The Duck Thieves Of Kirriemuir
Between December 1842 and February 1843 Kirriemuir experienced a crime wave such as it had never seen before. The culprits were a gang of 5 people, all previously convicted of theft. During this period they stole16 pounds beef, a towel, clothes and five other offences of theft which included stealing ducks, hens, eggs, kail and herbs.
The criminal gang was composed of Robert Colville, a weaver, John Morrison, David Cruickshank, and David Adamson, weaver. They were aided by Elizabeth Millar at Burnside of Kirriemuir who sold their stolen goods. Their crime spree started on 30 December 1842 when they stole items from John Steven, a carter in Drums, Cortachy. He had left his cart parked outside the house of John Leighton, vintner in Bank Street. The thieves removed 6 pounds of beef and a towel belonging to Margaret Watson, flesher in Jamieson’s Close and items belonging to Charles Findlay, innkeeper at Milton of Clova in addition to the carter’s own plaid.
On 3 February 1843 Robert Colville stole 6 pairs of braces from Duncan McPherson, draper in the High Street. He then moved on to Charles Hendry’s draper shop in the Glengate where he removed a tartan shawl. Three days later Elizabeth Millar knowingly sold these stolen items. Next, on 10 February 1843 Colville and John Morrison stole goods from another parked cart belonging to James MacDonald, farmer at Kinalty and driven by his servant William Alexander. Once again the cart had been left parked outside the house of a vintner, this time the premises of Andrew Paton in Bank Street. Their haul included 2 brass candlesticks, 2 pounds of quarry powder and a towel.
The gang were caught and imprisoned in Forfar until their trial. There were 41 witnesses cited to give evidence against them, including George Brand, writer; Margaret Watson, flesher in Jamieson’s Close; Catherine Ferguson, servant; George Fyffe, carter and Duncan McPherson, draper.
The culprits were tried before the Sheriff court in Forfar on 12 June 1843. They were found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment. Colville and Millar were sentenced to 9 months in Dundee Prison with the others receiving a lesser sentence. Morrison was sentenced for 5 months, Cruickshank for 4 months and Adamson for 2 months.
(MS720/56/5)
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