Page:The London Guide and Stranger's Safeguard.djvu/172

156 The second' named crime was committed on the bodies of a public house keeper, his wife and servant, by one of their guests, who had concealed himself in the cellar. When the deceased came to close up finally his bar, and to lock away the money, it is concluded the villain made his appearance, and perpetrated his diabolical purpose, A small degree of circumspection might have prevented this, and indeed the whole catalogue of crimes of the deepest atrocity; whereas, the lesser ones, people in general, take the most precautions to secure theuiselves from being made the tools of, mis-judgingly concluding, that those of blackest hue, are never to fall to their share.

How unreflecting are the robbers as well as the robbed, occasionally! When Mr. Wilkinson's premises in Mooriieldls were broken into about Christmas, 1816, and nearly one hundred and fifty pounds stolen, the gang were so incautious as to regale themselves next nighty at the Punch bowl, Long alley, not one hundred yards off; where they were nosed by an old woman, whose teeth they knocked out, but were themselves taken in consequence. At the same house, just a year after, two officers called out a thief, to give him the information "that he lay under suspicion, and they