GLASGOW CHRONICLE

Friday, May 3 1816

GLASGOW ASSIZES

THURSDAY, May 2

… (Here was reported an assault on the road to Kirkintilloch.)

JOHN NORVAL, WILLIAM RENWICK, AND J. MILLAR, accused of taking a pane of glass from the window of Messrs. James Drummond and Co.’s shop, High Street, on the 1st Feb. 1816, and of stealing therefrom two webs of tartan, a piece of flannel, a piece of durant, several pieces of gingham; and of entering the house of Mary Jamieson, Argyll Street, on the 1st Feb. 1816, and of forcing the lock of a chest of drawers, and of stealing from said house a half-sheet, a shirt, and a man’s hat, and PATRICK or PETER QUIGLY, and MARY O’HARA, accused of resetting the same.

Norval, Miller and Renwick pleaded Guilty, and Quigly and O’Hare Not Guilty.

Quigly when called on to plead, behaved in a very indecorous and disgusting manner, and reflected on the administration of justice in Scotland, and expressed his determination to plead his own cause. During the whole trial he behaved with the utmost levity; and appeared to entertain much enmity to the city officers.

Baillie Jamieson and Mr Simson identified the declarations of the pannels.

Alexander Drummond, shopman with Messrs. Drummond and Co. particularised the articles of the theft. Went with Calder, Ross and Edmond to Menzies’ at foot of Old Wynd, and there found Norval, Miller, Smith and McKinlay. Searched the house and the boys; only found 11s concealed in the lining of Smith’s trowsers, and then lodged the boys in the Police Office about 2 o’clock in the morning of 2nd of Feb. Smith next day confessed that it was by him that the panes, newly put in, had been removed, and the goods taken away: and the said goods were in the house of Quigly, where witness and officers went in the afternoon, but did not find any goods. Witness, along with Mrs Quigly, left the Office, and searched the house at eight o’clock at night, but did not get the goods, and were leaving the house when a boy said to them that he could show them where a bundle was. They then searched a cellar at the back of Quigly’s house: and Bain, the Police officer, found a bundle, in which some pieces of the goods stolen were found. The goods identified; the patterns are peculiar; and witness is well acquainted with them. Saw the patterns in the window the day before the theft.

Cross-examined.

Witness has sold this description of goods for a long time past. The entry into Quigly’s cellar is from the close. Thinks that the door was not locked. The piece of gingham stolen was the only one in the shop at the time.

Neil McLean, shopman with Drummond & Co. identified to the best of his knowledge the goods produced as those stolen. They are the exact patterns of those sold.

Ellen Morrison, on the 2nd of February, got a piece of gingham from Mrs Quigly to make a gown; before it was made, being in a house opposite Quigly’s, she was told of the search, when she suspected that the gingham had been stolen, and said she would give it up, and on the Monday gave it to Brown the Officer. Identified the gingham.

Agnes Thorburn lives above Quigly. Mrs Quigly asked her to take a bundle in charge for her, but witness refused to do it; at that time the search was going on. The cellar belonged to Quigly’s house. Saw the people searching it at about nine o’clock at night.

John Smith, accomplice in the commission of the theft, was one of the party who stole the goods from Drummond’s shop. Carried the goods to Quigly’s house. Quigly gave 34s for them, knowing them to be stolen. Witness had been at his house with stolen goods several times before, which he purchased: and always told him that the goods were stolen. Went a second time to Mr Drummond’s that night, and got a web of tartan. Quigly was told that they were going to do so. Mrs Quigly was present when the goods were taken to the house. Quigly has promised witness money to begin business as a pedlar, and to take him to Ireland, if he (witness) would not say any thing against him; and Quigly said, that on his trial he would pretend to be radgy (insane); and advised him (witness) to do the same. In all transactions witness has had with him, he never believed him to be a lunatic.

The jury unanimously found the prisoners Millar, Norval and Renwick Guilty of the thefts libelled, and Quigly and O’Hara of resetting the goods stolen from the shop of Messrs. Drummond & Co.

(Here was reported an assault on the keeper at Canniesburn Toll.)

WILLIAM CAMPBELL alias BARBER (included in an indictment with Millar, Quigly and O’Hare, already convicted) accused of entering the house of Mr D. Paterson, spirit dealer, Maxwell Street, Glasgow, on the 22nd January 1816, and of stealing from the lobby of said house a blue great coat, and cotton handkerchief, and from an apartment in said house, four pieces of bed curtains, a half –blanket; and PATRICK QUIGLEY and MARY O’HARA resetting the same, the crime of said Campbell is aggravated by his being habit and repute a thief, pleaded Guilty.

(Here was reported a trial for robbery.)

Friday, May 3

SENTENCES

The Court met at eight o’clock…

(Here was reported the sentencing of various prisoners convicted at the assizes.)

John Norval, Wm. Renwick, and James Millar, convicted of theft, and Patrick or Peter Quigly, and Mary O’Hara, his wife, of reset. The three former are mere boys, and the Court considered them only as tools in the hands of Quigly and his wife, and seduced by them to the commission of the offence. The thieves to be imprisoned for one year in the Bridewell of Glasgow, and Quigly and O’Hara to be transported beyond seas for 14 years.

(Here was reported the sentencing of the Canniesburn Toll accused, convicted at the assizes.)

William Campbell, alias Barber, found guilty of theft, was sentenced to seven years transportation beyond seas.

GLASGOW HERALD

Friday, May 3, 1816

CIRCUIT COURT, GLASGOW

Tuesday, the Circuit Court of Justiciary was opened here by the Lords Hermand and Gillies. The court proceeded to the trial of ... (Here followed a trial of those accused of a breaking and entering incident).

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

Owing to the immense crowd of persons waiting to get into court, the greatest confusion prevailed, insomuch that an order was given from the Bench, and by the Lord Provost, to get a way cleared for the Jury to enter the Court. This arose from the doors being laid open, contrary to former years’ practice, and was attended with a great confusion, many persons having lost the skirts of their coats, &c… (Here followed the account of a shooting at Eaglesham and later an excise offence)

THURSDAY, MAY 2

The crowd, this day, was so great, that the Judges had difficulty in getting into the Court. Mr Jeffrey and other Barristers were admitted by the subterraneous passages used only for the prisoners…

(Here followed the report of an assault on the Kirkintilloch road which the Jury found not proven for all accused except one)

John Norval, William Renwick, James Miller, Patrick Quigly, and Mary O’Hara, accused of theft and reset of theft, on Thursday the 1st of February last, by forcing a pane from the shop window of James Drummond and Co., High Street, Glasgow, and stealing therefrom pieces of tartan, gingham, &c. to the amount of £20, the three former having committed the theft, and carried the goods to Quigley’s house.

Norval, Renwick, and Miller, pleaded Guilty; Quigley and O’Hara, his wife, pleaded Not Guilty. Quigley spoke very violently and disrespectfully to the Judges on the Bench.

From the testimony of several witnesses who were examined, it appeared, that after the apprehension of Norval and the other prisoners who committed the robbery, a search was made in Quigley’s for the stolen property, but at first nothing was found; but on a second search the goods were found in his cellar, and his wife had given a piece of the stolen gingham to a girl to make a gown of, but who, on hearing it was stolen, delivered it up to Mr Brown, a constable. – John Smith, an accomplice in the robbery, deponed that the goods were carried to Quigley’s, and that he knew they were stolen; they got a guinea for one piece, and 13 shillings for the remainder; had been several times at Quigley’s selling stolen goods; and since his apprehension Quigley offered to give him money to fit him out as a pedlar if he would not speak against him. Quigley told witness he would feign insanity at the bar.

The Jury unanimously found the prisoners Norval, Renwick, and Miller, Guilty on their own confession; and Quigley and his wife Guilty as libelled.

(Here followed on the same day a case of assault at Canniesburn Toll, and two cases of robbery)

FRIDAY, MAY 3

The Court met at eight o’clock… (Here followed a case of breaking and entering)

John Norval, William Renwick, James Miller, convicted of theft, and Patrick, or Peter, Quigly, and Mary O’Hara, his wife, of reset. The three former are mere boys, and the Court considered them only as tools in the hands of Quigley and his wife, and seduced by them to the commission of the offence. The thieves to be imprisoned for one year in the Bridewell of Glasgow, and Quigley and O’Hara to be transported beyond seas for 14 years. – John Smith, an accomplice in the robbery, deponed that the goods were carried to Quigley’s

(Here followed other sentences of prisoners found guilty at the assizes)

William Campbell, alias Barber, accused of theft, by stealing bed curtains, a blue great coat, &c., pleaded Guilty.

The Jury returned a verdict of Guilty, on his own confession.

NOTE

William Campbell, alias Barber, was named with Patrick Quigly and Mary O'Hara in the Third Indictment.

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