Trial of Deacon Brodie

by Unknown

That the declarant and Brodie afterwards, in about a fortnight, went back to rob M‘Kain’s shop completely, and opened the door as formerly, when Smith went in, and left Brodie to watch without; but he was not a few minutes in the shop, when he heard a person in the room immediately below rise out of his bed, and come towards the door; on which the declarant pulled up the shop-door, and ran straight into the street, without carrying any thing with him.

That he found Brodie had fled; and the declarant, on going up to the main street, found Brodie standing at the head of the entry into the Old Green Market: That, a little after this, the declarant and Brodie walked arm-in-arm down Bridge Street, in order to see what they could observe about the shop; and, in passing down the street, they saw a man looking out at the door immediately under M‘Kain’s shop, and a guard soldier standing opposite, at the head of the stair which goes down to the Flesh Market; so that the declarant and Brodie passed on along the Bridge, and afterwards went to their several homes, as nothing could be done further that night.

That Brodie told the declarant that the shop at the head of Bridge Street, belonging to Mess. Bruces, would be a very proper shop for breaking into as it contained valuable goods, and he knew the lock would be easily opened, as it was a plain lock, his men having lately altered that shop-door at the lowering of the streets: That the plan of breaking into this shop was accordingly concerted betwixt them, and they agreed to meet on the evening of the 24th of December 1786, being a Saturday, at the house of James Clark, Vintner in the head of the Flesh Market Close, where they generally met with other company to gamble: That, having met there, they played at the game of hazard, till the declarant lost all his money; but at this time Brodie was in luck, and gaining money: That the declarant often asked Brodie to go with him on their own business; but Brodie, as he was gaining money, declined going, and desired the declarant to stay a little, and he would go with him.

The declarant, however, turned impatient, as it was near four in the morning, and the time for doing their business was going; he therefore left the room, and went by himself to Mess. Bruces shop, when he opened the door with false keys, and, after getting in, lighted a dark lanthorn, and took out of the show-boxes or glasses on the counter, and from the inside of the windows, ten watches, five of them gold, three silver, and two metal, with the whole rings, lockets, and other jewellery and gold trinkets in the show-boxes, all of which he put into two old black stockings, and carried them to the stable of Michael Henderson, in the Grass-Market, where he hid them under some rubbish below the manger, and afterwards went home to his own room in the Grass-Market.

That he staid there till near eight in the morning, and then went up to Mr Brodie’s house, when the maid told him that Mr Brodie was in bed; and the declarant then left his name, and said he wanted to see him, and thereafter returned home to his own room: That, after staying there some time, Mr Brodie came and called for him, when the declarant told him what he had done, and desired Mr Brodie to stay there till he would go for the goods: That the declarant accordingly went to the stable, and brought the two black stockings, containing the goods, and poured them out upon a bed in a closet off his room, and then said to Mr Brodie, “You see what luck I have been in; you might have been there; but as you did not go, you cannot expect a full share; but there are the goods, pick out what you choose for yourself”; upon which Brodie took a gold seal, a gold watch-key set with garnet stones, and two gold rings: That the declarant and Brodie went twice over the goods, in order to ascertain their value; and the declarant, who was himself skilled in articles in that line, was of opinion they would have cost Mess. Bruces about £350 Sterling.

That, after this, the goods were again put into the black stockings, and carried back to Michael Henderson’s stable: And, in the course of that day, being Sunday, the declarant and Brodie frequently passed Mess. Bruces shop-door, to see in what situation the door stood, and to learn if the robbery had been discovered; and nothing appearing, the declarant proposed to Brodie to go back that night, in order to sweep the shop clean; but Brodie objected to this, saying that a discovery might have been made, and a watch set to entrap them; on which account they desisted from the attempt.

That, after this, Brodie and the declarant had several meetings, consulting about the safest way to dispose of the goods: and, upon the Tuesday evening, it was concerted between them, that the declarant should go off next day for England with the goods; and at that time Brodie gave the declarant five guineas and a half to carry his expenses on the road; and, to evade suspicion, the declarant set out early next morning, and travelled on foot as far as Dunbar, where he took the mail-coach, and went to Chesterfield in England, and there sold the whole goods taken out of Mess. Bruces shop, except what Mr Brodie got, for £105 Sterling, to John Tasker alias Murray, who, he knew, had been banished from Scotland: That the declarant sent a twenty-pound note of this money in a letter to Mr Brodie, informing him of the sale, and desiring him to pay himself what the declarant had borrowed, and supply his wife with money till the declarant’s return.

That the declarant staid for some weeks in England, during which time he had several letters from Brodie; and, on his return, gave to Brodie three ten-pound notes more of the money to keep for him, and to prevent suspicion by the declarant’s having so much money about him, which money Brodie gave him as he wanted it, but gained a great part of it at play.

That among the goods sold to Tasker, there was a particular gold watch, which Tasker said he would wear himself, and, to prevent a detection, got the name and number altered by a man at Leeds, and which watch Tasker was wearing when the declarant left England.

Mr Brodie was examined the same day, and being interrogated, declared, That he had been employed by the Magistrates of Edinburgh to alter the door of Mess. Bruces’ shop, at the head of Bridge Street; that his men altered it accordingly, after the streets had been lowered.