Account of the executions in Scotland for the past 200 years

AN ACCOUNT

OF THE

EXECUTIONS

IN

SCOTLAND

FOR THE PAST

200 YEARS.

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PAISLEY,—1866

DUMBARTON.

Murdoch Currie, theft Patrick Lunnay, murder

June 14, 175 Juny. 18 1861

WILLIAM CALCRAFT the general executioner of Great Britain, and who officiated at Dumbarton on the 18th Jan. 1861, was born in the year 1801, of humble but industrious parents, in a little village about ten miles from London, situate in the county of Essex. When 19 years of age he was appointed to the office of Newgate Hangman, and on being installed swore to the following oath.—“I swear to hang or behead, and to draw and quarter, or otherwise destroy all felons and enemies to the peace of our Lord the King, and of his subjects duly sentenced according to Law, and I will do the like unto father, mother, sister or brother, and all other kindred whatsoever, without favour or hindrence. So help me God.”

Thereupon a black veil is thrown over him at his rising ’when he is conducted out of the court, amid the groaning of the assemblage, the tolling of the death-bell, and horrifying words of the city judge grating in his ears, “Get thee hence, wretch!”

The hall in which the oath is administered contains a table with the following articles placed thereon:-An axe, well sharpened!—the same as that used for the beheading of traitors— a pair of leg-irons—handcuffs—and other fetters—a small coil of rope—a pair of white caps.

GLASGOW.

At the Howgate Head where the Monkland Canal Basin is now situated

	Date of Execution
Hugh Bisland, robbery,	July 10, 1765
Agnes Dougal, murder	Nov. 1 67
Andrew Marshall, murder,—hanged in chains,	Oct, 25,60
William Mitchell and Charles Gordon, robbery,	Nov. 17, 73
George M‘Taggart, housebreaking, &c.	June 21, 76

At the Castle Yard where the Royal Infirmary now stands

James Jack, robbery	June 7, 1784
James and Win. Brodie & Jean Scott, housebreaking	Nov. 3, 84
Neil M‘Lean, forgery	June 1, 85
David Steven, murder	June 3, 85
Thomas Vernon, robbery	Nov. 9, 85
James Spence, housebreaking and theft	June 7, 86
Elizabeth Paul, housebreaking and theft	Oct. 25, 86
John M‘Aulay, Thomas Veitch, and Thomas Gentles robbery	May 28, 88
ohn Hill and William Porter, assault and robbery	May 12, 1830
William M‘Feat, murder	Sept. 30 30

At the Cross

Walter M'Intosh, robbery	Oct 22, 1788.
William Scott, housebreaking and theft.—This criminal was tried and condemned by the Sheriff	Dec. 3, 88
John Prown, forgery	June 9, 90
James Day, murder	Oct. 20, 90
James Plauket, robbery	Jan. 11, 92
James Dick, murder	May 16, 92
Mortimer Collins, murder	Nov. 7, 92
Agnes White, murder, and James M'Kenzie, robbery	May 22, 92
James M'Kean, murder	Jan. 23, 97
John M'Millan, murder	May 6, 98
Peter Gray, ham sucken	May 28, 1800
William Cunningham, theft	June 8, 03
David Scott and, Hugh Adamson, forgery	June 5, 06
Adam Cox, murder	June 10, 07
James Gilchrist, murder	July 20, 08
John Gordon M‘Intosh and George Stewart housebreaking	Nov 8,09
James Ferguson, robbery	May 26, 13
W. Muir and W. Mudie, robbery	Nov 17, 13

IN FRONT OF THE NEW PRISON.

Wm. Higgins and Thos. Harold, robbery	Oct 10, 1814
John Sherry, robbery	Nov 8, 15
William M‘Kay, forgery	May 28, 15
Freebairn Whitehill, robbery Willam M'Kecbnie and James M'Cormick, housebreaking and theft	Oct 29, 17
William Baird and Walter Blair, robbery	June 3, 18
Matthew Clydesdale, murder, and Simon Ross, housebreaking	Nov. 4, 18
A. Robertson, housebreaking and theft	April 7, 19
B. M'Kinlay, Hunter Guthrie, J. Forbes, and William Buchauan, housebreaking and theft	Nov. 3, 19
John Buchanan, murder	Nov. 17, 19
Richard Smith, housebreaking	May 21, 20
James Wilson, high treason—hanged and beheaded	Aug. 30, 20
William Leonard Swan, forgery	June 5, 21
Malcolm M'Intyre, William Paterson, and James Dyer housebreaking	Oct. 24, 22
Donachy, housebreaking and theft	June 5, 22
John M‘Dougall and James Wilson, housebreaking and theft	June 24, 23
David Wylie, theft	Nov. 12, 24
W. M'Teague, uttering forged notes	May 19, 24
Francis Kean, robbery and George Laidlaw, theft	June 2, 24.
J. M'Crevie, housebreaking and theft	June 2, 24
William Devon, murder	July 21, 25
James Stevenson highway robbery	June 1, 26
James Dollan, street robbery.—This was the first criminal who suffered between eight and ten	June 7, 26
Andrew Stewart and Edward Kelly, street robbery	Nov. 1, 26
Jas. Glen, murder.—This criminal was dressed in white	Dec. 12 27
Thomas Connor and Bell M‘Menemy assault & robbery	Oct. 22, 28
Edward Moore, murder	May 30, 28

David Little, stouthrief	Jan 17 31
James Campbell, housebreaking and theft	May 16, 31
James Byers and Mary Steel, murderers	Oct. 6, 31
William Heath, housebreaking	Oct. 20, 32
William Lindsay, murder	Jan. 18, 32
Philip Camay ripe, and John Barklay, murder	May 14, 32
Henry Burnett, street robbery	Jan. 13. 33
George Duffy, murder	Jan. 20, 35
Hugh Kennedy, throwing vitriol	Sep. 20, 34
George Campbell, murder	Sep. 20, 36
Mrs Jeffrey, murder	May. 21, 36
Thomas Templeton. murder	May, .27, 40
Denis Doolan, and Patrick Redding, murder—Executed at Crosshill near Glasgow	May 14, 41
Charles M‘Kay, murder	May 18, 43
Margaret Lennox or Hamilton, forgery and murder	Jan. 31, 50
Archibald-Hare, murder	Oct. 24, 51
Hans Smith, M'Farlane and Helen Blackwood, murder	Aug, 11, 53
Alexander-Stewart, murder	May 23, 55
Mrs M‘Lauchlan was sentenced to be executed for the murder of Jessie M‘Pherson on the 11th Oct. 1862, but Was respited.
John Reilly, murder	May 16, 64
Dr. E. W. Pritchard executed for the murder of his wife and mother in law. by poison,	July 28, 65

EDINBURGH.

Thomas Hunter, A. M, murder	Aug. 8, 1700
Nicol Musher, murder	Aug. 8, 10
Margaret Dickson, murder—This person recovered and lived 30 years at Musselburgh where she was known 23 by the name of “ill hanged Maggie”	Aug. 2, 56
Agnes Crocket, child murder	Sep. 8, 58
Ann Morrison, child murder	Mar. 7, 61
Janet Heatly, child murder	April 1, 61
Patrick Ogilvie, for the murder of Thomas Ogilvie of Easterhill, bis brother, and adultery of his wife	Nov. 18, 65
Margaret Adam, murder	Mar. 2, 65
Robert Hay, street robbery	Mar. 25, 67
John Raybould. forgery	Feb. 24, 68
William Harris, forgery	May 20, 70
Alexander M‘Dorlaid, and Charles Jamieson, shop breaking at Lithgow Bridgend	Sep. 2, 70
Daniel Deveron, robbery	Jan. 1, 87
Chas. and James Jamieson, robbing the mail	Jan. 29, 87
John Reid, murdering his san	Mar. 21, 87
William Brodie, and George Smith, theft	Oct 1, 88
Jas. Falconer, and Peter Bruce, bank robbery	Dec. 24, 88
Bartholomew Collins, murder	Feb. 8, 90
William Gatlesby, robbery	Feb. 2, 92
William Smith, housebreaking	Oct 12, 92
John Paul and James Stewart, street robbery	July 27, 94
Robert Watt, high, treason	Oct. 13, 94
Melisias Roderick M‘Ullan, forgery on the Paisley Bank	98
Thomas Urquliatti postmaster of Kirkwall Orkney, opening letter's, and abstracting money therefrom	Oct, 16, 1800

Richard Brodie, theft	Feb. 11, 1801
George Lindsay, murder	April 7, 1802
Margaret Curninghare, murder	Jan. 7, 1807
Matthew Smith, murder	——— 08
Barbara Malcolm, murder	Feb. 10, 08
Robert Stewart, housebreaking & theft	Feb. 22, 09
John Armstrong, do do	Jan. 17, 10
A am Lyal, highway robbery	Mar. 27, 11
Hugh M‘Donald, Neil Sutherland, and Hugh M'Intosh, street robbery	April 22, 12
John M‘Donald, and James Jack, murder	April 14, 12
James M'Dongal, forgery	Aug. 10, 14
John Marroch, murder	Mar. 29, 15
David Thomson, housebreaking & theft	Mar. 15, 16
Robert Johnstone, robbery Dec. 30, 18
George Warden, taking money out of letters in Post Office Aberdeen	April 14, 19
John Denipey, murder	Dec. 13, 20
Samuel Maxwell, housebreaking & robbery	Jan. 17, 21
David Haggart, murder	July 18, 21
John Rennie, and William Sutherland, housebreaking and theft	Aug. 22, 21
Peter Hachan, and Francis Gantred, piracy and murder at Leith	Jan. 9, 22
William M'Intyre, housebreaking	Feb. 26, 23
Mary M‘Kinnon, murder	April 16, 23
Daniel M‘Donald Elphinstone, murder	July 3, 24
William Burke, murdering 16 individuals by suffocating them, and selling their bodies for desection	Jan. 28, 29
John Stewart, and Catherine Wright, for murdering three persons, by giving them poison	Aug. 19, 29
Wiliam Adams or Reid, robbery	Jan. 6, 29
Robert Edmond, Haddington murders	Mar. 17, 30
John Thompson, &. David Dobbie, murder	Aug. 19, 30
George Gilchrist, robbery	Aug. 3, 30
John M'Court, murder	Dec. 19, 31
John Howieson, murder	Jan. 21, 32
Thomas Sweeney, assult and robbery—executed at Greenlaw	April 4, 34
James Bell, murder	July 6, 35
Elizabeth M‘Neil, murder	Aug. 3, 35
James Wemyes, murder	April 16, 34
James Bryce, murder	April 3, 44
William Benui, for poisoning his wife	Aug. 16, 50
John Williams, murder—executed at Greenlaw	Mar. 14, 53
William Cumming, murder	Jan. 25, 54
——— Bryce, murder June 31,' 64

PAISLEY.

Four men and three womon were burned at the Gallowgreen for Witchcraft	June 16, 1697
Alexander Provan, murdering his wife had his right hand cut off, and afterwards hanged	1765
Thomas Potts, housebreaking	Aug. 17, 97
John Craig, and James Brown, stouthrief	Oct. 16, 1829

William Pirie, murder	Oct. 18, 37
John Thomson, alias Peter Walker, murder	Jan. 14, 58

GREENOCK.

Moses M'Donald. housebreaking	June 5, 1822
Hugh M‘llvogue, Benard M‘llvogue, and Patrick M'Crystal, rape and robbery	Oct. 13, 23
John Kerr, murder	June 6, 27
John Boyd, murder	Oct. 27, 34

AYR.

John Haddden, housebreaking	Dec. 3, 1768
Matthew Hay, murder	Oct. 18, 84
William Dornon, and Robert Smith, housebreaking	May 16, 1816
John M‘Millian, murder	May 25, 16
John M'Manurs, murder and Robert Gibson,robbery	May 27, 11
George Watson, housebreaking	June 7, 11
John Wetherington Symington, robbery	Feb. 17, 14
William Evans, forger	May 31, 15
Mary Cressan, fire raising, W'm Robertson, and Joseph Cairns, robbery	Oct. 17, 17
James Anderson, and David Glen, murder	Dec. 12, 26
Samuel Wangbt, murder	Jan. 18, 81
James M'Wheelan, murder and robbery	Oct. 26, 48
Alexander Cunningham, murder	May 11, 51

STIRLING.

Thomas M'Lauchlan, housebreaking	Nov. 19, 1773
G. M‘Kerracher, forgery	April 28, 83
John Smart, forgery	Mar. 16, 85
T. M'Nair, robbery at Falkirk	Oct. 26, 1811
Alexander O'Kane, robbery	Feb. 21, 13
John Baird, and. Andrew Hardie, treason	Sep. 8, 20
John Fleming, forgery	May 11, 25
John M‘Grady, housebreaking	May 25, 25
Peter Moffat, murder	July 28, 28
Robert Tennant, murder	Oct. 2, 28
Alexander Millar or Scatters, murder	April 8, 37
Allan Muir, murder upwards of 80 years age	Oct. 4, 43

INVERARY.

Ann Campbell, & Sarah Graham, murder

Nov, 3, 1733

INVERNESS.

Christian M‘Kechnie, murder	Nov. 3, 1733
Alexander Gillan, rape and murder—hung in chains	May 14, 1800
H. M'Leod, murder and robbery	Oct. 24 34
John Adams, alias John Anderson, murder	Oct. 16, 35

PERTH

Alexander M‘Cowan	June 5, 1700
R. Davidson, and G. Bruce, robbery	June 22, 33
John Dow Cameron, murder & robbery	Nov. 3, 53
William Doag, murder	June 13, 55

H. M‘Lean, murder hung in chains	July 15, 1757
James Russell, robbery	June 27, 59
Robert Keith, murder	July 2, 60
John Henderson, murder—hung in Cupar	Sept. 26, 63
Jean Cameran, child murder	Oct. 19, 64
Duncan Campbell, & John Chapel, murder	June 19, 67
Alex. M‘Donald, cattle stealing	Nov. 27, 72
Francis Thornlie, housebreaking	June 7, 74
John Fisher, housebreaking	July 17, 75
James Dorn, highway robbery	May 31, 93
Robert Rodger, highway robbery	June 24, 93
Donald M‘Craw, murder	Nov. 13, 95
A West, housebreaking—executed at Dundee	June 12, 1801
Hans Regelson rape	June 28, 12
John Larg, and John Mitchell, robbery	Feb. 28, 17
Margaret Tindel, murder executed at Montrose	Nov. 2, 23
David Balfour, murder—executed at Dundee	June 3, 25
Margaret Wishatt, murder—executed at Forfar	June 15, 27
Arthur Woods, murder—executed at Dundee	Ma0. 24, 29
Thomas Leith, murder—executed at Dundee	Oct. 10, 47
John Kellochar, murder executed at Forfar	May 9, 52
Michael and Patrick, Scaulan, brothers murder and robbery do Cupar	July 5, 52

DUMFRIES.

William Johnstone, theft	Nov. 3, 1780
John Carmichael, housebreaking	May 27, 86
Maitland Smith, murder and robbery	Oct. 21, 1800
James Gordon, murder	June 6, 10
John M'Canna, and Joseph Richardson, forgery	May 14, 28
James M‘Manus, highway robbery	Oct. 18, 29
Mrs Reid or Timney, murder	April 19, 62

ABERDEEN.

John Hutchison, housebreaking & theft	June 28, 1766
Helen Watt, murder	Oct. 11, 63
William Keith, (her son) murder	Nov. 15, 66
Jean Craig, theft	July 28, 85
Elspeth Reid, theft	Jan. 14, 85
Thomas Donaldson, Wm. Buchanan, and Wm. M‘Leod, housebreaking	May 23, 1823
Malcolm Gillespie, forgery	Nov. 17, 26
Catherine Davidson, murder	Oct. 30, 36
James Burnet, murder	May 28, 49
James Robb, murder	Oct. 10, 49
George Christie, robbery & double murder	Jan. 13, 53
John Booth, murder	Oct. 21, 57

JEDBURGH.

David Douglas, robbery	Nov. 18, 1768
William Murray, theft	May 26, 89
Charles Mercer, rape	Oct. 10, 1809

John Gibson, murder	May 12, 1814
Robert Scott, murder	Oct. 23, 28
James Rogers, murder	Oct. 20 31
M. Wilson, murder	Sep. 25, 49

MONTROSE.

Andrew Brown, murder,

Jan. 31 1866

LINLITHGOW.

Peter M‘Lean, murder

Feb. 2, 1851

FOR WITCHCRAFT.

Allison Pearson, Fifeshire; practising sorcery and invoking the devil, strangled and burned	1582
Euphante M‘Clusean, Edinburgh, burned alive	1591
Patrick Larrie, consulting with the devil burned	1601
James Young, East Burns, strangled and burned	1621
Janet Brown, Burntisland, condemned and executed	1659
Isobel Bairdie, and three women, strangled and burned	1649
Isobel Elliot, Edinburgh for having carnal copulation with the devil, burned by the executioner	1672

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THE ENGLISH CRIMINAL CODE.

In the reign of Henry VIII, according to Sharon Turner, there were executed 72,000 great and petty thieves, According to Hume, 2000 were executed annually during that reign, for theft and robbery only, besides other criminals. In the centuary from 1638 to 1738 there were 70,000 executions, or 700 per annum. From 1820 to 1824, the first inclusive and the last exclusive, or 93 a year. From 1828 to 1831, there were 230, or 574 a year. From 1832 to 1835, there were 155, or 387 a year but in the year 1836 there were only 17 executions.

The Plantagenets made 4 offences capital.
The Tudors	27	—
The Stuarts	35	—
The Hanoverians	156	—

Which were reduced in number, considerably in the reign of George IV and William IV., and in the reign of her present Majesty, so great has been the santoration of our Criminal Code, that there are now only 9 offences punishable with death.

For the origin of this purification of our Statue Book from blood, we, are manly indebted to the late Sir Samuel Rowiney and the late Mr Whitbread.

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PAISLEY.

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