Page:Life and adventures of that notorious robber and murderer, Richard Turpin.pdf/22

Rh neglect me. You will know what I mean, when I say,

This letter being returned, unopened, to the post-office in Essex, because the brother would not pay the postage, it was accidentally seen by Mr. Smith, a school-master, who, having taught Turpin to write, immediately knew the hand, on which he carried the letter to a magistrate, who broke it open; and it was thereby discovered that the supposed John Palmer was the real Richard Turpin. The magistrates of Essex consequently despatched Mr. Smith to York, who immediately selected him from all the other prisoners in the Castle. This Mr. Smith and another gentleman afterwards proved his identity on his trial.

Among the claimants of stolen horses was Capt. Dawson of Farraby: his horse was that on which Turpin rode on his going to Beverley.

On the rumour that the noted Turpin was a prisoner in York Castle, persons flocked from all parts of the country to take a view of him, and debates ran very high whether he was the real person or not. Among the number that visited him, was a young fellow who pretended to know the famous Turpin; he regarded him a considerable time with looks of great attention, when he told the keeper he would bet him half-a-guinea that he was not Turpin; on which the prisoner whispering the 'keeper, said, “Lay him the wager, and I’ll go your halves.”