Transcription
A Full and Particular Account of the Trial and Sentence of Allan Grant, James Kenny Stewart, Mary Muirhead, and Isabella Kerr or Gray, who were tried at Edinr. before the High Court of Justiciary, for the Crimes of Murder, Robbery, and Theft, on Monday the 5th day of March 1827, and who are all to be transported, Grant for Life, Kenny Stewart and Mary Muirhead for Fourteen, and Kerr or Gray for Seven years. AT Edinburgh, on Monday the 5th March 1827, came on before the High Court of Justiciary, the trial of Allan Grant,sometime a travelling pack- man, James Kenny Stewart, Pensioner from 94th Regiment of foot, Mary Muirhead, and Isabella Kerr or Gray widow of Wm. Gray, Writer in Edinburgh, accused of Murder, Robbery, and Theft; in so far as they, on the evening of the 10th January last, within the house occupied by the said James Kenny Stewert, in North Bank Street of Edinburgh, wick- edly and feloniously stole and theftuously carry away, from the now deceased Mark Dow, late Shoe- maker in Edinburgh, a bill, notes and silver to the amount of upwards of £80 sterling, and other articles ; also, in or near the same place, they viol- ently, wickedly, and feloniously attacked and ass- aulted the said Mark Dow, by violently throwing and dashing him on the stair, or on the flagstones in the passage, by which his neck was dislocated, and he shortly thereafter died in consequence; and further, they wickedly and feloniously attacked and assaulted the said Mark Dow, and seized and threw him with great violence upon the pavement of the said passage, or on the stair leading therefrom up to Bank Street, and, while lying upon the pave- meat or stair and disabled from making any resist- ance, they seized and robbed him of a black cloth coat, a pair of leather shoes, a black cloth vest, a black hat, a white neckcloth, and a pair of braces, all his property. To all which they pled Not Guilty. Several witnesses were then examined, one of whom knew Grant for 8 years as a common thief. Another police officer stated, when he was brought to the office, a one pound note was found in the sleeve of his coat, with six shillings and threepence, and a silver pencil case in his pocket. It was intimated, after a number of witnesses were examined, and the prisoners declarations was then read, that Grant was desirous to alter his plea, his counsel having advised him to plead guilty to the theft, (except as to the bill) as libelled, which was done accordingly. The Lord Advocate had now brought forward, he said, every individual who could throw any light on this dark transaction, but the evidence had failed to establish the murder. His Lordship then restricted the libel, and the jury after a few observations from the Lord Justice Clerk, returned a unanamous verdict, finding the murder and robbery not proven?Gray guilty in terras of her own confession?Muirhead, Stewart, and Grant guilty, in terms of their own confession, and upon the evidence adduced. Lord Meadow bank then proposed that Crant should be transported for life?Stewart and Muir- head for fourteen years, and Gray for seven years, and they were sentenced accordingly. Grant was known as a hawker through the city, and is of a singular formation of body ; having at one time had his back broken by a bank of earth falling on him. Kenny Steware is a respectable looking young man, who had lost his left hand when a soldier. The two females have been long known to the police as public pests.
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Date of publication:
1827 shelfmark: F.3.a.14(42)
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