Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-10-12
A HORRIBLE RECITAL.
lChambors' Miscellany

The following story is taken from %
law book which is considered good All
thority, and was compiled from criminal
records of the courts at Edinburg, Scot
land:
History contains no parallel to the nor
rjble cruelties and rObberies that were
committed by one Sawney Beanie, a
scotchman, in the reign Of King James
before he came to tho crown of England
by the demise of Queen Elizabeth.
Sawney Bcanc was born about eight or
nine miles eastward of the city Of Edin-
burg, in the county Of East Lothian, Of
parents who went % hedging and ditch
ing for their daily bread, and who
brought up this, their bloody-minded
child, to the same occupation; but as he
grew up his disposition to idlenoss not
permitting him to follow an honorable
employment, ho left his father and
mother, and ran into the country, where,
following most wicked life, and taking
IN with woman as vicious as himself,
instead of living in any city, town Or
village, they took up their lodging on u
rock by the seaside, on the shore Of Shire
Galway, where they lived for upward of
twenty-five years, having both children
and grand children in that time, whom
they brought up SO wickedly that they
never separated, kept no other company
but themselves, aud supported them
selves entirely by robbing, and, what
was worse, they never committed rob-
berry without a murder.
They never frequented any market for
provisions, but, as soon asthey hadmur-
dered any man, woman or child, they did
not leave tho carcass behind, but carried
il to their den, where, cutting it into
quarters, they would pickle them and
live upon human flesh till they got an
other prey OF tho same kind. But they
bad generally a supertluity, insomuch
that they oftentimcs in the night time,
but at u great distance from their san
culinary mansion, threw legs and arms
of some they had killed into the sea,
which the tide frequently cast up atsev-
eral parts of tho country, to the great
establishment Of the be!lolders. Persons
who went about their lawful occupations
fell often into the hands of these merci
less canuil,als and never returned home
again. This raised q general cry among
their friends and relations, insOmuch
that the whole country WIS alarmed at
such common loss Of people, which fire.
quently happened in travelling into tho
West of Scotland, and private spies were
sent out into all parts to find out, ifpos
sible, how these melancholy events hap
pened.
For length of time their strlctest
searches and enquiries were to no pur-
pose. However, several honest travellers
were taken up upon suspicion, and
wrongfully hangednpon bare circumstan-
Cos, besides several innocent inn-kcepers,
who were also executed for no other rea-
son than that PERSONS who had been thus
lost were known to have lain i'll their
houses, and were supposed to have
been robbed and murdered by them, and
their bodies privately buried in obscure
places to prevent discovery. To such
an extent was this carried that several
inn-kcepcrs on tho western, road of Scot
land loft off their business, for fear OF
being made the like examples, and fol-
lowed other cmployments, SO that tray
clers again were put to many inconvcni-
ences for want of accommodation.
However, after several had been exc
cnted, and no one made any confession
at tho gallows, but declared they were
innocent Of the crime for which they
died, this rigorous way ofprocccding was
given mp, and the finding out of the muir
dcrers left wholly to God.
Sawncy Beane, with his wife, children
and grandchildren, still pursued their
barbarous actions with impunity; and,
being somewhat numerous, they would
attack four, five, or six men to-
gcthcr, if they were on foot. As for
horscmen, two were the most they would
ever set on, and then with such caution,
that an ambuscadc was laid to secure
them, ride which way they would, pro-
vided one or both made their escape from
the first assailants. Thus, whose fortune
socvcr it was to fall into their barbar-
ous hands, he or she never came off with
their lives. The place was solitary where
they inhabited; and, when the tide came
IN, tho water went for near two hundred
yards into their subtcrrancOus habita-
ton, which reached almost a mile under
ground; SO that if they were seen there