condemnation, have been with me, endeavouring to obtain it from me, [p. iv] I solemnly declare that I have deliver’d it to none, nor any part of it, except to Mr. ROBERT WALKER, and for which I have received full Satisfaction.
From my Cell in New-
gate, May 1, 1730. Witness my Hand,
James Dalton.
[p. 5]
THE LIFE AND ACTIONS OF JAMES DALTON.
I was born in Cow-Cross, in the Parish of St. Sepulchres, in the Year 1700. My Parents were Persons in very indifferent Circumstances, and suffered under very great Misfortunes (whether equal to their Deserts I am not a Judge) that are not proper for me to mention.
Before their own Misfortunes, they put me to School to Mr. Cumberland in Cow Lane, and I being very unruly, my Master turn’d me out of the School; and then they put me to Mr. Groves in St. John’s-Lane, where I behaved myself very decent for a considerable time. After I left Mr. Groves, I [p. 6] went to School to Mr. Bingley in Fleet Lane, and remained in all at School about six Years.
While I was at Mr. Bingley’s, I broke open the Maid’s Box, and took out some Money; and it being dark I could not discern whether it was Gold, Silver, or Half-pence; but this Fact was soon found out, for I went immediately up to School, and sent one of my School-Fellows down to my Mistress (who kept a Chandler’s Shop) for a Rowl1 and Butter, and not minding the Money, gave him a Guinea and a Shilling instead of two Half-pence.
When I came to the Age of Eleven I got acquainted with several Butchers Apprentices, who carried me into the Company of Prostitutes; and one Day in particular I and two more of my Companions made an Agreement with three Whores to go to an Inn in the Evening and lie all Night, to which they consented, and some body at the Inn knowing us, went and acquainted my Parents and my Companions Masters of our being in Bed with three Women, who came immediately and charged a Constable with us, in order to send us all to New-Prison, but I had the good Fortune to make my Escape in our Journey thither.
My own Father having at this Time been executed some while, my Mother married a Butcher, and I went to live with my Father-in-Law to learn his Trade. [p. 7] They took a House in Red Lyon Ally in Cow-Cross, and kept a common Slaughter-House; and one Mr. Bonnil rented a Room in the House, and he keeping his Money in a Scrutore2 in his own Room, I found means to procure a Key that fitted the Lock, and went Partners with him about a Year before any Discovery was made. He mistrusted his Wife, and was minded (as he often said) to have murder’d her, imagining that she kept Company with other Men, and that she stole the Money to support her Extravagances; but upon his Wife’s assuring him to the contrary, and adding, at the same time, that she had a Mistrust of me, he resolved to lay a Trap to catch me in, which had its desired Effect, for he and I being in a Skittle-Ground at Play, I lost all my Money, and going to my old Bank I found Thirty Shillings, and it being put altogether I only took the upper Shilling, which was a Queen Anne’s, and which Mr. Bonnil had put their on purpose and marked it; then I going into the Skittle-Ground, laid a Bet with Mr. Bonnil, which I lost; and when I went to pay him, he discover’d the Shilling, and went home to satisfy himself; finding it to be his, he came back into the Skittle-Ground and seized me; but my Mother made him Satisfaction, and so that Affair ended.
Some Time after, this piece of Roguery reaching the Ears of my Father in Law, he and I parted; and an old Acquaintance of mine, that first carried me into the [p. 8] Company of Lewd Women, persuaded me to go and live with him at his Mother’s, which I did; and his Mother desiring me one Day to go of an Errand for her to Mr. Scott’s a Butcher, near Smithfield Bars, I went accordingly, and there stole a Silver-Spoon. I was not in the least suspected, and I often urged to Mr. Scott that it must be some of his own Servants, which caused him to have a Suspition of one of his Men, who they used to call Tata. The Fellow was taxed with it when I was present, and I was very pressing on him to make a Confession, but he persisting in his Innocence, the Affair was dropt, and no discovery was ever made.
Some short Time after this I went and lived with one Mr. Carter, a Hog-Merchant, where I remained several Months; but the Work being too hard for me, my Mind being fixed for a lazy Life, I came to my Mother, who took me and concealed me from my Father-in-Law; but some of the Neighbours informing him that I was in the House, he came one Morning into the Room where I lay before I was out of Bed, and bid me depart both his House and his Sight, and then went down Stairs into the Kitchen; upon which I dressed myself, and going down Stairs, I found his Bed Room Door open, and knowing the Drawer in which he kept his Money, I broke it open, and took out five Guineas and five Gold Rings, and so marched off, then falling in Company with two ill [p. 9] Women, I soon spent all the Money and made away with the Rings: After this I betook myself to live by my Wits; I first went into Fleetstreet to pick Pockets, but that not furnishing me with a sufficient Supply for myself and my two Wives, I went on the Sneak,3 and then I went and Lodged at one Oakey’s, who was accounted a famous Thief; and he being apprehended for a Robbery, and sent to Goal, I used to turn out and made Collections to support us all three, and lay every Night with his Wife.
Soon after this I ingratiated myself into the Company of one Mrs. Blauke, that kept an Ale-House in Golden-Lane, at whose House Samuel Fulsome, and William Field,4 (formerly Evidence against the famous Jack Sheppard, and Blueskin,5 who were both executed) resorted. Mrs. Blauke had five Daughters, four of which I was too familiar with. Fulsome, Field and I soon after our acquaintance discovered our Inclinations one to another, and went out with an Intent to steal; and Field, being the most expert Thief, he went into a Stocking Shop in the Old-Baily, and the People being backwards, brought out a large Parcel of Stockings, which he afterwards sold, and kept most of the Money himself.
The next Night, as Field, Fulsome and I were going cross West Smithfield, an old Man was crying Shrewsbury-Puddings; we [p. 10] went up to him and knocked him down, then led his Horse to the end of Long-Lane, where we took the Puddings out of the Basket and throwed them away, Pans and all, and sent the Horse to the Green-Yard; but the Man soon found out Field, and obtained a Warrant against him; so that the Money he got by the Stockings the Night before was expended in satisfying the old Pudding Man.
After this we took to robing the Cloisters; and being all three in Company, one Night stole twelve Dozen of Handkerchiefs, which we afterwards sold to one Ann Britton,6 that kept a House in Lewkener’s-Lane, near Drury-Lane.7 Mrs. Britton pretended to have a great Respect for me, and by persuasion I quitted my old Lodging, and took up a new one in her House; and then Field took an Opportunity of quarrelling with Fulsome and I, whereupon we parted.
Fulsome and I meeting one Night, soon after our Quarrel with Field, we agreed to pay our Visits to the Inhabitants in the Cloisters, with whom we dealt for sev
eral large Parcels of Goods. One Night in particular I happened to see a Maid-Servant coming out of one of the Houses with a Pot in her Hands, and as soon as she had quitted the Door, I lifted up the Latch and went in, and the first thing I laid my Hands on, was a Piece of Yard-wide Stuff,8 which I handed to Fulsome, and he made off with it; then [p. 11] I loaded myself with several Pieces of divers sorts of Silk, and made my Escape before the Maid returned. The Booty that I brought away with me, which I afterwards sold for 15 l. I concealed from my Companion; but had both the Honesty and Conscience to partake of the Booty that he carried off.
With this Money I purchased me a Suit of Clothes, and got acquainted with a Person that procured Husbands for unfortunate young Women. He told me that he had one at that Time, that was a Gentleman’s Daughter who lived in very good Repute, and that being big with Child, her Friends would not admit her into their Presence without the Sight of a Certificate; and that if I would only take the Trouble to go to Church and marry her, he would give me two Guineas for my Trouble; and upon my agreeing with his Desire, he sent for the Gentlewoman, and we went to St. Clement’s Church in the Strand, and were there married, my Acquaintance the Procuror performing the Part of the Father: After this we adjourned to the Tavern, where I was very handsomely entertained; and the Wine getting Influence over my Brains, I insisted on lying all Night with my Wife: A great many Arguments were made use of to persuade me to the contrary, but to no purpose; upon which a Quarrel ensued, and the Landlord coming to know the Reason of the Disturbance, I related the whole Affair to him; he immediately quitted the Room, and sent [p. 12] to the Church to know the Truth, which he was soon inform’d of; wherefore he took my part; and one of his Servants called a Coach, and my Wife and I went to the Bell-Inn in West-Smithfield, where we lay together all Night. One Thing made me somewhat uneasy when I awoke the next Morning sober, and that was, I had the Foul Disease, which I knew must in all Likelihood be communicated to her, therefore I arose and left her to pay for our Night’s Lodging.
A few Days after this, I met with Fulsome, who informed me that Field was apprehended for a Robbery, and committed to Newgate, and had made an Information against us; whereupon we took private Lodgings, and seldom came out in the Day time; but in an Evening, as soon as it was dark, we used to go out, in order to rob any body we met in the Streets; and one Night in particular we met with a Captain of the Foot-Guards in the Broad Way of St. Giles’s; I went up to him and bid him deliver his Watch, Money, Rings, &c. but he making Resistance, my Companion Fulsome came up and knock’d him down, then I rifled him, taking from him seven Guineas and some Silver, a Leaden Shilling, his Watch, Pocket Book (in which were several Bank-Notes) Sword, Hat and Wigg, and then left him. The Pocket-Book and Notes we burnt for fear of being discovered.9 The Watch and seven Guineas I concealed from my Companion, but the Silver, Hat, Wigg and Sword, we shared between us.
[p. 13]My Fellowman Fulsome being informed that several Persons were in pursuit of him, concealed himself from me, and went and worked privately at his own Trade, which was a Shoemaker; and then I got acquainted with one Thomas Lambert, who agreed to go a Snatching of Pockets in the Streets with me; and accordingly at Night we went into Holbourn, and he fixed his Eye upon a Woman, we followed her into Warwick-Court, where we pushed her down, and I pretending to lift her up again, stole away her Pocket, in which was a Gold Chain and some Silver; and the same Evening coming down Holbourn Hill we met another Woman whom I pushed against, in the Interim Snatched her Pocket off, which we never looked into till we went home to my Lodgings, and there I found a Gold Watch, Chain and Tweezer-Case and twenty three Guineas. We sold the Gold Watch, and Tweezer-Case, for twenty one Pounds; and going home to Lambert’s to make our selves merry, his Wife told me that she had a Wife in her Eye for me, and sent for her immediately; when she came I looked very much at her, and the more I looked the more I liked; so we were married, Lambert, performing both the Ceremoney, and the Part of the Father, and we all lived together.
The next Day after this, one Benjamin Speedman10 came to see Lambert and dined with us, he being then just returned from [p. 14] Transportation, and he talked mightily of his former Exploits; we took him with us at Night, and going into Kingstreet in Westminster, where I found means to get the Key out of the Pin of the Window after the Shop was shut up, in the Nighttime I enter’d it, and stole a great Parcel of Stockings and Gloves, which we carried to Hannah Britton, and sold them for 8l.
The next Day we went to Monmouth-Street, and bought Speedman some Second Hand Cloaths, and in the Evening went out as usual to seek after Business; and Speedman espying a large Cag11 of Anchovies that a Porter had brought out of an Oyl-Shop, and set it down at the Door while he went in again to fetch his Knot, I run away with it, and carried it to Hannah Britton’s, and my Companions both followed me. Then we loaded our Pistols which were but two, and went the same Night into Covent-Garden, where we attacked a Gentleman, and rifled him of his Watch, and about 30 s. in Money. Speedman having a great fancy to the Gentleman’s great Coat, would of all things have it by Violence, but I recommended to him to pray the Gentleman to lend him the Coat, and that he would return it the first Time he met him that Way again, upon which modest Application the Gentleman surrendered the Coat. The aforesaid Cag of Anchovies, Hannah Britton desired us to make her a Present of, which we did; and when we returned home after robbing the [p. 15] above mentioned Gentleman we had some of them for Supper; which she had the vile Concience to make us pay a Penny a Piece for.
The following Evening we went into Bloomsbury, with an Intent to break open a Pawn-Broker’s Shop, which Speedman had pitched upon in the Day Time; but a Gentleman and his Servant with a Portmantue behind him, passing by in the Interim, we left the Pawnbroker’s and attacked them, and took away the Portmantue. We immediately carried it to Hannah Britton’s and there opened it, and found in it three dozen of fine Shirts with Flanders Lace, two suits of Cloaths, three Tye-Wigs, a pair of Gold Buckles, and divers other Goods, altogether computed worth 100 l. We sold the whole Cargo, except two fine Shirts, that we reserved for each of us, to Mrs. Britton for 19. l. and the next Day, my Fellowman Speedman would be married, so Lambert was Parson, and I Father and Clark. There were two Ladies of the Town invited to the Wedding, besides Lambert’s Wife and mine; and Night being come, and we all both Drunk and Noisy, the Watch came and seized us, and confined us in the Round-House12 for that Night; and the next morning we were carried before the late Justice Ellis, who committed the Women to Tothill-Fields Bridewell, and discharged my Companions and I. We were very Industrious in our Business of thieving during the short Confinement our Fair-Ones [p. 16] laboured under; and at length, having got a considerable sum of Money, we procured sham Bail, and so got them released.
We spent several Days in sporting and revelling for Joy of having our Wives again; but Money beginning to be a little low with us, my Companions, Lambert, Speedman and myself went towards Gray’s-Inn, where we met a Woman with a great Bundle under her Arm, which we supposed to be some Councellor’s Linnen, wherefore we stopped her and took it from her, and carried it to Hannah Britton’s, and there opened it and found it to be nothing but course Towels. Then we went the same Night into Lincon’s-Inn Fieles, and there attacked three Men and robbed them of 20 s.
We retunred to Hannah Britton’s after we had committed this last mentioned Robbery; and she said, that she would advise us to take up a new Class of the thieving Trade, and that was to turn Housebreakers, which we agreed to; and she having provided us with Utensils for that Purpose, we made our first Experiment upon a Stocking Shop in St. Martins-Lane, from whence we took a Bag full of Stockings, a Silver Tea-Pot and all the Tea Equipage, with all the Money that was in the Till, and then returned to Hannah Britton’s and sold the Stockings to her for one part in five of the Value.
A short Time after this Robbery, our Companion Lambert was apprehended and [p. 17] committed to New-Prison, and made an Information against Speedman, myself, and Hannah Britton: She
was seized and committed to Newgate, and afterwards try’d at the Old Baily, and convicted upon Lambert’s Evidence, and was sentenc’d to be whipt at the Cart’s Tail from Holborn-Bars to St. Giles’s Pound, which Sentence she underwent accordingly. Speedman and I made off to Bristol; and it being the Time of that Fair, we employ’d ourselves in picking of Pockets; but Speedman being drunk one Night, I went and broke into a Shop in the Fair, and stole thence two Gold Rings, and a pair of Silver Buckles, but was taken by the Watch with the Things upon me, for which I was committed to Newgate in Bristol, where I remained till the next Assizes; and my Prosecutor being a Londoner that went down to keep the Fair, he did not appear against me, and so I was discharged.13
Speedman came the first five Days of my Confinement to see me; but then growing weary, he declined me and came up to London, where he was taken up upon Lambert’s Information, and was transported for the second Time.
When I came out of Bristol Jail, I immediately fell to my old Trade of snatching of Pockets; and having got a little Money by me, I thought it the best Way to come for London; and coming thro’ Brentford on a Market Day, I cut a Woman’s Pocket, and took from her near 18l. and then meeting [p. 18] with one John Mallard, I sent 10 l. to London by him, and then bought me a Great Coat and a Pair of Silver Buckles, and made the best of my Way for London. As I was coming over Turnham-Green I was stopt by two Soldiers, who demanded my Money; I soon began to expostulate the Case with them, telling them, that I was a Member of their Society, and talk’d all the Cant Language I was Master of, but all to no purpose, for they took my Great Coat, Buckles and Money, and then beat me very unmercifully: One of them was for tying me Neck and Heels, and throwing me into a Ditch; but the other not agreeing with him, they went and left me, and I proceeded to London, where getting the 10 l. that I had sent before by Mallard, I equipt myself again.
Drunks, Whores and Idle Apprentices: Criminal Biographies of the Eighteenth Century Page 14
