contrived to effect an escape. He travelled on foot, and got as far as Salisbury, with the intention, as he stated, of making his case known to the King.
Whatever might have been the opinions of gentlemen, and educated persons, on the abstract merit of his case, it became impossible for them not to join in bringing to condign punishment one who had thus taken away the lives of innocent persons, and set at equal defiance the laws of God and man.
Sir John St. Aubyn now took an active part in endeavouring to secure the fugitive, and being through his marriage connected with the Herberts Earls of Pembroke, who resided in the neighbourhood of Salisbury, handbills descriptive of Rogers were circulated round that town. I have always heard that a postboy, driving homewards a return postchaise, was accosted by a stout man walking with a gun in his hand, requesting to be taken in. The boy drove him to the inn, where he procured a bed; but the circumstances and description had excited strong suspicion, and he was secured in his sleep.
The prisoner was of course removed to Cornwall. He was there convicted of murder, together with John Street, who seems to have been his principal partisan, and both made an atonement for their offences with their lives.
Through the favour of Lord Hardwicke, I have procured a copy of the evidence, and a portion of the charge given to the Grand Jury, in reference to those prisoners, by his Lordship's grandfather, the justly-celebrated first Earl of Hardwicke and Lord Chancellor.
Launceston, Aug. 1, 1735.
The King against Henry Rogers and John Street.
Indictment for murder of William Carpenter, by shooting him in the back with a gun charged
