Circuit Court: trial of Alexander Walker

On Tuesday, the Court met at 10 o'clock, and proceeded to the trial of Alexander Walker, in New Pitsligo, accused of fraud, breach of trust, and imposition, in so far as William Robertson, in Upper Glaslaw, having called a meeting of his Creditors in the year 1815, at which it was agreed that John Ironside, at Nettensheads, should be Trustee on his estate, Robertson accordingly desired the prisoner to make out the Trust Deed, and gave him money to pay the stamp duty, which the prisoner retained, without preparing the deed.  Afterwards, a roup of Robertson's effects took place, at which the prisoner acted as Clerk, and wrote the bills granted thereat, and carried them home with him, under pretence of arranging them, the same being a few days afterwards to be delivered to John Ironside.  After repeated applications, the prisoner delivered the roup roll and certain of the documents to Ironside, and along with them a false bill, which he had fraudulently forged and prepared, in imitation of a genuine bill, for £12 10s 2d; and did fraudulently forge and counterfeit the subscription of the said John Ironside, and the mark of Elizabeth Robertson, to the same; and farther, in breach of the trust and confidence reposed in him, prisoner subscribed the genuine bill as drawer, and indorsed the same blank, and delivered it to William McCook, messenger, in payment of a debt which he was then employed to do diligence against the prisoner for; and all this with intent to cheat and defraud the said John Ironside and Elizabeth Robertson, who, when the genuine Bill fell due, were obliged to make payment of it, with interest and charges. to McCook, for behoof of his employers.  To these charges the prisoner pleaded Not Guilty; and after some debate, his Counsel, Mr Gordon of Craig stated, in bar of the prosecution, an omission of some material words in the copy of the criminal letters served upon the prisoner.  On account of this inaccuracy, the Advocate Depute departed from the prosecution in toto , and the Jury consequently returning a verdict viva voce of Not Guilty, the prisoner was dismissed from the bar.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 1st October 1817.

Alexander Lyall, fraudulent trader

Last week, a stranger, calling himself Alexander Lyall, having very much the appearance of one of the Tribe of Levi, came to this city as a dealer in Quills, and other stationary articles; and by pretending that he sold his goods considerably under the London Wholesale prices, had the address to dispose of a good many of his articles to several unsuspecting individuals.  On Monday he was apprehended, and brought before the sitting Magistrate; and it having appeared that the goods were of a very inferior quality, and that he had been guilty of great imposition and fraud, he was fined in Five Guineas, on that account, as well as being an unfree trader, and encroaching on the privileges of the Burgesses.  There seems to be an inundation of these gentry at present infesting the country; and we cannot too much caution the inhabitants against countenancing them, or buying their goods; we also hope the officers of Police will be on the alter, to detect them, and bring them before the Magistrates, when they make their appearance here.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 15th June 1814.