The Sun.
London, England, 1829-08-04 00:00:00

THE AYRSHIRE MURDER.

In a late paper we mentioned the arrival of a
man of colour in London, from the island of
Trinidad, charged with the murder of the late
Mr. Dow, farmer, in Ayrshire. The Ayr Adver-
tiser gives the following correct version of the
affair :

In August, 1824, Mr. John Dow, a farmer,
in Fairfield-mains, on the estate of Fairfield,
between three and four miles to the north of
Ayr, was murdered. While a party of smugglers
were crossing the sands between the sea and the
'• village of Monkton, with some smuggled
whisky, they were beset by three sailors, who,
on their way from Troon to Ayr, crossed their
path. Assuming the character of men employed
in the preventive service, the sailors first threat-
ened to seize the spirits, and then seemingly
• compromised the duty of their professed office
by taking 1!. as a bribe to allow, the smugglers to
pass. But,' rid sooner was the money thus
obtained than they insisted to have the whisky
also. This the smugglers resisted, but ultimately
one of the"' casks was taken from them, Un-
willing to submit to this double imposition, but
at the same time unable t.o resist it effectually
themselves, they applied to Mr. Dow, whose
house was hard by, and he arose and assisted
them in pursuing the sailors, who were carrying
off the whisky. Mr. Dow was a sv,ift and powerful
man, and seeing he wis gaining on them, one of
the sailors, called John Johnston, a man of colour,
turned upon him, drew out 4 knife, and stab-
lied him in the lower part of the body. At first
Mr. Dow felt not the wound, and had strens'cii
enough to master his assailant and Wrest the
knife from his hand ; but in 4 moment feeling
the wound and anticipating its consequences,
after observing he was murdered, desired the
murderer to and besought the by-standers
not to oppose his escape. Mr. Dow died in
48 hours, and this. feeling of mercy towards the
man from whom he received his death-blow
flervaded his mind whilst he existed. Johnston
ed, and a reward of 20/, was offered for his
apprehension. In the advertisement offering
the reward, Johnson was described as a man
about 27 years of age, slender made, about fire
feet s.,even, inches high, of a black or tawny co-
lour,
with black hair and whiskers.
There was a ruuklour that Johnson lurked for
some time about Ayr, where he had a wife and
family, but, ultimately, it wu understood he had
left the kinadom entirely. About six months
king dot
ago, some notice came to the judicial authorities
here, that a man answering tha description had
been taken up at Trinidad, upon the information
the name;
f S cillior 9f the 54th regiment? .of

of Armstrong, from Ayr, and some comnmnica-
lions were made in answer relative to the offender
and the offence committed ; but nothing further
ivas heard till thest:ltement in the London papers.
The mid-day coach of We►]nesd:at
the ma►► "alluded to to Ayr. The fceinif,!i;
people. had been greatly excited, and dime feel-
ings were strongly manifested by the crowds sur-
rounding the coach every succeding arrival. Just
as the excitement rose to the highest, the coach
arrived, and it was allayed in an instant. A man
of colour certainly was on the coach, chained by
the arm to au officer of justice, with another i►►
escort, and having all the symbols of a man lying
under a heavy charge ; but the coach was sur-
rounded by people intimately acquainted with
the person and features of Johnston, and with
one voice they declared he was not the man.
The Sheriff; Magistrates, gaoler, and constables,
were in attendance, and the man, with the officer
to whom he was coupled, W4:3 taken into the
King's Arms ; but, without a moment's delay,
the testimony of a number of gentleman, having
the very best means of knowing intimately and
accurately the person and features of Johnston,
was taken, proving decisively that there is no
identity and little or no similarity between him
and the man in custody, and in an hour after
his arrival, he who lay so long under the most
heinous charge, confined for such a length of
time, and dragged so feu• to answer for it,. was
released from bondage, and wa,s► walking at large
in the streets ; and the feelings of indignation
against the murderer of Mr. Dow, renewed by
the circumstances just related, gave place to
those of pity for the man having the misfortune
to be taken fin him.

John Johnston, the murderer, was born at
Crosshill, in this county. He is the offspring
of a white woman and a Mulatto, and in the lan-
guage applied to that gradation, is called a Qua-
droon. He served an apprenticeship on board
the bark Hopewell, and was ultimately a sailor
on board the bark Avon, both of this port. He .
will now be about 32 years or age. On the other
hand, the man taken for him is called Thomas
Stevens; he was born in Grenada, and is about
27 years of age. His father, according to his
account—and there is no reason to doubt his
statement—was a Manxman, of the name of
Thomas Stevens, who went to Trinidad and
married his mother, a Creole, having a planta- •
tion in the island, and he was their only child.
He, therefore, in contradistinction to Johnson, is
a Mulatto. When about six years of age, he was
brought to the Isle of Man, where he lived with
a relative of his father, a parson, called Vicar-
General Stevens ; and was apprenticed to a
hatter in the parish of Ballaug, near Ballykain.
On the elapse of his apprenticeship he wrought
as a journeyman, and, latterly, took up business
for himself at Ballaugh bridge, and had a wife
and four children. In 1826, his business "be-
coming slack, he sailed for Trinidad, in the brig
Lady Dawson, Dawson master, leaving his wite
and children in the Isle of' Man. In Trinidad
he wrought in the plantations of his mother, be.
came sick, and went through a variety of suffer-
ings. On returning from a journey into the in-
terior, in September last, in company with a car-
penter, they went towards a storehouse near the
soldiers' barracks, with the view of purchasing a
cap. They observed the soldiers pumping
water for washing, and, on asking for a drink, one
of them whom lie knew, observed, " Mr. Stevens,
you are fatigued," and invited him to take
some grog. He at first declined, but his •
companion, the carpenter, having gone with
the soldiers and waved on him to follow, b.
went and drank with them. There were four
or five soldiers present, and one of them of the
name of Armstrong, whom he had previously
seen, all at once exclaimed " Your name is not
Stevens, it is Johnston," and accused him of
murdering dman.at:Ayr. He, with,some warmth,
maintained his name was Stevens, and protest-
ed his ignorance of Ayr, and his innocence of
the crime, and left the company ; but, in four
days after, on an order from the Judge Mar-
shal, he was taken up, examined, cast into
prison, and afterwards held to bail.' The soldier,
Armstrong, was examined, and, as he un-
derstands, swore to his identity with Johnston,
while another soldier swore h© was like him.

Twe gentlemen in Trinidad, belonging origi-
nally to the Isle of Man, tame forward and made
oath to the chief circumstances just related, and
especially that he resided there and wrought as
a hatter for many years up to 182 G, and, conse-
quently, in 1824, when the murder was corn-,
matted ; but the authorities of Trinidad found
it proper to proceed on the testimony of the
soldiers, and, after being for some time in pri-
son, he was transferred from Trinidad to Bar.,
badoes, where he suffered 3 further imprisonm-,»t,
and latterly he was conveyed to Englan,:„ and
from thence hither, in the manner already
described,

How this extraordinary "mistake arose and
has been persisted in, is at present perfectly
explicable. On inquiry we find there actually
is a soldier of the name of Armstrong belonging
to the place where Johnston and his wife resided,
but if he ever distinctly saw the person he must
have observed that the man Stevens, taken for
him, was of another mould, had entirely oppo-
site features, spoke a language totally different,
and had even a different shade of colour. Nor
can the accusation be imputed to malice or re-
venge, for Stevens assures us that although he
knew the man Armstrong, he had little inter-
course and not the slightest quarrel with him.
Neither can it be assigned to avarice, fbr the re.
ward offered was but 20/. and the time within
which detection should hale; followed to warrant
the dernand has long elapsed. But from what-
.ever it has proceeded, it is now manifestly an
• egregiona error, and very grie-vously has an inno-
cent man suffered by it, Strongly nrotesting, if
not satisfactorily proving, his innocence, this,
man—a man comparatively of character and
intellicr-,nce—dragged like a felon from
gaol
to gaol, and from country to countri, for
the space of nearly a twelvemonth, ha.ving an
appalling charge suspended over hip, his time
lost, his friends distracted or estranged, his body
chained, and his mind torture...i. We know not
of any law whereby in the ordinary case he on
whom suspicion lights, and is consequently ap-
prehended, but nevertheless acquitted, has the
means of procurin,), compensation ; but in this
extraordinary Mid. uparen tly El/MCC° ntaNe
instance, where a man against whom a shade of
suspicion could not possibly lie in the ryes of
endured so
much pain so long and so unp.ecedentedly, there
who
any
hasones
tNiviTheoreedvesor sianwu'ctilr actualoss
is little doubt extraordinary means will be taken
to obtain for him ample redress.

_ •
T//E DANIEL O'CONNELL.—A beautiful
brig, bearing the name of Mr. O'CoNzism., is now
lying
it the Noith Wall. The owner is an Irishman, who had
-migrattd from this country to St. John's some years since,
where he has realised a considerable property. Ile his
another vessel in course of building, which he iniewis to
tall r4e Risharcl &tit— Tippera7 Fre* Press.

1-lambro' pens charged in Sir Abraham Bradley King's
bill at 11. Is. per 100, are not noticed in the above
Account, because he imports pens from England
which do not correspond in weight with those used
at the Stationery Office, and at prices varying from
14s. to 4s. a hundred.

J. CHURCH, Comptroller.

Stationery Office, May 1829.
You arc in the habit of sending over a certi-
ficate of prices to Sir Abraham Bradley King
every year ?—No ; there is an application made
to the Stationery Office every year from Sir
Charles Flint, desiring to know the prices Jif
certain papers in the English market, that is, the
English wholesale prices; that list is made out
and transmitted to two of the principal whole-
sale stationers in London, who affix tip prices to
it ; it is then returned to me, and I certify it,
and transmit it to Sir Charles Flint_ _ _

Will you be kind enough to state whether
there is any material difference in the quality of
the paper supplied by Sir Abraham. Bradley
Xing, and the paper supplied by the Stationery
Office here ?—I should think no material diffe-
rence whatever.
Do you mean to say that the paper supplied
by the Stationery Office 50 per cent. cheaper
than that supplied by Sir Abraham Bradley
King is as good as what he supplies ?—I stated
that Sir A. Bradley King's prices were 50 per
cent. higher than cur prices, that is to say, in
the proportion of 100 to 150 ; and I also know
so far as this, that I think we go to market rather
in a better way than Sir Abraham Bradley. King
does, because I think we employ rather superior
manufacturers than those employed by Sir Abra-
ham Bradley King in England ; but I do not
mean to say that he makes a profit to the extent
of the zlifference between his prices and our's,
because I koow we can buy paper 30 per cent.
lower than Sir _Abraham Bradley King eau. I
know we buy paper at from 12 to 15 per cent.
lower than the price of the wholesale stationers.
How do you account for the facilities you
have of buying cheaper than Sir A. Bradley
King, and 15 per cent. lower than the wholesale
stationers P—ln the first place, we pay for our
paper in six weeks after delivery. I ought to
have said, likewise, we contract once a year for
the whn?e supplies of the year, and that contract
may be to the extent of 30,0001., and very often
a considerable supply beyond, at the same rate ;
but we pay by a bill at 30 days after the period
of delivery ; the custom c.',l the trade is, that the
wholesale stationer has a cred from the paper
manufacturer of three months ; in fact it is a sort
of running credit, beginning at three, and ending
at six months, it may be considered four months
and a half; therefore the stationer may do. the
greatest majority of our business ; so far from
requiring a large capital, the mode in which we
pay him assists him ; he is able to receive our
money, and have two transactions with his sta-
tioner, and pay with our money without being a
single farthing of his own capital in advance ; it
is to be attributed partly to that, and partly to
the competition between the stationers to get
our business. I know we often get paper which
the stationers supply to us at a lower price than
they have paid for it.
Then, all circumstances considered, a sta-
tioner in Dublin supplying himself to a consi-
derable amount from England could furnish it
to his customers in Duh.'in at a very reduced
rate below what is charged by Sir Abraham
Bradley King ?—I should undoubtod!.y say he
could furnish them at a considerably reduced rii:f
and I am pretty sure there has been a consider-
able corre..?pondence between the Government
and Sir Abraham Bradley King upon that sub-
ject ; and, if I do not mistake, Sir Abraham
Bradley King agreed to limit his profit to 10 per
cent. upon the prices he had paid for the paper,
having over and above that his six or six and a
half per cent. allowed for the expellees of ma-
nagement.
Is there any mode by which any stationer in
Dublin could obtain those articles you certify
the price of at a less rate than you say the price
amounted to ?—No doubt, at 20 per cent less.
Then upon what grounds do you take upon
yourself to certify that those are the current
wholesale prices, if the prices might be 20 per
cent.lower, knowing that it is for the purpose of
enabling the public officer in Ireland to make his
charges ?—how do you justify that those are the
wholesale current prices P—l speak positively to
a fact, that the prices which I certify are returned
t o inc certified as the wholesale prices of Loudon
by two of the most respectable stationers in Lon_
aon ;. that certificate is sent by me to Sir Charles

Flint ; what the subsequent process is, I know
nothing about ; but when I said that stationers
in Dublin might be supplied with stores at 20
per cent. less, I did not mean less than those cer-
tified prices, but at 20 per cent. less than the
prices specified in Sir Abraham Bradley King's
account.

Then he could not supply himself at 20 per
cent. lower than those prices ?—No ; certainly
not.

How much lower P—l do not know that he
could at all.

Are the prices charged by Sir Abraham
Bradley King conformable to the certified prices
you send over P—Certainly not.
How do you know that if you have not com-
pared it P—l did not look at the certificate at the
time, because 1 had not got it ; but I had the
prices sufficiently in my mind to know it is not
so : and I must observe it was never intended it
should be so, because in addition to those prices
Sir Abraham Bradley King is allowed to charge
a dealer's profit to the amount of 10 per cent.,
and his commission into the bargain.
Would those two sums when put together
amount to the difference between the charge
made by Sir Abraham Bradley King and the
prices certified ?—I did not examine the return
which is now upon the table with the quarterly
certificate ; I can do it ; but I was not aware it
was required.
_ _ _

Then is the Committee to understand that the
wholesale prices are the same thing as the rates
certified by you in your quarterly returns ?
Yes; as far as I can rely upon the certificate of
those respectable stationers : there is what they
call a trade-list, published and distributed among
the trade here by the principal paper-makers,
and the prices on that certificate correspond with
the prices on the trade-list.
As you furnish the departments here at 15
per cent. less than those wholesale prices, is there
any reason why the departments in Ireland
should not be furnished at the same prices ?—ln
the first place, it could not be done except
through a Government office, because the mode
of payment could not be made by an individual :
our funds are furnished by the Parliamentary
vote, and we have consequently always funds in
hand, and are able to make those prompt pay-
ments that enable us to get our paper so cheaply ;
the promptness of payment is the main thing;
but it ought to be considered we advertise for
tenders to be made of the prices of which paper
of a certaisklescription, and in certain quantities,
can be supplied, and we likewise specify the
times at which they are to be supplied, and the
quantities in which they are to be delivered.
Have you compared the detailed account of
Sir Abraham Bradley King's charges with the
account which you certify of the wholesale prices
in England ?—I have looked at it slightly ; it
is impossible for me to give a detailed statement,
because in the certificate given by the whole-
sale stationers, and afterwards transmitted to the
Irish Government, the paper is taken in its raw
state, unfolded, uncut, and ungilt, whereas in the
account of Sir Abraham Bradley Xing there are
charges foe paper in quarto and octavo, and
'paper hot-pressed and gilt ; none of those things
are provided for in the London charges, it is
merely the price of paper in its uncut state;
besides that you will find in the London charges
the e4act we►ght is specified ; in Sir Abraham
Bradley King s bill it is not specified.
Are there no charges of any description, either
as to pens or other articles, by which you can
compare the prices charged by Sir Abraham
Bradley King, and those certified by you to be
the prices of -the London stationers ?—The
prices returned by us contain only paper, and not
stores ; but if the Committee will give me leave
I wall look into that account, and compare it
with the London prices, and I should be able
then to give more specific information than I am
now ; but I might, perhaps, be permitted to
state, that I am rather afraid that I have given
an impression somewhat more unfavourable to
Sir Abraham Bradley King's charges than they
really deserve, and for this reason as I stated be-
fine, we are enabled to get papers at this cheap
rate in consequence of getting them by contract,
and paying for them as we do ; our papers are
actually lodged ar.d paid for, and may have been
a month in our warehouse before they are fur-
nished. Sir Abraham Bradley King is obliged
to keep a stock to answer future demands, and
he is not paid for the papers he issues till they
have probably been consumed, and consequently
he must have either a very considerable capital,
or he must require a very long credit.
In the return you have furnished the Com-
mittee with, upon the average, there is an extra
charge made by Sir Abraham Bradley King of
25 or 30 per cent. above the charges made by
the Stationery Office ?—I think. that the prices
charged by the Stationery Office appear to be in
that bill about oue,third lower than Sir Abraham
Bradley King's prices,
The Committee perceive that you have stated
the price of sealing-wax furnished by the patentee
in Ireland at 6s. 6(1. per pound, and the Sta-
tionary Office at 35.; do you know of your own
knowledge e.,t all the ordinary price charged by
wholesale stationers ?—I believe about 55.; I
rather think we get our oaling-wax from the
same individual that Sir Abraham Bradley.
King gets ills from.
Who is that person ?—A Mr. Field, who is
a manufacturer at Lambeth.
He furnishes you at 3s.?—Yes.
Do you know the retail price of sealing-wax?
—I believe, if you went into a shop and bought
half a pound, you would have to pay 4s. for the
best ; but I know that different retail stationers
vary in their prices from 6s. to Bs. per pound.
Can you state the retail price of Hudson Bay
pens P—l cannot indeed ; I know we can get
them Car 11. ls. a hundred, but they are not used
generally ; w.a do not purchase one hundred in
two years.

i
From 0. recent investigation, t ;iipp,ears that
there are in this metropolis 40 mendicant impostors, who
endeavour to excite public charity by writing in chalk upon
the flag-stones in the post populous streets of London, and
that their joint collectio‘s average 7,0001. per auptim.
When the business of each day is Ayer, these fellows meet
together and divide the spoil. They afprwards separate,
newly decorate themselves, and in the company their
"sweethearts and wives,' with their cigars (pure Ha-
vannalis) regale themselves at public plaees until midnight.
—Evening Papa. There is, doubtless, some truth in
this account, but, like the Popish plot story, niized up
with a good deal of falsehood.—Morning Paper.
N 1• BARTKELEWX, the author of a poem en-
titled Le ;c7ils de rgomme, ut‘ ,souvenirs de Vienne,
and the printer and publisher, have been tried, and sen-
teneed—the author iD three months' imprisonment, and a
fine of 1,000 francs, and the printer to a fine of 25 francs.
-French Paper.

Mr. JOSEPH LADE, of KeeseviN, advertises'
his wife C4-.4.B.Lortit as having ~;loped from his bed and
withcga eny justifiable cauw. Whereupon Mrs.
CHARLOTTE replies, tlw.t Mr. JosEmi never had any bed,
hut that she has taken her bed with her, and that she
leaves it to the public to say, whether being knocked down
afulturned out of .doors is or is not a ju4itiabie cause for
'eay.

TneATRE ROYAL, ENGLISH OPERA-HOUSE,

STRAND.

TIIIS EVENING will be performed the New Grand Opera called

THE ROBBER'S BRIDE.
The Count of Viterbo, Mr. H. Phillips;
Fernando, Mr. Sapio ; Roberto, Mr. Perkins.
Laura, Miss Betts; Gianetta, Miss Cawse.
After which
PAUL AND VIRGINIA.

Paul, Mrs. Keeley; Dominique, Mr. G. Penson ;
Captain Tropic, Mr. Thorne.
Virginia, Madame Cellini
To conclude with (first time this Season)
THE CORNISH MINERS.

Hubert Kynan, Mr. Bartley; Stephen Kynan, Mr. Baker;
Bobby Redruth, Mr. Keeley ; Githian, Mr. 0. Smith ;
Sal-Ammon, Mr. Wrench.
Anno Oswald, Mrs. Keeley.

To-morrow, Der Frelschuetz; with The Sister of Charity, and
The Middle Temple; Thursday, The Robber's Bride, with Lying
made Easy, and Master's Rival ; Friday, The Sergeant's Wife,
with Der Freischuetz, and Gretna Green ; Saturday, The Rob_
ber's BrideAwith The Sister of Charity, and other Entertainments