188 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. [Dec. 



distance imagined the exclama- 

 tion to be occasioned by the 

 pitiable situation of Johnstone, 

 and therefore joined in it. Stones 

 began to fly towards the scaffold 

 of which, unluckily, the state of 

 the ground afforded an ample 

 supply ; and the Magistrates and 

 their attendants were compelled 

 to make a precipitate retreat. It 

 was well for the executioner that 

 he escaped at the same time, for 

 at such a moment the conse- 

 quences to him must have been 

 fatal. The mob continued to 

 throw stones, some of which struck 

 the unhappy object of punish- 

 ment, and others the church 

 windows. At five minutes past 

 3 a person very deliberately 

 stepped from the crowd on the 

 High-street, leaned on the scaf- 

 fold with a knife ready open, 

 distinguishablefrom its brightness 

 (or, as we have been informed, a 

 surgical instrument taken from a 

 case on the instant), cut the rope, 

 and with seeming unconcern 

 returned to the crowd. The 

 body fell with the head to the 

 front of the scaffold, a sight 

 harrowing to the feelings of 

 all possessed of the least sensi- 

 bility. 



Missiles still continued to fly, 

 chiefly directed against the win- 

 dows of the church, almost every 

 pane of which was destroyed. 

 One large stone struck the inani- 

 mate head of Johnstone a heavy 

 blow. A lame person, with a 

 crutch, next climbed the scaffold, 

 and then a general rush took 

 place. The body was raised up, 

 and the rope unloosed, with 

 which the lame man exultingly 

 descended ; the cap was taken 



off, and thrown among the crowd 

 — at the same moment a cheer 

 was given by those around the 

 body, meaning, it is supposed, 

 to announce that life remained, 

 which was received by loud clap- 

 ping. The coffin, light in its 

 materials, was thrown among the 

 crowd, and in less than a minute 

 broken to atoms. The body was 

 then borne off in the direction of 

 the Lawn-market ; BailliePatison, 

 who was proceeding to the Castle, 

 protected by a strong body of the 

 police, to obtain the aid of the 

 military force, caused the bearers 

 of the body to change their course, 

 and they wheeled about and ar- 

 rived almost unperceived on the 

 opposite side of the street to the 

 Police-office, evidently without 

 knowing what to do with it ; here, 

 on being attacked by the police- 

 officers, they dropped the body, 

 divested of clothes from the waist 

 upwards in the process of carry- 

 ing (the most appalling sight of 

 the whole), which was then taken 

 into the Police-office. 



A detachment of the 88th regi- 

 ment arrived soon after, followed 

 by another headed by Major 

 Graham, which were posted 

 across the Lawnmarket, at the 

 well, and in a similar manner, 

 from the High Church to the 

 Exchange. 



Various reports were current 

 about the state of the unfortu- 

 nate man as to his re-animation ; 

 however, he was again carried to 

 the drop, and at five minutes be- 

 fore 4 o'clock was launched into 

 eternity. The military remained 

 until the whole apparatus was 

 removed, and we are happy to 

 slate no further disturbance took 



place. 



