Circuit court

On Wednesday, the Court met at ten o'clock, when William Leisk, grain dealer from Banffshire, accused of forgery, or uttering and using a Bill, knowing it to be forged, was put to the bar.  A material witness, the brother of the pannel, being absent, and his father, another witness, being allowed by the Court to decline giving evidence, the Public Prosecutor restricted the libel to an arbitrary punishment; and the libel having been found proven by the Jury, the Court sentenced the pannel to seven years transportation beyond seas.

Robert Stephen, accused of stealing 4 ewes, and a wedder, from Wm. Dickie, at Earlseat of Cruden, and of being habit and repute a thief.  The libel against him being restricted by the Depute Advocate, he pled guilty, and was sentenced to 14 years transportation beyond seas.

Peter Clark, accused of stealing a ewe and lamb from James Currie, at Braeach of Fordyce, having pled guilty, and the libel being also restricted, was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment in the Tolbooth of Banff.

William Strath and George Strath, from Boghead of Fyvie, and John Thom, flesher in Oldmeldrum, were indicted - the said William Strath for stealing, from a house in Inverury, a Silver Watch, with chains and seals; and George Strath and John Thom for aiding and assisting William Strath in breaking out of the jail of Inverury.  William Strath was outlawed for not appearing; George Strath being found not guilty and the libel against John Thom not proven, they were assoilzed and dismissed from the bar.

The diet against John Salman, alias Salomon, John McCraw, William Forbes, and John Duchison, accused of theft and housebreaking, and John Davidson, accused of theft, on account of the absence of a material witness, was deserted pro loco et tempore, and they were re committed on a new warrant.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 29th April 1818.