Transcribed from the 1815 Wm. Hone edition ,

THE
POWER OF CONSCIENCE

EXEMPLIFIEDIN THE GENUINE AND EXTRAORDINARY

CONFESSION
OF THOMAS BEDWORTH;

DELIVERED TOONE OF THE PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF NEWGATE, THE
NIGHT BEFORE HIS EXECUTION, ON SEPTEMBER18, 1815, FOR THE

Murder
OF ELIZABETH BEESMORE,
IN DRURY LANE.

RELATING HIS HORRIBLE SUFFERINGS
UNTIL COMPELLED TO SURRENDER TO PUBLICJUSTICE BY THE CONSTANT
SUPERNATURAL VISITATIONS
OF THE MURDERED WOMAN, AND THE FREQUENTAPPEARANCE OF HER

APPARITION.

FROM THE ORIGINAL PAPER,
NOW IN THE POSSESSION OF THEPUBLISHER.

Includinginteresting Particulars of BEDWORTH’s former Life,his
behaviour before Execution, andan original andfull Report of the
Common Serjeant’s Address on passing Sentence.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR Wm. HONE, 55, FLEETSTREET,
By J. Swan, 76, Fleet Street.
PRICE SIXPENCE.
1815.

p. 3THE
EXTRAORDINARY
LIFE AND CONFESSION
OF THE LATE
THOMAS BEDWORTH,
AS RELATED BY HIMSELF, BEFORE GOINGON
THE SCAFFOLD.

THE following brief statement of the life of an almost obscureindividual, drawn up from his own lips, is published not from anywish to diminish the just indignation and natural horror excitedby the dreadful crime of murder, of which he was foundguilty by his own confession, as well as by the Verdict of theJury, but from an anxious desire to develop such particulars asexemplify the sad consequences of ungoverned passion and depravedpursuit.  However different from all rational views thatextraordinary portion of his relation may be which details thefrequent horrible appearance of the murdered woman, thereis no more reason to doubt his solemn belief of the reality ofthe TERRIBLE APPARITION than of any other part of his edifyingNarrative.  The criminal related the whole himself, incompliance with the wishes of one of the principal officers ofthe prison, whose humanity and attention he gratefullyacknowledged, and who had long expressed a desire to know hismelancholy story.  He commenced his relation about midnightbefore his execution.  He solemnly and earnestly, as a dyingman and in the presence of Almighty God, protested the truth ofevery circumstance, and the whole is here faithfully given as hedelivered it.  Although scrupulously examined upon thesupernatural ap