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Kay's Originals Vol. 2

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3 60 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. As soon as the robbery was discovered on Monday morning, the most active measures were adopted. The robbers were traced to Edinburgh, from whence Mr. Walkinshaw, belonging to Glasgow, and a city officer, set off in pursuit, following the route of the robbers all the way, From the direction of a portmanteau- which Mackcoull had left in charge of the waiter at Welwyn, to be forwarded by the Stamford coach to London-aided by the Bow Street officers, the residence of Scoltock the smith was soon found out, where White was apprehended, Mackcoull narrowly escaping. In order to save White’s life, and secure themselves against prosecution, a negotiation, on the suggestion of French, was proposed to restore the money. Mackcoull, who from the first evidently intended to cheat his associates out of a few thousands of the spoil, reluctantly, although with the best grace, acceded to the proposal. Determining, however, not to give all up, he conceived a plan which evinced no small degree of generalship on his part. This was, to negotiate through the medium of hlr. Sayer, one of the Bow Street officers appointed to attend on the person of George the Third, who, from his long service, was believed to have some little influence at Lord Sidmouth‘s office. He was besides an old acquaintance of Mrs. Mackcoull, and the more likely, backed by a consideration, to be prevailed upon by that lady’s eloquence. The contrivance proved eminently successful. In his anxiety to secure the money, the agent of the bank acted with improper precipitancy. The terms of restitution were at once agreed to-White was forgiven, and the other two secured against prosecution. Mrs. Mackcoull was then despatched with the notes, which, when counted out, amounted only to f,11,941 odds, instead of ;E20,000. The agent remonstrated j but of course Mrs. Mackcoull knew nothing of the matter. Mackcoull had thus played his cards to admiration. White, in pursuance of his pardon, was sent to the Hulks; and French, although so enraged at the perfidy of our hero as to threaten his life, could not accuse him without the certainty of following the fate of Huffey. The Bank was, besides, in a manner tied down ; and to make matters worse, the officers who were at first employed were so angry at the job having been taken out of their hands, that they refused to proceed farther in the business. Mackcoull now gave out that he had gone to the West Indies ; and the bank giving up hopes of his apprehension, he farther secured himself from danger by informing against French, who was seized and transported-to New South Wales. For nearly a year Mackcoull contrived to enjoy himself in London Without detection. In 1812, however, he was seized in one of his old haunts, and, after being detained at Hatton Garden for some time, despatched for Scotland. As he sat on the coach heavily ironed, previous to leaving the “Eull and Mouth,” his late conduct having brought him into low esteem among the honourable members of the fraternity, several of his former acquaintances stood round jeering him. “Some of them observed that the Captain looked extremely well after his West Indian. Voyage; others, in allusion to his nose, that the convoy was about to get under weigh, for the Commodore had
Volume 9 Page 479
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