At Edinburgh, 8th March, 1788.

The which day compeared, in presence of Archibald Cockburn, Esq., His Majesty's Sheriff-depute of the shire of Edinburgh, George Smith, grocer in Edinburgh, who, being examined and interrogated by the Sheriff, declares,

That it is about a year and a half since the declarant came to Scotland; that he was never in it before ; that he was born at Boxford, within four miles of Newburgh, Berkshire; that the declarant and his wife travelled the country of England as hawkers, with a horse and cart ; that he brought a horse to this country but no cart ; that, when he first came to Edinburgh, he put up at Michael Henderson's, having heard his house mentioned by travellers in England as a traveller's inn; that he was taken ill after his arrival in this country, and confined for about four months in Michael Henderson's, which obliged him to send for his wife to this place ; that he sent for goods from England, which he sold, as also his horse, in order to support himself.

That since he came to this country, he has frequented Clark's in the Fleshmarket Close, which is a gambling house, and in which house he was in use to meet with a variety of people, and among the rest Andrew Ainslie and John Brown ; that the declarant first got acquainted both with Ainslie and Brown in Michael Henderson's; that Ainslie gave himself out for a shoemaker, but the declarant cannot tell of what profession Brown is ; that the club, as it was called, at Clark's, as the declarant believes, has been doing little these three months past; that the declarant never played there to go very deep, and was never seen to win or lose above thirty shillings, having never taken more than that sum in his pocket alongst with him, but, upon recollection, thinks that he has won above thirty shillings ; that the declarant inclines to believe that John Brown has rather been unfortunate at the club.

Declares and acknowledges that the declarant took a cellar in Stevenlaw's Close from a woman whom he now sees in the office; that the declarant afterwards took Ainslie to the said woman and told her that this was the gentleman who was to possess her cellar; but he does not remember of calling him by the name of Campbell, or any other name; that the declarant gave the rent, which was ten shillings, to Ainslie, who gave it to the woman.

Declares that the declarant went with Ainslie to Mrs. Clark's house in George's Square, where Ainslie took a stable from that lady, but the declarant and Ainslie remained in the kitchen, and neither of them saw Mrs. Clark, as he thinks; that the declarant does not now recollect for what purpose Ainslie said it was he wanted to rent the stable; that the declarant saw Ainslie pay five shillings, or some such sum, as a month's rent for the stable per advance.

And being interrogated, What was the purpose of the vice which stands in the cellar of his house?—Declares that he has had that for seven or eight years, and that he used it for putting tongues in buckles, or any thing of that sort, but he has not used it since he came to his present house; that his wife intended to have set out this day on a visit to her relations in England, and for that purpose the declarant took out for her a ticket in the mail-coach at Drysdale's, where he exchanged a five-pound bank-note and paid for it.

Declares that the black dog now in the office belongs to a neighbour of his, but, from the declarant's giving him now and then some bones to pick, he frequents the declarant's house, and follows him and his wife; that the note he exchanged at Drysdale's the declarant has had in his possession for above two months past ; that he got it from a smuggler, and it was battered then as it is now. This he declares to be truth, and declares he cannot write.

[Signed] Archibald Cockburn.