Murders > Life and adventures of that notorious robber and murderer, Richard Turpin

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Essex, named Hester Palmer, of a respect¬
able family : but he had not been long mar¬
ried before he took to the practice of stealing
his neighbours’ cattle, which he used to kill
and cut up for sale.
Having stolen two oxen belonging to Mr.
Giles, of Plaistow, he drove them to his own
house; but two of Giles’s servants, suspect¬
ing who was the robber, went to Turpin’s,
where they saw two carcases corresponding
with the beasts which had been lost: as the
hides were stripped from them, it was im¬
possible to say that they were the same : but
learning that Turpin used to dispose of his
hides at Waltham Abbey, they want thither,
and saw the hides of the beasts that had been
stolen; when, no doubt remaining as to who
was the robber, a warrant was procured for
the apprehension of Turpin, who learning
that the peace-officers were in search of him,
made his escape from the back Atinddow of
his house at the very moment the others
were enteaing the door. Having retreated
to a place of security, he found means to in¬
form his wife where he was concealed; on
which she furnished him with money, when
be travelled into the hundreds of Essex,
where he joined a gang of Smugglers, with
whem he was for some time successful, till
a set of the custom-house officers, by one
successful stroke, deprived him of all his ill-
acquired gains, IBs association with these
smugglers commenced under strange circum¬
stances : at a loss, in his retirement, to find
means of replenishing his pocket, he hit upon
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