CHAPTER TEN.
I HELP TO HANG MY LATE BARGEMATE FOR HIS ATTEMPT TO DROWN ME--ONE GOODTURN DESERVES ANOTHER--THE SUBJECT SUDDENLY DROPPED AT NEWGATE--A YARNIN THE LAW LINE--WITH DUE PRECAUTIONS AND PREPARATIONS, THE DOMINIEMAKES HIS FIRST VOYAGE--TO GRAVESEND.
It was on the 7th of November, if I recollect rightly, that Fleming andMarables were called up to trial at the Old Bailey, and I was in thecourt, with Mr Drummond and the Dominie, soon after ten o'clock. Afterthe judge had taken his seat, as their trial was first on the list, theywere ushered in. They were both clean and well dressed. In Fleming Icould perceive little difference; he was pale, but resolute; but when Ilooked at Marables I was astonished. Mr Drummond did not at firstrecognise him--he had fallen away from seventeen stone to, at the most,thirteen--his clothes hung loosely about him--his ruddy cheeks hadvanished--his nose was becoming sharp, and his full round face had beenchanged to an oblong. Still there remained that natural good-humouredexpression in his countenance, and the sweet smile played upon his lips.His eyes glanced fearfully round the court--he felt his disgracefulsituation--the colour mounted to his temples and forehead, and he thenbecame again pale as a sheet, casting down his eyes as if desirous tosee no more.
After the indictment had been read over, the prisoners were asked by theclerk whether they pleaded guilty or not guilty.
"Not guilty," replied Fleming, in a bold voice.
"John Marables--guilty or not guilty?"
"Guilty," replied Marables--"guilty, my lord;" and he covered his facewith his hands.
Fleming was indicted on three counts;--an assault, with intent tomurder; having stolen goods in his possession; and for a burglary in adwelling-house, on such a date; but I understand that they had nearlytwenty more charges against him, had these failed. Marables wasindicted for having been an accessary to the last charge, as receiver ofstolen goods. The counsel for the crown, who opened the trial, statedthat Fleming, _alias_ Barkett, _alias_ Wenn, with many more _aliases_,had for a long while been at the head of the most notorious gang ofthieves which had infested the metropolis for many years; that justicehad long been in search of him, but that he had disappeared, and it hadbeen supposed that he had quitted the kingdom to avoid the penalties ofthe law, to which he had subjected himself by his enormities. Itappeared however, that he had taken a step which not only blinded theofficers of the police, but at the same time had enabled the gang tocarry on their depredations with more impunity than ever. He hadconcealed himself in a lighter on the river, and appearing in her as onediligently performing his duty, and earning his livelihood as an honestman had by such means been enabled to extend his influence, the numberof his associates, and his audacious schemes. The principal means ofdetection in cases of burglary was by advertising the goods, and thegreat difficulty on the part of such miscreants was to obtain a readysale for them--the receivers of stolen goods being aware that thethieves were at their mercy, and must accept what was offered. Now, toobviate these difficulties, Fleming had, as we before observed,concealed himself from justice on board of a river barge, which was madethe receptacle for stolen goods: those which had been nefariouslyobtained at one place being by him and his associates carried up anddown the river in the craft, and disposed of at a great distance, bywhich means the goods were never brought to light, so as to enable thepolice to recognise or trace them. This system had now been carried onwith great success for upwards of twelve months, and would, in allprobability, have not been discovered even now, had it not been that aquarrel as to profits had taken place, which had induced two of hisassociates to give information to the officers; and these two associateshad also been permitted to turn king's evidence, in a case of burglary,in which Fleming was a principal, provided that it was considerednecessary. But there was a more serious charge against the prisoner,--that of having attempted the life of a boy, named Jacob Faithful,belonging to the lighter, and who, it appeared, had suspicions of whatwas going on, and, in duty to his master, had carefully watched theproceedings, and given notice to others of what he had discovered fromtime to time. The lad was the chief evidence against the prisonerFleming, and also against Marables, the other prisoner, of whom he couldonly observe, that circumstances would transpire, during the trial, inhis favour, which he had no doubt would be well considered by hislordship. He would not detain the gentlemen of the jury any longer, butat once call on his witnesses.
I was then summoned, again asked the same questions as to the nature ofan oath, and the judge being satisfied with my replies, I gave myevidence as before; the judge as I perceived, carefully examining myprevious disposition, to ascertain if anything I now said was atvariance with my former assertions. I was then cross-examined by thecounsel for Fleming, but he could not make me vary in my evidence, Idid, however, take the opportunity, whenever I was able, of saying all Icould in favour of Marables. At last the counsel said he would ask meno more questions. I was dismissed; and the police-officer who hadpicked me up, and other parties who identified the various property astheir own, and the manner in which they had been robbed of it, wereexamined. The evidence was too clear to admit of doubt. The juryimmediately returned a verdict of guilty against Fleming and Marables,but strongly recommended Marables to the mercy of the crown. The judgerose, put on his black cap, and addressed the prisoners as follows. Thecourt was so still, that a pin falling might have been heard:--
"You, William Fleming, have been tried by a jury of your countrymen,upon the charge of receiving stolen goods, to which you have added themost atrocious crime of intended murder. You have had a fair andimpartial trial, and have been found guilty; and it appears that, evenhad you escaped in this instance, other charges, equally heavy, andwhich would equally consign you to condign punishment, were in readinessto be preferred against you. Your life has been one of guilt, not onlyin your own person, but also in abetting and stimulating others tocrime; and you have wound up your shameful career by attempting the lifeof a fellow-creature. To hold out to you any hope of mercy isimpossible. Your life is justly forfeited to the offended laws of yourcountry; and your sentence is that you be removed from this court to theplace from whence you came, and from thence to the place of execution,there to be hanged by the neck till you are dead; and may God, in hisinfinite goodness, have mercy on your soul!
"You, John Marables, have pleaded guilty to the charges brought againstyou; and it has appeared, during the evidence brought out on the trial,that, although you have been a party to these nefarious transactions,you are far from being hardened in your guilt." ["No, no!" exclaimedMarables.] "I believe sincerely that you are not, and much regret thatone who, from the evidence brought forward, appears to have been,previously to this unfortunate connection, an honest man, should nowappear in so disgraceful a situation. A severe punishment is, however,demanded by the voice of justice, and by that sentence of the law youmust now be condemned: at the same time I trust that an appeal to themercy of your sovereign will not be made in vain."
The judge then passed the sentence upon Marables, the prisoners were ledout of court, and a new trial commenced; while Mr Drummond and theDominie conducted me home. About a week after the trial, Flemingsuffered the penalty of the law; while Marables was sentenced totransportation for life, which, however, previous to his sailing, wascommuted to seven years.
In a few days the lighter returned. Her arrival was announced to me onefine sunny morning as I lay in bed, by a voice whose well-known notespoured into my ear as I was half dozing on my pillow:--
"Bright are the beams of the morning sky, And sweet the dew the red blossoms sip, But brighter the glances of dear woman's eye--
"Tom, you monkey, belay the warp, and throw the fenders over the side.Be smart, or old Fuzzle will be growling about his red paint.
"And sweet is the dew on her lip."
I jumped out of my little crib, threw open the window, the panes ofwhich were crystallised with the frost in the form of little trees, andbeheld the lighter just made fast
to the wharf, the sun shiningbrightly, old Tom's face as cheerful as the morn, and young Tomlaughing, jumping about, and blowing his fingers. I was soon dressed,and shaking hands with my barge-mates.
"Well, Jacob, how do you like the Old Bailey? Never was in it but oncein my life, and never mean to go again if I can help it; that was whenSam Bowles was tried for his life, but my evidence saved him. I'll tellyou how it was. Tom, look a'ter the breakfast; a bowl of tea this coldmorning will be worth having. Come, jump about."
"But I never heard the story of Sam Bowles," answered Tom.
"What's that to you? I'm telling it to Jacob."
"But I want to hear it--so go on, father. I'll start you. Well, d'yesee, Sam Bowles--"
"Master Tom, them as play with _bowls_ may meet with _rubbers_. Takecare I don't _rub_ down your hide. Off, you thief, and get breakfast."
"No, I won't: if I don't have your _Bowles_ you shall have no _bowls_ oftea. I've made my mind up to that."
"I tell you what, Tom; I shall never get any good out of you until Ihave both your legs ampitated. I've a great mind to send for thefarrier."
"Thanky, father; but I find them very useful."
"Well," said I, "suppose we put off the story till breakfast time; andI'll go and help Tom to get it ready."
"Be it so, Jacob. I suppose Tom must have his way, as I spoiled himmyself. I made him so fond of yarns, so I was a fool to be vexed.
"Oh, life is a river, and man is the boat That over its surface is destined to float; And joy is a cargo so easily stored, That he is a fool who takes sorrow on board.
"Now I'll go on shore to master, and find out what's to be done next.Give me my stick, boy, and I shall crawl over the planks a little safer.A safe stool must have three legs, you know."
Old Tom then stumped away on shore. In about a quarter of an hour hereturned, bringing half-a-dozen red herrings.
"Here, Tom, grill these sodgers. Jacob, who is that tall old chap, withsuch a devil of a cutwater, which I met just now with master? We arebound for Sheerness this trip, and I'm to land him at Greenwich."
"What, the Dominie?" replied I, from old Tom's description.
"His name did begin with a D, but that wasn't it."
"Dobbs?"
"Yes, that's nearer; he's to be a passenger on board of us, going downto see a friend who's very ill. Now, Tom, my hearty, bring out thecrockery, for I want a little inside lining."
We all sat down to our breakfast, and as soon as old Tom had finished,his son called for the history of Sam Bowles.
"Well, now you shall have it. Sam Bowles was a shipmate of mine onboard of the Greenlandman; he was one of our best harpooners, and agood, quiet, honest messmate as ever slung a hammock. He was spliced toas pretty a piece of flesh as ever was seen, but she wasn't as good asshe was pretty. We were fitting out for another voyage, and his wifehad been living on board with him some weeks, for Sam was devilishspoony on her, and couldn't bear her to be out of his sight. As we'spected to sail in a few days, we were filling up our complement ofmen, and fresh hands came on board every day.
"One morning, a fine tall fellow, with a tail as thick as a hawser, cameon board and offered himself; he was taken by the skipper, and went onshore again to get his traps. While he was still on deck I went below,and seeing Sam with his little wife on his knee playing with hislove-locks, I said that there was a famous stout and good-looking fellowthat we should have as a shipmate. Sam's wife, who, like all women, wasa little curious, put her head up the hatchway to look at him. She putit down again very quick, as I thought, and made some excuse to goforward in the eyes of her, where she remained some time, and then, whenshe came aft, told Sam that she would go on shore. Now, as it had beenagreed that she should remain on board till we were clear of the river,Sam couldn't think what the matter was; but she was positive, and goaway she did, very much to Sam's astonishment and anger. In theevening, Sam went on shore and found her out, and what d'ye think thelittle Jezebel told him?--why, that one of the men had been rude to herwhen she went forward, and that's why she wouldn't stay on board. Samwas in a devil of a passion at this, and wanted to know which was theman; but she fondled him, and wouldn't tell him, because she was afraidthat he'd be hurt. At last she bamboozled him, and sent him on boardagain quite content. Well, we remained three days longer, and thendropped down the river to Greenwich, where the captain was to come onboard, and we were to sail as soon as the wind was fair. Now, this finetall fellow was with us when we dropped down the river, and as Sam wassitting down on his chest eating a basin o' soup, the other man takesout a 'baccy pouch of seal-skin;--it was a very curious one, made out ofthe white and spotted part of a young seal's belly. `I say, shipmate,'cries Sam, `hand me over my 'baccy pouch. Where did you pick it up?'
"`Your pouch!' says he to him; `I killed the seal, and my fancy girlmade the pouch for me.'
"`Well, if that ain't cool! you'd swear a man out of his life, mate.Tom,' says he to me, `ain't that my pouch which my wife gave me when Icame back last trip?'
"I looked at it, and knew it again, and said it was. The tall fellowdenied it, and there was a devil of a bobbery. Sam called him a thief,and he pitched Sam right down the main hatchway among the casks. Afterthat there was a regular set-to, and Sam was knocked all to shivers, andobliged to give in. When the fight was over, I took up Sam's shirt forhim to put on. `That's my shirt,' cried the tall fellow.
"`That's Sam's shirt,' replied I; `I know it's his.'
"`I tell you it's mine,' replied the man; `my lass gave it to me to puton when I got up this morning. The other is his shirt.'
"We looked at the other, and they both were Sam's shirts. Now when Samheard this, he put two and two together, and became very jealous anduneasy: he thought it odd that his wife was so anxious to leave the shipwhen this tall fellow came on board; and what with the pouch and theshirt he was puzzled. His wife had promised to come down to Greenwichand see him off. When we anchored, some of the men went on shore--amongothers the tall fellow. Sam, whose head was swelled up like a pumpkin,told one of his shipmates to say to his wife that he could not come onshore, and that she must come off to him. Well, it was about nineo'clock, dark, and all the stars were twinkling, when Sam says to me,`Tom, let's go on shore; my black eyes can't be seen in the dark.' Aswe hauled up the boat, the second mate told Sam to take his harpoon-ironon shore for him, to have the hole for the becket punched larger. Awaywe went, and the first place, of course, that Sam went to, was the housewhere he knew that his wife put up at, as before. He went upstairs toher room, and I followed him. The door was not made fast, and in wewent. There was his little devil of a wife, fast asleep in the arms ofthe tall fellow. Sam couldn't command his rage, and having theharpoon-iron in his hand, he drove it right through the tall fellow'sbody before I could prevent him. It was a dreadful sight: the mangroaned, and his head fell over the side of the bed. Sam's wifescreamed, and made Sam more wroth by throwing herself on the man's body,and weeping over it. Sam would have pulled out the iron to run herthrough with, but that was impossible. The noise brought up the peopleof the house, and it was soon known that murder had been committed. Theconstable came, Sam was thrown into prison, and I went on board and toldthe whole story. Well, we were just about to heave up, for we hadshipped two more men in place of Sam, who was to be tried for his life,and the poor fellow he had killed, when a lawyer chap came on board withwhat they call a _suppeny_ for me; all I know is, that the lawyerpressed me into his service, and I lost my voyage. I was taken onshore, and well fed till the trial came on. Poor Sam was at the bar formurder. The gentleman in his gown and wig began his yarn, stating thathow the late fellow, whose name was Will Errol, was with his own wifewhen Sam harpooned him.
"`That's a lie!' cried Sam; `he was with my wife. False papers! Hereare mine;' and he pulled out his tin case, and handed them to the court.
"The judge said that this was not the way to try people and that Sammust hold his tongu
e; so the trial went on, and at first they had it alltheir own way. Then our turn came, and I was called up to prove whathad passed, and I stated how the man was with Sam's wife, and how he,having the harpoon-iron in his hand, had run it through his body. Thenthey compared the certificates, and it was proved that the littleJezebel had married them both; but she had married Sam first, so he hadthe most right to her; but fancying the other man afterwards, shethought she might as well have two strings to her bow. So the judgedeclared that she was Sam's wife, and that any man, even without theharpoon in his hand, would be justified in killing a man whom he foundin bed with his own wife. So Sam went scot-free; but the judge wouldn'tlet off Sam's wife, as she had caused murder by her wicked conduct; hetried her a'terwards for _biggery_, as they call it, and sent her overthe water for life. Sam never held up his head a'terwards; what withhaving killed an innocent man, and the 'haviour of his wife, he wasalways down. He went out to the fishery, and a whale cut the boat intwo with her tail; Sam was stunned, and went down like a stone. So yousee the mischief brought about by this little Jezebel, who must have twohusbands, and be damned to her."
"Well, that's a good yarn, father," said Tom, as soon as it wasfinished. "I was right in saying I would hear it. Wasn't I?"
"No," replied old Tom, putting out his large hand, and seizing his sonby the collar; "and now you've put me in mind of it, I'll pay you offfor old scores."
"Lord love you, father, you don't owe me anything," said Tom.
"Yes, I do; and now I'll give you a receipt in full."
"O Lord! they'll be drowned," screamed Tom, holding up both his handswith every symptom of terror.
Old Tom turned short round to look in the direction, letting go hishold. Tom made his escape, and burst out a-laughing. I laughed also,and so at last did his father.
I went on shore, and found that old Tom's report was correct--theDominie was at breakfast with Mr Drummond. The new usher had charge ofthe boys, and the governors had allowed him a fortnight's holiday tovisit an old friend at Greenwich. To save expense, as well as toindulge his curiosity, the old man had obtained a passage down in thelighter. "Never yet, Jacob, have I put my feet into that which floatethon the watery element," observed he to me; "nor would I now, but that itsaveth money, which thou knowest well is with me not plentiful. Manydangers I expect, many perils shall I encounter; such have I read of inbooks; and well might Horace exclaim--`_Ille robur et aes triplex_,'with reference to the first man who ventured afloat. Still doth MrDrummond assure me that the lighter is of that strength as to be able toresist the force of the winds and waves; and, confiding in Providence, Iintend to venture, Jacob, `_te duce_.'"
"Nay, sir," replied I, laughing at the idea which the Dominie appearedto have formed of the dangers of river navigation, "old Tom is the_Dux_."
"Old Tom; where have I seen that name? Now I do recall to mind that Ihave seen the name painted in large letters upon a cask at the tavernbar of the inn at Brentford; but what it did intend to signify I did notinquire. What connection is there?"
"None," replied I; "but I rather think they are very good friends. Thetide turns in half-an-hour, sir; are you ready to go on board?"
"Truly am I, and well prepared, having my habiliments in a bundle, myumbrella and my great-coat, as well as my spencer for general wear. Butwhere I am to sleep hath not yet been made known to me. Peradventureone sleepeth not--`_tanto in periculo_.'"
"Yes, sir, we do. You shall have my berth, and I'll turn in with youngTom."
"Hast thou, then, a young Tom as well as an old Tom on board?"
"Yes, sir; and a dog, also, of the name of Tommy."
"Well, then, we will embark, and thou shalt make me known to this triadof Thomases. `_Inde_ Tomos _dictus locus est_.' (_Cluck, cluck_.)Ovid, I thank thee."
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