TRIAL OF THE BRAES CROFTERS. 73 



Mr. K. Macdonatd Oh, yes. 



PRISONERS' DECLARATIONS. 



The prisoners' declarations were then read. They are as follows : 



Donald Nicolson, Balmeanach, sixty-six [years of age, declared I 

 know Angus Martin, Portree, and I know that he is a sheriff-officer. 

 .1 also know, but only by sight, Ewen Robertson, residing at Lisigarry, 

 Portree. I also know Norman Beaton, ground-officer, Portree. I saw 

 the three of them at Braes about a fortnight ago. They were on the 

 township of Gedintailler, and there was a crowd about them. We were 

 hearing that they were going up with summonses of removing. I was 

 in the crowd, and I saw papers in Martin's hand. I could not tell what 

 they were. 



Did you take the papers out of his hands ? He knows himself. 

 There were plenty of witnesses if they saw me do so. I did not catch 

 hold of Ewen Robertson or touch any one there ; neither did I throw 

 anything, nor was I swearing. I asked Robertson to lift up the papers 

 which were at the time scattered on the road. 



James Nicolson, son-in-law, residing with the above Donald Nicol- 

 son, is 30 years of age. He knew Martin to be a sheriff-officer, and he 

 also knew Robertson and Beaton. He saw the three of them at Ged. 

 intailler on the occasion in question. The Declaration continued 

 There was a crowd about them when I saw them. I joined the crowd. 

 I knew that it was with summonses of removing they had come. 

 When I joined the crowd I did not cry out to kill Martin. I have no 

 recollection of saying, or hearing said, that even with the support of the 

 Volunteers no one would dare to come to Braes to put us out. I saw 

 Martin having papers. I did not know what the papers were, but I 

 thought they were the summonses. I saw Martin handing out the 

 papers, and some one taking them out of his hand, and I afterwards 

 saw them on the road torn. I did not see Ewen Robertson down on 

 the ground. I saw a crowd of boys and girls after him along the road. 

 They were saying that I was cursing and swearing, but I was not, and I 

 did not put a hand on any one that day or on the papers which the 

 sheriff-officer had. I did not think there was any harm in anything I 

 saw done. 



Peter Macdonald, Balmeanach, aged 48, and married, said he heard 

 that Martin was a .sheriff-officer. He saw Martin and Beaton at the 

 Braes, but not Robertson. He was not present when Martin arrived. 

 The Declaration continued We were thinking it was with the sum- 

 monses of removing he (Martin) came. There was a crowd gathered 



