Glasgow Circuit account of proceedings
Publisher
Circuit Court of Justiciary, Glasgow
Printer
John Muir
Date1826
Object number00051986
NameBroadsheet
MediumPaper
DimensionsOverall: 300 x 185 mm
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionThis broadsheet is a day-to-day listing of offenders found guilty and sentenced at the Glasgow Circuit Court during the final week of September 1826. Many of those on the list were sentenced to transportation, which at this period would have meant New South Wales or Van Diemen's Land.HistoryGlasgow, Monday, 25th Sept. 1826 - This day the Circuit Court of Justiciary was opened here by the Lord Justice Clerk and Lord Pitmilly, and after the usual formalities had been gone through, the Court proceeded to the Trials of the following persons.
Wm. Bennic, for an aggravated assault - Michael Griffin, for murder - David Little, Mathias Little, and Wm Little, for stouthrief - Peter Kelly, for rape - Torrance Brady, Donals O'Hara, and Michael O'Neil, for an aggravated assault - Robert Hutchie, or Hutchison, for ditto - Hugh Twaddale, for falsehood, forgery, and uttering forged bills - and Robert Ingam, for falsehood, forgery, and uttering a forged receipt - were all declared outlaws.
Elizabeth Douglas or Hasson, from Paisley, theft, and habit and repute, pled Guilty, and was sentenced to 7 years transportation.
John Smith and James Wright, from Paisley, theft, and habit and repute thieves, were found Guilty, and sentenced to transportation for life.
Hugh M'Creadie or M'Creedie, theft, by housebreaking, and habit and repute, pled Guilty, and was sentenced to 14 years transportation.
Edward Steel and Henry Mason, theft, by housebreaking, and Steel formerly convicted of theft, were found Guilty, and Steel was sentenced to 14, and Mason to 7 years transportation. Steel is a man of colour.
Hamilton M'Gee and William bell, from Paisley, theft, and habit and repute, M'Gee was dismissed from the bar, and Bell was sentenced to 7 years transportation.
Mary Lamont alias Marion Lamont, from Paisley, housebreaking and theft, and habit and repute, pled Guilty, and was sentenced to 7 years transportation.
Peter M'Adam and Elizabeth Whittingham, theft, by housebreaking, and M'Adam habit and repute, were both found Guilty, and sentenced to 14 years transportation.
Tuesday - The Court met at 10 o'clock,
David Hutchison, 6th June last, stealing from the house of John Blair, Greenock, a purse containing Three Pouns; transportation for life.
Alex. Frrester, from Greenock, housebreaking and theft; 7 years transportation.
Alexander Morrison and Cornelius Murray, on the 15th April last, breaking into the house of Robert Buchanan, and stealing from a chest, Six Pound Notes, Four half crowns, a Bank receipt for L140, a Purse containing L6 in Silver, and habit and repute thieves; 14 years transportation each.
James Dunnigan, housebreaking and theft; transported for life.
Wm. Walker, alias Hamilton, and David Smith, theft by housebreaking, the former 14 and the latter 7 years transportation.
Alexander Alston, forging a bill for L104,5s,1d., pled guilty, and was sentenced to 7 years transportation.
William Weir, stealing from a drawer in the shop of John Wilson, rope merchant, Paisley, L16 and habit and repute, pled guilty, and was sentenced to 7 years transportation.
Wednesday - The Court met at the usual hour.
Agnes Cann, for uttering forged notes, pled guilty, 7 years transportation.
J. Munro and Wm. Kerr, from Greenock, for theft, pled guilty; 14 years transportation.
Jas. Dick, Geo. Buckley, and Andrew Stewart, for robbing and ssaulting Fillipo Testii, on the 5th day of August last, of a Gold Watch, a Gold Chain, Three Gold Seals, a Gold Watch Key, a Gold Safety Chain, TwoPound Notes, One Guinea Note, 10s in Silver, and several other articles. After a long trial, the Jury retired and brought in their verdict this morning (Thursday) at 10 o'clock, finding two of them guilty; the libel was restricted as Dick, and he was sentenced to be transported for life; while Buckley Not proven; and Stewart Guilty, and he was ordered to be Executed on the 1st Nov. next, betwixt 8 and 10 morning.
Irvein M'Ewan, housebreaking, found guilty; sentenced to 12 calendar months in Bridewell of Paisley.
Patrick M'Guire, from Paisley, for killing and slaughtering a cow, was found Guilty, and sentenced to 14 years transportation.
James Clark, charged with an assault, pled guilty, and was sentenced to 12 months in Bridewell of Paisley.
John Angus, robbery, found guilty, and sentenced to 14 years transportation.
Philip Murphy, Alexander Graham, and Lachland M'Donald, assaulting and robbing Caetano or Kitano, de Mendoca, or Mondos, alias William Francis, a Native of New Zealand, on 14th last, in the Bridegate, of a Gold Sovereign, and 19s. 6d. of Silver, and 2d. in Copper. M'Donald was found Not Guilty; Graham Not Proven; and Murphy Guilty, when he was sentenced to be transported for 14 years.
John Boyle, for theft, was found Not Proven, and he was dismissed from the bar.
Friday - The Court met at ten o'clock, and proceeded to the trial of
Henry Burnet, for breaking into the house of Janet M'Donald, Nile Street, on 20th June, and stealing a great quantity of Clothes, and repute; pled guilty, 7 years transportation.
Edward Kelly, Thomas White, and Maxwell Grindlay, on 31st March last, assaulting and robbing James Pleeming, sen., Cowcaddens, of 18 Five Pound Pound Notes, seven Guinea Notes, 1 One Pound Note, 1 L10 Note, and 9 of Silver. Grindlay was outlawed. After the examination of a great number of witnesses, Kelly and White were found guilty, and sentenced to be Executed on the 1st Nov. next. They are both young men.
J. Hannay, for theft, was found guilty, and was sentenced to be transported for life.
James Gallocher, assault, pled guilty, and was sentenced to be imprisoned in Paisley Jail for six weeks.
Malcolm M'Dougall and Robert Smith, from Greenock, for housebreaking and theft, pled guilty, and was sentenced to transportation for seven years.
John Hobson, for forgery, was found Not Proven, and he was dismissed.
E. Roney, Margaret Flin, and P. Lannigan, for issuing forged notes; 7 years transported.
Saturday - The Court again met at 10 o'clock,
Margaret Robertson and James Black, for theft, 7 years transportation.
John Fairley, housebreaking, 14 years transportation.
Jean Cameron or Brown, reset, 7 years transportation. Isabella M'Master, theft, outlawed.
Walter Gray, John Douglas, and John Taylor, assaulting and robbing Samuel Gordon, Mate of the Smack Farmer of Leith, in Greenock, of a black Leather Pocket Book, containing a Gold Guinea and 19s 6d in siler, they pled guilty, and were sentenced to transported for life. Gray was outlawed.
John Howie, robbery, pled guilty, 14 years transportation.
Janet Farrel and Mary Vaughan, uttering forged notes, 7 years transportation.
Monday, Oct 2 - The Court again met this day at 10 o'clock,
Mary M'Donald, alias Flanigan or Docharty, uttering forged notes, 7 years transportation.
Robert Finlay, and James Pearson, housebreaking and theft, pled guilty, and were sentenced to 14 years transportation; and Jean M'Grigor, reset found guilty, 18 months in Bridewell - James Marton, an accomplice, committed to Jail for perjury.
Donald M'Donald, culpable homicide, 6 weeks imprisonment.
Charles M'Laren, and Alexander M'Master, housebreaking, 7 years transportation.
William Smith, theft, and habit and repute, 14 years transportation.
James Bell, housebreaking and theft, 14 years transportation.
His Lordship having thanked the Gentlemen of the Jury for their attendance, and addressed the Sheriffs, the Court broke up.
General Abstract - To be Executed 3; Transported for Life, 8; for 14 years, 17; forseven do., 23; Imprisoned, 5; Outlawed, 15; Dismissed 6 - Total 77. Several cases were also sent over to the Sheriff.SignificanceThis is a rare surviving public listing of the sentences administered by the Glasgow Circuit, sitting under Lord Pitmill. Of the 77 men and women judged over a six-day period in September 1826, 48 were sentenced to transportation. It makes stark reading, listing as it does their crimes and punishments, which by today's standards seem severe and disproportionate to the crime. At this period, transportation meant a voyage to the colonies - either New South Wales or Van Diemen's Land. Transportation for 7 or 14 years actually meant life - when the sentence had been served, the transportee had to seek a Pardon to return to England, which was not always granted.
