Now! Then! Pioneering but pennyless philologist Eugene Aram murders a wealthy Knaresborough wastrel

8 February 1745: Pioneering but pennyless philologist Eugene Aram murders a wealthy Knaresborough wastrel

The cranium of Eugene Aram in the Royal College of Surgeons’ Museum, London (Monger 1913).

Eric R. Watson. 1913. Eugene Aram. Edinburgh and London: William Hodge and Company. Superb analysis of a life still mainly known from the work of fantasists. Get it:

Excerpt

Last Friday came on at York the trials of Richard Houseman of Knaresborough, Eugene Aram and Henry Terry, for the murder of Daniel Clark of Knaresborough, who disappeared on the 8th of February, 1745, having a little time before borrowed and bought on credit a large quantity of silver plate, a great number of watches, rings, and other things of value, for the sake of which it is supposed he was murdered. Richard Houseman was acquitted, and then deposed that in the night between the 7th and 8th of February, 1745, after above two hours spent in passing and repassing to and fro between their several houses to dispose of various goods, and to settle some notes concerning them, Aram proposed first to Clark and then to him, to take a walk out of town; that when they came to the field where Sir (sic) Robert’s Cave is, Aram and Clark went over the hedge into it; and when they came within six or eight yards of the cave, he saw Aram strike Clark several times, upon which he fell, and he never saw him more, but saw no instrument that he had, and knew not that he had any; that on this, without any interposition or alarm, he left them and returned home. And being asked why he did not discover the affair, said that Aram threatened to take away his life, if he made any discovery of what had passed. Houseman’s evidence was delivered with all the anxiety, diffidence and embarrassment of conscious guilt, solicitous to accuse the partner of his iniquity no farther than it consisted with the keeping the curtain drawn between the court and him.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.
Abbreviations:

ER: East Riding
GM: Greater Manchester
NR: North Riding
NY: North Yorkshire
SY: South Yorkshire
WR: West Riding
WY: West Yorkshire

Comment

The case – with different names and details – had a wide impact in European literature, usually turning on the question of whether it is just to murder a wealthy fool if that wealth is then used to acquire knowledge profitable to mankind. One day I will publish a book containing translations of various tellings.

The outstanding contributions to huge mass of Aramiana are Edward Bulwer Lytton’s romantic novel (Bulwer Lytton 1891) and its excellent refutation by Watson; my title reflects both. Here’s Thomas Hood’s Dream of Eugene Aram, read by Roy Macready:

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Original

Extract from Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 1759

Last Friday came on at York the Trials of Richard Houseman, of Knaresbro’, Eugene Aram and Henry Terry, for the murder of Daniel Clark of Knaresbro’ aforesaid, who disappeared on the 8th of February, 1744-5, having a little Time before borrowed and bought on Credit a large Quantity of Silver Plate, a great Number of Watches, Rings, and other Things of Value, for the Sake of which it is supposed he was murdered, no account ever having been given of him or them. Richard Houseman was acquitted and then admitted Evidence; who deposed That in the Night between the 7th and 8th of February, 1744-5, after above two Hours spent in passing and repassing to and fro between their several Houses to dispose of various Goods, and to settle some notes concerning them, Aram proposed first to Clark and then to him, to take a Walk out of Town; that when they came to the Field where Sir (sic) Robert’s Cave is, Aram and Clark went over the hedge into it; and when they came within six or eight Yards of the Cave, he saw Aram strike Clark several Times, upon which he fell, and he never saw him more, but saw no Instrument that he had, and knew not that he had any; that on this, without any Interposition or Alarm, he left them and returned home. And being asked why he did not discover the Affair, said That Aram threatened to take away his life, if he made any Discovery of what had passed. Houseman’s Evidence was delivered with all the Anxiety, Diffidence and Embarrassment of Conscious Guilt, solicitous to accuse the Partner of his Iniquity no farther than it consisted wuth the keeping the Curtain drawn between the Court and him. Aram in his defence (that he had drawn up previous to his Trial, which as a defence, could not avail to exculpate him; but as a Composition it was greatly admired for the Closeness and Acuteness of the Reasoning and in general for the Propriety, the Force, and Eloquence of the Expression) expatiated greatly on many innocent Persons suffering by the Perjury of Accomplices and circumstantial Evidence, and as such recommended himself to the Clemency of the Judge and Jury; who on Houseman’s evidence, with corroborating circumstances given by others, immediately brought him in Guilty; and Sentence of Death was passed upon him.

Last Monday (being the day fix’d for his Execution) he cut with a Razor, which he had concealed in his Cell some Time before, the Veins of his Left Arm a little above the Elbow and also a little above the Wrist, but miss’d the Artery, by which, before it was discovered, he had lost so much Blood, that he was rendered very weak. Surgeons were immediately sent for, who stopp’d the Bleeding, and he was carried to Tyburn (at which Place he was sensible, tho’ very feeble, and was there ask’d if he had any Thing to say, to which he answer’d “No,”) where he was executed and his Body carried to Knaresbrough Forest, where it is to be hung in Chains in the nearest Part of it to that Town, pursuant to his Sentence.

He wrote an Account of his Life, which with the Defence he made on his Trial, he left with the Rev. Mr. Collins of Knaresbrough.

582 words.