Excerpts from September 28, 1810 The London Chronicle

VERE-STREET MISCREANTS.

Yesterday William Amos, alias Sally Fox, James Cook (the landlord), Philip Bell (the waiter), William Thomson, Richard Francis and James Done, six of the Vere-street gang, stood in the pillory in the centre of the Haymarket, opposite Norris-street. They were conveyed from Newgate in the open caravan used for the purpose of taking the transports to Plymouth, in which they were no sooner placed, than the mob began to salute them with mud, rotten eggs, and filth, with which they continued to pelt them along Ludgate-hill, Fleet-street, the Strand, and Charing-cross. When they arrived at the Haymarket, it was found that the pillory would only accommodate four at once. At one o’clock, therefore, four of them were placed on the platform, and the two others were in the mean time taken to St. Martin’s watch-house. The concourse of people assembled was immense, even the tops of the houses in the Haymarket were covered with spectators. As soon as a convenient ring was formed, a number of women were admitted within side, who vigorously expressed their abhorrence of the miscreants, by a perpetual shower of mud, eggs, offal, and every kind of filth, with which they had plentifully supplied themselves in baskets and buckets. When the criminals had stood their allotted time, they were conveyed to Coldbath-fields prion. At two o’clock the remaining two were placed in the pillory, and were pelted till it was scarcely possible to distinguish the human shame. The caravan conveyed the two last through the Strand &., to Newgate, the mob continuing to pelt them all the way. Notwithstanding the immense concourse of people, we are happy to learn that no accidents occurred.

The horrible exhibition of yesterday must prove to every considerate spectator the necessity for an immediate alteration in the law as to the punishment of this crime. It is obvious that mere exposure in the pillory is insufficient:--to beings so degraded the pillory of itself would be trifling; it is the popular indignation alone which they dread; and yet it is horrible to accustom the people to take the vengeance of justice into their hands. We avoid entering into the discussion of a crime so horrible to the nature of Englishmen, the prevalence of which we ascribe to the unnecessary favour which of late has been shewn to foreigners, to foreign servants, to foreign troops, and to the sending of our own troops to associate with foreigners. These may truly be regarded as the sources of the evil. We trust that the very first object of Parliament on its meeting, will be the revision of the law on this subject.

VIGUERS, the miscreant placed in the pillory in Cornhill, is at present blind, in consequence of the pelting he received. He was so much bruised and lacerated, that he is not expected to survive.

It is said that COOK, the Vere-street Landlord, proposed to make some important disclosures, on condition that his punishment of the pillory should be commuted.