Volume 1

The Newgate calendar; comprising interesting memoirs of the most notorious characters who have been convicted of outrages on the laws of England since the commencement of the eighteenth century; with occasional anecdotes and observations, speeches, confessions, and last exclamations of sufferers / By Andrew Knapp and William Baldwin.

  • Knapp, Andrew.
Date:
1824-
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Newgate calendar; comprising interesting memoirs of the most notorious characters who have been convicted of outrages on the laws of England since the commencement of the eighteenth century; with occasional anecdotes and observations, speeches, confessions, and last exclamations of sufferers / By Andrew Knapp and William Baldwin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/526 (page 6)
    stances above mentioned appeared so striking, that they did not hesitate to find the prisoners guilty ; and ac- cordingly they received sentence of death. After condemnation, and a short time before the day of execution, Dromclius assured the Ordinary of Newgate that the murder was com- mitted by himself, and that it was preceded and followed by these circumstances, viz. :—Mr. Norris being very much in liquor, and de- sirous of going to his inn, Mr. Van Berghen directed him to attend him thither: soon after they left the house, Norris went into a broken building, where, using opprobrious language to Dromelius, and attempt- ing to draw his sword, he wrested it from his hand, and stabbed him with it in several places: that this being done, Norris groaned very much ; and Dromelius hearing a watchman coming, and fearing a discovery, drew a knife, cut his throat, and thereby put an end to his life. In answer to this it was said, that the story was altogether improbable; for if Mr. Norris had been killed in the manner above mentioned, some blood would have been found on the spot, and there would have been holes in his clothes from the stabbing; neither of which was the case. Still, however, Dro- melius persisted in his declaration, with a view to save the life of his mistress, with whom he was thought to have an improper connexion. Mr. anxl Mrs. Van Berghen were attended at the place of execution by some divines of their own coun- try, as well as an English clergy- man ; and desired the prayers of them all. Mr. Van Berghen, un- able to speak intelligibly in English, conversed in Latin ; from which it may be inferred that he had been educated in a style superior to the rank of life which he had lately held. He said that the murder was not committed in his house, and that he knew no more of it than that Dro- melius came to him while he lay in bed, informed him that he had wounded the gentleman, and begged him to aid his escape ; but that, w hen he knew Mr. Norris was murdered, he offered money to some persons to pursue the murderer: this, how- ever, was not proved on his trial. Mrs. Van Berghen also solemnly declared that she knew nothing of the murder till after it was per- petrated, which was not in their house ; that Dromelius coming into the chamber, and saying he had murdered the gentleman, she went for the hamper to hold the bloody clothes, and assisted Dromclius in his escape, a circumstance which would not be deemed criminal in her country. This was, however, an artful plea; for, in Holland, ac- cessories, before or after the fact, arc accounted as principals. Dromelius, when at the place of execution, persisted in his former tale ; but desired the prayers of the surrounding multitude, whom he warned to beware of the indulgence of violent passions, to which he then fell an untimely sacrifice. They suf- fered near the Hartshorn brewhouse, East Smithficld, being the nearest convenient spot to the place where the murder was committed, on the 10th of July, in the year 1700. The bodies of the men were hung in cn guard at Forton prison, near Gosport, over French and American prisoners, some of the latter, proving riotous, were fired upon by the guard, and two or three thereby killed. The coroner of the county summoned a jury, and swore in one half countrymen of the deceased, though still prisoners. The consequence was, that tor near two days a verdict could not be agreed upon, the Americans persisting in its being brought in wilful mur- der. At lengtli they compromised the affair for manslaughter; and thus was this lenity suffered to be abused by men charged with rebellion.