“ Haggart thought himself certain of his own liberty, but he thought it would be a grand thing to elear the jail of all the prisoners. Laurie, another prisoner, proposed getting a stene, and tying it in a napkin, and some morning to knoek down Hunter, the head jailor, and take the keys from him. Haggart was not fond of using the stone, as he did not want to hurt the jailor; and he proposed, when Thomas Morrin came up to tho man under sentence of death, to gag him into a closet at the head of the stairs, and take the keys from him; Dunbar and some others got the stone and put it into a bag. ”

“ On getting out at the door he ran round the east corner of the jail wall and then walked rapidly round the back street, and round a great part of the town, till he came to the back of the King's Arms Inn. Dunbar made up to him, and that very moment they saw a policeman coming right up to meet them; on this they wheeled about and ran, but Dunbar was taken before he ran ten yards, and Haggart had the mortification to see his fellow adventurer secured. He once thought of bolting among them to rescue him, but the mob was too great for him. ”

“ THE LIFE
OF
DAVID HAGGART.
David Haggart was born at a farm-town called the Golden Acre, near Cannon-mills, Edinburgh, on the 24th day of June, 1801; his father was a game-keeper, but afterwards a dog-trainer. He was early put to school, where he acquired a good knowledge of English grammar, writing, and arithmetic. About the age of ten, a trifling accident occurred, which, for fear of punishment from his father, determined him to leave home, and from that moment he dated the commencement of his sinful career. ”

“ He left Newcastle for Scotland, got upon the Berwick coach, then took a ticket for Edinburgh, but went only to Dunbar. Next morning set off for Edinburgh, where he met with a gentleman, and took the same lodgings with him in the Lord Duncan Tavern, Cannongate. After separating from the gentleman, he stopt at Jock's Lodge with a friend; while hero he visited his father and some acquaintances, disguised in women's clothes. One night, dressed in his own clothes, taking a walk from Portobello to Leith, he met Capt. Ross of the Leith police ”

“ After their return to Dublin they remained about ten days; finding their cash getting scarce, Haggart resolved on taking a journey by himself, and started on foot to Mullingar, where a famous cattle market is held; here he picked a gentleman's pocket, but only got £13 by the adventure. Next morning he started for Tullamore, and arrived at night. A fair was held the following day, which ho attended, and was not long on the ground till he eased a gentleman of £7. Towards the evening ho observed a pig-drover putting a large sum of monoy in his pocket, which was too tempting for him to let pass. ”

“ James' fair at Kelso, and picked twenty pounds from two persons. From thence they went to Dumfries, and stopped three weeks; they attended Lockerby fair, and going into a public-house, a farmer and drover were casting out, when Barney blew the coal, upon which they fell a-fighting, and both tumbled. Barney picked the farmer's pocket of twenty-three pounds. Haggart called for the waiter, appeared in a violent passion, paid for a bottle of porter, abused him for putting them into such company, and immediately left the house. ”

“ He then insisted on taking the pig-drover before a magistrate, and put him in charge of two policemen, the gentleman going arm in arm with him, to bear witness before the magistrate how ill he had been used. The judge heard the case; he said that the pig-drover was liablo to punishment, but recommended him to withdraw his complaint, as it was evident tho ill usage had arisen from mistake; that he knew him to be an honest man, and he had been a great loser already. Haggart assured the judge it was not money he wanted; he only wished to show the man his error, and prove his own honesty. ”

“ On the first of March, while sitting in his lodgings with a pick-pocket of the name of Forrest, in Johnston Street, North Leith, Captain Ross, of the police, and one of his men, came in upon them; Ross seized Forrest and carried him off, leaving Haggart in chargc of the policeman. When left alone the policeman opened a bed-room door, and was looking into it, when Haggart forced him in, locked the door, and was making his way down the stairs, when he was met by Ross and another policeman ”

“ They next went to Coldstream fair, and Barney being found attempting a farmer's pocket, got three months in Jedburgh jail. Haggart went to Newcastle again, and to the same lodgings, where he was treated like a son; little did the people know to whom they were so kind. He did numerous tricks here, and then proceeded to Edinburgh, where he carried on the same line but did not live in his father's house. In September he started for Perth, with ono Henry, and had some adventures. They returned to Leith, and were taken by the police for some crimes ”

“ But some of the prisoners, who did not care about joining them, gave information, and, being the first man who made his appearance through the hole, he got a bat from the outside with a shillelah, the mark of which was visible ever after, and disfigured his right eyebrow. The boys rushed after him, but having still a high wall to get over, they were all secured by a party of soldiers, and locked up in their cells. ”

“ They were intending to leave Dumfries that night, but Barney was taken up. Haggart started for Carlisle next morning, but was overtaken and carried back to Dumfries. Captain Ross arrived in a few days and carried him back to Leith jail.
Barney was transported for fourteen years. Haggart was tried at Edinburgh on the 12th of July, but got off; he was then sent to Dumfries, to stand trial at the circuit there for housebreaking: his trial did not go on, and he was sent back to jail.--Hero ho got acquainted with a lad, John Dunbar, who was under sentence of transportation. ”

“ This determined him to go north again. He arrived in Dundee, and from thence went to Perth, and attended the fairs in Perth, Dunkeld, Kenmore, &c., and robbed some cattle-dealers to a considerable amount. One night, in his lodgings in Perth, two policemen came in upon him, but the determined manner in which he received them, made them hesitate in apprehending him, and Haggart gained an opportunity to escape. He left Perth for Glasgow, and made up his mind to go to Ireland, and started in the steam-boat. ”

“ They departed next morning, and went to Langholm fair, where they took from a sheep-farmer £100 in ten pound notes, and £101 in twenty-shilling notes. About half an hour after they saw John Richardson, a Dumfries officer, running about, but he did not notice them. They took a post-chaise, and went to Annan, and next day took the Coach for Carlisle.
They lived in Carlisle about four weeks, during which time they did not attempt any business, but amused themselves with riding in the mornings, and passed the evenings at gambling-houses, and twice or thrice went to dances. ”