# Life of David Haggart, who was executed at Edinburgh, 18th July, 1821, for the murder of the Dumfries jailor (1)

LIFE
OF
DAVID HAGGART,
WHO WAS
Executed at Edinburgh, 18th July, 1821,
FOR
THE MURDER OF
THE DUMFRIES JAILOR.
CONTAINING
The whole of his depredations and Murders, faithfully copied from the large Book written by himself.————Being the whole substance, without the superfluity of language, brought into the following pages.————With an Account of his Behaviour at the place of Execution.
KILMARNOCK:
Printed by H. Crawford, Bookseller,
LIFE
OF
DAVID HAGGART.
DAVID HAGGART was born at a farm town, called the Golden Acre, ⟨near⟩ Cannon-mills, Edinburgh, on the 24th ⟨of⟩ June, 1800, his father was a ⟨game-keeper⟩ but afterwards a dog-trainer. He was ⟨early⟩ put to school, when he acquired a good knowledge of English Grammar, ⟨Writing⟩ and Arithmetic. About the age of ten, ⟨a⟩ trifling accident occurred at home, ⟨which⟩ for fear of punishment from his ⟨father⟩ determined him to leave home, and from that moment he dated the commencement of his sinful career. He had made ⟨no⟩ wicked acquaintance as yet, but committed several depredations by himself.
The first of these was stealing a ⟨Bantam⟩ Cock from a woman at the back of ⟨the⟩ New Town, Edinburgh. Having taken ⟨a⟩ fancy to it, he offered to buy it, but ⟨the⟩ woman would not sell it; he fell on ⟨the⟩ ​scheme of putting another cock of his own a-fighting, and then came off with his prize. His next was lifting a shop till from a poor woman in Stock-Bridge. Being some miles from town, and tired, he mounted a poney which was grazing on the roadside, and rode home, where he kept it for some time in an out-house, where he formerly kept a cuddie; he kept it there for several days, until the owner found it out by accident. At Leith races, in 1813, he enlisted in the Norfolk Militia, and learned the drum and bugle-horn; the regiment was disbanded about a year afterwards, and he was discharged.
His father was then living in the south back of the Cannongate, Edinburgh, and ⟨he⟩ went home, when he was put as an apprentice to the Mill-wright and Engineering business, with Cockburn and Baird, in ⟨the⟩ Canongate, where he behaved with ⟨honesty⟩ and was very well liked by his ⟨employers⟩.
His master having given up business, he ⟨was⟩ of course thrown idle, and at this time ⟨got⟩ acquainted with many worthless characters, among whom was one Barney, an (illegible text)shman; he had been bred a taylor in ⟨Dumfries⟩, he was older than Haggart, of ⟨great⟩ bodily strength, and a most skilful ⟨pickpocket⟩. Barney put him up to a number ​of tricks, and they agreed to travel together.
​On other nights they got 2 gold watches; they took about L.70. in the whole, during their stay in Newcastle. They then went to Durham, and at night broke a lonely house on the road to York; they got L.20. there; they were apprehended for this act, tried, and found guilty, and put back to prison, to be brought up for sentence of death at the end of the assizes. They broke prison that night, but Haggart only escaped: he provided himself with a rope ladder, and gave the saw to Barney, who made his escape that same night.
​12 September, he started for Perth with one Henry, and had some adventures.— They returned to Leith, and were taken by the Police for some crimes, got bail, and were liberated.
Haggart had a number of adventures in Edinburgh and neighbourhood, and was put four months in Bridewell. After being released, he met with some of his companions, and took a trip through the north. He was in Aberdeen jail for some time, and after committing more depredations, returned to Edinburgh.
They broke into several houses in Edinburgh and Leith, and on New-Year’s morning, 1820, Haggart had for his share, five silver watches, and a gold one, taken on the south and north bridges. He remained in Edinburgh till the 18th, when he was taken up and put into the Lock-up-house to find bail: he got out, and one night paid a visit to the Lock-up-house, and gave the keeper so much drink, that he got the key, and liberated six prisoners.
He went to Leith the night following, and took lodgings in Cupar street, and lived with a woman of the town; while here he committed various acts in Leith, Edinburgh, and neighbourhood, by tying some shop doors, and thrusting his hand ​through the windows, and grasping whatever goods lay in his road: breaking into numerous houses, picking pockets of watches, &c.— In the course of these operations he removed to different lodgings.
On the first of March, while sitting in his lodgings with a pickpocket of the name of Forrest, in Johnston street, North Leith, Captain Ross, of the Police, and one of his men came in upon them; Ross seized Forsest and carried him off, leaving Haggart in charge of the Policeman: when left alone, the Policeman opened a bed-room door, and was looking into it, when Haggart forced him in, locked the door, and was making his way down the stair, when he was met by Ross and another Policeman; a struggle commenced, but the three overpowered Haggart and he was carried to the Police Office streaming with blood. He was kept here two days, and then put into the jail to stand trial. On the 27th he got a small file, and cut the chains off his legs, penetrated through two thick walls with his handcuffs, liberated Forrest, and got to the outside about five o'clock next morning. When on the outer stair, he saw a man coming up Queen Street, and he prepared to give him battle; but the man only said, “Run, Haggart, run, I wont touch ye.” Haggart took hold ​of Forrest’s hand, and ran even on to Dalkeith, without stopping; staid there all night, and stole twelve yards blue cloth; started at two o’clock next morning for Kelso, robbed a farmer of L.4., and set off for Dumfries. They were joined by two other pickpockets, one of whom was hanged shortly after at Glasgow.
In Dumfries, he picked several pockets, and entered different dwelling-houses; he met with his old friend, Barney M'Guire, never having seen him since they parted at Kelso in 1818. They were intending to leave Dumfries that night, but Barney was taken up. Haggart started for Carlisle next morning, but was overtaken and carried back to Dumfries. Captain Ross arrived in a few days, and carried him back to Leith jail.
Barney was transported for fourteen years. Haggart was tried at Edinburgh on the 12th July, but got off; he was then sent to Dumfries to stand trial at the circuit there for house-breaking. His ⟨trial⟩ did not go on, and he was sent to jail.—Here he got acquaint with a lad, John Dunbar, who was under sentence of transportation. He also got acquaint with ⟨some⟩ people belonging to the town, who seemed willing to do him a favour; so ⟨Haggart⟩ made the plans of four keys, and a person ​was to get them made for him, there being four doors betwixt his cell and the street, Having thus, as he thought, secured his liberty he was too easily led into another scheme with Dunbar. Haggart thought himself certain of his own liberty, but he thought it would be a grand thing to clean the jail of all the prisoners. Laurie, another prisoner, proposed getting a stone and tying it in a napkin, and some morning to knock down Hunter, the head jailor, and take the keys from him. Haggart was not fond of using the stone, as he did not want to hurt the jailor; and he proposed, when Thomas Morrin came up to the man under sentence of death, to gag him into a closet at the head of the stair, and take the keys from him; Dunbar, and some others, got the stone and put it into a bag.
On Tuesday the 10th of October, about ⟨twelve⟩ o’clock, they noticed Hunter, the ⟨head⟩ turnkey leave the jail to attend the Races, and shortly after, Morrin came up with two ministers, whom he locked in ⟨the⟩ cell with M‘Grory, who was under ⟨sentence⟩ of death.—Shortly after, Haggart ⟨placed⟩ himself in the closet at the head of ⟨the⟩ stair, where he had previously put the ⟨stone⟩ and bag. Dunbar then called up Morrin to let out the ministers. He came ​up accordingly with a plate of potatoe soup for M‘Grory, and when he got to the top of the stair, Haggart came out upon him from the closet, and the pushing open of the door knocked the plate out of his hand; he then struck him one blow with the stone, dashed him down, and without the loss of a moment, pulled the key of the outer door from his pocket; he gave one blow with the stone and threw it down. Dunbar picked it up, but no more blows were given, so that Morrin must have received his other blows in falling. Haggart observed Dunbar on the top of him, rifling his breast for the key which he had got. Simpson had a hold of Morrin’s shoulders, and was beating his back upon the steps of the stair.— Haggart rushed past them, crossed the stair as steadily as he could, pulled the key from his pocket, and opened the outer door.
On getting out at the door he ran round the east corner of the jail wall, and then walked rapidly round the back street, and round a great part of the town, till he came to the back of the King’s Arms Inn. Dunbar made up to him, and that very moment they saw a policeman coming right up to meet them; on this they wheeled about and ran, but Dunbar was ​taken before he ran ten yards, and Haggart had the mortification to see his fellow adventurer secured; he once thought of bolting among them to rescue him, but the mob was too great for him; he went up through the yard of the King’s Arms without meeting any body, crossed the High Street, and ran down the vennel to the Nith. He kept along the waterside till he got away to the east of Cumlungan wood, having run nearly ten miles in less than an hour. He then got on the high road to Annan, when he saw a post-chaise at full gallop almost within twenty yards of him. Upon this he buttoned his coat, and leapt a hedge into a field where some people were raising potatoes. They all joined the policemen, who had got out of the chaise in pursuit of him; he crossed the field at a slapping pace, and made for Cumlungan wood; he bolted over a very deep ditch covered with briers, and ran a few steps along the side of the hedge to make the police-men think he was going into the wood; he then wheeled round, louted, and when they went up the one side of the ditch he ran dawn the other: little did they know he was so near them, he could have breathed upon John Richardson as he passed him. In this way he came to the cross road which leads from ​the Nith to the public road, and never did a fox double the hounds in better style.
He then made for Annan, and getting on a mile or two on the Carlisle road, he went into a belt of planting. Watching an opportunity, he dived into a hay stack, and lay there till next day at two o’clock in the afternoon, when he heard a woman ask a boy, if that lad was taken who had broke out of Dumfries jail; the boy answered no, but the jailor died last night. On hearing this, Haggart lay insensible for a good while; he left the stack, and seeing a scare crow in a field, he took some of the old clothes and put them on to disguise himself. On the Wednesday night he slept in a hay loft; in the morning two men were feeding their horses, and he overheard them speaking about him; he started for Carlisle, and then to Newcastle, where he stopped for some days, and along with one Fleming, picked L.22 in the market from a man; here he passed close to John Richardson who was in quest of him but was not noticed. He left Newcastle for Scotland, he got upon the Berwick Coach, and then took a ticket for Edinburgh, but only went to Dunbar in the Coach, remained in Dunbar, and set off for Edinburgh next morning; met with a gentleman, and took the same lodgings ​⟨with⟩ him in the Lord Duncan Tavern, ⟨Canongate⟩. After separating from the ⟨gentleman⟩, he stopt at Jock’s Lodge with ⟨a⟩ friend; while here he visited his father, ⟨and⟩ some acquaintances, disguised in women's clothes. One night, dressed in his ⟨own⟩ clothes, taking a walk from ⟨Portobello⟩ to Leith, he met Captain Ross of the ⟨Leith⟩ Police, their eyes met, and both ⟨stood⟩ motionless until Haggart feigned to ⟨pull⟩ a pistol from his breast, the Captain ⟨knowing⟩ him too well before, immediately ⟨took⟩ to his heels, and Haggart immediately {{⟨swerved⟩ through the fields, and made to ⟨Jock's⟩ Lodge; he then crossed the Forth, ⟨and⟩ went through Cupar to Dundee, and ⟨disguised⟩ himself in sailor's clothes; here ⟨he⟩ committed a number of depredations. ⟨He⟩ then returned to Newhaven, and went (illegible text) to Edinburgh, and the first thing he ⟨saw⟩ was a bill posted up offering a reward ⟨of⟩ 70 guineas for his apprehension; this determined him to go north again; he ⟨arrived⟩ in Dundee, and from thence went ⟨to⟩ Perth; he attended the fairs in Perth, ⟨Dunkeld⟩, Kenmore &c. and robbed some ⟨cattle-dealers⟩ to a considerable amount. ⟨One⟩ night in his lodgings in Perth, two ⟨police-men⟩ came in upon him, but the ⟨determined⟩ manner in which he received ⟨them⟩, made them hesitate in apprehending ​and Haggart gained an opportunity to escape; he left Perth for Glasgow, and made up his mind to go to Ireland, and started in the Steam Boat; here he was recognised by the Provost of Kircaldy who went ashore at Lamlash; ⟨Haggart⟩ was ready to jump overboard, but the boat came off without the Provost; he landed in Belfast, where he attended fairs, &c. and was in continual scenes of robbing, knocking down, &c. At Drummore market he was seized and taken before a ⟨magistrate⟩; he was asked what name he had, he answered in high Tipperara, it was John M‘Colgan, from Armagh; he was cross examined, and shewn a Dublin paper with a description of his person, &c. he denied being a Scotsman, and passed ⟨off⟩ the brogue so well that the magistrate was in doubts; but he was ordered to be detained, and three yeomen sat in the courthouse to guard him; he plied them so ⟨well⟩ with drink, that he prevailed on them to let a young woman bring him some supper and when she came, he got leave to speak with her privately behind the boxes at the court, where there is a large window; he bolted right through the window ⟨without⟩ being hurt by the fall: he crossed ⟨the⟩ street, and into an entry, where he saw his keepers below the window staring at ​each other; he started for Belfast and then to Dublin, and paid his passage for America at the Pigeon-house, but meeting in with one called O’Brien, he changed his mind; here he robbed a man of 100 guineas in gold, and jaunted through the country in Cars, with women of bad fame; he was taken up for robbing a drover at Downpatrick, and put into jail, where he saw more scenes of wickedness than ever he had witnessed all his life; the women’s room was immediately above the men's, and eight days provision was served out to them at one time; they blocked up the doors, made a hole betwixt the two apartments, and kept possession in the most riotous manner; before his trial he bribed the drover to swear he was not the person, and he was banished for 7 years; in jail he was visited by the magistrate of Drummore, who ordered the jailor to put him in strong irons.
Haggart denied that he had ever been in Drummore, and said his name was O’Brien, and not M'Colgan; he was moved ⟨to⟩ Kilmainham jail, among other criminals; here he made his escape, but was catched by some of the prisoners informing the jailor of his designs.
Next morning the whole prisoners, consisting of some hundreds, were taken down ​to a yard, and ranked up in companies of twenty each. In a few minutes John Richardson made his appearance, accompanied by the two jailors and a turnkey. John began his inspection, and went over the whole of them; then making a second look-through, he stopped at Haggart, held out his hand, and said, ‘Do you ken me, Davie?’ He turned to the jailor, and in a masterpiece of Irish brogue, said, ‘What does the man say?’ 'Don’t you know him?’ was the answer. He replied, ‘Troth and by my soul, I know nothing at all about him.’ But John persisted that he knew him, and he was conveyed to the condemned yard; the jailor telling him, if he was a Scotchman he was greatly mistaken, for he had the brogue as well as ere a boy in Ireland,—but time would try all. He was nearly two days in the condemned yard, during which he had two visits from John Richardson; but he stoutly denied that he had ever seen him.
On the evening of the second day Haggart was taken to the head Police-office, and heavily loaded with irons. An iron belt was fitted round his waist, with his wrists pinioned to each side of it; a chain passed from the front of the belt and joined the centre of a chain, each end of which was padlocked round his ankles, and a chain ​passed from each wrist to each ankle. In this dreadful state of torture and confinement, he was conducted by John Richardson, and an Irish officer of the name of Robison, to Dumfries. They were three days and two nights upon the road, and all the time he never had his hand to his mouth, and was fed like a sucking turkey in bedlam, and was treated like a helpless infant. As to the officers who conveyed him, never could man behave better to his own son than they both did to him. He had known John Richardson before, and had long been acquainted with his humane disposition, which was tried and proved on this occasion. They travelled a good way on the road before he would acknowledge that ever he had seen John; but he saw that it was of no use to keep up his pretended ignorance any longer. Indeed, from the time he was placed in the condemned cells of Kilmainham, he had only done so out of obstinacy.
On their approach towards Dumfries, which was in the dark, there were many thousands of people on the road, many of them with torches in their hands, waiting his arrival; and when he got to the jail-door, it was scarcely possible to get him out of the coach for the multitude—all crowding for a sight of Haggart the ​Murderer. Some seemed sorry, ⟨and⟩ some terrified for him; but there was not ⟨one⟩ of them all so sorry, or so terrified ⟨as⟩ himself. He plunged through them, ⟨rattling⟩ his chains, and making a great ⟨show⟩ of courage, but his heart was shaking ⟨at⟩ the thought of poor Morrin. As he went up the narrow stair to the cells, he had ⟨to⟩ pass the very spot where he struck him and, oh! it was like fire under his feet.
He was locked up in his old cell, ⟨and⟩ the greater part of the Irish irons ⟨were⟩ taken off him. He was kept at ⟨Drumfries⟩ for about three weeks, during which he ⟨was⟩ twice examined before the Sheriff; ⟨but⟩ they could not get what they call a declaration out of him, for he knew that would be used against him, so he thought it ⟨as⟩ well to keep his tongue within his teeth and this he would advise every man who is accused of a crime to do, whether he ⟨is⟩ innocent or guilty. But when the examination was over, he offered to tell ⟨the⟩ whole of his story to them privately ⟨and⟩ he did tell a good deal of it.
From Dumfries he was conveyed ⟨to⟩ Edinburgh jail, and placed once more under the charge of Captain Sibbald, the kindest and the best jailor in the world. His word may be taken for this, as he ⟨had⟩ had some experience. He was soon ⟨after⟩ ​⟨indicted⟩ to stand his trial before the High Court of justiciary, for the murder of ⟨Thomas⟩ Morrin.
In about a fortnight, the day of his ⟨trial⟩ came. He had been carried the ⟨evening⟩ before from the Calton Jail to the ⟨Lock-up-house⟩ in the old town, and he was ⟨taken⟩ into the Court about ten o’clock on ⟨the⟩ morning of the 11th of June.
We shall conclude this Narrative, in his ⟨own⟩ words:—“Many witnesses were examined against me, and some of them did ⟨not⟩ speak the truth; but I say nothing ⟨against⟩ them, for perhaps they were only ⟨mistaken⟩. I was fully as wicked as they ⟨made⟩ me. There was one witness, who ⟨should⟩ have said that he knew of our plan, ⟨and⟩ our only object was liberty, not to ⟨murder⟩ poor Thomas Morrin. But this ⟨would⟩ have made no difference, for it was ⟨the⟩ pleasure of God Almighty that I should ⟨come⟩ to an end.
All that man could do was done for me (illegible text) my trial, and I had got hopes till the ⟨judge⟩ began to speak; but then my spirits ⟨fell⟩ for his speaking was sore against me. ⟨I⟩ did not altogether despair when I saw ⟨the⟩ Jury talking together.——But, oh!—⟨when⟩ they said Guilty! my very heart ⟨broke⟩; but I was even then too proud to ⟨shew⟩ my feelings, and I almost bit my lip ​through in hiding them. When the Judge was passing the awful sentence, I turned dizzy, and gasped for breath. They say I looked careless, but they could not see within me. I did not know what had happened, or where I was—I thought ⟨of⟩ every thing in a minute—I thought of ⟨my⟩ father—I thought of my mother, ⟨who⟩ died of a broken heart—-I thought of ⟨escape⟩, and very near made a plunge ⟨over⟩ the heads of the crowd—then I could ⟨have⟩ cried out. When the sentence was over I gathered my thoughts, and my ⟨heart⟩ was as hard as ever; for I said, "Well the man that is born to be hanged, ⟨will⟩ not be drowned!” This was very wicked but I could not help it, for I had no command of my thoughts or words.
But these wild and wicked thoughts ⟨soon⟩ left me. Every body was very kind ⟨to⟩ me. How this happens, I cannot tell, ⟨for⟩ from my infancy my hand has been ⟨against⟩ every man, and I never saw a human being without trying to do them a harm. This kindness is an awful lesson to ⟨me⟩ now, but it has done my heart good, ⟨for⟩ it is the sorest punishment I have met ⟨with⟩ yet in this world. I have been visited ⟨by⟩ several clergymen. They have ⟨prayed⟩ much with me and for me. I told ⟨them⟩ I had no words to pray, but they ⟨taught⟩ ​me, made me read my Bible, and gave me ⟨hopes⟩ of mercy in Heaven—at least such ⟨hopes⟩ as a poor miserable wretch like me ⟨can⟩ have, for my sins stick close to me.
I have no thought now but death, and ⟨it⟩ is coming so near, that I must forget ⟨this⟩ world, and think only of the next.—⟨I⟩ have told all I remember of my life truly. -I hope the tale will shew my old comrades, if they ever see it, that their wicked ways will bring them to untimely ends.”
EXECUTION.
Early on the morning of his execution, David Haggart joined earnestly in devotional exercise with his ministerial attendant. After the Chaplain of the Jail had given a prayer, one of the officers of justice appeared, and requested all the persons present to retire, as he had something to communicate to the unhappy prisoner. Haggart immediately exclaimed in a hurried tone, "Oh! I suppose it is the executioner.” His firmness for a moment abandoned him, and he walked rapidly across the cell, with his arms folded, and ​with dark and deep despair strongly painted on his countenance. He speedily however, regained his composure: and when the executioner did appear, at once allowed his arms to be bound; he was then removed to a hall in the lower part of the Lock-up house, where he was received by two of the clergymen of Edinburgh, and the magistrates. After prayers, the procession proceeded to the scaffold. The conduct of the unfortunate youth there was in the highest degree becoming.——While the beneficial influence of religion was apparent in his whole demeanour, his natural firmness of character never for a moment forsook him; he kneeled down, and uttered an earnest prayer; and, after addressing a few words of deep and anxious exhortation, to the great multitude by which he was surrounded, he met his fate with the same intrepidity, which distinguished all the actions of his short, but guilty and eventful life.
Able and willing you will me find, ⟨tho'⟩ bound in chains, still free in mind; (illegible text)r with these things I’ll ne’er be griev’d, tho’ of freedom I’m bereav’d.
⟨In⟩ this vain world there is no rest, ⟨and⟩ life is but a span at best; ⟨the⟩ rich, the poor, the old, the young, ⟨shall⟩ all lie low before it's long.
⟨I am⟩ a rogue, I don’t deny, (illegible text)t never liv’d by treachery; (illegible text)d to rob a poor man I disown, (illegible text)t them that are of high renown.
⟨Now⟩, for the crime I am condemned, ⟨the⟩ same I never did intend, ⟨only⟩ my liberty to take, I thought my life did lie at stake.
⟨My⟩ life, by perjury, was sworn away, ⟨I⟩ say that to my dying day. (illegible text),treacherous S—, you did me betray, (illegible text)all I wanted was liberty.
⟨No⟩ malice in my heart is found, any man above the ground; ⟨Now⟩, all good people that speak of me, (illegible text) may say I died tor my liberty. ​Although in chains you see me fast. No frown upon my friends you'll cast, For my relations were not to blame, And I brought my parents to grief and shame.
Now, all you ramblers, in mourning go, For the Prince of Ramblers is lying low; And all you maidens, who love the ⟨game⟩ Put on your mourning veils again.
And all you powers of music chaunt, To the memory of my dying rant— A song of melancholy sing, Till you make the very rafters ring.
Farewell relations, and friends also, The time is come that I must go; As for foes, I have but one, But to the same I’ve done no wrong.
FINIS
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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