134 A N N U A L R E G I S T E R, 1812. 



have but little" ; and gave all the 

 silver he had, consisting of a bank 

 token or two, and a few shillings. 

 The man observed, " If you will 

 do me no injury, I shall not hurt 

 you ;'' and then retired, raying, 

 " real distress has compelled me to 

 this act." This observation dis- 

 armed Mr. Thorley of all resent- 

 ment against the unfortunate 

 wretch, and he was only solicitous 

 to render him service. He told 

 him it was a shocking alternative 

 he had chosen : and inquired if he 

 did not know, that by the act he 

 had just committed he had for- 

 feited his life. The footpad walk- 

 ed on, and would hear no more. 

 Mr. Thorley was still anxious to 

 learn the man's situation, and con- 

 tinued stationary and looking after 

 him: but the footpad mistaking 

 his object, turned back and fol- 

 lowed him hastily with a presented 

 pistol. Mr. Thorley did not, how- 

 ever, lose sight of him, retiring to 

 no greater distance than was ne- 

 cessary to avoid the danger of the 

 shot. At this instant a person on 

 horseback passed close to the rob- 

 ber, when Mr. Thorley called out 

 — " a highwayman !'* The foot- 

 pad immediately shewed his pistol, 

 and desired the gentleman to go 

 on, who proved to be a Mr. Smith 

 of the city. Mr. Thorley and Mr. 

 Smith conferred together as to the 

 best mode of apprehending the 

 man, when Mr. Reeves, a magis- 

 trate, arrived on the spot. By this 

 time the footpad had got over the 

 hedge into an adjoining field ; and 

 a servant of Mr. Nettleship's hav- 

 ing joined the party, means were 

 immediately emplo; cd to take 

 him. Mr. Smith rode to Wands- 

 worth for a constable, whilst the 

 other persons stationed themselves 



in such directions as to prevent the 

 possibility of an escape. At this 

 moment a pistol was heard from 

 the opposite side of the hedge to 

 that on which Mr. Reeves was; 

 and that gentleman conceived at 

 first that he had been fired at by 

 the robber ; but on further investi- 

 gation, it was found that the 

 wretched footpad had laid violent 

 hands upon himself, by discharg- 

 ing the contents of the pistol into 

 his own head. He was found 

 without one of his shoes, lying on 

 his back, and quite dead. The 

 body was taken to the George inn, 

 at Wandsworth, where a coroner's 

 inquest was held upon it on Mon- 

 day last, before Jemmet, esq. 



coroner for the county. Verdict 

 — Felo-de-se. 



The letters received yesterday 

 from the out-ports, give most dis- 

 astrous accounts of the losses at 

 sea ; but not more so than might 

 be expected from the tremendous 

 gale of wind on Tuesday night 

 last, which, according to advices 

 from various parts of the country, 

 tore up a number of trees by the 

 roots, and even levelled houses to 

 the ground. The master of a Fe- 

 versham vessel informs us, that in 

 his passage from Leith to that 

 port, which lasted six days, he en- 

 countered three heavy gales ; one 

 on Sunday, and another on Mon- 

 day, but the most violent was that 

 which he experienced on Tuesday 

 night, whilst at anchor in Yar- 

 mouth-roads. So fatal were its 

 effects, that this person, the follow- 

 ing day, counted fifteen wrecks on 

 the neighbouring coast. 



The Austrian Prince ofLatour 

 Taxis expended last month ^6,0001. 

 in celebrating the marriage of his 

 daughter. The ceremony was per- 

 formed 



