Transcription
WHIPPING A Full and Particular Account of the Trial and Sen- tence of ALEXANDER M'KAY ,and WILLIAM M'DONALD, for Assult and Stabbing on the Streets of Edinburgh ; the former of whom is to be Publicly Whipped, on a Platform at the head of Libberton's Wynd, on Wednesday the 27th July, 1825, at one o'Clock afternoon, and to be afterwards Banished for Seven years ; and M'Donald, to be confined inBrid- well forTwelve months, at Hard Labour. ON Tuesday the 12th July, 1825, came on before the High Court of Justiciary, the Trial of ALEXANDER M'KAY and WILLIAM M'DONALD, accused of assaulting and striking William Wilson, blacksmith, in the Grassmarket of the city, in may last, and of stabbing him with a pocket-knife in the side, to the effusion of his blood, and danger of his life. M'Kay, pleaded Guilty, and M'Donald Not Guilty. (M'Kay, it will be re- membered, was convicted some time ago for shop-breaking, and sentened to be executed,but escaped inconsequence of its having been found that one of the jury was a minor.) from the evidence of William Wilson, it appeared, that on the evening of the 25th of May last, he was going towards his home, in the Cowfeeder-row through the Graassmarket, when the prisoner M'Donald came up to him, from a group of about six persons,who were on the opposite side of the street, and firist asked him some queston, to which he replied he was mistaken, and walked on, but the prisoner followed and struck him, when witness riturned the blow, and knocked him down. M'Kay then struck Wilson, and was served by him in the same manner. they both, however, rose, and again attacke Wilson, when M'Donald was again struck down, but in the meantime, M,Kay struck the witness below the left briest. He at firist felt only a blow but soon: found that he was wounded, and ran up to a watchman, whom he told he was stabbed, and showed him the blood flowing down his side, under his clothes The two pris oners came up, and were seized and carried to the Police office, where his wounds was examined by the surgeon. He was confined to bed for ten days, in consequence of the wound. He stated that he had done nothing to provoke the assult, but was walking quitly along with his hands in his pocket. He still felt uneasiness from the wound when at work, Alexander Irvine a brassfounder, who was a bystander on the occasion, described the aussult almost in the same words as Wilson had done, and stated further, that M'Kay came up towards the watchman, when he saw a knife in his hand, which soon, however, disappeared, but he understood it was afterwards found near the spot by a watchman,and witness now identffied it. Aurther Morgan, a wrtchman assisted in taking the prisoners to the police office, and returning afterwards to the place, found the knife, which he indentified.but could not say if there was blood on it at the time. Alexander Black, strgeon to the police estibishment, decribed the the wound which was as deep as the whole length of the blade (about two inches.) Wilson lost a great deal of blood, and was in a very dangerous state. The knife fortunately struck on the fifth rib, and glanced upwards upon the forth else, it must instantly have have proved fatal. The jury returned a viva voice verdict, finding M'Kay guilty of the assault and stabbing, and M'Donald guilty of assulting and strik- ing as libelled, and M'Kay was sentenced to be publicly whipped on a platform to beerected at the common place of executions, between the hours of twelve and two, on Wednesday the 27th July current, previous to transportation beyond seas for seven years, and M'Donald to be confined in Bridwell for twelve months, and during that period to be kept at hard labour. Edinburgh: Printed for Wilham Robertson... Price One Penny.
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Date published:
1825 shelfmark: F.3.a.14(34)
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