Transcription
THE LIFE OF CALCRAFT ? AN ACCOUNT OF THE EXECUTIONS IN SCOTLAND
FOR THE PAST 200 YEARS DUMBARTON. Date of Execution Murdoch Currie, theft, - - June 14,1751
Patrick Lunaay. murder, - - Jany. 18, 186l
WILLIAM CALCRAFT, the general executioner of
Great Britain and who officiated at Dumbarton on the
18th Jan 1861, was born in theyear 1801, of humble
but industrious parents, in a little village about ten miles
from London, situated 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 belad, 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 or mother, sister or brother, and all other kindred
whatsoever, without favour or hindrance. So help me
God. Thereupon a black veil is throw 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 the
horrifying words of the city jude grating in his ears,
"Get thee hence, wretch!" The hall in which the oath is ministered contains a
table with the following article placed thereon:?An
axe well sharpened I-the same at that used for the be-
heading 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, 70
Wm. Mitchell and Chas. Gordon robbery, Nov. 17, 73
George M'Taggart, housebreaking &c. June 21, 76 Date of Execution. Robert Hislop, housebreaking, &c - June 6, 1781
At the Castle Yard, where the Royal Infirmary now
stands
James Jack, robbery June 7, 1784
James and William Brodie and Je Scott,
housebreaking, - - Nov. 7, 84
Neil M'Lean, forgery - June 1, 85
David Stiven, 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, ThomasVeitch, and Thos
Gentles, robbery - - May 28, 86 At the Cro
Walter M'Intosh, robbery - Oct. 22, 1788
William Scott, housebreaking and theft ?
This criminal was tried & condemned
by the Sheriff - - - Dec. 3, 88 John Brown, forgery - - June 9, 90
James Day, murder - - - Oct. 20, 90
James Plunket, robbery - - Jan. 11, 92
James Dick murder, - - May 16, 92
Mortimer Collins, murder - - Nov. 7, 92
Agnes White, murder, and Jas. Kenzie,
robbery - - - May 22, 92
James M'Kean, murder - Jan 25, 97
John M'millan. murder - - May 16, 98
Peter Gray hame sucken,, - - May 28, 1800
William Cunningham, theft - - June 8, 03
David Scott and Hugh Adamsoforgery, June 5, 06
Adam Cox, murder - - - June 10, 07
James Gilchrist, murder - - July 20, 08
John Gordon M'Intosh &. GeorgStewart.
housebreaking - - - Nov. 8, 09
James Ferguson robbery - - May 16, 13
W Muir and W. Mudie, robbery - Nov. 17, 13 In front of the N Prison. Wm. Higgins and Thos. Haroldobbery Oct. 10. 1814
John Sherry, robbery - - Nov 8. 15
William M'Kay, forgery - - May 28, 15 Date of Execution
Freeharm Whitehill, robbery, William
M'Keohnie and James M'Cormick,
housebreaking and theft. - Oct. 29, 1817 William Baird ami 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, H. Guthrie. J Forbes, & W.
Buchanan, housebreaking and theft, Nov. 8, 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 Pearson, and
James Dyer, housebreaking, - Oct. 20, 22
Donachy, housebreaking and theft - June 5, 22
John M'Dougall & James Wilson, house-
breaking and theft - - June 24, 23 David Wylie theft - - - Nov. 12, 23
W. M'Teague, uttering forged notes May 19, 24
F. Kean, robbery, and G. Laidlaw, theft June 2, 24
William Devon, murder - - July 21, 24
James Stevenson, highway rubbery - June 1, 25 James Dollan, street robbery - This was
the first criminal who suffered be-
teween eight and ten - - - June 7, 26
A. Stewart and E. Kelly, street robbery Nov. 1, 26
James Glen, murder. - This criminal was
dressed in white . - Dec. 12, 27 Thomas Connor and Bell M'Menemy,
assault and robbery - - Oct 22,28 Edward Moore, murder - - May 30, 29 John Hill & Wm.Porter assault & robbery, May 12, 30
William M'Feat, murder - - Sept 30, 30
David Little stouthrief - - Jan. 17, 31 James Campbell, housebreaking and theft May 16, 31
James Buyers and Mary Ste 1. murderers Oct. 6, 31
William Heath, housebreaking - Oct. 20, 32
William Lindsay, murder - - Jan. 18, 32 Date of Execution. P. Carney, rape, and J. Barklay, murder May 14, 32
Henry Buirett, street robbery - Jan 13, 33
George Duffy, murder - - Jan. 20, 33
Hugh Kennedy, throwing vitriol - Sep. 20, 34
George Campbell, murder - - - Sep 20, 36
Mrs Jeffrey, murder - - May 21, 38
Thomas Templeton, murder - - May 27, 40
Denis Doolan and Patrick Redding, mur-
der - Executer at Crosshill, near
Glasgow - - - May 14, 41 Charles MKay, murder . - May 18, 43
Margaret Lennox or Hamilton, forgery
and murder Jan 31 50 Archibald Hare. murder . - Oct. 24, 51
Hans Smith M Farlune and Helen Black.
wood, murder - - . May 23 55 Mrs M'Lauchlan was sentenced to be executed for the
murder of Jessie M'Pherson on 11th Oct. 1862,
but was respited during her Majesty's pleasure. EDINBURGH. Thomas Hunter, A M , murder - Aug. 8, 1700
Nicol Musker, murder . . Aug. 8, 10
Margaret Dickson. murder?This person
recovered, and lived 30 years at Mus-
selburgh,where she was known by
name of" halt hanged Meg" - Aug. 2, 23 Agnes Crocket, child murder - Sept. 8. 56
Ann Morrison, child murder - - Mar. 7, 58
Janet Heatly, child murder . April 1, 61 Patrick Ogilvie, for the murder of Thomas
Ogilvie of Easterhill, his 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
Alex. M Ronald and Chas. Jamieson, shop
breaking at Lithgow Bridgerd . Sept. 2. 70 Daniel Deveron. robrery - - Jan. 7, 87
Chas and Jas. Jameson robbing the mail Jan. 29, 87 Date of Execution. John Reid, murdering his son. . Mar. 21, 1787 William Brodie and George Smith, theft Oct. 1, 88
J Falconer and P Bruce, bank robbery Dec. 24, 88
Bartholomew Collins. murder . Feb. 8, 90 William Gadesbey robbery . . Feb. 2, 92
William Smith. housebreaking . Oct. 12, 92
John Paul and J Stewart. street robbery July 27, 94 Robert Watt, high treason . Oct. 13, 94
Melesias Roderick M'Ullan, forgery on
the Paisley Bank 98 Thomas Urquhart, postmaster of Kirkwall,
Orkney opening letters, and abstract-
ing money therefrom . Oct. 16, 1800 Richard Brodie, theft . Feb. 11, 01 George Lindsay, murder April 7, 02 Margaret Cunningham, murder - - Jan 7, 07 Matthew Smith, murder - 08 Barbara Malcolm, murder - Feb. 10, 08 Robert Stewart, housebreakng and theft Feb. 22, 09 John Armstrong, do. do. Jan 17, 10 Adam 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'Dougal, forgery - Aug. 10, 14 John Murroch, murder - Mar. 29, 15 David Thomson, housebreaking and theft Mar. 15, 16 Robert Johnstone, robbery Dec. 30, 18
George Warden, taking money out of
letters a Post Office Abelleen - April 14, 19 John Dempey, murder - - Dec: 13, 20
Samuel Maxwell, housebreaking & robbery Jan. 17, 21 David Haggart, murder - July 18, 21
John Rennie and William Sutherland,
housebreaking and tbeft - Aug. 22, 21
Peter Haenan and Francis Gartred, piracy
and murder at Leith - - Jan. 9, 22 William M'lntyre, house breaking Feb. 26, 23 Mary M'Kinnon. murder - - April 16, 23 Daniel M'Donald Elphinstone murder July. 3, 24 Date of Execution.
William Burke murdering 16 individuals
by suffocating them, and selling their
bodies for dissection - - Jan. 28, 29
John Stewart and Catherine Wright, for
murdering; three person by giving
them poison - - Aug. 19, 29 William Adams or Reid, robbery - Jan. 6, 29
Robert Edmond, Haddington murders Mar 17, 30
George Gilchrist, robbery - - Aug. 3, 30
John Thompson & David Dobbe, murder Aug. 19, 30
John M'Court, murder - Dec. 19, 31
John Howieson, murder - - Jan. 21, 24
Thomas Sweeney, assault and robbery?
executed at Greenlaw - - April 4, 34 James Bell, murder - - - July 6, 35
Elizabeth M'Neil, murder Aug 3, 35
James Wemyss, murder - - April 16, 40
James Bryce, murder - - April 3, 44
William Bennie, for poisoning his wife Aug. 16, 50
J.Williams, murder?executed atGreenlaw May. 14, 53
William Cumming murder - - Jan. 25, 54 PAISLEY. Four men and three women were burned
at the Gallowgreen for witchcraft June 16, 1697
Alexander Provan, murdering his wife,
had his right hand cut off and after-
wards hanged - 7 - - ? 1765 Thomas Ports, 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, Bernard M'llvegue, and
and P. M. Crystal, ape and robbery Oct. 13, 23
John Kerr, murder ? ? - June 6, 27
John Boyd, murder ? ? ? Oct. 27, 34 AYR. John Hadden, housebreaking , . Dec. 3, 1768 Date of Execution. Matthew Hay, murder . . Oct 18 1784
W. Dornon and R. Smith, housebreaking May 16, 1816
JohnM'Millan,,murdur . . May 25, 16
J. M.Manus, murder, and Robert Gibson,
robbery . . . May 27, 11 George Watson, housebreaking' . June 7, 11
John Wetherington Symington, . Feb. 17, 14
William Evans, forgery . . May 31, 15
Mary Cressan, fire raising, Wm. Robertson
and Joseph Cairns, robbery - Oct. 17, 17 James Anderson and David Glen, murder Dec. 12, 26
Samuel Waught; murder . . Jan 18, 31
James M'Wbellan, murder and robbery Oct. 26, 48
Alexander Cunningham, murder . May 11, 64 STIRLING. Thomas M'Lauchlan, housebreaking Nov. 19, 1773
G. M'Kerracher, forgery - - April 28, 83
Joan Smart, forgery - - May 16, 85
T' M'Nair, robbery at Falkirk . Oct 26. 1811
Alexander O'Kane, robbery . . Feb. 21, 13
John Baird and Andrew Hardie, treason Sept. 8 2\ill\
John Fleming, forgery . . May 11 2\ill\
John M'Grady, housebreaking . Mav 25, 25
Peter Moffat, murder . . July 28, 28
Robert Tennant, murder . . Oct. 2, 28
Alex. Millar or Scatters, murder - April 8, 37
Allan Mair, murder, upwards of 80 year, Oct. 4, 43 INVERARY. Ann Campbell and Sarah Graham, Murder Nov. 3, 1733 INVERNESS. Christian M'Kechnie, murder - Nov 2,1701
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, - Oct. 16, 35 PERTH. Date of Alexander M'Cowan - - . Jun
R Davidson and G. Bruce, robbery - June
John Dew Cameron, murder and robbery Nov.
William Doag, murder . - June 13
H. M'Lean, murder, hung in chains, July 15,
James Russell, robbery, . . June 27, 59
Robert Keith, murder, . - July 2, 60
John Henderson, murder?hung in Cupar, Sept. 26, 63
Jean Cameron, child murder, - Oct 19, 64
Duncan Camphell and J Chapel, murder, June 19, 6
Alex. M'Donald, cattle stealing, - Nov. 27, 72
Francis Thornlie, housebreaking. - June 7, 74
John Fisher, housebreaking - July 17, 75
John Dorn, highway robbery ? May 31, 93
Robert Rodger, highway robbery ? June 24, 93
Donald. M'Craw, murder - - Nov. 13, 96
A. West, housebreaking, executed at Dundee. June 12,1801
Hans Regelson, rape . . June 28, 12
John Larg and John Mitchell, robbery Feb. 28, 17
Margt 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 - - - May 24, 29
Thomas Leith, murder ? executed at
Dundee - . - Oct. 10, 47
John Kerracher, murder?executed at
Forfar - - - May 9, 52
Michael and Patrick Scanlan brothers,
murder and roboery?executed at Cupar, July 5, 52 DUMFRIES. William Johnstone, theft - - Nov. 3.1780
John Carmichael, housebreaking - May 27, 86
Maitand Smith, murder and robbery Oct. 21, 1800
James Gordon, Murder - - June 6, 10
John M'Cauna aad Joseph Richardson,
forgery - May 14, 28 Date of Execution.. James M'Manus, highway robbery . Oct. 18, 1829
Mrs. Reid or Timney, murder - . April 18, 62 ABERDEEN. John Hutchison, housebreaking and theft June 28, 1766
Helen Watt, murder - . Oct 11, 63
William Keith (her son, murder . Nov. l5, 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. 14
Robert Scott, murder . Oct. 23, 28
James Rodgers, murder . . Oct. 20, 31
M. Wilson, murder ... Sept. 25, 49 LINLITHGOW. Peter M'Lean, murder - - Feb. 8 1851
For WITCHCRAFT. Allison Pearson, Fifeshre. practising sorcery and
invoking th devil strangled and burned
Euphame M'Clasean, Edinburgh buried alive
Patrick Larrie, consulting with the devil, burned
James Young, East Barns strangled and burned
Janet Brown, Burntisland [ ], condemed and
executed - - - - - Date of Execution. el Bairdie, and three women, strangled and
burned - - - - -1649
obel Elliot, Edinburgh, for having carnal co[ ]
lation with the devil, burned by the executioner 1678
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 annu-
ally during that reign for theft and robbery only. Besides
other criminals. In the century from 1638 to 1738, there
were 70,000 executions, or 700 per annum. From 1820
to 1824, the first inclusive and the last exclusive, there
were 290 or 93 a year. From 1828 to1831, there were
230, ot 57 ½ a year. From 1832 to 1835, there were 155,
or 38 ¾ a year; but in the year 1836 there were only 17
executions. The Plantagenets made 4 offences capital
TheTudors 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 heen the santoration of our
Criminal Code, that there are now only nine offences
punishable with death. For the origin of this purification of our statute Book
from blood we are mainly indebted to the late Sir Samuel
Rowiney and the late Mr. Whitbread. John Riley, murder Glasgow. May, 1864
George Bryce, murder, Edinburgh Jun 64
D Prichard murder, Glasgow Jul 1865
Andrew Brown murder Montrose, Jan. 3 1865
[ ]murder, pert May 22, 1866
Joseph Smith, murder, Dumfries, May 12, 1868
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