Page:Life of Richard Turpin (1).pdf/24

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He was carried in a cart to the place of execution on Saturday, April 7th, 1739, with John Ste and condemned also for horse-stealing. He behaved himself with amazing assurance, and bowed to the spectators as he passed. It was remarkable that as he mounted the ladder, his right leg trembled on which he stamped it down with an air, and with undaunted courage looked round about him; and after speaking near half an hour to the topsman threw himself off the ladder, and expired in about five minutes.

His corpse was brought back from the gallows about three in the afternoon, and lodged at the Blue Boar, ni Castlegate, till ten the next morning, when it was buried in a neat coffin in St George’s church-yard, with this inscription R. T. The grave was dug very deep; and the persons whom he appointed his mourners, took all possible care to secure the body: notwithstanding which some persons were discovered moving off with it having taken it up, The mob having got sce(illegible text) where it was carried to, and suspecting it was to be anatomized went to a garden in which it was deposited, and brought away the body through the streets of the city, in a sort of triumph almost naked being only laid on a board, covered with straw, and carried on four mens’ shoulders, and buried in the same grave, having first filled the coffin with slake lime. He confessed to the hangman, that he was thirty three years of age.



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