Page:Life and adventures of David Haggart.pdf/21

 Captain Sibbald, the kindest and the best jailor in the world. He was soon after indicted to stand his trial before the High Court of Justiciary, for the murder of Thomas Morrin.

In about a fortnight the day of his trial came, He had been carried the evening before from the Calton Jail to the Lock-up-house in the old town, and he was taken into the Court about ten o'clock, on the morning of the 11th of June. Many witnesses were examined against him, and some of them did not speak the truth; but he said nothing against them, for perhaps they were only mistaken. He was fully as wicked as they made him. ThcroThere [sic] was one witness who should have said that hche [sic] knew of their plan, and that their only object was liberty, not to murder poor Thomas Morrin. But this would have made no difference, for it was the pleasure of God Almighty that he should come to an cndend [sic].

All that man could do was done for him at his trial, and he had good hopes till the Judge began to speak; but then his spirits fell, for his spcakingspeaking [sic] was sore against him. He did not altogether despair when he saw the Jury talking together—but oh! when they said Guilty, his very heart broke: but he was even then too proud to show his feelings, and he almost bit his lip through in hiding them. When the Judge was passing the awful sentence, he turned dizzy, and gasped for breath. They say he looked careless, but they could not see within him. He did not know what had happened, or where he was - he thought of every thing in a minutcminute [sic] — he thought of his father — he thought of his mothcrmother [sic], who died of a broken heart — hohe [sic] thought of escape, and very near made a plunge ovcrover [sic] the heads of the crowd — then he could have