Page:Life of David Haggart who was executed at Edinburgh, 18th July, 1821, for the murder of the Dumfries jailor.pdf/5

 where he behaved with honesty, and was very well liked by his employers.

His master having given up business he was of course thrown idle and at this time got acquainted with many worthless characters, among whom was one Barney, an Irishman, he had been bred a taylor in Dumfries, he was older than Haggart, of great bodily strength, and a most skillful pickpocket.—Barney put him up to a number of tricks, and they agreed to travel together. In August 1817, just when on the point of going to England, they past a day at Portobello Races, and picked a Gentleman's pocket of £ll. the first ever Haggart attempted in day-light; with this took out-side places on the Jedburgh Coach and got themselves genteely dressed. They attended St James' fair at Kelso, and picked £20 from two persons; from thence they went to Dumfries, and stopt three weeks, they attended Lockerby fair, and going into a public house, a farmer and drover were casting out, when Barney blew the coal, and they fell a fighting, and both tumbled; Barney picked the farmer's