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This theft was not immediately discovered; but the thief was soon discharged from his place, in consequence of his impertinence, which rendered him insupportable to his fellow-servants.

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On his dismission, he spent his ready money with the most abandoned company, commencing housebreaker, and committed a variety of depredations in the neighbourhood of London: for one of which he was apprehended, and brought to trial at the Old Bailey, but acquitted for want of evidence.

On the very evening of the day of his acquittal, he stopped a carriage in Drury Lane, and robbed a gentleman of his money. Within a week afterwards, he broke into a house in Westminster, where he cbtained plate and cash to a large amount.

In a few days, he was taken into custody for picking a gentleman's pocket, brought to trial at the Old Bailey, sentenced to be transported for seven years, shipped to America, and sold to sla

very.

He had not been long in this situation, when he embarked, at Boston in New England, on board a privateer; but when at sea, he entered into a con. spiracy with some of the sailors to murder the officers and seize the vessel; however, the confederacy being discovered in time, a severe punishment was inflicted on Talbot and the other villains.

He had not, however, been long abroad before he returned, in company with an abandoned woman, who had been transported at the same time; and who introduced him to the acquaintance of Thomas Quin and Joseph Dodwell, natives of Dublin, and rogues from their infancy; in company with whom he committed a considerable num. ber of robberies.

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These accomplices robbed six coaches one evening, and obtained considerable plunder.

Having made a connexion with one Cullen, they all joined in a street-robbery, and stopping a coach near Long-Acre, took from a gentleman his watch and money.

Some people being informed of the daring transaction, immediately pursued them; and Cullen, being taken into custody, was admitted an evidence against his accomplices, who were apprehended on the following day.

Being brought to trial at the next sessions at the Old Bailey, they received sentence of death; but after conviction seemed quite insensible of the enormity of their crimes.

Talbot refused to join in devotion with the ordinary of Newgate at the place of execution. Quin and Dodwell were Roman Catholics. They suffered at Tyburn, on the 17th of June, 1751.

SWINDLERS. See SHARPERS.

SWINDLERS, GAMING.

The following is the substance of the most striking parts of the evidence of John Shepherd, in an action, tried in the court of King's Bench, for gaming, Nov. 29, 1796.

"The witness saw hazard played at the gaming. house of the defendant, in Leicester-Street. Every person who was three times successful paid the defendant a silver medal, which he purchased from him on entering the house, at eight for a guinea, and he received six or seven of these in the course of an hour for the Box Hands, as it was called.

The

The people who frequented this house always played for a considerable sum. Sometinies zol. or 30l depended on a single throw of the dice. The witness remembered being once at the defendant's gaminghouse, about three or four o'clock in the morning, when a gentleman came in very much in liquor. He seemed to have a great deal of money about him. The defendant said he had not intended to play, but now he would set to with this fellow. He then scraped a little wax with his finger off one of the candles, and put the dice together, so that they came seven every way. After doing this, he dropped them into the box and threw them out, and afterwards drew all the money away, saying he had won it. Seven was the main, and he could not throw any thing but seven. The young gentleman said he had not given him time to bar. A dispute arose between the defendant and him: it was referred to two or three persons round the table; and they gave it in favour of the defendant. The gentleman said he had lost upwards of 70l. The de fendant said, 'We have cleared him.' The witness has seen a man pawn his watch and ring in several instances; and once he saw a man pawn his coat and go away without it.

"After the gaming.table was broken by the Bow-Street Officers, the defendant said it was too good a thing to be given up, and instantly got another table, large enough for twenty or thirty people. The frequenters of this house used to play till day light; and on one or two occasions they played all the next day. This is what the defendant called sticking to it rarely.' The guests were furnished with wine and suppers gratis, from the funds of the partnership, in abundance. Sunday was a grand day. The witness has seen more than

forty

forty people there at a time. The table not being sufficient for the whole, half-a-crown used on such occasions to be given for a seat, and those behind looked over the back of the others and betted."

The person above-mentioned (whose name was Smith) who pawned his coat, corroborated the above evidence; and added, that he had seen a person, after he had lost all his money, throw off his coat and go away, losing it also. Colquhoun.

SWING, PUNISHMENT OF THE.

This is a punishment in China, chiefly inflicted upon such merchants as have been detected in committing frauds, impositions, or any other unwarrantable tricks of trade. The criminal is suspended by his shoulders and ankles in a very painful situation. At intervals, two attending officers afford some trifling alleviation of his sufferings, by supporting him with a bamboo passed under his breast. Pencil, ink, and paper, are ready to note down whatever he may say. Punishments of China.

THEFT.

The laws of Ina, king of the West Saxons in the year 688, inflicted the punishment of death, but allowed the thief to redeem his life, capitis estimatione, which was sixty shillings; but in case of an old offender, who had been often accused, the hand or foot was to be cut off.

After various changes which took place under different princes, in the rude and early periods of our history, it was at length settled in the 9th of Henry the First, A. D. 1108, that for theft and robbery offenders should be hanged. This has con

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