The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-05-15

|Sh ~ pOSlS DIS uuJuSI d6
H<~l~\ gressiOns on their
II W. anci ent liberties,
@== prided themselves on
maintaining a contra
band trade, and were ever ready for
bloody conflicts with their own local
authorities, fellow countrymen and
neighbors though they we're, when
there arose any matter of the kings
authority.
One of the most daring of the
Scotch smugglers was one Andrew
Wilson. He became so obnoxious to
the revenue officers that at last they
concentrated their efforts on him,
by repeated and constant seizures
and imprisonments.
The man became desperate. He
conceived himself as having been
plundered, and took it into his head
that he had the right to make re-
prisals. Learning that the collector
of customs at port near Edinburgh
had 5000 in his house he induced a
wild young adventurer known as
Robertson to join him. They broke
into the collectors house forcibly and
openly, and while Robertson with a
cutlass guarded the door Wilson re-
lieved the crown officer of his money.
Despite the strong feeling in favor
of the two and the attempts made to
hide them by the countryside, they
were seized and carried to Edinburgh,
where they were lodged in the city
Jail, known as the Tolbooth and also
sarcastically as the Heart of Middle
THAN. After a short trial they were
sentenced to death.
The people struggled files and saws
to them, but through mistake OF
Wilson's their escape was frustrated.
The thought that he had robbed his
friend of his chance for life preyed
on the mans mind and he determined
on a desperate effort to redeem his
error.
1t was the custom to take con
demned criminals to- church on the
Sabbath before their execution. When
the day came Wilson and Robertson
were led in, each secured between
two soldiers of the city guard. They
sat quietly through the service, but
when the congregation arose to de-
part Wilson, who was an Immensely
strong man, suddenly seized a soldier
with each hand. shouted to his com
panicn: Run. Geordie, rum" and
threw himself on the third soldier
and fastened his teeth in the collar OF
his coat Robertson shook off the
grasp of the remaining soldier. The
congregation Immediately closed
around him, echoing the cry: run!
Rum" and aided him to make good
his escape.
Wilson's generous bravery aug
mented the sympathy of the public
Soon there ran a rumOr through
Edinburgh that the man would be
rescued at the place of execution. The
magistrates promptly took measures
against such a chance by mastering
the entire city guard, which was not
only sufficiently hated for itself, but
was still more bitterly hated because
of its captain, John Porteous, whose
fierceness had brought on innumer
able brawls between the citizens and
his men.
The anger against the city guard
was increased when the people
learned that Wilson. had been most
led to the scaffold suffering torment
from handouts that were far toe
small and had been forced on his
wrists. However, there was no at
tempt at rescue till Wilson's body
swung aloft. Then suddenly stones
were thrown at the city guard and 9
young fellow sprang on the scaffold
and cut the body down before Por
;teous could stop him.
Raging, he seized a musket from
one of his men and shot into the
crowd, killing bystander Then he
gave the order to fire, and his trool
obeyed, with such drastic effect that
seven persons were killed and scores
were wounded.
The magistrates of Edinburgh
alarmed by the great wrath thai
shook the whole city, promptly ar
rested their captain and tried him fol-
murder. The high court of justiciary
found him guilty and sentenced hin
to be hanged on September 8, 1876.
/. On that day the place of execution
was so densely crowded that there
was no vacant space, even around thu
black gallows. The mob of Edin
burgh was one of the fercest in Flu
rope. The people knew that Queer
Caroline, regent during the absenc,
of George H., was i'll disposed towar<
the city because of its constant ris
ings against royal authority. The.
f. waited .sullenly. unwilling to believ,
that the authorities would execut,
Z John Porteous till they should sc,
him hanging against the sky.
= 1t turned out as they expected
The news spread through the crow,
that the queen had granted the can
4 tain a reprieve of six weeks, A shout
or rather a roar, burst from the mob
Then, instead of the disorderly scene
I that the magistrates had feared, a 81
+ lence, much more ominous tina,
clamor would have been, fell over tn,
st throng. Men began to- move swift,
;#@s through the multitude, whisperin,
here and there. The crowd began t,
II break up and dispense.
S5 5a. The short-sighted magistrates fel