THE CAREER OF A MARKABLE CRIMINAL.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 563, 26 March 1868, Page 2

THE CAREER OF A MARKABLE CRIMINAL.

(From a Scotch Parer.) i - tLX^ Wa3 ”c-arr63t6d at Carlisle, OQ a charge of burglary, a man whose daring criminal achievements have for a quarter of a century furnished food for the wonder of the gossips of a wide [district. In 1844 John Gillespie was ,jsentenced to death for attempted murder at Wigtown, he having broken the nose of a shopkeeper with his “Jemmy” while robbing the shop at midnight. Gillespie was left for execution, and would in all probability have been executed hut for a series of well-sus-tained artifices. He feigned serious illness, and as he was believed to be on the point of death the execution of his sentence was indefinitely postponed. On the tenth day after trial, as he was going up the stair of the prison chapel, he fell backward—in a fit, as was supposed. He was carried to the hospital, whore, by some means, he managed to vomit blood at pleasure ; and, in order to revive him, the generous governor, Mr Orridge, had him removed to a more cheerful room, the day room, which, he occupied for four years. During his abode here—a perfect cripple to all appearance, confined to his bed, and iji the last stage of illness—unaccountable robberies took place in the larder of the Governor’s house ; his '.vine was consumed by some mysterious means ; on one or two occasions female I prisoners bad been found drunk by the i warders. All this was inexplicable until the day on which Gillespie, seemingly at the point of death, was liberated and conveyed home. A search of his room was made, and at the bottom of a water cistern a large bunch of keys was found, which opened every lock in the gaol, even the Governor’s safe and private drawers ! He also had a small oil lamp concealed in the same place, and a pot of paint for covering over any damage he might do to the woo l-work in his lock-picking explorations about the prison. Next ley Gillespie was walking about the streets, his crutches thrown away, and no sign of his prolonged debility visible, A fortnight later he was appro* bended for burglary near Ann u, and was lodged in Dumfriesshire gaol out of which, however, he broke, in company with another prisoner named 'ACallimi. The latter got clear for a Gum. hut ultimately he was taken near Durham. Gillespie, who has a “ club” foot, was tracked by a policeman, and after a prolonged and bloody fight he was secured. He was sentenced to

secured He was sentence*.! to ten years’ transportation, am! was sent to A herdeen prison to put in part of his time, from which he again escarped, only to he again captured, and was once more conveyed to Aberdeen, and confined there. In course of time —strange to say —he got a ticket ofIcavc, when he returned to Carlisle, and—stranger still to relate —he was appointed master of the Reformatory School there. However, his instruction being very much of the Fagan stamp, Mr Sabbage, now Superintend lent of Police at Newcastle, got his license withdrawn, and Gillespie was sent back to serve out his term of punishment. Other incidents of his career might be narrated, but the above will, no doubt, appear sufficiently extraordinary. In the present case, he was arrested on a charge of breaking into the house of a solicitor at 1 o’clock in the morning, and stealing silver plate: hut a witness having withdrawn Iris identidcatioa of the prisoner he was discharged. Ultimately, however, a purse which had been carried away was found near his house, aud his re« apprehension was resolved on by Superintendent Taylor.