John Eagles

Brief biography

John Eagles was born in about 1792; it is not yet known where. He spent some of his early adult years in Winchelsea, occupied as a butcher. This period was not without its difficulties for him.

The IGI contains a marriage record [IGI: Batch No. M14813-1], evidently extracted from an original church register, showing that he first married Elizabeth Jenkins at Winchelsea on September 15th 1812.

However, in 1815 a single woman named Jane Jenkins - possibly Elizabeth's sister or other relation - formally charged that he had fathered by her a bastard son, born on July 22nd 1815 at the house of a Mary Jenkins. This charge was made on August 16th 1815 and is contained in the Bastardy Examination files of the East Sussex Record Office [ESRO]. The reference for this particular file is [ESRO: PAR 511/34/1/44].

This business dragged on for some years. A report of the formal examination of John by a Mr. Fisher was forwarded to the Winchelsea Assistant Overseer Mr. Charles Arnett on March 16th 1817 [ESRO: PAR511/35/1/47]. On August 12th 1822, while still living in Winchelsea and working as a butcher, he was issued with a summons for failing to pay maintenance for the bastard son [ESRO: PAR 511/34/2/33].

Meanwhile, he had been assaulted in 1820; a warrant was issued for the arrest of his assailant, a butcher by the name of Joash Jones, on October 17th 1820 [ESRO: PAR 511/29/1].

In 1823 he left Winchelsea and moved to Sheerness, spending nearly a year there. During that period, in 1824, he remarried to Frances Hobbs and so it is probable that his first wife Elizabeth had died. Later in 1824 he and Frances moved to St. Saviour in Southwark, London where their first child Frances Elizabeth was born, being baptised on July 24th 1825 [IGI: Batch No. C05518-3]. A more detailed account of his movements in this period is given in Appendix A below.

It was in 1826 that a catastrophic fate was set in train for him, starting in late April, by which time Frances was already pregnant with their second child Jane Hannah.

The summary of it is that he had taken up work with the General Post Office, was accused of stealing a letter containing money, was tried and convicted at the Old Bailey and was subsequently executed in public at Newgate on May 29th 1827.

The trial of John Eagles at the Old Bailey took place on February 15th 1827. The presiding judge was Sir Stephen Gaselee. Appendix B below presents the trial transcript.

After conviction John was held in Newgate prison to await his fate.

On March 2nd 1827 he wrote the following letter from there to the Winchelsea Overseers [ESRO: PAR 511/35/1/260]:

"I am sorry to inform you of my unfortunate case. I am confined to Newgate under sentence of death and the expense of my trial has reduced me to go to the parish for relief and the parish I dwelt in last was St. Saviour's parish, Southwark. They have relieved my wife by whom there is [sic] two children, one is two years old and the other 4 months. The parish of St. Saviour's sent the officers this day and I have gained no other settlement, not living twelve months at one place since I left Winchelsea. I have paid no taxes since I left Winchelsea. My wife's brother has offered to have my wife and two children for 5s per week if you gentlemen think it proper to pay it as it [is] out of her power to do anything with a child of 4 months and in a bad state of health. Please to send answer by return of post as this parish will be forced to bring the family home beginning of next week. If you gentlemen think proper [to] allow that sum it will save her friend and the parish great expense. My wife's brother lives at Minster, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, Please to direct to governors of St. Saviour's parish, Southwark, London."

On March 26th he wrote to them again [ESRO: PAR 511/35/1/267]:

"I have taken the liberty of writing to you to inform you that there has been a gentleman sent from someone from Mr. Dawes of Rye concerning of my parish and I informed him where I had resided since I left Winchelsea. He said I belonged to Winchelsea parish in his opinion. My wife saw the parish officer of St. Saviour's last night. They informed her that I had better write to you to know if [you] would allow her the weekly pay and for her to stop in town or for them to send her home beginning of next week. I should be very much obliged to you if you would let her receive her pay in London. If she is forced to come home I shall have no one to wash and do for me as I have no friends in London to do it. I expect that it will be a month before I know if I die or be transported for life. If the latter I shall hope with the assistance of friends to take my wife and family with me. I should be very much obliged to you to send answer by return of post. Direct it, if you please, to J. Eagles, Newgate. I make no doubt but that the governor of St. Saviour's parish would pay the sum of 5s per week to my wife by your order. I should be very much obliged to you to send answer by return of post as my money is entirely gone and am drove very short and my friends have been at a very great expense."

On April 18th he wrote yet again, directly to Mr. Charles Arnett, the parish officer for Winchelsea [ESRO: PAR 511/35/1/274]:

"This is to acquaint you [that] my wife is to come to London and is very ill and I think is likely to remain so. She wished me to write to you as she said she was to write to you about this time for you to let me know concerning where she and the children belong [i.e. which parish was responsible for their welfare]. I am afraid my wife is going in a decline by what the doctor says and thinks it will be better for her to go to Mr. Gooding's, her brother[-in-law]'s, at Sheerness, if you will allow her 6s per week for herself and two children. I am afraid she will never be able to do anything [to] help herself without a great alteration in her. The parish officer at Sheerness will most likely pay her the money by your order as I think the sooner she goes there the better as her sister will do what lies in her power for her as there is no one belonging to me that can do for her. Please to send me answer by return of post. Direct to me at Newgate Gaol, London. I hope you answer by return of post as I expect the report every hour so that I shall know my fate. If, please God, my life is spared I think I have hopes and I should go to Botany Bay and my wife's health gets better, with my friends' help I will get her over to me as that is a good country and healthy. I hope you will do the best you can for my wife and children. I hope you will send answer by return of post."

The above Mr. [Joseph] Gooding had married Frances' sister Elizabeth Hobbs at Preston-next-Faversham on March 28th 1818 [IGI: Batch No. I00537-0].

Not long afterwards John learned that transportation had been denied him and that he was to die. On May 22nd a letter was sent to Mr. Arnett at Winchelsea from a Mr. W. S. Tonge of Sittingbourne who was probably a friend of Frances' family [ESRO: PAR511/35/1/281]:

"Feeling great interest for the family of poor Eagles, now under sentence of death at Newgate, who I understand have been removed from St. Saviour's to the parish to which you belong, induced me to write to you on their distress[ed] situation for, independent[ly] of the constant expectation of hearing that her husband is left for execution, she has poverty to contend with and was [sic] it not for her friends (who cannot do it any longer) she must have starved. This I hope will be sufficient to induce you to send her some relief but I could urge you on the score of the poor man whose mind is racked with the idea of leaving his beloved wife and children unprovided for. Could he hear you have made an arrangement with his wife it would calm his mind in a great degree and I believe enable him to strive more and more to make his peace with God. Hoping I shall stand excused in interfering by the motive."

Mr. Arnett delayed replying to this, seemingly on account of the Winchelsea Overseers being reluctant to incur too much expense over Frances.

Attempts were made to secure a reprieve for John, being documented in the National Archives [Ref: HO 17/45/22]. The NA's summary of them in their catalogue reads as follows:

1 individual (prisoner) and 5 collective petitions (103 inhabitants of Winchelsea, Sussex; 14 people of Kent including the prisoner's parents John Eagles and [Jane Eagles]; 53 inhabitants of Sittingbourne [Kent]; 6 including the prisoner's parents; 51 people) on behalf of John Eagles, a Post Office employee, previously a butcher, convicted at the Old Bailey February Session 1827 of stealing a letter containing money, the property of Sir William Curtis and Co. Grounds for clemency: previous good character; wife and 2 infant children; aged parents (aged 86 and 84). 3 letters from Sir Edward Knatchbulland one from Anthony Brown enclosing a report from the Governor of Newgate Gaol confirming that prisoner has given information about a planned escape. Initial sentence: Death. Annotated: 'Considered at Report in Council 23 May'.

It was all to no avail. John was executed on Tuesday May 29th, on the gallows in front of the door for the condemned that opened high up on the great wall of Newgate prison, in full public view. The executioner was John Foxton.

The Museum of London possesses an original 'execution broadside' bearing the title "Particulars of the Lives, Trials & Execution of George Williams, John Eagles, and Benjamin Sanders, Who were Executed in Front of the Old Bailey this Morning". The contents of this have not yet been ascertained. These broadsides were traditionally rushed for sale among the crowd as soon as the gallows' drop had fallen.

We do not know where Frances was on the day of John's execution, nor what became of his body. A report of John's execution, with two other men, was published in The Times the following day and is presented in Appendix C.

On the same day that John died Mr. Arnett wrote back to Mr. Tonge as follows [ESRO: PAR511/35/1/283]:

"I received yours of the 21st instant but, knowing the result of the recorder's report as it affected John Eagles, refrained from answering until the sentence was put into execution. Indeed, I was ordered by the vestry not to answer any letter that was asking anything like weekly pay, for it was expressly understood that £3 given her was for her (Mrs. Eagles) to go to her husband directly agreeable to their joint wish and to pay her expenses home [and] that nothing further would be done until she returned here. The parish still hold that opinion and as they want such a woman in the [poor]house it would be less expensive to keep her and children there than it would be to allow the 6s per week as cash asked - or indeed any sum. Your communicating the above to Mrs. Eagles would oblige."

On June 24th 1827 a letter was written by Joseph Gooding of Halfway House, Minster in Sheppey, to Mr. Arnett [ESRO: PAR 511/35/1/284] as follows:

"I have taken the liberty of writing respecting the case of Mrs Eagles, to know what is to become of her. You told me when at my house that you would do all that lay in your power for her. I can assure you that she is very badly off and has not a shilling in the world to help herself with and I hope that the overseers will be so kind as to allow her a trifle for the two children per week and if they do not think proper so to do the two babes must come home and the woman must go into service. I think it a very hard case for the parish not to allow her the small sum of 4s per week for the two children for if they have to come home it will be more expense to you. If I had it in my power she should not be a trouble to you or anyone else but I have nothing only what I work hard for. I hope, Sir, that you will be so kind as to answer this letter."

On August 13th 1827 an order was issued for the removal of "Frances Eagles, widow, and her children Frances (21/4) and Jane (11 months) from Milton-next-Sittingbourne in Kent to Winchelsea" [ESRO: PAR 511/32/3/54].

Nothing is yet known of Frances during the following two years. The next known reference to her is her marriage to Edward Woodhurst on October 11th 1829.

Below is the ESRO summary of the Settlement Examination made of John Eagles on March 12th 1827 while he was imprisoned in Newgate [ESRO: PAR 511/32/4/201]. The source documents doubtless contain further details.

"He occupied a house and garden in Winchelsea for seven years; he quitted Winchelsea in Mar 1823 and went to live at Sheerness where he served George Macket as a journeyman butcher; he stayed in his service eleven months and then took a shop in Sheerness which he occupied for six weeks; during that time he was married at Minster, Isle of Sheppy, to Frances Hobbs; in 1824 he came to London and took a furnished lodging in Pitt's Place, St. Saviour's, Southwark, where he lived for one year; then went to live in Bear Court, Bear Lane, St. Saviour's in a furnished lodging for five months; then lived at 5 Great Guildford Street, St. Saviour's for six months; then took a shop at 4 Great Guildford Street from 10 Jul 1826 to 18 Dec 1826; then lived in furnished lodging in Keppel Street, St. Saviour's, where his wife and two children now live."

This transcript of the trial of John Eagles appears on the website Old Bailey Online.

It has various typographical infelicities owing to its having been derived from the original using OCR software without subsequent editing.

Old Bailey Proceedings, 15th February 1827.

Second London Jury, before Mr. Justice Gaselee.

JOHN EAGLES was indicted for that he, at the time of committing the several felonies and offences in the first eight counts of this indictment mentioned, was a person employed by and under the Post-officer of Great Britain , in certain business relating to the said office, that is to say, in collecting and facing newspapers brought to the General Post-office in London, at the parish of St. Mary Woolnoth, - and that, on the 1st of May, a letter lately before sent by the Post, from York, to the said General Post-office in London, for and to be delivered at London, aforesaid, to a certain person, by the name, description, addition and address, of A. W. Robarts, Esq., M. P., London, that is to say, to one Abraham Wildey Robarts, and containing therein one promissory note, made for the payment of five pounds and five shillings, and value 5l. 5s.; one other promissory note, made for payment of and value 5l. 5s.; one bill of exchange, made for payment of and value 5l.; one other bill of exchange, made for payment of and value 40l.; one other bill of exchange, for payment of and value 30l.; one other bill of exchange, for payment of and value 7l. 12s.; one other bill of exchange, for payment of and value 12l. 1s. 9d.; one other bill of exchange, made for payment of and value 30l.; one other bill of exchange, made for payment of and value 20l.; one other bill of exchange, made for payment of and value 20l.; one other bill of exchange, made for payment of and value 50l.; one other bill of exchange, made for payment of and value 84l.; one other bill of exchange, made for payment of and value 20l.; one other bill of exchange, made for payment of and value 80l.; one Bank note, made for payment of and value 1l.; one other Bank note, made for payment of and value 1l.; and one other Bank note, made for payment of and value 5l., came to the hands and possession of the said John Eagles, whilst he was so employed, and that he, on the same day, and at the same parish, being so employed, feloniously did secrete the said letter, containing the said promissory notes, bills of exchange, and Bank notes, the same being in force, and the property of Thomas Wilson and others, his partners, and the money payable upon, and secured by the said promissory notes, bills of exchange, and Bank notes, being unsatisfied, against the statute.

2d COUNT, the same as the first, only instead of charging the prisoner with secreting the letter, charging him with stealing the notes, &c. from and out of the letter.

3d and 4th COUNTS, like the first and second, only charging the notes, &c. to be contained and sent by the Post, in a packet instead of a letter.

FOUR OTHER COUNTS, like the former four, only stating the notes, &c. to be the property of Sir. William Curtis , Bart, and others, his partners.

MESSES. BOLLAND and SHEPHERD conducted the prosecution.

WILLIAM HALL . In April, 1826, I was principal clerk in the house of Messrs. Thomas Wilson , Tweedy, and Wilson, bankers, of York. On Saturday, the 29th of April, we had occasion to send a remittance to London; I copied the particulars of the remittance into a book, counted the notes and bills, and put them into two packets; I have a copy of the numbers of the notes which I enclosed, and the private marks I put upon them; I enclosed in the two packets, bills and notes amounting to 547l. 8s. 9d. - I cannot tell what amount I enclosed in each; here is my remittance-book.

Q. Look at this 1l. note, and see if you find a number in your book corresponding with it? A. Yes - that is in another book which I have here; I find on this note a private number, 446, which tallies with the entry in the book, which is in my hand-writing; this book only contains an entry of the Bank notes remitted on the 29th of April.

Q. Do read the entry? (Reads) - "29th of April, C. and Co., (meaning Curtis and Co.) No. 446, 1l.;" I find, by the other, book, that the number of that note was 32,286, dated the 29th of December, 1825 - our private number being 446; this entry is in the hand-writing of Barreclough. I enclosed this note in one of the packets which was sent to Messrs. Curtis and Co. on the 29th of April; we also sent up a letter, containing a power of attorney; I wafered the two packets containing the remittance, and addressed them to A. W. Robarts, Esq., M. P., London - and put them on the counter - it is another person's business to carry them to the Post.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Q. You have a book in which you enter all remittances? A. Yes - the entry in that book is my writing - that is "Bank, 7l.," which means that part of the remittance was 7l. in Bank notes - in order to find a description of this 7l. I refer to the Bank note book - the entry there is in my hand-writing; I have there entered the private number of this Bank note to be 446; the private number on the note is not my writing, but I can swear to it, as I examined the note itself, to see that 446 was on it, and I have entered it in the paid Bank note book, as being remitted to Messrs. Curtis.

Q. What time of day did you enclose these notes? A. From three to four o'clock; I did not write the letters - I made them up, and sealed them. The whole remittance was enclosed in two packets, both of which were directed to Mr. Robarts. After wafering the letters I put them on the counter, to wait till Barraclough took them to the Post - they were wafered, and sealed with wax; I always wafer them, but Barraclough sometimes seals them; I never knew it happen that notes selected to be remitted had been left behind by accident; immediately they are entered I put them into their respective envelopes - I never leave them loose on the desk; it is my general practice to enclose them directly. I have no distinct recollection of having enclosed these immediately, but it is my firm belief that I did.

MR. BOLLAND. Q. Does the book contain the whole account of the 547l. bills and every thing? A. It does.

COURT. Q. Is the whole of this book entrics of remittances sent to Messrs. Curtis only? A. Yes. I took the No. 446 from the note itself, but Barraclough wrote the number on the note; the 7l. in Bank notes was put in to make up the sum.

JOSHUA BARRACLOUGH . In April last I was in the house of Messrs. Wilson and Co., bankers, of York. - (Looking at the note) this note was paid into our house on the 28th of April; the No. 446 was made on it by me that day, and entered in the book; it is my duty to put the letters containing remittances into the Post-office. On the 29th of April, between eight and half-past eight o'clock in the evening, I remember putting three letters into the Post-office, directed to A. W. Robarts, Esq. - I cannot say whether I had sealed the letters that day. The post leaves after ten o'clock; I heard, three or four days afterwards, that one of the letters had not arrived.

Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. How do you so well recollect that it was about eight o'clock? A. Hearing one of the letters had not arrived brought it to my recollection; I put the No. 446 on the note, and entered that number in the received note book, at the same time - we put a progressive number on all our notes; if it had been a 5l. note we should have put the same number.

MR. BOLLAND. Q. What is the entry you have made? A."446 - 32,286, 1l., 29th of December, 1825;" this is the note from which I made that entry.

JOHN CLIFFORD . I am a clerk in the Post-office at York. The mail left about half-past ten o'clock on the 29th of April last - a letter put in before nine o'clock would have gone to London that night. I made up the London bag on the 29th of April - it was properly made up. I heard of this letter being lost about a week afterwards.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Q. Can you be certain you made it up? A. Yes - I have never missed doing it for the last seven years, on any occasion.

JOSIAH SMITH . I was a clerk at the York Post-office in April. It was my business to despatch the London bag - I either did so, or saw it done on the 29th of April - it was regularly sealed, and properly despatched.

Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Are there any other clerks? A. Yes. I either sealed the bag, or saw it sealed.

HENRY MEHEUR . In April last it was my duty to receive the York bag at the General Post-office; I received the York bag of the 29th of April - it arrived quite safe, tied and sealed, with the York stamp, at eleven o'clock on Sunday night, the 30th of April; I opened it on the 1st of May, about ten minutes past six in the morning.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Q. When the bag is opened, what is done with the letters? A. They are thrown on a table - there would be no others on the table at that time - other bags had been opened before, but all the letters were cleared away; they would be sorted for delivery four hours after the bag was opened - they would be mixed with other letters; only two persons would have to come to that table, the first stamper, and a messenger to clear the franks - I have been in the office two years and three months.

MR. BOLLAND. Q. Were there newspapers in the bag as well as letters? A. Yes - the letters would not remain on the table more than five minutes - they are taken away by the messenger and stamper, over to a large table to be sorted.

GEORGE NEALE . I am clerk in the office of the superintending President of the Inland-office. The prisoner was in the service of the Post-office on the 1st of May, as a collector and facer of newspapers - facing is putting the directions all one way - I find by the book that he was on duty that day.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Q. Is that book kept by you? A. No; but I know his writing - he has signed the book, which states that he was on duty that morning - his duty commences at six o'clock; the book don't state that.

Q. If a man was taken ill, and came at a later hour, would the book tell that? A. No; but there is a book which will tell about his attendance - I think if he had not come in proper time his duty would have been performed by another person, who would have signed the book - if he had been taken ill after he came, a person might take his duty - but in that event, I conceive that person would have signed the book as having done the duty - I cannot say that I know a case in point.

MR. BOLLAND. Q. What is the signature for? A. To show that he did that duty, and entitle him to be paid for the same.

JOHN DEACON . I am in the service of the Post-office, and was employed on the 1st of May in facing newspapers, and examining them - the prisoner was employed in collecting papers, and assisting in facing them - there are seven tables, and two baskets attached to each table, which the clerks of the tables throw the newspapers into - he would collect those baskets from all the tables - he would go to the York table - it often happens that franked letters and packets get into the baskets, and sometimes bundles of letters - I was never there but what there were three or four such mistakes, or at times eight or ten - it would be the prisoner's duty when that was discovered, to take the letters back to the several tables.

Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Was he not an extra man? A. No - a regular man; I sign the book as an extra man - a regular man signs his name as extra, if he was extra duty - his name is under the word extra, but you will find it also under the head of collector and facer.

Q. Show me his name in the book under that head? A. He should have signed it there - but it don't appear, except as an extra man - he ought to sign the book at the beginning of the duty - I cannot account for its not being signed in both places; no other person would be employed in collecting newspapers but him - there would be two clerks and two messengers to each of the seven tables - I do not swear that I saw the prisoner at the York table - it would be his duty to go there - I will not swear that I saw him in the office - in the hurry of business letters are often thrown among the papers, and papers among letters - I have known a man taken ill, and another coming on duty for him - I have been in the office eleven years - how many times that has happened I cannot say.

MR. BOLLAND. Q. Was the prisoner on duty that morning? A. He should have been; and he has signed his name - he would have gone to the York table for the newspapers.

COURT. Q. What is the usual hour for signing the book? A. Six o'clock when our duty commences - if a man is taken ill, and another comes in his place, that person should sign the book as well; but whether that has been done I cannot say.

GEORGE KNIGHT . I am employed in the early delivery of general post letters - a letter directed to A. W. Robarts, Esq., London, would be sorted to the Lombard-street walk, which is my delivery - I deliver letters directed to A. W. Robarts, Esq., at Sir W. Curtis and Co.; they receive all their letters by the early delivery - I delivered on the 1st of May all that were entrusted to my care.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Q. Where is Mr. Robarts' private house? A. I don't know - a letter might go there, but I should not deliver that - I deliver all letters sorted for Lombard-street.

SAMUAL SAYER . I am a sorter of franked letters in the tenth division of the letter carriers' office, and am a carrier - my signature is in the book, by which I find I was so on the 1st of May; letters addressed to A. W. Robarts, Esq., London, I should sort to the Lombard-street delivery.

GEORGE MOULES . I am a clerk in Sir William Curtis's banking-house. On the 1st of May two covers were received from York - one contained 126l., and the other merely a power of attorney - I have the book in which I entered the 126l.; no other remittance was received from the York bank that day - here is the letter which contained the 126l.; finding only that amount, I sent to the Post-office that one cover was missing - our letters come by the early delivery; those directed to A. W. Robarts, Esq., would come at the same time.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Q. Where is Mr. Robarts' private house? A. In Hill-street, Berkeley-square - I believe I got to the office at nine o'clock - letters sometimes come before I arrive - they are never touched till the corresponding clerk comes, and sometimes he opens them - I opened the York letter, containing 126l.; it arrived some time after I came - I made the entry immediately, from the contents - I opened it in the presence of Mr. Oldfield; he does not assist in marking the entry.

GEORGE OLDFIELD . I am clerk to Sir William Curtis and Co. On the 1st of May I was present when the York letters were opened - there were only two; I remember on one being read, that one cover was missing - I wrote to York that night about it.

WILLIAM HALL . The letter produced is the one I sent up in one of the parcels - I cannot say in which.

This letter was here read, and stated, among a variety of other matters of business, "We enclose a remittance, value 547l. 8s. 9d., in two covers."

JOSEPH RICHARD WADESON . I am a clerk to Sir William Curtis and Co. On the 1st of May it was my duty to enter all remittances in the country remittance book - there was a remittance of 126l. from Wilson and Co., of York; it consisted entirely of country bank notes - no letter arrived from York that morning containing any Bank of England notes.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Q. Who would take in the letters? A. Mr. Moules - they are brought into the Country office.

ABRAHAM WILDEY ROBARTS , ESQ., M. P. On the morning of the 1st of May I received no remittance from York, except this one of 126l.; my letters are invariably delivered at the banking-house in Lombard-street - our firm are, Sir William Curtis, myself, and Mr. William Curtis.

Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Were you at the banking-house at the time the letters were delivered? A. Not for some time afterwards.

JOSEPH DAVIES . I am clerk at Elliot and Co.'s brewery, at Pimlico (looking at the 1l. note produced) - I received this note from Mr. Evans, of Guildford-street, Borough, on the 3d of May, 1826.

Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Q. You speak from your memory? A. No - from my book - I have an entry made here, "May 3, cash 24l.;" and I have written Evans' name on the note - I collect from him monthly - I received cash of him twenty-eight days before, and twenty-eight days after; I can only say that I received this note from him, but cannot swear when.

WILLIAM EVANS . I keep the Queen's Arms public-house, Great Guildford-street, Southwark. I know the prisoner very well - he is a customer; I received this note from him on the 1st of May, between two and three o'clock in the afternoon - I have written on it, "Eagles, postman, 1st of May, 1826;" I took it in payment of 2s. 71/2d., which he owed me, and 2d. worth of gin which he had - I know that I paid it to Davies - it is my constant habit to indorse on notes the name of the persons who pay them me - I never changed a note for him before.

JURY to DEACON. Q. How many collectors of newspapers are there? A. The prisoner was the principal - but if they were heavy, another might help him; I cannot say whether he was helped that morning.

NEALE re-examined. I know the prisoner's hand-writing; I find, upon examining the book, that his name is signed to the particular duty as facer of newspapers - it is his hand-writing, to the best of my belief.

Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Will you swear these two signatures are both written by the same individual? A. I do - both are written by one person.

JURY. Q. At what time would these two signatures be made in the book? A. Both on the same day; they ought to be made at the same time - one shows that he was employed on his regular duty, and the other the extra duty; I cannot say whether I was on duty that day.

COURT. Q. What is your opinion of both the signatures? A. That they are both written by Eagles - I have seen him write his name frequently - he would have just the same opportunity of taking this letter whether employed at one or both duties - his regular duty was a letter carrier; the extra duty he has signed to was a collector of newspapers.

JOHN DEACON re-examined. The book would be signed at six o'clock in the morning - I have signed it; here is Eagles' name twice - but I don't swear to the second signature being his writing, and that made me say, I did not see it there; I cannot swear to his hand-writing - but the name on the left side bears a strong similitude to his handwriting.

GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 35.

The Times reported the execution of John Eagles in its issue of May 30th 1827, the day after the event, as follows:

At an early hour yesterday morning, a considerable number of persons assembled in the space before Newgate, to witness the execution of the four unfortunate beings on whom the last sentence of the law was about to be performed. It was, however, soon ascertained that a respite had been received for the youth Brown, in whose favour the most unremitting exertions had been made, from the moment it was ascertained that his name had been included in the fatal warrant. The reprieve was transmitted to Mr. Wontner [the Governor of Newgate] on Monday afternoon, and on its contents being communicated to the unhappy youth, he appeared deprived of utterance; and after gazing wildly around him for a few seconds, he fell senseless on the floor of his cell. In this state he continued a considerable time, and on his recovery, piteously exclaimed "Pray don't deceive me - is it true?" On being assured that his life was saved, he became somewhat composed, and falling on his knees, poured forth his thanks to Heaven, and acknowledged the Royal clemency so generously extended towards him.

The other three men had not the slightest expectation of mercy, and had endeavoured to prepare themselves for the awful change. About a quarter before eight o'clock the sheriffs arrived, and, accompanied by Mr. Wontner, proceeded to the press-room, where the necessary preparations had been made for pinioning the arms of the unfortunate culprits, and where the attendants were waiting to conduct them to the platform. Benjamin Sanders, who had been convicted for a highway robbery, under very aggravated circumstances, on a poor Chelsea pensioner, at Isleworth, was first brought forward by the Rev. Dr. Cotton, and appeared quite firm and collected. He held out his hands to the executioner, without uttering one word, and, having been pinioned, was led to a bench while a similar ceremony was performed on his companions. Here, however, his courage appeared to forsake him; his lips became pale, his cheeks flushed, and it was with considerable difficulty he was preserved from fainting. In a few seconds he recovered himself, and on being questioned by the gentlemen around him, declared himself quite happy, and prepared to die, but solemnly protested his innocence of any violence towards his prosecutor.

John Eagles was next brought forward to be pinioned. This unfortunate man had been many years in the General Post Office, and had borne a most unimpeachable character up to the discovery of the crime for which his life was now about to be offered as a sacrifice. He had been convicted at the last February sessions of secreting a letter containing notes, intrusted [sic] to his care, and addressed to A. W. Robarts. Esq., of the banking house of Robarts, Curtis, and Co.; but up to the last moment persisted in declaring his innocence of the offence. When brought into the press-room his appearance was wretched in the extreme. He advanced with a slow and trembling pace, and gazed fearfully around on all present; and when his eyes rested on the rope with which his arms were to be fastened, an involuntary shudder convulsed his frame, and his eyes closed in agony. He was then placed on the bench by the side of Sanders, and from the motion of his lips it was evident that he was praying devoutly. In this state he continued until all the remaining preparations had been made. George Williams, who was a very fine young man, was the last brought forward. He had been convicted on two separate indictments - one for stealing 33 sheep, the property of a gentleman residing at Enfield Wash; and the other for stealing a brown gelding from a farmer at Welwyn in Hertfordshire. He advanced with a firm step, but every feature bespoke the intensity of his feelings. He suffered himself to be pinioned without uttering a word. The necessary preparations being concluded, the culprits were severally addressed by the Rev. Dr. Cotton, and a reverend gentleman named Collyer, who was unremitting in his attentions to the unfortunate men. Eagles and Williams solemnly protested their innocence, and returned thanks to the Sheriffs and Governor for the attention and kindness they had received at their hands. Sanders reiterated his former declaration, that he committed no personal violence on Price.

On arriving at the foot of the platform, the unhappy men took a solemn farewell of those around them, and at five minutes past eight Eagles was placed under the fatal beam. Though scarecely able to stand, he continued praying aloud, while the executioner performed the sad office on Sanders and Williams, both of whom advanced up the steps with a firm tread, and calmly surveyed the multitude by which they were surrounded. When the rope was adjusted round the neck of Williams, and the cap drawn over his face, he requested that a yellow silk handkerchief which he had previously worn around his neck might be fastened over his eyes, which request was immediately complied with, and he then shook the hand of the executioner, who retired from the platform.

The Rev. Ordinary then proceeded with the burial service, in which he was joined by Eagles; and so the appointed signal being given, the drop fell, and the culprits were launched into eternity.

The moment the drop fell, a young pickpocket was detected stealing a gentleman's silk pocket handkerchief, close to the rail surrounding the gallows. He was immediately secured, and taken to Giltspur Street Compter [small prison].