packet of arsenic, part of which she had motive enough for his death. As already saved and locked up, it immediately oc-mentioned he arrived on Saturday, or, as curred to her to poison her mother. As some say, on Friday, after a long absence; her mother seemed likely to recover, she he was poisoned on Sunday, and, to avoid gave her the poison in her favourite beve- suspicion, she passed a great part of the rage of lemonade; and while mixing it, time at his bedside. On every occasion, she burst into a loud laughter, so that she she had the precaution to employ a differshuddered at herself; but it instantly oc-ent physician. Seldom or never did any curred to her that God made her laugh as of them attend two of her patients. a sign that her mother would soon be Another obstacle, however arose; Gottlaughing in heaven. As witness after-fried would not marry her. But this also wards said, that she appeared happy at her she overcame, by the interest of some of mother's death. his friends. His original refusal had hurt Death now followed death with fearful her, and she began to dislike him, and rapidity. The very first day after her came to the resolution of poisoning him mother's burial, Gesche was sitting in a also. But she thought him rich, and thereroom with her second youngest child on fore determined at all events first to marher knee; the thought of poisoning it oc-ry him, in order to be made his heir, and curred to her, and without hesitating a then to exccute her purpose. On Monmoment, she administered to the child day morning, she and Gottfried had resol some arsenic on a piece of the cake which ved to make a pleasure party to a little had been presented at the burial of its distance out of town; and she seized this grandmother. This was on the 10th May, opportunity of poisoning him, that his and on the 18th, without the least remorse, sickness might appear the more unexpecshe poisoned her eldest child. In the ag-ted. While he was on his deathbed, she ony of death, it clasped its arms round the sent for a priest to marry them, so that mother's neck, but 'Gesche remained un- she might make sure of the property. moved. Two weeks afterwards, she Thus had she poisoned father, mother, poisoned her father. About ten weeks af- brother, and children, in order to be put ter these events, whilst her son was sitting in possession of Gottfried, and at length on her knee, he asked her why God took we find him also in the list of her victims. away all her children? This pierced her She seemed now to delight in murder, to the heart, and she immediately resol- and the slightest cause was mcient to ved that he also should die. decide upon the life or death of any of Thus, in the short interval between May her relations. She was disappointed, howand September, she murdered both her ever, as to Gottfried's riches, for, instead parents and children. But the death of of wealth; he left her debt, and it required so many in so short a space of time, natu- all her secretiveness to conceal her disaprally excited some suspicion, and to silence pointment. this, she was advised by her friends to have the body of the child opened. This ally felt severaly the lost of her children; she readily consented to, and the child was often when she thought of them, she shut declared to have died of inflammation of herself up in her garret, and wept bitterthe bowels. ly. She carefully avoided schools, and

Now that she was alone, she occasion

In this manner, as she thought, was every place where children were to be every obstacle to her marriage with Gott-met; and seemed to be particularly confried removed; but Gottfried himself did scientious in paying off the debts of Gottnot show any particular desire to marry fried. She loved money, not so much for her, although he liked her company; and its own sake, as because it afforded her so the winter of 1815-16, passed free from the means of making a figure among her murder. It was on Saturday night, in May, acquaintances, and so of gratifying her 1816, that her brother returned home a vanity.

cripple and in rags, having lost the use of Yet, in spite of all these murders, she his feet in the Russian campaign. Here, was not unhappy; she became acquainted then, might be another obstacle to her with H (the name is not given,) and marriage at all events, he must share in his company forgot all her sins, and in her father's property with her. This was her own words, believed herself the hap

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POL 3-13-2

piest in the world. She rejoiced in her have an opportunity of showing her tenreputation, especially as, after the death derness to him during his sickness, and of Gottfried, she again immediately re- thus lull suspicion. By his death she was ceived an offer of marriage, which she free of the money due to him, which he refused. She had one child by Gottfried, had advanced on her word alone, without begotten before marriage. We find at taking a legal obligation,

this period another instance of her hypo- She now began to poison her acquaincrisy; some one requested from her the tances without any visible motive-a loan of sermons, which she delivered, with child came to congratulate her on her the request that great care of them should birth-day, and received a dose, on a piece be taken, as they were the only means by of biscuit: a friend called one forenoon, which she was able to sustain so many and also received a dose; and she tried judgments. She never read any of them. the strength of her poison on another of Whenever, she attempted to read the her friends, on whose face it caused Bible, she thought the perusal of it of no blotches to appear. use, and immediately closed the book.

She gave a dose to one of her lodgers She was now often ill supplied with that, during his sickness, she might plunmoney, but always found means of bor- der his pantry. Zimmerman had a cou rowing; often obtaining it from one in order sin named Kleine, in Hanover, from whom to pay another. After the death of Gott- she succeeded in borrowing 800 dollars, fried, she seems to have rested for some but he became impatient for repayment, years from her murders, and during that and she had only 300 to give him. In time to have had little to occupy her mind this predicament she set out for Hanover, except the care of preserving her reputa- with the intention of poisoning Kleine, tion untainted. In 1822 she went to Stade thinking by his death to gain delay. She to spend a few weeks with some friends. accomplished her end, and after his death Here, before she was aware, her money affirmed that she had given him a double failed her; she was too proud to own it, Louis d'or the day before he died; but and could get none from home; she knew the whole story was a falsehood. She no person from whom she might borrow, committed also several other murders and had recourse to falsehood. She broke for purely selfish ends, but the soul sickthe key of her drawer in the lock, threw it ens in reporting them.

away, and then raised an alarm that some- She was now often in want of money, body had stolen her money out of the and therefore could not keep up a large drawer. The drawer was forced open, establishment, so that she was obliged to and no money appeared, and nothing sell her house to a person named Rumpf could be more obvious than that she had at the same time reserving a room or been robbed. Being obliged to take an two for herself. Rumpff was fond of oath before a magistrate that this was the her, and used to call her aunt, but he case, she did not scruple to commit per- had not been more than eight weeks in jury; after which she got a supply of mo- the house, when his wife died and he himney from her friends. self fell in bad health. He could do noFrom time to time she received offers thing but run about searching the whole of marriage, all of which she turned to house, from the garret to the cellar, for good account, by extorting money from the cause of his trouble. her admirers. She was reputed rich, It chanced that he kept a pig; and and in this belief her admirers readily wishing to have it killed, he sent for a yielded to her request. butcher for that purpose. The butcher, One of them named Zimmermann, was with the view of pleasing him, brought to thus induced to advance her very consid- his room a choice bit of the pork, of erable sums, which she repaid with a which Rumpff partook, putting the regreat show of tenderness. Sho was be- mainder into his pantry. On the mor trothed to him, but he too was doomed row he went to cut a slice from it, but he to swell the list of her victims; after ex- was surprised to find it in a different potracting all the booty in her power, she sition from that in which he had left it poisoned him by degrees, that she might the day before, and he perceived also

that it was covered with a white powder. chael Christopher Gottfried, as her wellThis excited his suspicions'; he had the merited punishment, and to serve as a substance examined, and detected poi- warning to others, to death by the sword son: Gesche's motive for this crime was and intrusts to the criminal court the exeto endeavour to regain possession of her cution and publication of the sentence, house. She was arrested on suspicion. and also the adoption of all necessary The work before us, from which these measures: all the expenses caused by particulars have been derived, gives no the inquiries, judgment and punishment, account of the trial or execution, which to be paid from the funds which she leaves as we are informed, is reserved for a se. so far as they shall be sufficient." parate publication; but it mentions that, in prison she was tormented by dreams, in which she saw her victims sitting in the churchyard, and beckoning to her; and she was often so much afraid, that, immediately on awakening, she could not remain longer in bed.

The following judgment was pronounced by the High Court of Bremen, on 17th September, 1830

BIOGRAPHICAL.

No species of writing seems more worthy of cultiva. tion than biography, since none can be more delightful or more useful; none can more certainly enchain the heart by irresistibie interest, or more widely diffuse instruction to every diversity of condition.-DR. JOHNSON.

Jemmy Taylor.

"The Court of Justice, in terms of the law, and after the inquiries have been conducted according to the decree of the 22d May last, find the widow of Michael Christopher Gottfried; Gesche Marga- Jemmy Taylor, called the Southwark rethe, formerly Timm, accused of poison- miser, was a native of Leicestershire, bred ng, and several other offences, to be a weaver, and afterwards became a stockguilty of the following crimes, as proven, broker. At this trade he wove a web besides several robberies, frauds, and per- worth 200,000l., a proof that the shuttle uries, and attempted abortion of her off- of politics and the silk of usury, had prospring, viz. duced a sum far exceeding the value of

1. To have poisoned both her parents, the most gorgeous garment worn by any er three children, her first and second eastern monarch from a Persian loom. husbands, her suitor Paul Thomas Zim-Yet this sum never adorned him or kept nermann, Anne Lucie Meyerholtz, Jo-him warm. The blanket of a beggar anna Mosees, the wife of Johaan Rumpff would have served his purpose as well. otherwise Mentz, the wife of Frederick He fared worse than the meanest me. Schmidt otherwise Cornelius, and Fred-chanic. His raiment was ragged, his ric Kleine of Hanover; and also to food indifferent and scanty, and his bed ave caused the death of Eliza the hard; for he lay upon nothing but rags laughter of the said Schmidt, by poison, and straw on the bare floor, and in a lthough this is not proven to have been house which was hardly habitable. Gold ntentional. was all his desire. His constant prayers "2. Several times to have given poi- were, Oh, Mammon grant me more moon to the said Johann Rumpff, with the ney! Two banker,s clerks once called ntention of killing him and thereby caus-upon Jemmy, at his earnest invitation, to ng to him a severe illness. take pot luck with him. They found the

"3. To have given poison to several old boy boiling a solitary mutton chop ther individuals, without any proven in- in an ocean of water, to make, what he ention, but which was more or less inju- called some comfortable broth, for himious to their health. self, and for his old friend. Mr. Daniel "The Court of Justice, therefore, ac- Dancer, whom he hourly expected. Afcording to the penal code, Art, 130, and ter some complimentary solicitations aking into consideration the milder prin- they prevailed upon him to fetch a pot ciples of the present usages of the law, of porter; and while he was gone they condemn the accused, the widow of Mi- hrew three half-penny candles and twe

pieces into his cookery; which, no doubt, sum at a moment's warning. Previous ameliorated the culinary mess, and made to the tax upon legacies, they had made it more delectable to these old hunks, wills; but upon the necessity of using who, from the sequel, devoured it with stamps, they made over their property to keen appetites. But the next time Jemmy their nephews and nieces, in order to Taylor met them upon the 'Change he evade the duty, and thereby saved from accused them of theft and robbery in government, into their own pockets, upstealing his candles. But of this they wards of 3000Z.

cleared themselves, by solemnly declar- The eldest of these saving ones ordered ing, they had only committed them to a very old shirt to be put on him but a the pot, at the bottom of which he would day before he departed the world, in or find the wicks, if his hunger had not der to disappoint the nurse of a good one; swallowed them. Old Mopps the itine- it being customary to give the things the derant quill and pen merchant of Stephey ceased has on to those who have the care Green, shared also the friendship of these of them in their last moments. Had Jem saving wights, who were not a little edifi- my Taylor lived to have heard of the ed with each other's experience and re-deaths of those friends of his, he, no finements in the art of living cheap. doubt, would have much approved of Jemmy Taylor always appeared in the these saving contrivances. A short time streets with a long stick and clouted after the conclusion of the American war, shoes, and innumerable darns and patches the Earl of Northumberland, having ocin his clothes. He never went to market casion for 74,000l., to make a purchase. for more than a two penny steak at a applied to his broker, and appointed a certime, and this he generally chose for its tain day to do the transfer. At the time savoriness; an outside piece, grown black and place of meeting, which was the round by the wind, and mostly fly blown, was room in the bank, there was posted in his choice; for he thriftily observed, waiting Mr. Taylor, whose appearance that meat was nothing, unless it smelt was exactly that of a coachman's wateras well as tasted." The people at the ing man. Upon the duke's appearance, the Black Horse, in the Borough. used often broker brought Jemmy forward to his to represent to him his folly in being so grace; who, not knowing him, thought parsimonious and self denying; and as he he was a beggar, that wanted alms; but was fast growing old, observed to him being assured by Mr. Consols, that he was the propriety of indulging himself a little a warm man, his grace at last shook hands in comfortable things; but to all idea of with him, and Jemmy accommodated the expense, Jemmy Taylor was deaf: his peer with the 74,000/. out of one stock; reply used always to be, "that if his suc-in the four per cents, where Jemmy us 'cessors had as much pleasure in spending ually kept his largest bulk of cash; and his property, as he had in hoarding it up, from whence it appeared by the books, they need not complain of their lot in the he could have sold out as much more, and world." By this observation verifying yet have had as much left as would have the old adage, that says, "there is a made him comfortal: all the rest of his pleasure in madness, which none but days. One day, observing some ladies madmen know." If parity of years is the near the bank buying some very fine fruit first step to friendship, parity of pursuits he kept his eyes so wishfully fixed upon may be said to be the second. Mr. them, that one, thinking him in great James Taylor knew all the miserables of want, sent him out sixpence, which he rethe metropolis: among the most conspic-ceived with a low bow, and immediately uous of whom he ranked his quandum set off and bought a two penny friends, the two brothers Fl's, of which he brought past the ladies, to let Spitalfields. These were likewise wea- them see he had not misapplied their bounvers; and in their time had accumulated ty. This anecdote need not be doubted, by usury and speculation, the enormous as it appeared in the papers at the time, sum of 300,000l., which they kept at and all his acquaintance talked of the fact. interest in the funds, and thereby were Jemmy, though an inhabitant of a popu always able to oblige a friend with any lous city, sometimes exericised the severe

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steak;

virtue of self-denial, in circumstances how to get rid of 'em, my genus always which might have shown his readiness to was in the money spending way; the fel accommodate the parties that called upon lers that keeps the taverns says that they w his probity to pay his assessment of the can't git no fips or levys to make change.. parish rates. When the officers waited with; now if I was them, I'd make fip at the door of his house in King street, and levey ones payable in drams-I'd and inquired for Mr. Taylor, they were take 'em soon enough; 'cause they're like told, "there was not a soul in the house." Dr. Dyott's, they're on a solid foundation; The collector, perceiving Old Hunks peep- I'd like to know what's a more solid founing between the balusters, replied to the dation than a dram? that's the only way girl who answered," that she was quite to stop this here pressure ;-some of these right, as he could only peceive her mas- here brokers are trying to get all the ter who was notoriously well known to be change from the people; that are's a thing no soul at all!" In his last testament he wot can't be no how at all, it is just like forgot all his London relations. His cou- a kitten running round arter its tail; they sin Taylor, of the Borough, and his nephew can't ketch it, I know's they can't; I haint of the Marlborough, in Bishopsgate street, had a fip for week; my opinion is, that who were equally unremembered in his them fellers in the banks has been giving i will. These can say with truth, "he is too many blow outs and that's the reason gone a long journey; he has taken away of all this here fuss; they haint no busithe bags of money, and the devil knows ness to spend their money in such extravawhat has become of them." Though gances; now I aint opposed to real ginerJemmy had but little religion in his life, al blows outs, myself, not by no means; yet towards his latter end he discovered I respect a man what blows out, I thinks some thoughts of an hereafter. Finding he aint none of yourme an temperance felhimself ill, and fearing his illness might lers; I takes a moderate blow out myself finish his days, he sent for the parish offi- when I can, but I aint in favour of sich cers, the parson, clerk and curate, and, fellers having these good blow outs to after intimating his attention of making a themselves; if they'd only ax a clever feller... handsome bequest, paid them down like me to 'em, I could see that they did'nt " twelve hundred pounds for their prayers git drunk; I never gits drunk myself; it for the rest of his soul; but this bargain takes a sight of licker to make me drunk; was not entirely settled until the gentle- I don't think much of these fellers what men had returned him twelve months in- can't drink a smaller without getting cornterest, by way of discount; his usual de- ed, I don't call sich chaps, men; now as mand for prompt payment! It appears I said before, the only way to put all this that his enormous fortune devolved to two here rumpus to an end, is to send all this relatives in the country; whilst those of here hard dust, and all these shin plasters his kindred in London, in consequence of out of the country, and make little bottles being cut off, have altered the tenor of of rum for change, and then there won't their prayers, in one article at least, by be the least trouble in getting lenty of praying for their deceased uncle, as the small change, for rum's middling plenty papists pray for the souls of Luther and here jist now; for my part I think I'd Calvin. His name now adorns the dona- drink up the money, but that would'nt tion board of the ancient church of St. make any odds, 'cause they could make Saviour, in the Borough. He died in plenty more; but if this plan would'nt

1793.

Nicodemus Drinkington.

ginerally take, I knows one chap that..., would patrernize it, and that's me; but 'sposin it would take, I spect some chap 'ud say I didn't make it, there's a good "These here times," said Nicodemus many sitch carickters in the world; talkDrinkington," these here times is the hard- ing about that, put me in mind of that est I ever knowed on, I think it is harder chap I treated the other day, he's seen to get a dram now days, than it is to make me a good many times since, and haint them there shin plasters; if they'd only offered to treat back agin'; sitch conduct gi' me leave to make 'em, I'd show 'em as that I call ungenteel, I'd like to know

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