On the 19th of May, in the evening, Sheppard, with another robber, named Benson, was passing through Leicester-fields, where a gentleman stood accusing a woman with an attempt to steal his watch. A mob was gathered about the disputants. Sheppard’s companion got in among them, and picked the gentleman’s pocket in earnest of his watch. The scene was now changed from an attempted robbery to a real one: and in a moment ensued an outcry of “Stop thief!” Sheppard and Benson took to their heels; but Sheppard was seized by a sergeant of the guard at Leicester-house, crying out “Stop thief!” with much earnestness. He was conveyed to St. Ann’s round-house, in Soho, and kept secure till the next morning, when Edgworth Bess came to visit him, who was seized also. They were carried before Justice Walker, when the people in Drury Lane and Clare-market appeared, and charged them with the robberies before-mentioned; but Sheppard pretending to impeach certain accomplices, the justices committed them to the New Prison, with an intent to have them removed to Newgate, unless there came from them some useful discoveries. Sheppard was now a second time in the hands of justice; but how long he intended to keep in them the reader will soon be able to judge.
He and his mate were now in a strong and well-guarded prison, himself loaded with a pair of double links, and bazils of about 14lb. weight, and confined together in the safest apartment, called Newgate ward.
[Sheppard making his escape from the condemned hole.]
Sheppard, conscious of his crime, and knowing the information he had made to be but a blind scheme, that would avail nothing, began to meditate an escape. They had been thus detained four days, when their friends, having the liberty of seeing them, furnished Jack with implements proper for his design; accordingly he went to work, and, on the 25th of May, being Whitsunday, at about two o’clock in the morning, completed a practicable breach, and sawed off his fetters; having, with unheard of diligence and dexterity, cut off an iron bar from the window, and took out a mutin or bar, of the most solid oak, about nine inches in thickness, by boring it through in many places, with great skill and labour.—They had still twenty-five feet to descend. Sheppard fastened a sheet and blankets to the bars, caused madam to take off her gown and petticoat, and sent her out first. She being more corpulent than himself, it was with great difficulty he got her through the opening; but, on observing his directions, she was instantly down, more frightened than hurt. Out hero followed, and lighted with ease and pleasure. But where are they now?—Why, escaped out of one prison into another. The reader is to understand that the New Prison and Clerkenwell Bridewell lie contiguous to each other, and that Sheppard and Bess got into the yard of the latter, where they had a wall of 22 feet high to scale before their liberty was perfected. Sheppard, far from being unprepared to surmount this difficulty, had his gimblets and piercers ready, and made a scaling-ladder. While the keepers and prisoners of both places were asleep in their beds, he mounts with his lady, and in less than ten minutes gets over the wall with her, completing his liberation. His escape from the condemned hole in Newgate made a far greater noise in the world than that from the New Prison; and it has been allowed by all the gaol-keepers, in London, that one so extraordinary was never before performed in England. The broken chairs and bars are kept at the New Prison to testify the fact and preserve the memory of the villain.
[The Law Stationer imploring Sheppard not to rob him.]
The next evening, alone, he entered the house of a Law Stationer, in the same street, who went down upon his knees, and implored him not to rob him. Sheppard, however, laughed at him for a fool; and, giving him a kick, which made him senseless, robbed the house of all he could lay his hands on. The next crime Sheppard and his companions committed was to rob Mr. Kneebone, near the New Church, of property to the value of £300, for which he was a short time after taken, by a domestic of Jonathan Wild, tried, and sentenced to death. Being taken to the condemned hole, Sheppard once more contemplated escape; and, having got implements, by some means, for that purpose, he affected it on the very evening that the warrant for his execution came from Windsor.
He had not been many days at liberty, before he wrote the two following letters; and, dressing himself, at night, like a porter, went to Mr. Applebee’s house, in Blackfriars, who at that time printed what are termed the dying speeches of the persons executed, and left them with his maid-servant:—
“Mr. Applebee,—