Murderer’s suicide
View of the Body of John Williams the supposed Murderer... of the Families of Marr and Williamson, and Self-destroyer, approaching the hole dug to receive it, in the Cross Road, at Cannon Street Turnpike.
London, circa 1811
Engraving, three neat vertical creases.
185 by 230mm (7¼ by 9 inches).
Depicting the transport of the body of John Williams, the principal suspect in the 'Ratcliff Highway Murders', a series of murders in East London in December 1811. Williams was arrested and imprisoned but before the case went to trial he used his scarf to hang himself in his cell at Coldbath Fields. The court declared Williams guilty of the crimes, taking his suicide as an admission of his guilt. Following this decision, Williams' corpse was paraded through the streets of East London, passsed the locations of the murders, in a procession supposedly seen by 180,000 people. Thomas De Quincey witnessed the event and wrote of it: 'When the cart came opposite the late Mr Marr's [one of the victims] house a halt was made for nearly a quarter of an hour.... The procession then advanced to St George's Turnpike, where the New Road [now Commercial Road] is intersected by Cannon Street Road. Those who accompanied the procession arrived at a grave already dug six feet down. The remains of John Williams were tumbled out of the cart and lowered into this hole, and then someone hammered a stake through his heart.' The Newgate Calendar reporting the crime and trial writes, ‘When the gaoler went to the room in the house of correction in Coldbath-fields, where Williams was confined, in order to call him to his last examination before the Shadwell police magistrates, his body was found dead, hanging to a beam; thus adding to his supposed crime that of self-murder! On the 31st December, his remains were privately removed, at eleven o'clock at night, from the cell in Coldbath-fields prison, where he committed suicide, and conveyed to St. George's watch-house, near the London Docks, preparatory to interment. Mr Capper, the magistrate, had an interview with the secretary for the home department, for the purpose of considering with what propriety the usual practice of burying suicides in the nearest cross-roads might be departed from in the present instance, and it was then determined that a public exhibition should be made of the body through the neighbourhood which had been the scene of the monster's crimes. In conformity with this decision, the following procession moved from the watch-house, about half past ten o'clock on Tuesday morning: Several hundred constables; with their staves, clearing the way; The newly-formed patrole, with drawn cutlasses; Another body of constables; Parish officers of St. George's, St. Paul's, and Shadwell, on horseback; Peace officers, on horseback; Constables; The high constable of the county of Middlesex on horseback. The body of Wiliams extended at full length on an Inclined platform, erected on the cart, about four feet high at the head, and gradually sloping towards the horse, giving a full view of the body, which was dressed in blue trousers and a white and blue striped waistcoat, but without a coat, as when found in the cell. On the left side of the head the fatal mall, and on the right the ripping chisel, with which the murders were perpetrated, were exposed to view. The countenance of Williams was ghastly in the extreme, and the whole had an appearance too horrible for description. A strong body of constables brought up the rear. The procession advanced slowly up Ratcliffe-Highway, accompanied by an immense concourse of persons, eager to get a sight of the murderer's remains. When the cart came opposite to the late Mr Marr's house, a halt was made for near a quarter of an hour. The procession then moved down Old Gravel-lane, along Wapping, up New Crane-lane, and into New Gravel-lane. When the platform arrived at the late Mr Williamson's house, a second halt took place. It then proceeded up the hill, and again entered Ratcliffe Highway, down which it moved into Cannon-street, and advanced to St. George's turnpike, where the new road is intersected by Cannon-street. There a grave, about six feet deep, had been prepared, immediately over which the main water-pipe runs. Between twelve and one o'clock the body was taken from the platform, and lowered into the grave immediately after which a stake was driven through it; and the pit being covered, this solemn ceremony concluded. During the last half hour the crowd had increased immensely; they poured in from all parts, but their demeanour was perfectly quiet. All the shops in the neighbourhood were shut, and the windows and tops of the houses were crowded with spectators. On every side, mingled with execrations of the murderer, were heard fervent prayers for the speedy detection of his accomplice or accomplices.
£250
[13097]