Tuesday last a Gang of Villains were apprehended at a House in Roxbury, and brought to Town & committed to Goal, they have been concerned in the late Robberies here, and ’tis suspected in some of those towards Pennsylvania, for which Reason it will be proper to advertise their Names, with some Description of them, which are as follows, viz.

William Robinson, a tall slim fellow, about 5 Feet 7 inches high, wears a blue Surtout Coat with metal Buttons, and his Hat commonly flopt before, and an old laced Waistcoat, has short curled black Hair; when he speaks he seems jaw-fallen and very effeminate, is about 35 Years of Age, walks much like a Foot-pad, and has a comely Woman with him whom he calls his Wife.——­John Cassady, a middling siz’d Fellow much pock-broken, square-shoulder’d, wears a Wig upon the yellow cast, and has a very guilty Countenance, is about 40 Years of Age, and calls himself a Shoe-maker.—­John Willson, a short young Fellow, about 21 Years of Age, wears a blue Surtout Coat, and short black Hair, of a pale Countenance, and calls himself a Sail-maker.—­George Sears, a well-set Fellow, with a comely Face, black Hair twisted with a black Ribbon, and says he serv’d 3 Years to an Attorney in England.

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In the “Essex Gazette,” Nov. 12, 1771, is the following news from England:—­

A Correspondent expresses great Surprise and indignation at the Disproportion of Punishments in this Country.  He says he read in a News paper that two Men were hanged together last Month in Kent, one of whom had committed a barbarous Murder on his Wife, and the other had stolen three Shillings and Sixpence.  In the same Paper there followed immediately another Paragraph, that a Woman had been only whipped for stealing little Children and burning their Eyes out.

At this day we believe it is the custom of the English authorities to treat all prisoners alike, whatever the charges against them may be.  It seems as if they were desirous of degrading men as much as possible.  Mr. John Boyle O’Reilly, a poet and gentleman of culture, who was unfortunately a political prisoner, was chained to a wife-murderer.  And this the English call “justice,”—­as if there could be no difference in offences!

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Severe punishment used to be inflicted for the crime of passing counterfeit coin.  The “Essex Gazette,” April 23, 1771, under news from Newport, April 15, says,—­

William Carlisle was convicted of passing counterfeit Dollars, and sentenced to stand One Hour in the Pillory, on Little-Rest Hill, next Friday, to have both Ears cropped, to be branded on both Cheeks with the Letter R, to pay a Fine of One hundred Dollars and Cost of Prosecution, and to stand committed till Sentence performed.

The letter R probably meant “rogue.”  The same account states that—­