Broadside entitled 'Genuine and latest account of the excution of John Campbell'.

Transcription

Genuine and latest Account of the Ex-
eution of John Campbell who suffered
at Stirling on Friday last, the 14th of
May 1824. shewing the Lamentable
manner in which he cried aloud for
mercy, with an account of his affect-
ing farewell with his aged Father ;al-
so an account how be seized hold of
rope whan he was thrown off.

This day, the above unfortunate young man, John Campbell,
who was, on the 9th of April last, convicted of various acts
of Housebreaking and Theft, suffered the last punishment of
the law. His behaviour on the occasion of his trial, was of
such an uncommon and extravagant nature,?breaking out
into the most heart-rending lamentation,18 and otherwise ex-
hibiting such a want of fortitude,?that many were led to
conjecture that there was at least a temporary destitution of
reason. His conduct continued nearly the same long after he
was taken out of Court, and for several days after his con-
demnation, the cries from his cell arrested and annoyed the
passengers on the streets. He became afterwards, however,
more composed ; but still at intervals displayed a weakness of
mind, whieh, coupled with his extreme youth, might perhaps
have well excused the extension of Royal Mercy. Within a
few days of his execution, when he was assured on the evi-
dence of an official communication, that there was no hope
of the sentence being commuted; his behaviour became
more distracting than ever ; and it was deemed necessary to
attend him. constantly, bath with the view of keeping him
more at ease, and of preverting the sentence of the law from
being self-anticipated.

Campbell.   since his uondemnation,   till within   these few
days,   took his   meals regularly,   and in general   slept   well.
Latterly, his rest was broken   and disturbed,   his impending
fate engrossing his whole attention ; and he was often exclaim-
ing, " How will   I be able   to suffer such a   death !    While
conversing with religious people he was more tranquil than
at other periods : and he frequently stated that his hope rest.
ed solely on the merits of our Saviour.    The greater part of
last night was spent in a manner suitable to the melancholy
occasion ; and the prisoner seemed more composed than be
had been for some nights previous.    At 2 o'clock this morn-
mg, he threw himself on his bed, and slumbered till 8,   when
he awoke, remarking that another hour of his time was gone.
He again   betook himself to rest,   and continued in   a calm
sleep till nearly 5, when he got up, and entered seriously into
the religious conversation of those around him ; and fervent-
ly prayed that the Lord would strengthen him in his hour of
trial.    During the forenoon, he was visited qy several of the
religious   inhabitants and clergymen of the   place,   to whose
prayers and   instructions he paid   particular attention.    A
little before 2 in the afternoon,   he was led into   the Court-
Room, where, as is usual, the religious exercises were per-
formed, after which,   attended by the Rev. Mr Anderson of
Blair Logie, he moved forward to the scaffold.    Centrary to
general expectation, the prisoner behaved with a great degree
of fortitude,   until he dropped the signal,   when he seized
the rope with his hand, and consepuently by injuring the
fall, prolonged his agony for some time.

John Campbell was born at the bridge of Kelty, near Cal-
lander, in 1804, and came to reside in the village of St. Nin-
ians, about a mile from Stirling, when very "young. What
education he possessed, he received at the parochial school of
that place. He also attended the Sabdath Evening School
there, but notwithstanding the good instructions he was then
receiving, he was in the habit of committing many petty de-
predations through the week, such as entering hen-houses,
and carrying off the poultry. He never could think of set-
tling at any regular employment, and to this, the breaking of
the Sabbath, and bad company, he attributed his awful end.
For two winters he followed after smugling, during which
attained a number of bad habits.

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