Document J.132 · Newspaper, Directory, and Misc. · transcription: partial
The New-York Gazette and The Weekly Mercury, September 27, 1773 — verbatim newspaper account of execution day (17 September 1773): Budd + Haynes respited a month; David Reynolds executed alone; Benjamin Cooper respited at the gallows after confessing privy to robbery of the Perth Amboy NJ Treasury (£300 share)
J.132: The New-York Gazette and The Weekly Mercury, September 27, 1773…Transcription and notes
Vol XXIX p. 33 upgrade 2026-05-17
Primary-source-published-transcription verified via M.32 (NJ Archives Vol XXIX = Nelson-Honeyman 1917 NJ Newspaper Extracts 1773-1774) p. 33. Craddock's transcript matches Vol XXIX verbatim for the excerpted portion. Vol XXIX p. 28 (preceding context) adds further details from parallel articles:
- Execution attendance: ~13,000 people attended Reynolds's execution per Pennsylvania Journal No. 1607, 22 September 1773 — much larger than the "thousand" Mellick cites for the sentencing crowd
- Ford's status mid-Sep 1773: Ford "seen asleep under a tree, guarded by King and another man well armed; they take their rest alternately in this manner. Ford is reduced by a fever..."
- Ford+King prior arrest: Vol XXIX p. 33 adds — "Ford and King were apprehended and imprisoned in Morris County Gaol, from whence they had soon after made their escape, as mentioned in the Papers"
- Chain-of-confessions trigger: "One of the Gang being convicted of aiding them in their Escape and other high Misdemeanors, to mitigate the Punishment, made some Confessions tending to the Discovery of the Rest, which alarmed another, who made an ample confession of the whole, in Consequence of which Reynolds, Haynes, Cooper, and Budd, were tried" = the SEQUENCE that led to Benjamin Cooper's prosecution
Source identification
| Element | Value |
|---|---|
| Newspaper | The New-York Gazette and The Weekly Mercury |
| Publication date | September 27, 1773 |
| Subject | Execution-day events of 17 September 1773: who was executed, who was respited, Cooper's confession |
| Source-of-record (1917 transcription) | Nelson & Honeyman 1917 NJ Archives Vol XXIX (= I.22 ref #101) = M.32 cataloged 2026-05-17; verbatim at Vol XXIX p. 33 (with parallel context at p. 28). |
| Source-of-record (1999 quotation) | Craddock 1999 entry 102 Benjamin² Cooper, p. 221 (see I.22) |
| Access path | Derivative: original 1773 newspaper → Nelson-Honeyman 1917 → Craddock 1999 → catalog |
Verbatim — as transcribed by Craddock 1999, entry 102
"Their Execution was ordered to be on the 17th Instant; before the Time, Budd and Haynes were respited for a Month, but Reynolds and Cooper were ordered to prepare for Execution at the Time appointed. A few Minutes before the Time, Cooper confessed himself privy to the Robbery of the Treasury at Amboy, and that he received Three Hundred Pounds of the Money; on which he also was respited till he should make further Discoveries. Reynolds was therefore ordered for Execution alone, at which he seemed much affected and burst into Tears, but thro' the Assistance of a Minister who attended him, he grew Calm, and resigned to his Fate."
What this source establishes
- Execution-day events: 17 September 1773 in Morris Co. NJ
- Budd + Haynes respited one month before the execution date
- Cooper + Reynolds initially ordered to be executed
- Cooper's last-minute gallows confession: privy to the robbery of the Treasury at Amboy (= Perth Amboy NJ) + received £300 of the proceeds
- Cooper respited after the confession, pending further discoveries
- David Reynolds executed alone, "much affected and burst into Tears, but thro' the Assistance of a Minister... grew Calm, and resigned to his Fate"
Discrepancy with I.56 Mellick 1889 on the £ amount
J.132 (1773 newspaper) reports Cooper's share as £300. Mellick 1889 (I.56 p. 575) reports total robbery as £600 with Cooper's share £300 — internally consistent with J.132. Honeyman 1912 (M.24) reports Cooper's share as £800 — appears to be an 1912-introduced error or a different reading of the underlying source. The 1773 newspaper (this entry) is the closest primary-source-published amount; £300 is the correct figure.
Open questions / follow-up
- PRIORITY 1: Pull Nelson-Honeyman 1917 NJ Archives Series 1 Vol X (= Craddock #101; specific page within "17-18, 28, 33, 141, 277-278" — likely p. 28 or 33 for this Sep 27 1773 item)
- PRIORITY 2: Locate original NY Gazette + Weekly Mercury 27 Sep 1773 issue at Library of Congress / NY Historical Society / NEHGS digital
- PRIORITY 3: Identify what "further Discoveries" Cooper made — i.e., did he name Ford's accomplices or any other parties beyond what surfaces in J.133?
Cross-references
- I.22 — Craddock 1999 entry 102, p. 221 (our access path)
- I.56 — Mellick 1889 p. 575 (independent narrative; £600 / £300-share confirmation)
- M.24 — Honeyman SCHQ Vol I 1912 (parallel narrative; £800 reading appears erroneous)
- J.131 — NY Gazette 30 Aug 1773 — sentencing news (precedes this article)
- J.133 — PA Gazette 2 Mar 1774 — Cooper's gallows-confession narrative in fuller detail
- J.134 — NY Gazette + Weekly Mercury 13 Dec 1774 — Gov. Franklin's pardon
- p.2 Benjamin Cooper — catalog subject