He relates many adventures in Ireland: for example, "Next morning I took the coach for Drummore, and attended the market there. I snibbed a lil from a conish cove's suck, but I only found some letters in it. I threw it away; and I afterwards heard that there was a hundred pounds screave inclosed in one of the letters, the lil having been found and returned to its owner. "I returned to Belfast, where I remained a week, principally engaged in card-playing; but I found the boys were very expert, and the first day or two I lost about nine screaves. I soon however got into their way of playing. "I attended the next market at Drummore, accompanied by John Mullen, and John R-, two Belfast snibs; but the day being very wet, we could do nothing till towards evening. Mullen and I accosted a horse-dealer, pretending to buy a prad. I priced it, and Mullen kept him in gammon as to its age, while I undubbed two tuigs and a bengy, and got the lil to the mouth of the suck, when he up with his whip and struck me. I returned the blow with my whip, Mullen joined, a terrible milvadering took place, and the prad cove finding himself worsted, made off. Mullen was pulled a few minutes afterwards upon suspicion, for another affair of his own. "When I first arrived at Belfast from Scotland, I saw Robert Platt, who had been confined in Dumfries jail while I was there. He happened to be attending Drummore market that day, and was pulled for thieving; and with the view of getting his liberty, gave information that he had seen Haggart, the murderer, from Scotland, at the market that day. The bulkies, dazzled with the expectation of taking me, pulled every one they had the smallest suspicion of; and while I was sitting in a public house, the bulkies came in, and pulled two lads who were sitting next box to me. Little did I dream what they were after. In a few minutes after this I saw Platt peep in at the room door, and instantly four bulkies sprang upon me, and dragged me before a magistrate. "The first question was, 'What is your name ?' "I answered in high Tipperara, Why sure, and it's John M'Colgan.' "One of the bulkies said, 'Och, we're mistaken!' "The magistrate continued, 'Where are you from?" "Why sure, please your honour, I am from Armagh !' "What place there?' "What part of the town?' "Right opposite the market-house.' "He then cross-examined me; and handing me the Dublin paper, called the Hue and Cry, pointing to a paragraph with a description of my person, and an offer of reward for me, asked, if that was not my name? 66 "I said, I had told my name; if he was not pleased with it he might let it alone. "He then informed me I must be detained. "I answered, that I had no objection to be detained, if I knew what it was for. "He said it was on account of the paragraph he had shown me. "Sure, sir,' said I,' that's a Scotchman. I never was in Scotland in my life; but if you detain me it must be at your own expense.' "He then ordered three yeomen to sit up with me all night along with the bulkies, in the court room; and returned, after having witnessed a strict search of my person. Nothing was got upon me but a 208. note and some silver. I now thought that all was over wit' e, and determined to make a desperate struggle to regain my liberty, or perish in the attempt. I plied the yeomen and bulkies with plenty of budge, and they were very civil to me. About 11 o'clock at night I prevailed on them to allow an acquaintance to bring me some supper. When the young woman came, I asked leave to speak to her for a minute, behind the boxes in the court, where there was a large window. They granted me my request; and taking a harlequin leap, I bolted right through the window, and 6 lighted upon the street, without being either cut by the glass or hurt by the fall. I crossed the street to an opposite entry, and immediately saw the whole of my keepers below the window staring at each other, not knowing what to do. At last one of them said, By jappers, we were tould he was the boy. Another said, Arra, he's the broth of a boy, but we'll follow him yet.' They all went off and I took the road to Belfast, and soon got there, having run 15 Irish miles in two hours and a quarter. I kept close next day, and the following morning I took the coach for Newry, passing through Drummore on my way." At a future time he states, 'I went down to the Pigeon-House, where I paid 37. 10s. for a passage to America. But, ill luck betide me! I changed my mind, and lost my passage rather than cross the Atlantic.” Justice was not to be defrauded, and the means which led to her being finally satisfied are curious. After St. Patrick's day, which he made unusually productive, he left Newry on foot, by himself, with the intention (he relates) "of going to Belfast to take shipping for France. I got the length of Castle William, where unfortunately for myself, I heard of a fair to be held next day at Clough, about 6 or 8 miles distance. I resolved to remain and practise my profession for the last time in Britain. It was the last time, indeed! I accordingly repaired to the ground, and had not been long there, when I observed a pigeon-drover planking a lay of screaves in his keek cloy. I priced one of his pigs, but, as usual, we could not make a bargain; but, having got an opportunity, I forked the blunt, and left him, and had just got time to plank the screaves in the neck of my tuig, and return to the ground, when I was seized by the drover and two of his companions. I was charged with the theft, and, of course denied the charge. Having been strictly searched, none of his money was found upon me; but he persisted in the accusation, and said he would take his oath I was the person who had taken it. I was taken before a magistrate, and underwent an examination. I was asked my name, and where I was from? I answered, Daniel O'Brien; I came from Armagh.' 66 "Did you take this man's money?" "Troth, if I had taken it, I wouldn't have told you; but sure I know nothing about it.' "He told me I was a very insolent fellow. I answered that there were two of us; if he was not an insolent fellow, he would not ask any person such a question. The Drover made oath that I had taken his money, and I was committed to Downpatrick quoad, to stand trial at the next assizes. "When I entered Downpatrick jail, the jailor accosted me with, 'Och! how are you, Arthur ?' "Sure,' said I'pretty well; how are you yourself?' "How long is it since you were here before, Arthur?' "Sure your books will tell better than I can.' "I was taken to the back jail, and he said, 'Och, boy, I'll put you into your old room, where you was before; it's the best room in the jail.' "I humoured the mistake, and took it all very well. I soon found my fellow prisoners a rum set of boys. To describe their dress would be impossible. The most of them, had they attempted to undress, would have been puzzled to find their way into their duds again; few had either a mill tuig, toper, or crabs. These high flyers had all their fancy blones, and I was not long till I was equal with them. There was one above me whom I used to whid; there was a hole in the roof of my cell through which I handed her plenty of focus, budge, and in short part of every thing. One day, after provisions had been served out (for we got three days' pick at a time) the boys and I agreed to block up the passage which led to our apartments, and break through to the blones. They began to block up the door with forms and tables; but I not approving of that way, began with a spade to lift the flags of the floor, and they all in a moment joined with me. We built up the door so completely, that they were unable to get at us : we then broke through to the blones, and secur ed their door in the same manner, and kept the premises for two days. During this time we gave way to every wickedness; and of all the scenes of my short and evil life, none ever came up to the jail of Downpatrick. "After we had spent two days in the most riotous manner with the women up stairs, we were secured. I was seized and locked closely up in a cell, and kept in confinement till the day before my trial. "A prison is the blackest and wickedest place in the world. Many a poor boy is brought to the gallows at last, because his first offence is punished with imprisonment. This teaches him evil ways; whereas, if he had been well flogged and sent home to his parents, he might have turned out a good man. I cannot say that my bad habits were learned in jail, but I am sure they were confirmed there. "While I was in jail I sent for the pig-drover, and made the matter up with him, by returning his blunt, and two screaves additional to sweeten him, and he promised to say nothing against me on my patter." He kept his word; but the judge he describes as preventing his acquittal through a mistake. He had made a good defence : "The judge then asked me, 'Don't you come from Armagh, sir? and have you not a father and brother ?' "I answered that I had both. "All of your own professionpickpockets replied the judge. "I said he was perfectly mistaken, for neither they nor I was ever guilty of such a thing. I was right as to them, but I will leave the world to judge with what truth I spoke of myself. The judge, in an angry tone, said, 'Will you hold up your face and tell me that, sir? Was you not tried before me ten days ago at Dundalk, and about four years ago at Carrickfergus? I know you well and all your family." "I declared that I never was before a court in my life till then, and sure enough I never was before him. "He then addressed the jury; he said it did not signify whether they were clear of my being guilty of the present crime, for he could assure them that I was an old offender, and at all events to return a verdict of guilty of felony at large. I sprang up and declared I was getting no justice, and said there was no proof of my being a felon; and added, "How can I be brought in as a felon, when not a single witness has made oath to it?' said "The judge, in a violent rage, that he would make oath if necessary; and the jury in a moment returned a verdict of Guilty of felony at large.' I was then sentenced to lag for seven stretch; but the judge at the same time telling me, that if I would produce my father, and show to him that he had mistaken me, he would change the sentence to twelve months imprisonment.' I told him I would rather go abroad than let my friends know any thing about the matter; that he was sending me among pickpockets, where I would likely learn the art myself, and the first man's pocket I would pick on my return would be his. "I have been twice tried for my life in Scotland. The first time I got more than justice, for I was acquitted. The second time I got justice, for I was convicted. But in Ireland I got no justice at all; for at Downpatrick there was none to speak for me but the judge, and he spoke against me." In gaol he is recognized as McColgan, put into heavy irons, and removed to Kilmainham. Thence he tried to escape. "When I arrived there I was put among a great number of convicts of every description. I was but a few lays there when I thought of effecting my escape, and began digging the back wall, with the assistance of a number of others, having first secured the entrance-door to our apartment. But some of the prisoners who did not care about joining us, gave information, and, being the first man who made any appearance through the hole, I got a bat from the outside with a shillela, the mark of which is still very visible, and disfigures my right eye-brow. The boys rushed after me; but having still a high wall to get over, we were all secured by a party of soldiers, and locked up in our cells. "A few hours after this, I called out of my cell window to two very beautiful young women, accused of the murder of a young lady, in Dublin. They were sisters, and their name was Bridget. I felt much for their situation and shivered when I looked at them, as my own hands had been redded with the blood of man. gave them such serious advice as a poor guilty wretch could. They were afterwards condemned and executed. "While in close conversation with these unfortunate girls, my cell door opened and the dub cove found fault with me for interfering with them, and told me to be silent. I said to him I would not be silent for him as I was doing nothing improper; for I was much interested in these poor creatures, whose situation was so much like my own. He ordered me down from the window; I refused, and said that if he came near me, I would batter him like a pigeonhouse door. He went away, but in a few minutes returned, and ordered me down stairs to my room. On going out of the cell door, I was seized by two men, and a pair of hippers were clapped on my hands, and a horrible thing, called a mouth-joke, put upon my head. I came down with iron bars both before and behind my head, the front bar having a thick iron tongue which entered my mouth. In this situation I was put back to my cell. In the course of an hour the turnkey came to me, and said, 'You'll hold your tongue now, when you can't speak.' I could give him no answer. He then took the joke off my head, and repeated the question; I said, I will for a while and on his going out of my cell, I resumed my seat in the window, and remained there the rest of the day, singing the most profane songs I could think of. Even the fear of the iron helmet of Kilmainham could not keep me quiet. But there was something waiting for me far worse; and, if I had known it, it would have brought down my heart, strong and wicked as it was." 6 This was the arrival of John Richardson, and his recognition of him as Haggart. His fate now rapidly closes. "On the evening of the second day, I was taken to the head police-office, and heavily loaded with irons. An iron belt was fixed round my waist, with my wrists joined to each side of it; a chain passed from the front of the belt and joined the centre of the chain, each end of which was padlocked round my ankles, and a chain passed from each wrist to each ankle. In this dreadful state of torture and confinement, I was conducted by John Richardson, and Robinson, an Irish officer, to Dumfries. We were three days and two nights upon the road, and all the time I never had my hand to my mouth, and was fed like a sucking turkey in Bedlam, and treated like a helpless infant. As to these officers, never could man behave more tenderly to his own son than they both did to me. I had known John Richardson before, and had long been acquainted with his humane disposition, which was tried and proved on this occasion. We travelled a good way on the road before I would acknowledge that ever I had seen John; but I saw that it was of no use to keep up my pretended ignorance any longer. "On our approach towards Dumfries, which was in the dark, there were many thousands of people on the road, many of them with torches in their hands, waiting my arrival; and when I got to the gaol-door, it was scarcely possible to get me out of the coach for the multitude-all crowding for a sight of HAGGART THE MURDERER. Some seemed sorry, and some terrified for me; but there was not one of them all so sorry or terrified as I was. I plunged through them, rattling my chains, and making a great show of courage, but my heart was shaking at the thoughts of poor Morrin. As I went up the narrow stair to the cells, I had to pass the very spot where I struck him; and, oh! it was like fire under my feet." * * * * "All that man could do was done for me at my trial, and I had good hopes till the Judge began to speak; but then my spirits fell, for his speaking was sore against me. I did not altogether despair when I saw the jury talking together-but oh! when they said Guilty, my very heart broke; but I was even then too proud to show my feelings, and I almost bit my lip through in hiding them. When the Judge was passing the awful sentence, I turned dizzy, and gasped for breath. They say I looked careless, but they could not see within me. I did not know what had happened, or where I was— I thought of every thing in a minute -I thought of my father-I thought of my mother, who died of a broken heart -I thought of escape, and very near made a plunge over the heads of the crowd-then I could have cried out. When the sentence was over, I gathered my thoughts, and my heart was as hard as ever; for I said, "Well! the man that is born to be hanged, will not be drowned!" This was very wicked, but I could not help it, for I had not the command of my thoughts or words." Haggart was executed shortly after. Edinburgh, in modesty, calls itself the modern Athens, and of course science must have its display, even on the head of a thief. Haggart was induced to submit to a craniological examination, and the results are given in an appendix, as ludicrous as any farce that ever followed a tragedy. The craniologist, Mr. G. Combe, W. S. gravely announces : "On 29th of May, 1821, I visited David he allowed me to examine the developement Haggart in gaol. After some conversation, of his head. The character indicated by it was different from the opinions I had been previously led to form by reading in the newspapers the details of his delinquencies. The conversation was quite general and did not lead to a knowledge of his dispositions. Being before trial, he was extremely guarded in his remarks, and we were equally delicate in not pressing him to make distioned to him the feelings and powers which closures. On going over his head, I menit indicated, but he made no remarks as to the correctness or incorrectness of the observations. On telling him that he had a nevolence and justice than I had anticipatgreater developement of the organs of beed, his countenance softened, and he almost shed a tear. On concluding he gave a look full of subdued emotion, yet of confident sagacity; and alluding to the possibility of discovering character from the form of the head, said, "Well, that is one thing that I did not know before." After his condemnation, when it was to be expected that his mind would be subdued to sincerity by the certain prospect of death, I sent him a sketch of the character which his cerebral organization indicated, and requested him to add his remarks. The sketch was written on one side of the paper, and his observa tions were added on the other. G. C." The ridiculous can go no farther than the quæries and answers that follow. Craniology has here given a death-blow to craniology. AMATORY poetry is the earliest in utmost splendour in the days of Ovid, its origin, and the latest in coming to maturity; it is capable of receiving the highest polish, and yet it expresses the simplest and the most natural sentiments. It is for these reasons that it has been most excellent at those periods, when the civilization of a country has arrived at its highest point; that point of which it is a certain indication, and from which it sometimes recedes more rapidly than it advanced. The best poets in this species of writing in Greece, did not flourish till long after Homer; and Rome had arrived at its and of Catullus. The amatory poets our own country in the present day, ure as superior to those of Elizabeth, in their peculiar vocation, as the latter were to the former in the higher and more worthy walks of Poetry. The laurels of Moore bloom freshly, but must fade; while the bays of Shakspeare will flourish, evitabile fulmen, for all time. This description of poetry requires a positive experience of the feelings which it expresses, as well as sufficient talent to give force to it. A Poet may * Poems, Songs, and Sonnets: Together with a Masque. By Thomas Carew, Esq. One of the Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber, and Sewer in Ordinary to Charles I. |