Star.
London, England, 1819-11-08 00:00:00

EXECUTIONS.

GLASGOW, NOVEMBER 5.
Wednesday, the City of Glasgow exhibited the
lamentable spectacle r,f the execution of four young
men, in front of the Jail, for house-breaking and theft,
viz. Robert M'Kinlay, alias Rough Rab, William Bu-
chanan, Hunter Guthrie, and Alexander Forbes. The
two former were convicted of robbing Bothwell
Castle ; and the latter two of breaking into the house
of Alexander *Laren, weaver, Kilmarnock. The
prisoners had been constantly attended, and assisted
m their devotions, by Dr. CHALMERS, his assistant
Mr. IRVING, Mr. EWING, and a number of the other
Ministers of the City. The prisoners were brought
into the Hail at two o'clock, and, being seated, Dr.
CHALMERS read out the 116th Psalm, which was
sung, and made an appropriate prayer, and again
.ave out the 130th Psalm. The prisoners joined in
the devotions, and behaved with decent composure.
When the last Psalm was sung, Dr. CHALMERS said,
the Psalms they had just sung, were Psalms of hope
and joyfulness, and during the whole course of his
prison experience, he had never seen persons in their
situation give such evident symptoms of complete
repentance as some of these prisoners had done. If
there were any people within hearing of him, who
had been guilty of acts of profligacy, he warned
them against thinking they might go on in wicked-
ness, and at last get the Minister to pray them into
felicity. If they harboured any such fallacious hopes,
thefc ompletely misunderstood the Gospel, for nothing
but a well-spent life could give presumptive evidence
.offuture happiness ; and those who had been guilty
[of acts Of profligacy, and of breaking the laws of
.Gon and their Country, were to take care that the
spectacle of that day should never be obliterated
from their memory. Mr. IRVING prayed ; the Hall
was cleared, and the prisoners mounted the scaffold.
The caps were put on the men ; but M'Kinlay pulled
his off his fact, and embraced and kissed the boy,
Buchanan, whom he had been the means of bringing
to his untimely end. His face was now flushed ; he
looked on the boy, and then turned round and
viewed the people who were under the pillars, at the
Court-hall door. The hangman put on the rest of
the caps ; and, during this time, and till they were
thrown off, Buchanan continued praying, while his,
companions continued to look on him, and alter-
nately to the northward, withan anxious expression of
countenance. Forbes prayed also the moment the
cap was drawn over his face. Buchanan was so agi-
tated that he inquired whether the rope was round
his neck ? a few moments before it was. M'Kinlay
could not be persuaded to turn from the boy, and it
became necessary to alter the rope, and, even during
this process, he pulled up his cap again. The execu-
tioner requested he would desist, he replied—" Well
well, for Gon's sake, give me plenty of rope !" He
held his head as erect as ever, even after the rope had
been tied. Guthrie gave the signal, and they were
let down, but the fill was not more than one-half
the distance it usually is, and the struggle was truly
appalling, and continued fully three minutes, parti-
cularly of the boy Buchanan, whose hand M'Kinlay
had grasped at the moment the drop fell.' From the
swinging of the bodies they came in contact with
each other. They raised their hands as if to grasp
at something, and an involuntary shudder ran
through the multitude.
After hanging the usual time, 41 minutes, they
Waif taken down and returned to the Jail-building',
in coffins, till it was convenient for their friends to
bury them. Some blood oozed from M'Kinlay's
mouth. He was remarkably stout. Buchanan was
18 years old. During the time the men were hang-
ing a portion of the paling opposite the Jail gave
way, and a great noise and confusion ensued. •
Guthrie and Forbes, who appeared truly penitent,
' never ceased to speak of the unwearied and affection-
ate visits made to them by Mr. IRVING.
William Buchanan was a native of Glasgow, and
spent the greater part of his life in Gorbals. He had
not learned any regular business, but occasionally
assisted his father, who is a founder or machine-maker.
Robert M'Kinlay was a native of Glasgow, bad
been some time at sea, but had not a regular trade.
Alexander Forbes was also a native of Glasgwo,
and by trade a Cloth Lapper.
Hunter Guthrie was a native of Paisley. Till
within the last two years he bore an excellent cha-
racter. A letter of his. written a few hours before his
execution, states, that he was brought up by his parents
in the fear of GOD, receiving a suitable education;
and that he learned the trade of a weaver, at which
he became very expert, making great wages, till he
arrived at the age of 19, when he lett off attending
the church, took up with females, spent his earnings
freely, devoted much of his time to cards and dice,
and ultimately committed crimes that led him into
the awful state in which he was while writing.

For the last three months CARLILE has received not
less than £3OO a week. Within these six months he
could not have made less in clear profit than £2OOO.

Fifty-nine Editions of the Scriptures, consisting of
270,000 copies, are now printing by the Bible Society.
Tickets
.Ihr Lord Mayor's Day.—Those who have
received a Ticket for the civic festic festivies, are ~
also invited to select one for Fortune's feast. The
Lottery .begins TO-NIORRONV Morning, at eleven
o'cl•ck, and a £20,000 Prize in the morning must
be allowed to be a famous sharpener of the api:etite
for the Guildhall dinner. The Scheme contains
Eight of £20,000, Two of which are sure to be
drawn in the first Five Minutes.—Principal Caterer,
Bleu, who is Purveyor of Prizes extraordinary, at 4,
Cornhill, and 9, Charin-Cross. .
CORN-EXCHANGE, MARE-LAND, NOVEMBart B.
The supply of Wheat. was rather large this morning
from Essex and Kent, but there were no arrivals
from the Sussex coast, owing to adverse winds; a
few sales of picked samples were made at an advance
of 2s. per qr. but all other descriptions were very
heavy, at the prices of this day week. Fine Barley
being scarce, sold full 2s. per qr. higher than on last
Monday, but there is no improvement in the mid-
dling qualities. Oats are Is. per qr. dearer than on
this day se'nnight, but not better than on Friday,
having had a pretty good ariival this morning from
the Yorkshire coast. In Beans and Peas n 9 alteration.
ilasmtriama Mawr, Nov. 11.--reef, 3s. 6d. fis is. tea. per 1
Kra of Mb..; Mutton, 411 Od. to sa. Id. Veal, is. Od. to 64. Od,
re* fa 04. to GLIM.; Lomb Oi. to Os. Od.—Otttle at Mao ket-
-1 Boots !MOO; 'Calves, 410; biteep sad idallabs, 1740 O; Pigs, 3go.
Hay, pet load. se. Os. to St. Os. Conti W. to 71. Os. S!raw, it.
M Tel's 14%