THOMAS ANDREWS
Convicted of an unnatural crime
THIS miserable wretch, who had formerly lived in good credit, kept a public house at Pye Corner, near Smithfield, known by the sign of the Fortune of War, where he had as much business as enabled him to support his family in some degree of credit.
John Finnimore, a servant out of place, who had been acquainted with Andrews when he (Finnimore) lived with Mrs. Mead, in Red Lion Court, behind Saint Sepulchre's church, called on Andrews, to inquire if he could help him to a service. Andrews's wife being now out of town, he told Finnimore that he was welcome to sleep at his house; hut the other declined it for that night, as Mrs. Mead had given him permission to lodge at hers.
On the following day Finnimore went to Andrews's with an acquaintance; and, after they had drank together, Finnmore hinted that Mrs. Mead had not offered him a lodging for the second night; on which Andrews told him that, as his wife was still out of town, he was welcome to a share of his bed. Here upon Finnimore went away with his acquaintance, and returned about nine o'clock in the evening.
There were at that time a considerable number of people in the house; and when they were gone, which was not till near one o'clock in the morning, Andrews locked the doors, and he and Finnimore went to bed together.
What passed, or was presumed to pass, till daylight, it is impossible to relate with any kind of regard to the laws of decency.
In the morning Andrews opened the door, and Finnimore, going out without exchanging a word with him, went to his acquaintance, whom he found at the George, in Leather Lane, looking after some horses, which he drove, being coachman to a gentleman who put up his cattle at that place.
The coachman asked Finnimore to carry a letter to Clapham; but he said he could not go, and assigned such reasons as accounted for his incapacity.
Hereupon the coachman advised Finnimore to have Andrews taken into custody; and on the following day a warrant was procured for this purpose; but, when the constable went to take Andrews into custody, he charged him likewise with Finnimore, on which the constable took charge of them both.
The constable conducted them to the Mansion-house; but the lord mayor being absent, they were conveyed to the houses of two aldermen, neither of whom happening to be at home, Finnimore was lodged for that night in Bridewell, and Andrews in the Compter.
On the following day they were carried before Sir Robert Ladbroke, the sitting alderman at Guildhall, when Finnimore made such a charge against Andrews that he was committed to Newgate.
At the ensuing sessions Andrews was brought to his trial at the Old Bailey, when Finnimore gave such a clear account of the horrid transaction that the jury did not hesitate to find the prisoner guilty, and ho received sentence of death.
Notwithstanding this conviction on evidence the most complete that the nature of such a case would allow, a conviction that left no doubt of Andrews's guilt in the mind of the public, yet such interest was made that he was indulged with a reprieve, and afterwards obtained a full pardon.
Andrews was discharged from Newgate in the month of July, 1761.
What sort of interest it was that procured a pardon for this man, it may be improper, because it could hardly be decent, to say. It is a subject that the delicate pen scarcely knows how to touch: but pardoned he was, to the astonishment of nine persons in ten who knew any thing of the case.
The writer of this narrative was well acquainted with two of the gentlemen that were of the jury that convicted Andrews; and he has been repeatedly assured by them that the strength of the evidence against him was such that no kind of doubt could remain of him guilt. Let the rest he buried, as it ought to be in obscurity; and we believe our readers will thank us that this obnoxious story is one of the shortest in our collection.