Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-02-07
Singular Career of a Criminal.

The Glasgow (ScoCland) Herald re-
Iates the following exploits of
strange aud ingenious burglar:
On November 18th there was ar
rested at Carlisle, on the charge of
burglary, man whose daring crimi-
nal achievements have for a quarter
of century furnished food for the
wonder of the gOssi pS of a wide dis
trict. In Tue year 1874, John Giles
pie was sentenced TO death for an at
tempted murder at Wigtown, he hav-
ing broken the nose Of a shopkeeper
with a Jimmy" while robbing the
shop at midnight. Gillespie was left
tor execution, and would in all proba-
bility have been executed but for Sc
ries of well sustained articles. He
leigned serious illness, and as he was
believed to be on the point of death,
the execution Of his sentence was in
definitely postponed. On the tenth
day after trial, as he was going up the
stairs, he fell back ward, in fit, as it
was thought. He was carried to the
hospital, where by some means he man
aged to vomit blood at pleasure; and,
III order to revive him, the generous
governor, Mr.. Orridge, had him re-
moved to a more cheerful room-the
day room-which he occupied for four
years. During his abode here-a per-
feet cripple to all appearances, con-
ined to bed, and in the last stage of
illness-unaccountable robberies took
place in he larder of the governors
house; his wine was consumed 10y
some mysterious means; on one or
two occasions female prisoners had
been found drunk by the warders.
All this was inexplicable until the
day on which Gillespie, seemingly at
the point of death, was liberated and
conveyed home. A search of his room
was made, and at the bottom of the
water cistern a large bunch of keys
was found, which opened every lock
in the gaol, even the governors safe
aud VI iY.8ty ,iIuwers. lie also had q
small OH ,amp concealed in the same
place, and pot of paint for covering
over the damage he might do to tht
woodwork in his lock picking explor
ations about the prison. Next day
Gillespie was walking about til,
streets, his crutches thrown away, anc
no sign of his prolonged debility visi
ble. A fortnight later he was appre
heuded for burglary near Amman, ant
was lodged in Dumfriesshire gaol, on
of which, however, he broke, in com
; pany with another prisoner nameC
McCalum. The latter got clear fo
time, but ultimately he was retakel
near Durham. Gillespie, who was
"club" foot, was tracked by police
man, and after a long and bloody fgh
! he was secured. lie was sentence,
: to ten years transportation, and wa
sent to Aberdeen prison to put in par
of his time, from which he again es
capped, only to be recaptured aud wa
once more conveyed to Aberdeen ant
confined there.
: In the course of time strange +
say he got ticket-of-leave, when h
2 returned to Carlisle and. more strang
still, he was appointed master of tn
: Reformatory School there. However
e his instruction being very much of th
t Fagin stamp, Mr.. Sage, now superir
+ tendent Of the police at Newcastle, &c
his license Withdrawn, and Gillespi
I; was sent back to serve out his term o
e punishment. Other incidents of hi
J, career might be narrated, but the al
owe will no doubt appear sufficient
extraordinary. a