Broadside concerning an affray, and two murders

Transcription

Particular account of the unlucky affray that happened on Saturday evening at the
head of the Canongate, Edinburgh, between two Carters, viz. Alexander M 'Do-
nald and George Sideserf, who lost his life by a blow from M'Donald. Like-
wise an account of that horrid and bloody Murder, committed on the body of
SERJEANT JENKINS, of the Pembrokeshire Cavalry, who was most cruelly stabbed
by one Buttler, a private of said regiment, in many places, of which he died in
about ten minutes, in great agony.

THE following melancholy accident
that happened between Alexander
M'Donald and George Sideserf, on last Sa-
turday afternoon ought to be a warning to
put all people on their guard to avoid haf-
ty and unguarded passions, for if once rage
get the better of reason, but fora moment,
it is hard to say what it will lead to even in
the most trifling matters.

The cause of this unlucky quarrel was
which of them should have the service of
the porters first to carry their coals, and
after a few words M'Donald gave the other
such a violent blow as to cause his almost
instant death.

M'Donald was brought before the Ma-
gistrates and underwent an examination,
after which he was committed to the tol-
booth, until liberated by due course of
law.

Sideserf has left a wife and four children
M'Donald has six.

A most melancholy affair happened here
Friday night last, betwixt a Serjeant and
private of the Pembrokeshire Cavalry, both
of whom were upon guard that evening.

The private however left his station,
and without any just reason went to a pub-
lic house, and upon hearing some talk go-
ing on entered the room, the serjeant of
the guard happened to be with the Serjeant-
major and some others.

The private had no sooner interfered
with the company, than the Serjeant-major
ordered the ,other serjeant to take him to
the guard-house. Upon which the serjeant
instantly rose, and said to the private, come
you and I must go to the guard and attend
our duty.

Accordingly both of them left the room,
but they had not gone twenty yards when
a serious scuffle took place, in which the
serjeant received several deadly thrusts with
the private's bayonet, at the point of which
he was drove back to the public-house;
which, he had no sooner entered, than he
fell down, calling out, serjeant-major, I
am-killed.                                    

The private still kept thrusting him most barbarous-
ly with his bayonet, till the searjeant-major and the
rest of the company, being now greatly alarmed, in-
stantly seized the private, in doing which, the latter
aimed a desperate thrust at the serjeant-major,but very
fortunately the bayonet went through betwixt his arm.
and his side,

The private being now overpowered, was bound
and prevented from doing the mischief he then threat-
ened. The poor unfortunate serjeant expired upon
the spot, about ten minutes after he fell, without spe-
cifying the ground or circumstances of the quarrel.

The private was then taken to prison, and after-
wards brought back at the desire of one of the officers
that he might view the awful tragedy he had acted.
but alas! he appeared quite unaffected, and was bold
to vindicate and plead self-defence. The soldiers who
were present, upon hearing the bloody wretch thus
express himself, could scarce forbear piercing him
through with their swords.                        

Whether he is guilty or not will probably soon be-
the subject of a Judiciary trial. In the mean time
his conduct is universally reprobated, and exhibits a
mournful proof of human depravity. It would be a
deed truly benevolent would some piousand judicious
person pay him a visit, with a view to impress upon
his mind a sense of his atrocious guilt, and the dan-
gerous ground upon which he now stands.

The serjeant was universally beloved in the regi-
merit, and has left a young disconslate widow to be-
wail his loss.

He was interred in the church-yard of Haddington,
Sabbath evening. There would, however, have been
much more propriety had the funeral been delayed till
Monday.

By a letter from Forsar, we learn, that another
melancholy and cruel murder has been committed on
the body of George Douglas, carrier in Montrose
who being in a public-house in Rankeilor taking re-
freshment, and a conversation having ensued between
him and some soldiers belonging to the Windsor For-
rester Fencible cavalry, one of them, of the name of
Joseph Cope, a corporal, instantly drew his sabare and
cut Douglas a deep wound in the head, of which
wound, after a lingering torment of twenty-two
days, he died, leaving a wife and several small child-
ren, to bewail his loss.

Cope has deserted and absconded, and a reward of
ten guineas is offered to any person who will seize
him, and lodge him in any of his Majesty's jails. He
was born in the county of Chester, is about twenty-one
years of age, five feet eight inches high, of a fresh,
complexion, with brown hair and grey eyes

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