John Leech and other papers

Biggar and the House of Fleming. 331
tinkers, and vagabonds of all sorts. Again and
again he returned home baffled and disappointed.
One evening as he lay in bed ruminating on the
painful subject which had taken so firm a hold of
his mind, he felt a strong and irresistible impulse
once more to renew his search. He rose early next
morning, and wended his way to Jedburgh, where,
as was his wont, he repaired to the Tolbooth. Here
he made the usual inquiries at the prisoners, if any
of them knew the perpetrators of his father's murder,
and it is understood that he obtained such informa-
tion as enabled him to take effectual steps to appre-
hend them and bring them to justice. It was thus
ascertained that the murder was committed by two
men, John Brown and James Wilson, and two
women, Martha Wilson and Janet Greig. At what
place James Wilson was apprehended we have not
ascertained ; but John Brown was captured in a
house near the Fort of Inversnaid, by a party of
soldiers from the garrison, on Sabbath, the 3d
January 1773, and conducted first to Stirling and
then to Edinburgh. As no person had seen them
commit the act, it would have been difficult to
obtain a conviction against them ; but the two
women basely agreed to turn king's evidence. The
trial of the two men was fixed to take place on the
28th June; but it was postponed till the 12th
August, on the plea that at least one of the panels