Page:History of John M'Pherson, Dick Balf, and Gilder Roy.pdf/3



THE L I F E

OF

John MacPherson.

A NOTORIUS ROBBER.

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IT could never be learned with certain- ty where John Macpherson was born; his parents were not so poor but they were able to leave him a pretty little in- come at their death. He was then about 19 years of age when their effects came into his hands, which he made a shift to                      spend, in the company of pert women and gamesters, in less than three years, during which time he was always a lead- ing man at hurlings, patrons and match- es of foot-ball, and acquired such fame by his wondrous activity, that no single person dared to oppose him at any exer- cise. He was accounted in his time the strongest man in the nation; he could hold an hundred weight at arm's length, in one hand, and would make little or