very
obliging, and could generally be trusted to carry out his promises.
Bransby Cooper states that Bill Harnett and "N." objected to Crouch, and
often worked against him; in the Diary they will be all found working
together, though there is recorded at least one "row" with Crouch. Bill
Harnett was a good boxer, and fought Ben Crouch at Wimbledon; he had
previously received an injury to his jaw, and Crouch hit him a severe blow
on this part, which decided the fight in Crouch's favour. Harnett died in
St. Thomas' Hospital of consumption. Like Southey's "Surgeon," he had a
great horror of being dissected, and on his death-bed he obtained a
promise from Mr. Joseph Henry Green that his body should not be opened.

* * * * *

Jack Harnett was a nephew of Bill; he is described as a stout, red-haired,
ill-looking fellow, uncouth in his address and manner of speech. Like his
partner, Crouch, he seems to have been fond of display in the matter of
jewellery. But, unlike Crouch, he did not lose the money he had made, and
at his death left nearly L6,000 to his family.

* * * * *

Butler was originally a porter in the dissecting-room at St. Thomas'.
Bransby Cooper describes him as "a short, stout, good-tempered man, with a
laughing eye and Sancho-Panza sort of expression." He was a clever
articulator, and dealt largely in bones and teeth. Afterwards he set up as
a dentist in Liverpool; but his dissolute habits were his ruin, and he was
obliged to fly from his creditors. Butler was sentenced to death for
robbing the Edinburgh mail, but his execution was postponed. During this
delay he obtained the skeleton of a horse, and articulated it in the
prison. The Austrian Archdukes John and Lewis were at that time in this
kingdom, and, on visiting the prison in Edinburgh, were shown this
skeleton; they were so pleased with the man's handiwork that they obtained
his pardon from the Prince Regent. After his release, Butler was never
heard of again by any of his old comrades or employers.

* * * * *

Tom Light is not mentioned by Bransby Cooper by name; he gives an account
of a resurrection-man whom he calls "L----," but whether this notice
refers to Light or not cannot be definitely determined. In all
probability L---- and Light are identical; Cooper speaks of the former as
being so unreliable that his comrades could never trust him. Tom Light
see