Regency Crime and Punishment: A Young Highwayman

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HIGHWAYMAN. On Friday morning, the 3th inst. a youth the name William Hawkins, about seventeen years of age, the nephew, and in the employ of his uncle, a respectable liquor-dealer in the neighbourhood of Holborn, was brought before James Read, charged with several highway roooe"es - •,? , into those pratfices from fashionable in '* tc company. William t»yling, of No. 51, Bank-side, Southwark, stated, that oil Thursday evening, between six and seven o'clock, he was going along the road from Hampstead to Highgate, in a single horse chaise, accompanied by a lady, he was stopped a man horseback, whom he was positive was the prisoner ; who, when he stopped him, called him to surrender; and, at the same time, presented a pistol his breast: this rather alarmed him, but he could not think the prisoner in earnest, being mere boy, and therefore asked him what he meant! the prisoner replied " Your money immediately," which induced the witness to take out of his pocket his canvas bag, containing two one pound bank notes, seven shilling piece, and two dollars, and deliver it to the prisoner ; but when the prisoner took it, he said, he was a very poor young man, and that he had no money to pay his way on the road ; the prisoner then gave him back one of the dollars and the bag, a y his cxpences upon the road. that Fnr " farmer ' evening a bale before seven tk > Gatehouse, Mr. Hamilton came to him there, in singlehorse chaise, with a lady in his company, and said he had been attempted be robbed the Caen Wood-lone, leading from Hampstead to } upon which he, with gentleman the name of Bass, went on horseback, all possible speed, in pursuit of the robber and in Collin Deep lane, near Hendon, they overtook the prisoner, who was riding very slowly towards the Edgeware-road, company with a livery servant, WilKara Foster, servant to Captain Cox; 2nd judging from the description he received from Mr. Hamifton, the robber, he had no doubt of the prisoner being the man lie stopped him, and told his suspicions. The prisoner made jonie resistance, and told the witness he had no right to stop him On the highway; but he persisted, took him into custody, and proceeded search him, when found two loaded pistols in his coat pockets. Bridgen, one of the horse patrole belonging to the office, stated, that having heard of the robbery, went in pursuit the robber, and came to him, just as the last witness was beginning to search bim finished it; and found in the inside of his pantaloons, near the knee, a metal watch; in his pockets purse, containing two one pound bank notes, a dollar, and sixpence a smelling-bottle, filled with gunpowder a leaden bullet, and various other articles. As he was bringing him from the House of Correction yesterday morning, the prisoner told him, he took the; watch found upon him, together with three seven-shilling pieo s, from gentleman, lane near Barnet, on Monday or Tuesday afternoon last, about three o'clock. He confessed that he had stopped two women at the same time, in that neighbourhood, but that he did not rob them of any thing. Heatsoaeknow, ledged having stopped lady and gentleman, in a chaise, on Thursday evening, in a lane near Lord Mansfield's, from whom he took the two one-pound bank notes found him, two seven! shilling pieces, and some silver; but returned them five shillings. Samuel Hamilton, of the Chapter Coffee-House, St. Paul's Church-yard, said, that Thursday evening, between seven una eight o'clock, as was returning home in a gig, along Caen Woodlane, accompanied by a lady, driving slowly, he observed young man coming towards him on horseback, who, as he was approaching them, said, "stop!" bethought he wanted to ask some question, and, therefore stopped, and asked the young man what he said ? who immediately replied, " deliver." The witness said, " what tor!" He not delivering, the young man presented pistol, which flashed in the pan, and while bt- was priming it again, the witness took the opportunity cutting him in the face with his whip, and drove off full speed- The robber pursued few yards, but soon tu back towards Hampstead. The witness being asked as to his knowledge of the prisoner, said, he was neai sighted* much so, was obliged to use a glass, and declined identifying the person of the pnsoaer, or the pistols that were found upon him. The magistrates committed him for further examination until Monday next. The prisoner was dressed in coat and waistcoat, blue pantaloons and boots, and wore Belcher handkerchief. had every appearance of young gentleman.

The story appeared in Chester Courant on Tuesday, 19 August 1806.

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