button to main menu  Gents Mag 1803 p.779

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Gentleman's Magazine 1803 p.779

  trial
  John Hatfield

John Hatfield's Trial

August 15. This day (Monday) the notorious Hatfield was tried on a charge of forgery, and convicted, at the Carlisle Assizes. On being called for his defence, the prisoner addressed himself to the jury. He said, he felt some degree of satisfaction in being able to have his sufferings terminated, as they of course must be, by their verdict. For the space of nine months he has been dragged from prison to prison, and torn from place to place, subject to all the misrepresentations of calumny. "Whatever will be my fate," said he, "I am content; it is the award of justice, impartially adinistered; but I will solemnly declare, that in all my transactions, I never intended to defraud or injure the persons whose names have appeared in the prosecutions. This will I maintain to the last of my life." The jury, notwithstanding the plausible defence of the prisoner, found him guilty on two indictments.- At eight on Tuesday morning, the prisoner was brought up to receive judgment; when Baron Thompson, after beseeching him to employ the remaining part of his time for eternity, and hoping that he would find mercy at the hour of his death, and day of judgment, pronounced sentence of death in the usual form.- The prisoner heard it with firmness, bowed respectfully, and was taken away from the dock, and thence to the gaol. From the evidence which traspired on the trial it appears that Hatfield is of a respectable family. He is a man of much address, and
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