The

were to be signed, as the ship in which he was to embark was on the point of sailing. There were other young fellows who were to be bound; and when they came to the magistrate's, the kidnapper recollected that he had left some papers behind him, and desired Bellamy to go back for them. He did as directed; and told the man's wife that her husband wanted two guineas to pay the expense of indenturing the people who were with him. woman readily delivered the money, with which Bellamy decamped, and the kidnapper saw no more of him. The robberies committed by Bellamy and his gang were innumerable, and attended with various success. One time they broke the sash of a silversmith's shop in Russel court, Drury-lane, when a person, who lay under the compter, fired a blunderbuss at them, which obliged them to decamp without their booty. This attempt failing, they went to the house of another silversmith, which they broke open, and finding the servant-maid sitting up for her master, they terrified her into silence, and carried off effects to a large amount. Not long af. ter this robbery they broke open the shop of a grocer near Shoreditch, in the expectation of finding cash to a great amount: but the proprietor having previously secured it, they got only about ten pounds of tea, and the loose money in the till. Their next attempt was at the house of a hosier in Widegatealley, from whose shop they carried off some goods of value, which they sold to the Jews on the following day. Bellamy and some of his fraternity made an attempt to break open the shop of a linen-draper, in Bishopsgate-street, on a Sunday evening; when a woman who had watched their motions, knocked at the door just as they had effected an entrance : which obliged them to decamp with the utmost pre

cipitation.

cipitation. On the same night they attempted to break into a toy-shop, in Swithin's-alley, Cornhill; and had wrenched the bars from the windows, when the shutters suddenly falling, the family were alarmed and their scheme frustrated. Notwithstanding this, as soon as the neighbourhood was quiet, they went back to the same alley, and broke open the house of a shoemaker, whence they stole a great quantity of shoes, and plate to a large amount, which they disposed of to Jews on the following day. Having another night broken open the shop of a barber in George-yard, Lombard-street, where they found very little that they thought worth their notice, they carried off all the wigs; but not being able to sell them to any advantage, they took them to the King's Bench, and gave them away to the debtors. Soon afterwards they broke into a shoemaker's shop in Eastcheap, and stole a number of shoes, which they packed up in a bag; but a watchman observing them, they dropped their ill gotten prize, knocked him down, and effected their escape. From the shop of a silversmith in Bride lane they carried off plate to the amount of fifty pounds; and from the house of a haberdasher in Bishopsgatestreet, a load of various articles, the whole of which they disposed of to Jews. On another occasion, they broke open a tea-shop near Gray's-Inn-lane ; having removed the shutters, by cutting away part of them with chissels, they were going to lift up the sash, when a person from within hearing them, cried out, thieves! on which they ran off without their booty. Having broken into a tea-warehouse near Aldgate, they had packed up a valuable parcel of goods, when the maid-servant came down stairs, undressed, and without a candle. She went into the yard, and soon returned, without knowing that they

were in the house; but when she came into the shop, Bellamy seized her, and obliged her to lie on the floor, while they went off with their booty. The same night they broke open the shop of a mercer in Bishopsgate-street, whence they carried off goods to a large amount. The next robbery was at the house of a grocer in Thames-street; the watchman passing by as they were packing up their booty, Bellamy seized him, and obliged him to put out his candle, to prevent any alarm being given. Having kept him till they were ready to go off with their plunder, they took him to the side of the Thames, and threatened to throw him in, if he would not throw in his lanthorn and staff. The poor man was obliged to comply with their injunctions. Soon afte. this they stole a large sum of money and a quantity of goods from the house of a grocer, which they broke open in Aldersgate-street. A neighbour saw this robbery from his window, but was too much frightened to take any measures for the detection of the villains. Their next exploit was at an old clothes-shop, kept by a woman in ' Shadwell, whence they carried off every valuable article. After this they robbed the shop of a hosier in Coleman-street, and took away goods to the amount of seventy pounds, which the thieves divided into shares, and sold them to their old acquaintance the Jews. They were disappointed in their next attempt, which was to break open the house of a linen-draper in Westminster; for some people coming up before they had compleated their operations, they were obliged to decamp with precipitation, The next evening, observing the door of a shop shut in St. Clement's church-yard, they made it fast with a cord on the outside, and throwing up the sash, stole a very large number of silk handker

chiefs, while a woman in the shop made many fruitless attempts to open the door. They also stole a variety of plate, wearing apparel and other effects, the same night, from two houses in Holborn. Soon after this they stole goods to the amount of twenty pounds, from a house which they broke open in Red Lion street: and breaking open another the same night in Fullwood's-rents, obtained about an equal booty. While thus preying upon the public they became acquainted with an old woman, who had opened an office near Leicester fields, for the reception of stolen goods, something on the plan of that of Jonathan Wild. To this woman Bellamy and his companions used to sell much of their illgotten effects; but she having, on one occasion, given a smaller price than they expected, Bellamy determined on a plan of revenge; in pursuance of which he went to her office with a small quantity of stolen plate; and while she was gone with it to a silversmith, he broke open her drawers, and carried off her cash to a large amount. His next adventures were the breaking a house in Petticoat-lane ; and another in Grocer's-alley in the Poultry, at both of which places be made large prizes. Soon afterwards he stopped a man near Houndsditch, and robbed him of his money. He now became so notorious, that a reward of one hundred pounds was offered for the apprehending him; in consequence of which he was taken, near the Seven Dials, the day after he had robbed a shop in Monmouth-street, and committed to Newgate. For this last offence he was tried, convicted, and received sentence of death. From the time of conviction till the arrival of the warrant for his execution, he affected a chearfulness of behaviour, and said that he would be hanged in his shroud but the certainty that he should suffer,

and

and the sight of his coffin, excited more serious ideas in his mind and he received the sacrament a few days before his death, with evident marks of repenance for the many crimes of which he had been guilty. He suffered at Tyburn, March 27, 1728.

Mr.

BERGHEN, MICHAEL VAN, BERGHEN, CATHERINE VAN, (MURDERERS,) man and wife, and natives of Holland, who, having settled in England, kept a public house near East Smithfield, in 1700, where Gerrard Dromelius, who was likewise tried, and found guilty of the murder of Mr. Oliver Norris, acted as their servant. Norris was a country gentleman, who lodged at an inn near Aldgate, and who went into the house of Van Berghen, about eight o'clock in the evening, and continued to drink there till about eleven. Finding himself rather intoxicated, he desired the maid-servant to call a coach to carry him home. As she was going to do so, her mistress whispered her, and bid her return in a little time, and say that a coach was not to be procured. These directions being observed, Norris, on the maid's return, resolved to go without a coach, and accordingly took his leave of the family; but he had not gone far before he discovered that he had been robbed of a purse containing a sum of money; whereupon he returned and charged Van Berghen and his wife with having been guilty of the robbery. This they positively denied, and threatened to turn him out of the house; but he refused to go, and resolutely went into a room where the cloth was laid for supper. At this time Dromelius entered the room, and treating Mr. Norris in a cavalier manner, the latter resented the insult, and at length a quarrel ensued. At this juncture, Van Berghen seized a poker, with which he fractured Mr. Norris's skull, and in the

mean