Eliza Fenning's own narrative of circumstances which occurred in the family of Mr. Turner, from the time of her going into their service until her apprehension ... To which are added, the affidavits, with several important letters and remarks / [Elizabeth Fenning].

  • Fenning, Elizabeth, 1792 or 1793-1815.
Date:
[1815]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Eliza Fenning's own narrative of circumstances which occurred in the family of Mr. Turner, from the time of her going into their service until her apprehension ... To which are added, the affidavits, with several important letters and remarks / [Elizabeth Fenning]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    25/44 (page 25)
    Every link in the chain of proof was substantiated past all doubt, by the evidence of eye-witnesses; therefore, her wealthy husband and children, her opulent and respectable uncle, and the whole of her kindred and friends, cordially agreed with the verdict of the jury; and the miserable criminal, upon whose soul the' Lord have mercy, perished at the gallows, without a dissenting dotibt in the community. On the contrary, the indigent ][)afents of Eliza Fenniug clung to her through the whole of her tedious imprisonment. The poor father’s hard- earned watch and seals, the long-gathered furniture of his two rooms, their best clothes, and, in the homely phrase of the poor man, “ the last shift from off the back of her mother,” with all their little earnings and debts incurred, were expended for her support and defence in prison and at her trial; they had to lie near a fortnight upon the cold boards, after having sold their bedding and blankets to support her; they had to borrow four¬ teen shillings and sixpence to obtain her body from prison after her execution. Would they have suffered all these hardships—would they not at once have abandoned her if they had not had reason to entertain a firm convic¬ tion of her innocence ? I am persuaded, from strong recent evidence, that if they thought her guilty, they Would, like the wealthy relatives of Elizabeth Woollerton, at once have abandoned their daughter. I have proved, in my last letter, by the testimony of his neighbours, that William Fenning has, to-the present hour, maintained the same irreproachable character which obtained him so fair and irreproachable u. -name from his officers. He entered into the army when not quite eighteen years old, and remained in the regiment until he was eight-and-thirty. These twenty years are considered the age when the pas¬ sions are the strongest; when religion has least influence and temptations to immorality and sin are most prevailing and abundant; yet William Fenning passed over this trying season of temptation without reproach, and with honour to himself. During these twenty years it is attest-* ed by the most respectable and incontrovertible authority, that he merited and received the character of steadniess, sobriety, honesty, and goodness. Although the arifly is D