Page:Life of David Haggart, who was executed at Edinburgh, 18th July, 1821, for the murder of the Dumfries jailor (1).pdf/3

3 scheme of putting another cock of his own a-fighting, and then came off with his prize. His next was lifting a shop till from a poor woman in Stock-Bridge. Being some miles from town, and tired, he mounted a poney which was grazing on the roadside, and rode home, where he kept it for some time in an out-house, where he formerly kept a cuddie; he kept it there for several days, until the owner found it out by accident. At Leith races, in 1813, he enlisted in the Norfolk Militia, and learned the drum and bugle-horn; the regiment was disbanded about a year afterwards, and he was discharged.

His father was then living in the south back of the Cannongate, Edinburgh, and went home, when he was put as an apprentice to the Mill-wright and Engineering business, with Cockburn and Baird, in  Canongate, where he behaved with  and was very well liked by his.

His master having given up business, he of course thrown idle, and at this time  acquainted with many worthless characters, among whom was one Barney, an shman; he had been bred a taylor in, he was older than Haggart, of  bodily strength, and a most skilful. Barney put him up to a number