BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 35 3
expected that the city, together with the Castle, would fall into the hands of the
“Friends of the People.” The design was as follows:--“A fire was to be
raised near the Excise Office, which would require the attendance of the soldiers,
who were to be met on their way by a body of the ‘Friends of the
People ;’ another party of whom were to issue from the West Bow, to confine
the soldiers between two fires, and cut off their retreat. The Castle was next
to be attempted ; the Judges and Magistrates were to be seized ; and all the
public banks were to be secured. A proclamation was then to be issued, ordering
all the farmers to bring in their grain to market as usual ; and enjoining all
country gentlemen unfriendly to the cause to keep within their houses, or three
miles of them, under penalty of death. Then an address was to be sent to his
Majesty, conimanding him to put an end to the war-td change his ministersor
take the consequences.”
Before this extraordinary project could be carried into effect, it was necessary
that arms of some description or other should be procured. Another committee
was consequently formed, called the collectors of “ Sense and Money,” whose
business it was to “ raise the wind,” in order to procure arms. Two smiths
(Robert Orrock and William Brown), who had enrolled their names among the
( ( Friends of the People,” were employed to make four thousand pikes ; some
of which were actually completed, and had been delivered to Watt, and paid
for by Downie, in his capacity of treasurer.
Meanwhile the trials of William Skirving, Maurice Margarot, and Joseph
Gerrald had taken place ; but it was not until May that Watt and Downie were
apprehended. On the 15th of that month, two sheriff-officers, while searching the
house of Watt for some goods which had been secreted, belonging to a bankrupt,
discovered some pikes, which they immediately carried to the Sheriff’s
Chambers. A warrant was then given to search the whole premises, and also
to apprehend the parties. In the cellar, a form of types, from which the address
to the ‘military had been printed, as also an additional quantity of pikes, were
discovered ; and in the house of Orrock, the smith, thirty-three pikes, finished
and unfinished, were likewise found.
True bills of indictment having been found against Watt and Downie, the
trial of the former took place before the Court of Oyer and Terminer, on the 14th
of August 1794; and of the latter, on the 7th of Septeniber. The facts set
forth in the indictments were fully proven against the prisoners. A letter from
Downie-as treasurer to the Committee of Ways and Means, to “Walter
Millar, Perth ”-acknowledging the receipt of S15, in which he gave an account
of the riots in the Theatre,’ was produced and identified ; and Robert Orrock
These riots commenced on Monday night, the 8th of April 1794, when the tragedy of Charles
I. waa performed. At the end of the second act several gentlemen called to the band in the orchestra
to play “God save the King,” during the performance of which a few individuals did not uncover.
Sone of the more loyal portion of the audience insisted that they should ; and from words the
matter came to blows. On the next night of performance (the 10th) some attempts were made to
create a disturbance, which was speedily got under ; but on Saturday, the 12th, the democratic
party mustered in greater numbers j and preparations had been made on both sides for a trial of
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