The Sun.
London, England, 1827-11-20 00:00:00

ECECIITEON.

Malcolm Gillespie, Excise Officer at Skene, suffered
yesterday in front of the gaol of this city the awful punish-
ment of the law, for the crime of forgery. This unfortu-
nate man was' indicted along with his clerk or servant,
George -Skene Edwards, on eight different charges. A
verdict of guilty of seven of these charges was returned
against the panels,-but an objection being taken against
the verdict, as respected the latter, on: the ground of his
not having issued the forged bills or turned them to his
own account, although he had adhibited the forgedsigna-
tures, his case was certified to the High Court of Justiciary,
before which it is to be heard on the l 9th inst. Gine,
pie in the mean time, received sentence of death, and placed
great reliance on a petition transmitted from this quarter,
and
,signed by some persons of distinguished rank, as-well
as on other applications in ,iris favour. But although no.
such weighty influence had almost at any time been exerted,
for saving an individual, so aggravated was his guilt consi-
dered, that his case was pronounced such as could not
warrant a recommendation to the throne for a remission
of his sentence. This was communicated by the Secretary
of State to his law agent, in a letter received on Tuesla3-
laq, when Gillespie became at , last sensible of his danger.
He appeared horror-struck on receiving the awful
gence, he expected otherwise, and expressed an earnest wish
that no application had been made—saying, oh ! my poor
family !--poor orphans! He soon after resumed a degree
of firmness, and sent on Wednesday for the ReV. Dr. Kidd,
to administer to him the consolations of religion,
which• he had hitherto regarded with apathy. The
Bev. Dr. readily obeyed the call, remaining with him
during- the greater part of the night, and a, considerable part
of the following day. Some of his family were admitted to
take leave of him on Thursday, and the scene was of the
most affecting nature. • During the night he was attended
by the Chaplain of the gaol, and passed it With a surprising
degree of composure, sleeping three or four hours in thc.
morning. About, a quarter past two, he entered'the Old
Court-house, genteelly Ar',-;ssed in mourning, with deep
weepers, and after taking his place immediately opposite
the Bench on which the Magistrates were seated, appeared
somewhat agitated. Three verses of the eighth Paraphrase
were ,then sung, after whirls Dr. Kidd deliVered an, im-
pressive prayer in behalf of the criminal. Gillespie here
appeared rather, faint, and a4ced for r: glass of water, which
being immediately brought him, he recovered, and said he
wished to address the Magistrates, and as he was now on
the brink of eternity,, he was not to die with a lie in his
mouth, and then, at considerable length, detailed the parti-
cilars connected with the forgeries of which he had beer:
Convicted—the 'honest intention he had of withdrawing
them without lose to any one—the means he had of doing
solemnly declared, as a'dying man, that he was
innocent of the crime for which he suffered,
He' then moved forward to the scaffold, where he looked
round with, greAt comptimre;ana having taken leave of the
Clergymen and Gentlertien near him, submitted himself to
the executioner, and: immediately after,
,abort twenty
minutes froin three o'clock Was launched into 'eternity,
dying almost instantaneously, with very little :apparent
struggle.

There were two other indictments against him foi foigery,
and one fOr wilful fire raising, at Crombie Cottage, his'
place of residence. It was fully established' in evidence,
that Gillespie was the author and abettor of this atrocious.
act, while a hideous system of depravity, of the most re-
volting:description, was at the same time developed.

Gillespie was born at Daublane, in Perthshire, and was
about 50 years of age. When about 17,years old he en-
listed in the Ist Regiment of Foot, and after recruiting
about three years for
,that corps, was, by the interest of the
commanding officer, Lord Adam Gordon, appointed in
1799 an Expectant in the Excise, and soon after an Officer
in that department. From that time to nearly the presenf,
period, he has continued in this service, and has, for.years,
been distinguished for his activity and prowess in the stip-
preSSion of smuggling; in many desperate cases. He had
latterly deviated 'from that steady line of Conduct which
could insure success ; and his establishment at Crombie
Cottage seems to have been .a source of prolrg'ate extrava-
gance, which brought him, in his headlong career, to violate
the laws of his country—throwing down every barrier of
moral restraint towards the .supply of his increasing Ai-
gencies. —Aberdeen Chronicle. - • ' • •