The short man was endeavouring to
make off; however, the officer procured assistance, and both were
brought to the office, where the account they gave was that they
worked on canals. They had been together on Wednesday afternoon,
tossed for money, and afterwards for their CLOTHES; the tall man
who was hanged won the other's jacket, trousers, and shoes; they
then tossed up which should HANG THE OTHER, and the short one won
the toss. They got upon the wall, the one to submit, and the
other to hang him on the lamp-iron. They both agreed in this
statement. The tall one, who had been hanged, said if he had won
the toss he would have hanged the other. He said he then felt
the effects upon his neck of his hanging, and his eyes were so
much swelled that he saw DOUBLE.
The magistrates, continues the report in the 'Annual Register,'
expressed their horror and disgust; and ordered the man who had
been hanged to find bail for the violent and unjustifiable
assault upon the officer; and the short one, for hanging the
other--a very odd decision in the latter case--since the act was
murder 'to all intents and purposes' designed and intended. The
report says, however, that, not having bail, they were committed
to Bridewell for trial.
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