Horse-Turnpike Highway Robbery
Trial at the Old Bailey:
On 21 July 1751, a man named William Elkins was tried for highway robbery after being stopped “between five and six in the afternoon” at a turnpike on horseback, accompanied by Daniel Pope, who gave evidence against him.
The Crime & Context
Elkins was accused of holding up travellers on the road—an all-too-common fear in mid‑18th-century England, when ruffians lurked at turnpikes and lonely stretches outside London. On this occasion, his victim was Pope, who was returning through the gate when Elkins allegedly drew up beside him, threatened him, and demanded valuables.
Key Witness Testimony
Daniel Pope described the encounter:
“Between five and six in the afternoon, the prisoner was at the turnpike on horseback, in company…”
While testimony beyond that line isn’t included in the snippet, the fact that Pope recognized Elkins and identified him in court shows how eyewitnesses—particularly travellers at turnpikes—were critical to securing convictions.
Verdict & Sentencing
The details of Elkins’s verdict aren’t within our snippet, but many highway robbery convictions from that era resulted in transportation or the death penalty—punishments intended as stark deterrents to would-be thieves.
Why It Matters
- Popular fear: Highwaymen were public enemies, and turnpikes—gatehouses on toll roads—became notorious ambush spots.
- Prosecution relied on eyewitnesses, and Pope’s clear testimony likely sealed Elkins’s fate.
- This trial highlights how travel—already precarious—became riskier as highway robbery surged in the 1750s.
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