Broadside entitled 'Kean's'

Transcription

KEAN'S

Contradiction of all that has been advanced
he left the City of Glasgow, wrote'
one of the hulks.

Copy of a letter received by a Law
is, in a few instances, corrected ;-?
                  1825
                                                                '            

"Dear Mr. M------,

" I received yours on the [ ]d, and it gave me very much surprise to
learn by its contents that there is so much falsehood. slander, and wilful imposition
thrown out against me from the first, and is likely to be until the last. You wish
me to write a confession that I made to two Gentlemen, which is a thing utterly
out of my power to do, as I never made confession of any kind to either of them ,
nor was it in my power to do so, unless I was to resort to the same means that they
are doing with me now. You also boldly say. that I need not deny it, for I will not
be believed. That is what I cannot help, whether I am believed or not; but, for
the respect I always held for truth and justice, and likewise for your satisfaction, I
never made any such assignment or confession ; and any such you have seen, them
I say now are all false and without foundation, as it never was in my power to do,
if I stood to truth and justice, which, with the help of God, I will always do, let
the world say as they will. And with respect to writing to Mr Hume, or any of
the Members of Parliament, I am willing either to write or meet them on any
ground, to substantiate the same. Common sense and reason might show to you,
that although I had made as many confessions as would fill one quire of paper, it
would do me no good with regard to my sentence, which I was well aware of my-
self; besides, it was not in my power either to hurt the trade, or any of those indi-
viduals you have mentioned, as they neither had knowledgd, nor were art or part
with me in what the two Gentlemen accuse them with. And I likewise told my
brother-in-law, in Edinburgh, that one of the Gentlemen was with me several times
before I left Glasgow, wishing me to make a declaration of all I knew about my
unfortunate catastrophe ; but I told him he had used the basest of means to get me
convicted, and was it in my power to do as he wished, I would not give him any
such satisfaction, as he used all sorts of false means against me before my trial.?
He likewise went over a number of names to me, and wished to know by me if they
were the eight persons, as he said he had information against above 12 persons ;
but I told him that I doubted his information was like some of the villains brought
against me, that would swear any thing the case required for him. He likewise
brought Mr. H----------- up one day before I left Glasgow, upon the same intent;
and Mr. H. told me he might be the means of mitigating my time if I would bring
to conviction the persons that were along with me, and who paid me for shooting
at the Nobs ; but he went away much displeased when his queries had not the de-
sired effect. All the different questions, the names of different persons that he put
to me, from first to last, is too numerous for me to mention to you at this time;
but allow me to say, as an honest man, for the regard I have for my own soul, and
justice to all those innocent individuals, that whatever assignments, confessions,
or declarations you have seen, or may see, of the same nature, is utterly false, and
without foundation.

I am very sorry that such falsehoods should militate so far against the welfare of
my wife, as well as injuring the interests of society (whose basis is founded on the
legalist foundation in the kingdom), and all the rest of those innocent persons whom
they wish to hurt, by all accounts. As for myself, they may say what they please,
for they have done nothing else from the first to the last; but they have a just God
to answer to for all their unjust doings to me. Dear Mr M------------I would wish
you would write to me as soon as you see fit, as I am not sure of the day the ship
will come to take us away; and, as my money is very scarce, I hope you will pay,
the postage. Direct to John Kean, convict on board his Majesty' s ship, Justicia
hulk, Woolwich. No more from yours,

" JOHN KEAN."

The above is copied from the Glasgow Free Press of Saturday, July 2d, 1825.

W. Carse, Printer.

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