Broadside entitled 'Execution at Elgin'

Transcription

EXECUTION

AT

ELGIN.   

An account of the Execution of ALEXANDER GILLAN, who was executed at Speyside,
(the Place where the deed was committed) on Wednesday the 14th of November, 1810,
for ravishing and murdering Elizabeth Lamb?his body being afterwards hung in Chains,
pursuant to his sentence.

IT is almost impossible to describe the great
bustle which took place on the day appoint-
ed for the execution of this unhappy man, by
people of every age and sex pouring in from all
quarters, to witness his melancholy exit; but
every thing was so judiciously arranged that no
accident whatever happened, cither on the road
or at the fatal spot.

He was escorted to the place of execution by
a party of the 78th Regiment, from Fort
George, attended by the Reverend Mr. Gor-
don, of Elgin, and Mr M'Bean, of Alves,
Sir George Abercrombie, the Sheriff Depute,
the Provost and Magistrates of Elgin, several
of the county Gentlemen, and an immense
concourse of people, from every quarter, and
of every age and sex.

During the time Mr. Gordon delivered a
very impressive prayer, the criminal was con-
vulsed with the most agonizing throbs of
grief. For some time past, he has exhibited
symptoms of the most genuine repeatance,
and has appeared to be deeply impressed with a
sense of the enormity of his guilt, and of the
awful change he was about to undergo.

For this happy temper of mind he was
indebted to the attention of the neighbouring
clergy, but chiefly to the unremitting instruc-
tion and pious exhortation of the Rev. Mr.
Grant, of Eigin, whole benevolent exertions
could not fail of producing the happiest
effects.                                                      

After Mr. Gordon had finished prayer, the
criminal was clevated on a cart, from whence
he attempted to address the spectators, from a
paper which he held in his hand, and had pre-
pared for the occasion, but his agitation of
mind rendered him unable to proceed, and it

was given to Mr. McBean, but proved to be
only some extracts from the religious publica-
tions he had read during hit consinement.

After this, he became more tranquil, ascend-
ed the ladder without hesitation, and awaited
his fate with perfect resignation.

He was detained in this state of awful
suspense too long, by the unskilfulness of the
executioner, whole concern seemed directed
to the perquisites of the office more than the
business in which he was engaged.

When the drop gave way, so great was
the fall, that he yielded his spirit without a
struggle.

Having hung an hour, he was cut down
and put into irons, and he now remains
suspended to his gibbet, a shocking example
of the dreadful effects of vice, when permit-
ted to usurp the empire of reason; an example
which, it is hoped, will strike deep into the
minds of the rising generation, and tend to
prevent the recurrence of such terrifying
spectacles.

Gillan was a good looking young man, abont
19 years of age, and always behaved himself

in a becoming manner till the time he commit-
ted the shocking deed for which he so justly
suffered an ignominious death.

He was a farmer's servant, and bore a good
moral character wherever he was employed.
It was a matter of great astonishment to every
person who was acquainted with bim that he
could be guilty of such dreadful crimes; but
his guilt was proved beyond a doubt, and the
hand of the Almighty was evident in its disco-
very, as was plainly shown upon his trial

T.   DUNCAN,   PRINTER.

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