第34章 A MODEL FOR MR HOGARTH(7)

I was taken in the manner the witnesses have sworn, and carried to the watch-house, from whence I was sent to the Compter, and so toNewgate.I own that I said the tankard was mine, and that it was left me by my mother: several witnesses have swore what account I gave of the tankard being bloody; I had hurt my finger, and that was the occasion of it.I am sure of death, and therefore have no occasion to speak anything but the truth.When I was in the Compter I happened to see a young man whom I knew, with a fetter on.I told him I was sorry to see him there, and I gave him a shilling, and called for half a quartern of rum to make him drink.I afterwards went into my room, and heard a voice call me, and perceived something poking behind the curtain.I was a little surprised, and looking to see what it was, I found a hole in the wall, through which the young man I had given the shilling to spoke to me, and asked me if I had sent for my friends.I told him no.He said he would do what he could for me, and so went away; and some time after he called to me again, and said, `Here is a friend.'

One Bridgewater.

I looked through, and saw Will Gibbs come in.Says he, `Who is there to swear against you?' I told him my two masters would be the chief witnesses.`And what can they charge you with?' says he.I told him the tankard was the only thing, for there was nothing else that I thought could hurt me.`Never fear, then,' says he; `we'll do well enough.We will get them that will rap the tankard was your grandmother's, and that you was in Shoreditch the night the act was committed; and we'll have two men that shall shoot your masters.But,' said he, `one of the witnesses is a woman, and she won't swear under four guineas; but the men will swear for two guineas apiece,' and he brought a woman and three men.I gave them ten guineas, and they promised to wait for me at the Bull Head in Broad Street.But when I called for them, when I was going before Sir Richard Brocas, they were not there.Then I found I should be sent to Newgate, and I was full of anxious thoughts; but a young man told me I had better go to the Whit than to the Compter.

When I came to Newgate I had but eighteenpence in silver, besides the money in my hair, and I gave eighteenpence for my garnish.I was ordered to a high place in the gaol.Buck, as I said before, having seenmy hair loose, told Johnson of it, and Johnson asked me if I had got any cole planted there.He searched and found the bag, and there was in it thirty-six moidores, eighteen guineas, five crown pieces, two half-crowns, two broad pieces of twenty-five shillings, four of twenty-three shillings, and one half-broad piece.He told me I must be cunning, and not to be seen to be flush of money.Says I, `What would you advise me to do with it?' `Why,' says he, `you might have thrown it down the sink, or have burnt it, but give it to me, and I'll take care of it.' And so I gave it to him.Mr Alstone then brought me to the condemned hold and examined me.I denied all till I found he had heard of the money, and then I knew my life was gone.And therefore I confessed all that I knew.I gave him the same account of the robbers as I have given you.I told him I heard my masters were to be shot, and I desired him to send them word.I described Tracey and the two Alexanders, and when they were first taken they denied that they knew Mr Oakes, whom they and I had agreed to rob.

All that I have now declared is fact, and I have no occasion to murder three persons on a false accusation; for I know I am a condemned woman.I know I must suffer an ignominious death which my crimes deserve, and I shall suffer willingly.I thank God He has given me time to repent, when I might have been snatched off in the midst of my crimes, and without having an opportunity of preparing myself for another world.'' There is a glibness and an occasional turn of phrase in this confession which suggests some touching up from the pen of a pamphleteer, but one may take it that it is, in substance, a fairly accurate report.In spite of the pleading which threads it that she should be regarded as accessory only in the robbery, the jury took something less than a quarter of an hour to come back with their verdict of Guilty of murder.'' Sarah Malcolm was sentenced to death in due form.