Confession Wicker and his Associates.
In our last we gave the trial and conviction Brown and Collop, two of Wicker's gang of horse-stealers. We are now enabled to lay before our readers the confessions which led to their apprehension. The first was made by Carver on the 3d of August, in the presence of Mr. Curtis, of Billericay, and was as follows:—
"I, Joseph Carver, met Robert Wicker at Horndon, and three others whom I did not know. I went down to the gate, at the bottom of the hill at Horndon, with Robert Wicker; went into the barn. I thought I heard something like stirrups or bridles rattle. I then walked away, when Robert Wicker and three others overtook me going up the hill to Horndon. Robert Wicker had said to me in the evening, we mean to leg four, as one is no use; there are four of us in company, and there will be four go from here to-night. Robert Wicker asked me where he could write to me. I told him I was settled at Horndon. Wicker said, Joseph, I cannot drop any thing now, unless we meet with success before we get home, but if we do not, I will send to you. I told him I wanted nothing of him, or any thing to with him. Robert said, it would be very handy to have three or four pounds a week; that would much better than hard work. Robert Wicker asked me, whether I could tell him of any hackneys or tits to sell. told him I could not; there was a good one down the hill in good condition, and a useful sort of a horse. He asked me who lived at that white house; I told him 'Mr. Robinson.' I told Robert Wicker, I thought there were four or five more when they were all at home. He asked me what sort they were: I told him they were useful hackneys; one a good bred mare. Robert asked me whether they lay in or out, and whether I could them if he walked down the hill, and where the stables were; I told him there was a stable against the barn where the horses sometimes lay; he wished me to go with hint to Robinson's barn, which I refused. I saw Robert Wicker a second time that same evening, and he asked whose that horse was at the back the barn; he described him to me, and I told him it was Mr. Spitty's, if he meant down at the White House; he asked me if he laid in. Robert Wicker asked me who belonged to the horse in the meadow I told him Mr. Barnard. He then asked who Mr. Newcomb, of Orsett, was. I told him; he said he had got a rare sort there. He asked me whether he kept him in stable, or whether he lay out. I told him I did not know. He said, it does not matter a d—n whether he lays in or out; if he lays in a steel stable will have him if we are so minded. He asked me how far it was from Horndon to his house , I told him from two to three miles; he asked me if I recollected two horses being stolen from Tilbury; he said, we had them; he told me not to say any thing what his business was. I said it was no business of mine what he did, for he must abide by the consequence. This is a correct statement I have made."
The confession of Robert Wicker was made in Newgate, on the 4th September 1837, in the presence of Mr. Cope, the Governor, Mr. Curtis, and Mr. Johnson. The following is a copy:—
"On the 3rd of August. I, my brother, Thomas Brown alias Dick Smith, and John Collop, went from London to Gravesend by a steam-boat, carrying with us a basket, containing saddles and bridles, from Brown's house, with the intention of going into Norfolk, for the purpose of stealing horses. Landed at the Ferry-house, at Tilbury. I and Collop went on first with the saddles and bridles towards Horndon—called at the Bell and had some beer—Brown and my brother went to the Swan and had beer; this was about five or six o'clock in the evening. I and W. Collop walked on and met Carver, who shook hands with me; he knew me and also my trade, as a horse-stealer; we went to Carver's father's house (a Tom and Jerry shop) and had some beer and cigars. Carver said I know where there is a blood mare, and a mare with a broken knee—you came past a white house and a barn, the horses are there, and belong to Mr. Robinson. Brown and the others were in barn. I went to them and told them what Carver had said, and that he (Carver) was at his father's house. Carver went with me and showed me where the horses were. This was about 11 o'clock. Carver said you can send me a pound or two another time and I will send you a note where to write me; Carver then left. All four went down to the stable, which was found to have a padlock on the door and a chain behind; I got in at a loop hole over the stable by climbing over or on each others backs, and entered the stable, and put a saddle and bridle on it and led it into the field where the other horses were; we then caught the other two with some difficulty—were two hours at it , recollect it was the first day of the Billericay election; and knew that Mr. Robinson had a party at his house that night. Three of us then went off with the horses, but Collop walked with the basket towards London; he was met by Weston, the patrol, who searched the basket, but finding nothing in it, was allowed to go on."
Being asked as to Cressingham's mare, at Great Warley, he stated he knew nothing about it. The same answer was given as to Mr. Bell's, of Nevendon. They had two from Rayieigh, said, and one from Curtis, of Billericay. As to a cart stolen from a clergyman near Tilbury, he said, Brown had it, and sold or pawned it to one Spooner, in Wentworth-street, Whitechapel; it was a mahogany colour, and worth 10 guineas. With respect to Mr. Asplin's two mares, and two saddles and bridles, he said that he, Brown, and a man named Crusoe or Curoso, stole them. Collop stole a bay mare from Hardy, of Writtle, to be found on Wanstead Flats. Brown and Collop stole a horse from Mr. Hewitt, a butcher, at Mile-end. It was sent into Warwickshire by Brown. From Mr. Bird, of Chelmsford, two horses. Brown sent them to the same neighbourhood, of Birmingham. When he (Wicker) was taken, these horses were in the stables, in Great Gardiner-street. With respect to Mr. Baker's robbery, at Margaretting, he said some of the articles were in Brown's house; the writing desks, &c. Brown's house he stated to be situate in a street, near the Toll Gate, Mile-end Road, on the right hand side. "If he is at home (said Wicker) give a tap at the window shutters after dark; he is probably at Birmingham. He is about 5 feet 8, good countenance, about 40; he has curly hair, and wears a dark green frock coat, dark trowsers, or top boots and breeches, and is a genteel looking man." Mr. Robinson's other two horses were taken to ______, and old Welch Bill, and John Jones. The stables are on the second turning on the right, in Great Gardiner-street, London Hospital, near the British Oak public-house. John Collop is about 5 feet 6, about 34 years age, has a very large and long nose, a thick set man, with scarcely any whiskers and darkish hair; he wears a long shooting jacket and black waistcoat. He is supposed to be at Foulness Island. Crusoe or Curoso is found at a public house, near the Ram Inn, Smithfield. He wears a plush waistcoat, and is lame in the left ancle, about 30 and pitted with the small pox. Brazier is supposed be at Blackheath or somewhere Kent."
Brown, since his conviction, has stated that the mare belonging to Mr. Robinson, which has not yet been recovered, would be found in good condition at Mr. Aling's, a farmer, at Roagate, about four miles from Petersfield; that it was sold to James ______, at Steep, in Hampshire, a dealer and receiver, who was London ready to take the mare away and did so. That James _____ gave £6 for her. Mr. Redington's iron grey mare stolen from High Laver, he stated was sold to a person of the same name, for £7 at Prinsted, near Emsworth, Sussex. The brown cob taken from High Laver at the same time, the property of Mr. Stone, was sold to Mr. _____,at Farnham, Sussex, by the same parties. Mr. Hewett's mare of Mile-end, was also sold by James _____, to a dealer at Bristol, for £15. With respect to the blacksmith who gave evidence against them at the trial, Brown stated—
"Joe Carver was the man that pointed out all the horses to us at Horndon, and he was in Mr. W. Robinson's barn the whole of the time we were after the horses; he was, I think, to have £1 for each one we got, and he said, if we would stop till the next night he would show two or three more, and wished us to take Mr. C. Robinson's mare, as she was a very good one. J. Carver went into the field and put the halter on her, and said to me, you must take her now. or there will be some one take her up, as she not out at night; but it being too light my heart failed me, and we let her go again."
On searching the house of Brown, in Mile End Road, (at the instance of Robert Wicker) among other things was a rope ladder, made for the declared purpose of effecting burglaries by entering at a chamber window, some person in the house being necessarily engaged as a party. With this ladder it has been also confessed, a house was entered, in which a large booty was expected, but on forcing the chest, £30 only presented itself; this being so much below the anticipated sum, it was agreed not to disturb it, with the expectation of finding on the next occasion a much larger sum. The ladder is left at the office of this paper.