before, as he thinks, the Excise Office was robbed, a coil of ropes,
new, which he either had in his possession or must have bought, as also
a strong chissel with a brass virral, and two pieces of wax taper; that
the brass chissel is, as the declarant believes, now in Brodie’s shop or
house.
That the coulter with which the inner door of the Excise Office was
broke open, and two iron wedges, were taken from a plough by Brown and
Ainslie near to Duddingston, as they said, the Friday before; and the
declarant makes no doubt but a black dog, Rodney, might be with them,
which used to follow the declarant and them; that the coulter and wedges
were left in the cashier’s office, and were concealed in Salisbury Crags
from the time the coulter was taken away to the time the Excise Office
was broke. This he declares to be truth.
And further declares that the ropes brought by Brodie, as before
mentioned, are in the declarant’s house, as also a vice and files and a
spring-saw, with which the declarant used to make and alter keys; that
the saw the declarant got from Brodie about five or six months ago; that
the declarant, before this, bought a saw, with a pair of large pincers,
at a hardware shop below Peter Forrester’s, on the High Street, and the
declarant inclines to think that Brodie bought his saw at the same
place; that in the declarant’s drawer, along with the said saw and
files, there will also be found a keyhole saw, which was bought and
given to the declarant by Brodie.
This he also declares to be truth; and declares that the declaration
emitted by him on Saturday last, so far as is inconsistent with the
present, is not true.
GEORGE SMITH.
ARCHD. COCKBURN.
No. III.
At Edinburgh, 19th March, 1788.
The which day compeared, in presence of Archibald Cockburn, Esq.,
advocate, His Majesty’s Sheriff-depute of the shire of Edinburgh, George
Smith, present prisoner in the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, who, being
examined, declares,
That the small crow, the false key, and the curling tongs, now shown to
him, are the same that were found by the declarant, William Middleton,
A. Williamson, and J. Murray, in an old dyke on the 16th instant, and
the label annexed to them is signed by the declarant as relative hereto,
of this date.
Declares that the said crow was carried to the Excise Office for the
purpose of opening the desks in the cashier’s room; that the said false
key is the one that opened the outer door of the Excise Office, and the
curling tongs were squared at the point by the declarant and taken to
the Excise Office for the purpose of opening the spring latch of the
outer door of the cashier’s room, which it did.
And, being shown a coulter and two wedges, declares that he believes
they are the same that were used in forcing open the inner door of the
cashier’s room in the Excise Office and were left there.
And, being also shown a spur, with the upper leather at it, declares
that it belonged to William Brodie; and the declarant tore the end of
the leather in order that it might appear, when found, to have dropped
from the foot by its being torn by accident by the buckle; that Brodie
brought the said spur to the declarant’s house, and from thence it was
taken to the Excise Office, on purpose that it might be left there, to
make it believed it had been done by some persons on horseback; that the
spur was left in the Excise Office by John Brown, as the declarant was
told by him upon the declarant’s questioning him if he had done it, and
the label annexed to the spur is signed by the declarant as relative
hereto, of this date.
And, being shown a parcel of ropes which the declarant is now told were
found in his house, declares that the declarant has no doubt but that
they are the same ropes which were brought to the declarant’s house by
Brodie, and, after being knotted into a ladder, were carried to the
Excise Office by the declarant, brought from thence by him, and
unknotted again in the declarant’s house, in which case he now sees they
are.
And, being shown a pick-lock, which the declarant is informed was found
in William Brodie’s counting-room in the shop, declares that it is the
same which William Brodie gave to the declarant in his own house before
they went to the Excise Office, and which Brodie wanted to fasten with
some nails, as the handle of it went round when the pick-lock was much
pressed; declares that the declarant carried that pick-lock to the
Excise Office, and, after they had left it, it was returned by the
declarant to Brodie when under the arch of the North Bridge, where
Brodie’s father’s wig, the scarf, and wedges were left, as mentioned in
his declaration of the 10th instant; and the label annexed to the said
pick-lock is signed by the declarant as relative hereto, of this date.
And being shown a black case, with a lid to it, the case full of potty,
declares that it was found, as the declarant thinks, in Mr. Brodie’s
drawers by the declarant and George Williamson on Monday, the 10th
instant; that the declarant had often seen the said case, with potty in
it, before in Brodie’s possession when in the declarant’s house, and the
declarant approved of Brodie’s keeping the potty in a case, as the lid
prevented an impression of a key when taken from being defaced; and the
said case and potty having now a label annexed to it, the same is signed
by the declarant as relative hereto, of this date.
And, being shown a five-pound note, declares it is the same five-pound
note which the declarant carried to Drysdale’s and changed there, to
purchase his wife a ticket in the Newcastle stage; that the declarant
believes it to be one of the five-pound notes taken from the Excise
Office, they being both of the Glasgow Bank, but the other five-pound
note was not ornamented with the same colour with the one now shown to
him; that the notes were pasted on the back by Brodie, and the one now
produced is signed by the declarant on the back as relative hereto, of
this date.
And being shown a parcel of keys, declares that they are the same which
were pointed out by the declarant concealed in Salisbury Crags, on the
7th instant, to William Middleton, Alexander Williamson, and James
Murray, and the label annexed to them is signed by the declarant as
relative hereto, of this date. Declares that among this parcel there is
the false key which opened the outer door of Inglis & Horner’s shop, to
which the declarant now sees a label annexed, and which is signed by him
as relative hereto, of this date.
And being shown a parcel of keys which were found by the declarant and
George Williamson upon the 10th current, declares that the double clank
among the said parcel was brought by the declarant from Sheffield, and
given to Brodie, the reason of which was for fear it should be found in
the declarant’s possession and thereby create suspicion, but it was not
likely to be discovered in Brodie’s. Declares that the heads and stalks
of two keys in the said parcel were cut from old keys by Brodie, and
were intended to be finished for the purpose of opening the spring latch
of the outer door of the cashier’s room in the Excise Office; that a
false key in the said parcel, finished, was made by Brodie for the
purpose of opening the door of the Chamberlain’s cash room of the city
of Edinburgh; and to the said double clank, the heads and stalks of two
keys for the Chamberlain’s room, the declarant sees labels annexed, of
this date, and are signed by the declarant as relative hereto. The
declarant and Brodie had frequently been at the door of the
Chamberlain’s office, in order to take the impression of the keyhole;
that Brodie showed the declarant the said key after it was made, and
Brodie told the declarant that it did not answer.
And being shown two parcels of keys, with labels annexed to them, and
two pieces of black stockings, declares that they are the property of
the declarant, and were concealed by him in Salisbury Crags, and the
labels annexed to them are signed by the declarant and Sheriff as
relative hereto, of this date.
And being shown two trunks, declares that they are the same two trunks
that were purchased by the declarant and Andrew Ainslie; that the round
one was purchased by the declarant from a man opposite to Todrick’s
Wynd, whom he saw this day in the office, for which the declarant paid
three shillings, and the other was purchased by Ainslie from a man
nearly opposite to Richardson’s, the smith, in the Cowgate; that the
declarant first bargained for it himself, but the declarant afterwards
sent Ainslie, who bought it for five shillings and sixpence, or six
shillings.
That the goods taken from Inglis & Horner’s shop were put into the said
two trunks, sent to the said Berwick carrier’s quarters, and to the
Newcastle waggoner’s, as mentioned in his former declaration; that the
direction on the round trunk is, as he believes, of the handwriting of
Ainslie, and the direction upon the other of the handwriting of Brown,
of which he is certain. All which is truth, &c.
GEORGE SMITH.
AR. COCKBURN.
No. IV.
At Edinburgh, 17th July, 1788.
The which day compeared, in presence of the Sheriff-Substitute of the
shire of Edinburgh, George Smith, late grocer, Cowgate, now prisoner in
the Tolbooth of Edinburgh, who being examined and interrogated,
declares--
That on the 10th of March last the declarant was carried to Mr. Brodie’s
yard and workshop by Alexander and George Williamson, in order to point
out a place where it was supposed some false keys, which Mr. Brodie had,
were hid.
That in the under workshop, and in the bottom of a vent which was used
as a fireplace for melting the glue, the declarant, when digging for the
false keys, found a little under ground a pair of pistols wrapped in a
piece of green cloth, which the said Alexander and George Williamson
took into custody, and lodged in the Sheriff-clerk’s office.
That the declarant saw the said pistols and piece of green cloth
yesterday in the Sheriff-clerk’s office, and knew them to be the same
that were found as above, and the reason of the declarant’s knowing them
was, that he had these pistols in loan from Mr. Brodie for a
considerable time; and the declarant had the said pistols with him when
the Excise Office was broke into on the evening of the 5th of March
last.
Declares that the same evening, after breaking into the Excise Office,
the declarant delivered the pistols to Mr. Brodie, being afraid of
taking them to the declarant’s house in case of a search. This he
declares to be truth.
GEORGE SMITH.
JOHN STEWART, Sh. Subst.
Declaration of William Brodie.
At Edinburgh, this 17th July, 1788.
The which day compeared, in presence of Archibald Cockburn, Esq.,
advocate, His Majesty’s Sheriff-depute of the sheriffdom of Edinburgh,
William Brodie, wright and cabinetmaker in Edinburgh, who being examined
and interrogated by the Sheriff, declares--
That he does not at present recollect the name of the vessel in which
the declarant went from the river Thames to Holland in the month of
April last; that is, in which he arrived at Holland in April last.
That, before he left the vessel, he gave some letters, at present he
does not recollect the number, written by himself, to one Geddes, a
passenger on board the vessel.
And being shown a letter directed to Michael Henderson, signed W. B.,
dated Thursday, the 10th of April last, declares that he cannot say that
the letter was not wrote by him and given to Geddes.
And, being interrogated, if one of the letters given to Geddes was not
directed to Mr. Matthew Sheriff, upholsterer in Edinburgh, and signed
John Dixon, dated Flushing, Tuesday, the 8th of April, 1788?--Declares
that the declarant cannot give any positive answer to that question, and
he does not suppose he would have signed any letter at that time by the
name of John Dixon, especially as he had wrote some letters at the same
time, and given them to Geddes, signed by his initials W. B.
Declares that the declarant, when taken into custody at Amsterdam, on
the 26th of June last, went by the name of John Dixon.
Declares that the declarant first became acquainted with George Smith in
Michael Henderson’s a long while ago, when Smith was indisposed and
bedfast there; that the declarant has been in George Smith’s house in
the Cowgate. And being interrogated, declares that he cannot say
positively whether he was in Smith’s house any day of the week before
the declarant left Edinburgh, which, to the best of the declarant’s
recollection, he did upon the 9th of March last, and upon a Sunday, as
he thinks.
Declares that, having received a message that some person in the jail of
Edinburgh wanted to see him, he went there and found it was either Smith
or Ainslie who had been inquiring for him; but the declarant, when going
there, was told by the keeper that neither Smith nor Ainslie could be
seen; and that this was the night preceding his departure from
Edinburgh.
Being interrogated, If reports had not been going of the Excise Office
having been broke into the week before the declarant left Edinburgh, if
he, the declarant, would have taken that step?--declares that it was not
in consequence of that report that he left Edinburgh, but that the
declarant, being acquainted with Smith and Ainslie, then in custody, did
not know what they might be induced to say to his prejudice, was the
cause of his going away.
Declares that the declarant has frequently been in company with John
Brown, _alias_ Humphry Moore (as is reported to be his real name),
Andrew Ainslie, and George Smith, and drank with them.
And, being shown three letters, one dated Thursday, 10th April, 1788,
directed to Mr. Michael Henderson, Grassmarket, signed W. B.; another
dated Flushing, Tuesday, 8th April, 1788, directed to Mr. Matthew
Sheriff, upholsterer in Edinburgh, and signed John Dixon; another, dated
Thursday, 10th April, 1788, directed to Mrs. Anne Grant, Cant’s Close,
Edinburgh, signed, W. B., and, desired to say whether or not the said
three letters are holograph of the declarant?--declares that he does not
incline to give any positive answer, the appearance of writing varies so
much. This he declares to be truth.
WILL. BRODIE.
ARCH. COCKBURN.
COPY of a LETTER from William Brodie, under the name of John Dixon,
to Mr. Matthew Sheriff, upholsterer in Edinburgh.
Flushing, Tuesday, 8th April, 1788,
12 o’clock forenoon.
My dear Friend,
Sunday, the 23rd ult., I went on board a ship cleared out for
Leith, but by a private bargain with the captain was to be landed
at Ostend. I have been on board ever since the 23rd. Most of the
time we lay aground a little below Gravesend. Owing to thick
weather and cross wind, we are obliged to land here; but this
afternoon I will set off, by water, for Bruges, and then for
Ostend (so I begin my travels where most gentlemen leave them off),
where I shall remain, for some time at least, until I hear from Mr.
Walker; and, indeed, I will require three weeks to recruit, for I
have suffered more from my sore throat than sufficient to depress
the spirits of most men. There was for twenty days I did not eat
ten ounces of solid meat; but, thank God, I am now in a fair way.
My stock is seven guineas, but by I reach to Ostend will be reduced
to less than six. My wardrobe is all on my back, excepting two
check shirts and two white ones, one of them an old rag I had from
my cousin Milton, with an old hat (which I left behind), my coat,
an old blue one, out at the arms and elbows, I also had from him,
with an old striped waistcoat, and a pair of good boots. Perhaps my
cousin judged right, that old things were best for my purpose.
However, no reflections; he is my cousin, and a good prudent lad,
and showed great anxiety for my safety; rather too anxious, for he
would not let me take my black coat with me, nor Mr. Nairn’s
great-coat, which makes me the worse off at present; but I could
not extract one guinea from him, although he owes me twenty-four
pounds for three years past. He turned me over to Mr. Walker, who
supplied me with twelve guineas. He is a gentleman I owe much to. I
wish I may ever have it in my power to show my gratitude to him and
Mr. Nairn. Had Milton been in my place, and me in his, my purse, my
credit, and my wardrobe, my all, should have been at his disposal.
However, let not this go farther, lest it should have an appearance
of reflection upon a worthy man. He cannot help his natural temper.
I would have wrote to Mr. Nairn, but for certain reasons I believe
it is not proper at present. Please to communicate this to him. And
I beg that everything may be sent to me that you, Mr. Nairn, and my
sisters may think useful to me, either in wearing apparel, tools,
or even a small assortment of brass and iron work. Please send my
quadrant and spirit level; they lie in a triangular box in my old
bedroom. My brass-cased measuring line, and three-foot rule, my
silver stock buckle, it is in the locker of my chest, and my
stocks, they will save my neckcloths. If my sister pleases to send
me some hand towels, they will be serviceable to me, whether I keep
a house or a room.
I most earnestly beg of Mr. Nairn that my remittances be as liberal
as possible; for without money I can make but a poor shift; for,
you must think, my days for hard labour is near expiring, although,
with my constitution, I may be able to carry on business for many
years, and perhaps with success.
I have not yet received the trunk with my shirts and stockings, but
will write Mr. Walker to forward it to Ostend, where I will be
under the necessity of buying some things. And I hope by the time
I come to New York I will have some things waiting me there.
Whether it is best to send them by the Clyde or Thames, you and Mr.
Nairn will judge best. And I hope to have a long letter from each
of you, and one from my sister Jeany; and your’s will include your
wife’s. They may be put in with my things, and any other letters my
friends are pleased to send. Direct for Mr. John Dixon, to the care
of the Revd. Mr. Mason, at New York. I am not sure of settling
there, but will make for it as soon as I can.
I have no more time, the boat just going off for Bruges or Ostend.
I am,
Dear Sir,
Yours for ever,
JOHN DIXON.
Wrote on the back thus--
Let my name and destination be a profound secret, for fear of bad
consequences.
(Addressed) Mr. Matthew Sheriff, Upholsterer, Edinburgh.
COPIES of two LETTERS, upon one sheet of paper, from William. Brodie to
Mr. Michael Henderson.
Thursday, 10th April, 1788.
Dear Michael,
I embrace this opportunity of writing you, and I make no doubt but
it will give you, Mrs. Henderson, and a few others satisfaction to
hear that I am well.
Were I to write you all that has happened to me, and the
hairbreadth escapes I made from a well-scented pack of bloodhounds,
it would make a small volume.
I left Edinburgh Sunday, the 9th, and arrived in London Wednesday,
the 12th, where I remained snug and safe in the house of an old
female friend until Sunday, 23rd March (whose care for me I shall
never forget, and only wish I may ever have it in my power to
reward her sufficiently), within 500 yards of Bow Street. I did not
keep the house all this time, but so altered, excepting the scar
under my eye, I think you could not have rapt[14] to me. I saw Mr.
Williamson twice; but, although countrymen commonly shake hands
when they meet from home, yet I did not choose to make so free with
him, notwithstanding he brought a letter to me; he is a clever man,
and I give him credit for his conduct.
My female gave me great uneasiness by introducing a flash man to
me, but she assured me he was a true man, and he proved himself so,
notwithstanding the great reward, and was useful to me. I saw my
picture[15] six hours before exhibited to public view, and my
intelligence of what was doing at Bow Street Office was as good as
ever I had in Edinburgh. I left London on Sunday, 23rd March, and
from that day to this present moment, that I am now writing, have
lived on board a ship, which life agrees vastly well with me. It is
impossible for me at present to give you my address, but I beg you
will write me, or dictate a letter to Thom, and let it be a very
long one, giving me an account of what is likely to become of poor
Ainslie, Smith, and his wife; I hope that neither you, nor any of
your connections, has been innocently involved by those unfortunate
men, or by that designing villain Brown; I make no doubt but he is
now in high favour with Mr. Cockburn, for I can see some strokes of
his pencil in my portrait. May God forgive him for all his crimes
and falsehoods. I hope in a short time to be in Edinburgh, and
confute personally many false aspersions made against me by him and
others. Write me how the main went; how you came on in it; if my
black cock fought and gained, &c., &c. As I can give you no
directions how to write me, you’ll please seal your letter, give it
to Robert Smith, and he will deliver it to my sister, who will take
care that it be conveyed safe to me wherever I may happen to be at
the time, for I will give such directions that everything that is
sent to me shall be forwarded from place to place until it come to
my hand. I have lived now eighteen days on board of ship, and in
good health and spirits, although very bad when I came on board,
having my tongue and throat in one ulcer, not a bit of skin upon
either, and the medicines I took in my friend’s and by her
direction (for she is one of experience), just beginning to
operate; but I found it necessary, at all events, to remove, so I
underwent a complete salivation on board ship. During all my trials
since I left Edinburgh, my spirits nor my presence of mind never
once forsook me, for which I have reason to be thankful. My best
compliments to Mrs. Henderson, and I will order payment of the two
guineas as soon as I have accounts from the gentleman I have
intrusted with my affairs; let her not be anxious about it, for, if
I live, it shall be paid.
Dear Michael,
I am very uneasy on account of Mrs. Grant and my three children by
her; they will miss me more than any other in Scotland; may God, in
His infinite goodness, stir up some friendly aid for their support,
for it is not in my power at present to give them the smallest
assistance; yet I think they will not absolutely starve in a
Christian land where their father once had friends, and who was
always liberal to the distressed.
I beg you will order the inclosed to be delivered into her own
hand; and I will take it kind if Mrs. Henderson will send for her
and give her good advice. I wish she may be enabled to keep what
little furniture she has together.
I think she should endeavour to get her youngest daughter Jean sent
to Aberdeen to her friends, where she will be well brought up, and
I will order an yearly board to be paid for her, perhaps six pounds
per annum; it will be an ease to Mrs. Grant, and better for the
child. My eldest daughter Cecill should be put apprentice to the
milliner or mantua-making business; but I wish she could learn a
little writing and arithmetic first. I wish to God some of my
friends would take some charge of Cecill; she is a fine, sensible
girl, considering the little opportunity she has had for
improvement. I have been now eighteen days on board, and I expect
to land somewhere to-morrow. The ship rolls a good deal, and it is
with some difficulty I get this wrote, and my paper being exhausted
I shall conclude this epistle. Please make my compliments to Mr.
Clark, and a few other friends, and in particular, to Mr. Balmano,
and acquaint him I glimed the scrive[16] I had of him. He is a
gentleman I have a great regard for. Pray do not forget writing me
a long letter. I am,
Dear Michael,
For ever your’s.
W. B.
Pray do not show this scroll to any but your wife.
(Addressed) Mr. Michael Henderson, Grass-market, Stabler,
Edinburgh.
COPY of a LETTER or UNSIGNED SCROLL, in the handwriting of William
Brodie, and founded on in the Indictment, marked No. 1.
My dear Sir,
By short instructions sent me when I left London, which I think
were drawn up in my cousin Milton’s hand, I was forbid writing to
any one in Britain, Mr. Walker excepted, for a year or two; but
this order, if necessary, I find it not easy for me to comply with,
for I must correspond with my friends in whatever part of the
globe I am, and I hope they will do so with me, and write them when
an opportunity offers. I have gone through much, in every sense of
the word.--J. D. and M.