Advertisements Relating to Certain of the Robberies Committed by Deacon Brodie.

(From the Edinburgh Evening Courant.)

1786.

On Friday evening last (the 12th August) the lock of the outer door of the compting-house of Johnston and Smith, bankers in the Exchange, was opened by some wicked persons, as supposed by a counterfeit key, and eight hundred pounds Sterling stolen out of their drawers, in the following bank notes, viz:—

It is entreated that every honest person will give the Magistrates of Edinburgh, or Johnston and Smith, notice of any circumstances that may fall under their observation for discovering the offenders; and farther, the said Johnston and Smith will give the informer a reward of Five Pounds Sterling for every hundred pounds sterling that shall be recovered in consequence of such information. As some smith may very innocently have made a key from an impression of clay or wax, such smith giving information, as above, so as the person who got the key may be discovered, shall be handsomely rewarded.

By Order of the Honourable the Magistrates of Edinburgh.

Whereas, on Sunday night last, the 14th inst. there was laid down or dropped at the door of the Council Chamber of this City, the sum of two hundred and twenty-five pounds sterling in bank notes, wrapped in a piece of grey paper, which was found by Robert Burton, a porter, and immediately after delivered by him to one of the Magistrates: This is to give notice, that the above sum is now sealed up, and in the hands of the City Clerks, and will be delivered to any person who shall prove the property thereof, with deduction of a reasonable allowance to the porter who found it.

1786.
Shop Broke Into, and Robbed
In Parliament Square, Edinburgh.

Whereas betwixt the night of Monday the 9th, and Tuesday the 10th of October current, the shop of Mr. James Wemyss, Goldsmith in Edinburgh, situated betwixt the Goldsmiths’ Hall and the Council Chambers of said City, was broke into and the following articles carried off, viz. 26 gold rings, some set with diamonds and the rest with stones; 24 plain gold rings; 5 seals set in gold; 1 gold broatch; 2 silver set broatches; 2 set crosses; 3 set ear-rings, one of them gold; 4 cut shank silver tea spoons, and one old plain silver do; 10 new silver table spoons; 1 silver tureen spoon, and the mouth of a dividing spoon; 2 silver punch spoons; 12 silver tea spoons, not quite finished but ready for burnishing; 1 silver seal with a ship on it, and one seal block; 12 silver stock buckles; 36 pairs silver shoe buckles; 3 single silver shoe ditto; 46 pairs of silver knee buckles, and four single knee ditto.

As the public, as well as the private party, are greatly interested that this daring robbery be discovered, it is requested that all Goldsmiths, Merchants, and other Traders through Scotland, may be attentive, in case any goods answering to those above mentioned shall be offered to sale, and to enquire how the persons who may offer them to sale came by them, and to get them examined before a Magistrate, and secured in prison, in case they cannot give a good account of themselves, and prove how they came by the said goods.

Letters containing information may be addressed to Mr. William Dempster, deacon of the Incorporation of Goldsmiths in Edinburgh, or to Mr David Downie, Goldsmith there, treasurer of said Incorporation, or to Mr William Scott, procurator-fiscal of the shire of Edinburgh; and in order that the person or persons guilty of the said robbery may be discovered, the Incorporation of Goldsmiths hereby offer a reward of Ten Guineas to any person who shall make such discovery, to be paid by Mr. Downie, their treasurer, upon conviction of the offender or offenders.

A Shop Broke.
Sheriff Clerk’s Office, Edinburgh.
Dec. 28, 1786.

Between Sunday night and Monday morning last, a Hardware Shop here was broke into, and the following articles carried off:—A lady’s gold watch, enamelled back, figure offering up a gift to Hymen—A large plain gold watch, caped and jewelled—A small secondhand gold watch; makers name of these three J. J. Jackson, London—One small single cased watch, maker’s name Innes—Two silver watches, name Armstrong—Several gold rings, breast pins, and lockits, plain and set round with pearl for hair devices—A few pairs set knee and shoe buckles—Two lancet cases full of lancets, makers name Lavignie—All the rings, breastpins, lockits, and set buckles, are marked, in the under side with a sharp nail, the initials of the shop mark, and the selling price plain figures; so that if any attempt is made to erase any of these marks, it will easily be noticed.

Whoever will give such information, within three months from this date, to William Scott, procurator-fiscal of this County, as shall lead to a discovery of the person or persons who committed the above theft, shall, upon conviction of the offender or offenders, receive a reward of Twenty Guineas, and the informer’s name, if required, concealed.

William Scott, Proc. Fiscal.

N.B. If any of the above articles are offered to sale, it is requested they may be stopped, and the person offering them detained till notice is given as above, for which a handsome reward will be given, besides all charges paid.

1787.
Shop-breaking.

That in the Night betwixt Thursday the 16th and Friday the 17th of August instant, the Shop of John Carnegie, Grocer, at the foot of St. Andrew’s Street, Leith, was broke into, and about 350 pounds of fine black tea stolen and carried off.

Whoever will give such information to William Scott, procurator-fiscal of the County of Edinburgh, within three months from this date, as shall lead to a discovering in the premises, will receive from him a reward of Ten Guineas, on conviction of the offender or offenders and the informer’s name (if required) concealed.

N.B. It is presumed the above theft has been committed by some of those who stroll the country under the pretence of hawking tea, and who may have had access to know Mr. Carnegie’s shop. The tea was turned out of the packages, and yesterday several parcels of tea were observed lying at different places on the Bonnington road, as if dropt from a parcel, which is a farther confirmation of the above suspicion, and that the tea stolen is carried to the country for sale by some hawker. If, therefore, any considerable quantity of tea is observed in the custody of any suspicious person or persons, it is intreated they may be secured, and notice given to said William Scott, who will pay all reasonable charges, besides a reasonable gratification for trouble.

Shop Breaking and Theft.
Sheriff Clerk’s Office, Edinburgh, Oct. 29. 1787.

That in the night betwixt Saturday the 27th and Sunday the 28th of October Curt. a Shoemaker’s shop in the Royal Exchange, Edinburgh, was broke into, and the following articles stole and carried off therefrom viz:—Ten pairs of Boots—Twenty pairs of Men’s shoes—Three pairs of Men’s slippers, red leather—One pair ditto, yellow—Eighteen pair white silk Queen’s Uppers for shoes, embroidered with gold and silver—A silver watch, maker’s name J. Dare, London, No. 2031—Another ditto, cracked on the outer Case, and having a leather string—A stone ring set in gold, having a man’s head engraved thereon—A Lady’s Pocket-book, of red Turkey leather, shut with a steel lock—Six pair of Men’s silk Stockings, part white and part marled, marked J.C. and numbered—A hard leather Snuffbox, in the shape of a boot—Also, About four pound of bad halfpence, with papers of various kind, and in particular some parchments, and other rights of houses.

Whoever will give to William Scott, procurator-fiscal of this County, within three months from this date, such information as shall lead to a discovery of the person or persons who committed the aforesaid shop-breaking and theft; or will cause apprehend and imprison the said person or persons, shall, upon conviction of the offender or offenders, receive a reward of Ten Pounds, and the informer’s name (if required) concealed.

N.B. If articles similar to the above are offered to sale, or discovered in the custody of any person of a suspicious appearance, it is entreated that the goods may be stopped and the person or persons in whose custody they are found secured, till notice is sent as above, for which a handsome reward will be given, besides all charges paid.

By the Right Hon: The
Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Council,
of the City of Edinburgh

Whereas, on the night between Monday and Tuesday the 29th and 30th current, some wicked persons did feloniously break open the doors of the Library of the University of this City, and steal the University Mace, a reward of Ten Guineas, to be paid by the City Chamberlain, is hereby offered for the discovery of all or any of the persons above mentioned, or of any person in whose possession the said Mace shall be found.

Edinburgh, Oct. 31. 1787.

1788.
Shop-breaking and Theft.
Sheriff Clerk’s Office, Edinburgh, Jan. 9. 1788.

That this last night the shop of Mess. Inglis, Horner, & Co., Silk Mercers at the Cross of Edinburgh, was broke into, and the following articles stolen and carried off therefrom, viz.

A considerable quantity of black lutestrings, black armozeens, black florentines, and rasdimore silks, some of them whole, others cut pieces. Most of the armozeens and lutestrings have yellow lists or selveges, with some red threads on the outer edge; others of the lutestrings, and all the florentines have white selveges. All of the silks were rolled on pins or blocks, upon the end of most of which is the following mark I. L. S. with the number of the piece and quantity of the yards in figures. Several pieces of cambric, some whole, some cut—also a piece of plain white sattin. It is more than probable that the said goods may be cut in such a manner as to cause them, when exposed to sale, to have the appearance of remnants.

The value of the above goods is equal to from £400 to £500 Sterling, so far as yet discovered.

Whoever will give to William Scott, procurator-fiscal of this County, within three months of this date, such information as will be the means of leading to a discovery of the person or persons who committed the aforesaid shop-breaking and theft, or will cause apprehend or imprison the said person or persons, shall, upon conviction of the offender or offenders, receive a reward of One Hundred Pounds Sterling, and the informer’s name, if required, concealed.

N.B. If articles, similar to those above described, are offered to sale or discovered in the custody of any person of suspicious appearance, it is intreated that the goods may be stopped, and the person or persons in whose custody they are found secured, till notice is sent as above; for which a handsome reward will be given, besides all charges paid.

Shop-breaking and Theft.

Whitehall, Jan. 25. 1788.

Whereas, upon the night of the 8th or morning of the 9th of January instant, the shop of Mess. Inglis, Horner & Co., Silk Mercers in Edinburgh, was broke into, and articles taken therefrom amounting to upwards of £300 value; and as the persons guilty of this robbery have not as yet been discovered, notwithstanding every exertion that has been made; and the offer of £100 of reward for that purpose, his Majesty’s most gracious pardon is hereby offered to an accomplice, if there was more than one concerned, who shall, within six months from this date, give such information to William Scott, procurator-fiscal for the shire of Edinburgh, as shall be the means of apprehending and securing all or any of the persons guilty of or accessory to the said crime.

Sydney.