Page:Life of Richard Turpin (1).pdf/22

22 in that city; but on being in the stable, and his rider at play, and all in the space of four and twenty hours, his alibi was admitted; for the magistrates at York could not believe it possible for one horse to cover the ground, being upwards of one hundred miles, in so short a space. He is reported, upon this occasion, to have used his horse to raw beef upon the bit in his mouth. Some go so far as to say he always rode with fowls’ guts tied round it. Be this so or not, it was a race that equalled, if surpassed, the first achievements of turf velocity.

Notwithstanding the dreadful scenes of robbery (and sometimes cruelty) in which Turpin was, he gave several proofs of his possessing a capable of feeling for the distresses of a  creature, and a spirit of generosity. HcHe [sic] once a country dealer coming up to market on the  road, whom he commanded to stop, and  his money. The poor man told him he had fifteen shillings and sixpence, which he said was  all, and if it was taken from him he should be  to absolute want. Turpin, whoscwhose [sic] finances quite exhausted, ausweredanswered [sic], there was no time  be lost; his money he must have; but at the  time, desired him to be in a certain part of Newgate Street on a particular hour next day, with his hat in his hand: and if any person walked  and dropped any thing into his hat, to take no. but go immediately about his business. The accordingly took his station at the time, and had not been there more than half an , before he felt something fall into his hat, and  opening the small packet, to his great joy, he  it to contain ten guineas.

Justice though slow, overtook him at last. One the farmers in Essex, from whom he had stolen  horse, traced the robbery to him, and having  him into Yorkshire, caused him to be