Broadside concerning the execution of Andrew Stewart and Edward Kelly

Transcription

Execution.   

An account of the Behaviour and Execution of ANDREW STEW-
ART and EDWARD KELLY, who were both Executed at
Glasgow on Wednesday Morning, in the presence of an immense
multitude, for the daring crime of Street Robbery. Likewise, a
list of all the Criminals who have been executed in Glasgow for
the last 60 years.

GLSSGOW, NOVEMBER 1, 1826.?This day the highest punishment of the law was
put in force upon ANDREW STEWART and EDWARD KELLY, convicted at our last
Circuit Court of Street Robbery.               

Stewart was convicted of having, along with several others, in the beginning of August
last, knocked down and robbed in the Gallowgate, an Italian of the name of Filippo Testi,
of a gold repeater watch, with chain, seals, and key attached, two one-pound notes, and
guinea one, 10 or 12 shilling's in silver, a pair of black kid gloves, some tobacco, with fives
or six segars in a segar holder. It appears that the poor foreigner had been betrayed by a
woman of the town, who, gave information to a gang of ruffians that he had moony upon
him. After he had been knocked down, the villains were so numerous that they frighten-
ed away every person who wished to interfere, and actually kept rifling him for several mi-
nutes, and under the eyes of several spectators, till the police came up, when they ran off
to the Green, ami disputed about the division of the spoil, till a battle had nearly ensued.

Stewart was about 25 years of age, and was born in Belfast of Protestant parents, and was
by trade a weaver; he and his parents have resided for a long time in Bridgeton; he was ne-
ver known to have been guilty of any violation of the laws, till the act for what he has this
morning atoned with his life leaving an aged father and mother to lament the consequent
ces of his thus stepping aside from the paths of moral rectitude. He was assisted in his
devosons by the Rev, Mr. Morrison, the Chaplain of the Prison, and the Rev. Mr. Mar-
shall, to whose pious advice he paid the greatest attention . He indulged in hopes of par-
don almost till the last day of his life, but the proper authorities considered that the crime
demanded that an example should be made. and the law was ordered to take its course.

Kelly was convicted along with Thomas White (but who has since been respited.) of rob-
bing James Fleming of upwards of L. 100 sterling, in the Bridgegate, on the 31st March
last. The circumstances of this case are nearly similar to the last, and should be a warning
to people who have money on them, to be are of the company they go into, for it appears
that Mr. Fleming had imprudently allowed himself to be decoyed into a house with a wo-
man whom he had picked up in the street and while in his company she had no doubt di-
covered that he had money in his possession, and after parting, had given information to
some of her abandoned associates, for he was soon after waylaid by several fellows, drag-
ged into a close and robbed of his money, and considerably hurt. The robbers having gone
into, a Mr. Moffat's, spirit-dealer, Tradeston, to Divide their booty, he, by his prudent con-
duct had them apprehanded before they could get their purpose accomplished, and L.61 of
the money recovered, another of the party having made his escape with the remainder.

Kelly was about 21 years of age, and was also a native of the sister island, of the Roman
Catholic persuasion. He had never been bred to any regular business, and in consequence
of his idle life, he had more than once been the inmate of a prison, He was attended by
the Rev. Mr. Scott and the Rev. Mr. Murdoch to whose spiritual admonitions he paid the
most implicit obedience.

Soon after 8 o'clock the culprits ascended the fatal platform, attended by the
Ministers of their respective religion, and after a short time spent in prayer, the executioner
procerded to adjust the sopes which having been finished, the drop soon after fell, where
they died almost instantly. Considering the early hour the Crowd was very.considerable

It appears from authentic records, that since the year 1765 till the present time, where
embraces period of 61 years, there has been publicly executed in the City of Glasgow, &
criminals of which number there were executed betwixt 1765 and 1781 at the Howgate-
head, where the Monkland Canal Basin now is, 7; in the Castle yard, where the Infirnary
now stands, betwixt 1784 and 1813, 12; at the Cross, betwixt 1788 and 1813, 22; and
since 1814 till this period, there have been executed in front of the new prison, no less than
41 individuals!

In the year l769 Andrew Marshal, for murder, was hung in chains at the Howgatehead,
as a striking mark of public infamy..                              

John Muir, printer, Glasgow.

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