when cut down was delivered to his friends for in

terment.

GONZALEZ, BLI, alias SYMONDS, JOHN, (FELON,) called SPANISH JACK, was descended of reputable parents residing at Alicant in Spain, who were exceedingly careful of his education, intending him for holy orders: but all their hopes were disappointed: he absconded from school, and entered on board a man of war. Having remained some years in this station, he engaged on board a ship of war belonging to England, and sailed up the Levant. After staying some time at Alexandria, Smyrna, and other places, the ship put into Gibraltar, and was ordered to be laid up; in consequence of which he entered on board a Dutch vessel: He served in several English privateers during the war; and when peace was restored, joined one of the gangs of smugglers that infested the coasts of Kent and Sussex. Having acquired a sum of money, he repaired to London, and formed an acquaintance with a number of people of both sexes of the most abandoned characters. Having spent his money in scenes of riot and intoxication, he obtained credit for divers small sums from different people, whom he amused, by assuring them that he was entitled to prize money, on the receipt of which he would pay them. His creditors becoming importunate for their money, he formed the resolution of going again to sea: but not being able to enter into such advantageous engagements as he expected, he became acquainted with an infamous gang of robbers, with whom he committed a variety of robberies in the fields near Stepney; but none of them were attended with circumstances sufficiently remarkable for recital.

As

As he was passing along Rag-fair, he was seized by a person whom he, in conjunction with other villains, nad robbed the preceding evening. This event occasioned him to reflect on his dangerous situation; and judging that, if he continued his illegal courses, he could not long escape detection, he determined to give information against his accomplices. He communicated his design to M'Daniel, and accompanied him and other thief-takers one evening to a house where they were drinking, when Mandevile, Holmes, and Newton, were taken into custody; but two others of the gang escaped through a window. Mandeville, Holmes, and Newton, were convicted on the evidence of Gonzalez, who had now assumed the name of Symmonds, and executed in October, 1751, at Tyburn. For the apprehension of these three malefactors, the thief-takers received a reward of 420l. of which they allowed the evidence only 10l. and, by various contrivances, they kept him in custody till he had expended all but 30s. of that sum. They imagined they might obtain farther emolument through his means; and therefore endeavoured to keep him in a state of poverty, that he might be the more readily induced to return to his former practices, and betray his new accomplices, as he had done his old ones. Accordingly he formed new connections, and renewed his depradations upon the public, till at length the several robberies he committed in London and its adjacencies rendered him so notorious, that he determined to go into the country for concealment. Having travelled to Rochester, he formed an acquaintance with one Smith, who was well known for his felonious practices. While they were together in a public-house

at Rochester, drinking some punch, they found an opportunity of concealing a silver tankard, which they carried off unperceived. On the following day they were apprehended, and committed to Maidstone gaol, Gonzalez to be tried for stealing the tankard, and Smith to appear against him as evidence for the crown. Upon this evidence he was found guilty, and received sentence of death. After conviction he acknowledged, that till he was convinced the term of his life was nearly expired, he had not reflected on the most important consequences that would result from his iniquitous proceedings; and that, if he had escaped conviction, he should have returned to his usual practices. He appeared to repent of his former wickedness with unfeigned sincerity. From the prison to the place of execution, he was seriously employed in prayer, and when under the gallows he warned the people to guard against following such courses as had produced his destruction. suffered at Maidstone, April 18, 1756.

He

GOODERE, Capt. SAMUEL, (FRATRICIDE) was bred to the sea, and in due time advanced to the rank of captain of a man of war. He was the younger brother of Sir John Dineley Goodere, who succeeded his father Sir Edward in the possession of an estate of 3000l. a year, situated near Evesham in Worcestershire, and having married the daughter of a merchant, received 20,000l. as a marriage portion; but mutual unhappiness was the consequence of this connection: for the husband was brutal in his manners, and the wife not strictly observant of the sacred vow she had taken. After frequent recriminations between the married pair, Sir John brought an action in the Court of Common Pleas against Sir Robert Jason for crimi

nal

nal conversation, and 500l. damages were given by the jury. His next step was to indict his lady for a conspiracy, and a conviction following, she was fined, and imprisoned a year in the King's Bench. He likewise petitioned for a divorce; but the matter being heard in the House of Lords, his petition was rejected. Having no children, this brother of his (Samuel) formed very sanguine expectations of possessing the estate; but finding that Sir John had docked the entail in favour of his sister's children, the captain sought the most diabolical means of revenge for the supposed injury. While his vessel lay in the port of Bristol, Sir John went to that city on business; and being engaged to dine with an attorney named Smith, on the 10th of January, 1741, the captain prevailed on the latter to permit him to make one of their company, under pretence of being reconciled to his brother. Mr. Smith consented, and used his good offices to accommodate the difference; and a sincere reconciliation appeared to have taken place. The captain having previously concerted his measures, brought some sailors on shore with him, and left them at a public house, in waiting, to seize the baronet in the evening. Accordingly, when the company broke up, the captain attended his brother through the streets; and when they came opposite the public-house, the seamen ran out, seized Sir John, and conveyed him to a boat that had been appointed to wait for his reception. Some persons who were witnesses to this outrage, would have rescued the unfortunate gentleman; but the captain telling them he was a deserter, and the darkness of the evening preventing them from judging by his appearance, this violation of the law was permitted to pass unobstructed. As soon

as

as the devoted victim was in the boat, he said to his brother, "I know you have an intention to murder me, and if you are ready to do it, let me beg that it be done here, without giving yourself the trouble to take me on board." To which the captain said, " No, brother, I am going to prevent your rotting on land; but, however, I would have you make your peace with God this night,” Sir John being put on board, appealed to the seamen for help but the captain put a stop to any efforts that might have been made to assist him, by saying he was a lunatic, and brought on board to prevent his committing an act of suicide. White and Mahony now conveyed him to the purser's cabin, which the captain guarded with a drawn sword, while the other villains attempted to strangle him with a handkerchief which they found in his pocket, the wretched victim crying out " murder!" and beseeching them not to kill him, and offering all he possessed as a compensation for his life. As they could not strangle him with the handkerchief, the captain gave them a cord, with which Mahony dispatched him, while White held his hands, and trod on his stomach. The captain now retired to his cabin; and the murder being finished, the perpetrators went and told him " the job was done!" on which he gave them money, and hade them seek their safety in flight. The attorney with whom the brothers had dined, having heard of the commission of a murder, and knowing of the former animosity of the captain to his brother, immediately conjectured who it was that had fallen a sacrifice; on which he went to the mayor of Bristol, who issued his warrant to the water-bailiff, who, going on board, found that

the