ARREST OF A MURDERER. 189 



the privilege in those days of protecting criminals from 

 justice. 



In the mean time the Earl of Atholl being informed 

 of what had taken place, was determined to bring Stewart 

 to justice, and sent a man named Macadie, who knew 

 Stewart well, dressed as a beggar, to discover if he was 

 still in Sutherland. He soon returned with intelligence 

 of Stewart's being there, and the earl sent a strong party 

 with Macadie (still disguised as a beggar) with instruc- 

 tions to bring back the murderer, dead or alive. 



On the arrival of the party at Lord Reay's country, 

 hearing that Stewart was to attend a wedding on a cer- 

 tain day, they agreed to surround the house where the 

 ceremony was to take place, pretty late at night. Mac- 

 adie was to enter, and drink Stewart's health; and this 

 was to be the signal that the person they sought for was 

 within. This being settled, Macadie entered, and drank 

 Stewart's health, who, finding he was discovered, bolted 

 out of the house, and was immediately surrounded and 

 secured by the party stationed without, who took him to 

 Logierait, where he was confined some time, and finally 

 condemned to be hung and gibbeted. The sentence was 

 carried into execution at Blair ; and this man was the 

 last person who was hung there. 



The motive for this foul act did not transpire ; but it 

 was supposed that it was perpetrated for the sake of in- 

 volving the murderer with the sort of horrid consequence 

 that was attached in those days to the most daring delin- 

 quents. An obelisk was placed on the spot where the 

 execution took place, by Duke James, in 1735; and the 

 mound is still called " The Hangman's Mount." 



