Transcription
EXECUTION ! A Full and Particular ACCOUNT of SAMUEL MAXWELL, who was Executed at the Head of Libberton Wynd, Lawnmarket, Edinburgh, on Wed- nesday Morning, the 17th January, 1821, for Stouthrief and Robbery, committed in the House of Mr Arneil, near Glasgow, last year. SAMUEL MAXWELL, or, as some called him, M'CORMICK, which is said to have been his real name, was tried, with three other, viz. ROBERT MUIR, JAMES DONELLY, and ALEX- ANDER HAMILTON, before the High Court of Justiciary, on the 12th of December last, for breaking into the house of Mr Ar- neil, residing in the vicinity of Glasgow, and carrying off a great deal of property. The libel was found not proven against Robert Muir and James Donnelly ; who, after an admonition from the Lord Justice Clerk, were dismissed from the bar. Hamilton, in conse- quence of the unanimous recommendation of the Jury, though condemned with Maxwell, has since been respited during his Ma- jesty's pleasure; so that, of the four tried for the same crime, Max- well alone has suffered the extreme punishment of the law. Maxwell was a good looking young man, apparently about 24 year of age, of an intelligent and prepossessing appearance; and, previous to the awful sentence of the law being passed upon him, he stood up, and, in a respectful, though animating manner, ad- dressed the Court in the following terms, to the surprise and asto- nishment of many present:?" I now, standing before you, my Judges, as I, in all probability, must appear before my heavenly Judge, unwilling that the innocent should suffer with the guilty, and in order to caution your Lordships against the like in future, beg to request yonr Lordships' attention to what I have now to say, ?I am guilty.?I confess the crime ; but there is not one word of truth in the evidence by which I am convicted. All the witnesses, except the Arneils and William Lochhead, have perjured themselves; and, for any thing that is known to the Court to the contrary, I am innocent. The robbery was committed by me and four others; neither of the prisoners besides myself was concerned in it, and neither of us were in the M'Wiiliams's, and Dolin knew nothing about the matter."?He added, that ' he hoped Hamilton would not suffer, as he was perfectly innocent." After the delivery of this confession, the Lord Justice Clerk, af- ter exhorting them, in the most solemn and impressive manner, to devote the short period of life allowed them by the law, to spiritual instruction, and promising them the assistance of the ministers of any persuasion they preferred, passed the awful sentence of the Court, which was, that they should be Executed at the ordinary place of Execution, on Wednesday the 17th of January, 1821, be- tween the hours of eight and ten in the morning. This uufortunate young man appeared .perfectly resigned to his fate, and has behaved himself with great propriety since his con- demnation.?The Clergymen of the City have been very attentive to him, and he was also visited by several private individuals, to whom, we were informed, he appeared very penitent, and very grate- ful for the kindness and attention shewn him. Accordingly, this morning, Wednesday, l'7th January, 1821, in pursuance of his sen- tence, he was conducted from. the Lock-up-house, by the Clergy- men, the officiating Magistrates, preceded by their Officers, and se- veral other individuals, escorted by a large detachment of Police Officers, up to the head of Libberton Wynd, Lawnmarket, where the gibbet was erected, a little past eight o'clock. Immediately on appearing on the Scaffold, one of the Clergymen prayed very fer- vently for twelve or fifteen minutes, when Maxwell turned round, shook hands with some about him, and bowed to the Magistrates and others. He was then assisted to mount the fatal drop, when he prayed most earnestly for several minutes, while the executioner was fixing and adjusting the rope, who then spoke to him, and in two or three minutes, he dropt the signal, and was instantly launched into eternity, a little before nine o'clock. amidst a great crowd of spectators. Edinburgh?Printed for R. Watson.?PRICE ONE PENNY.
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Date of publication:
1821 shelfmark: Ry.III.a.2(15)
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