Mackoull at this time passed to and fro between Edinburgh and Dublin, and was popular in both capitals, a pleasant companion, ever ready to drink and gamble and join in any debauchery. He became very corpulent, and it was said of him that he did not care how he was jostled in a crowd. This was necessary as a matter of business sometimes, but one night at the Edinburgh theatre he got into trouble. Incledon, the famous vocalist, was singing to full houses, and Mackoull in the crowded lobby picked a gentleman's pocket. He was caught in the act, but escaped for a time; then was seized after a hot pursuit and searched, but with no result, for he had dropped his booty in the race. They cast him into the Tolbooth, but he was released for want of proof after nine months' detention. As the story is told, the gentleman robbed was much displeased at Mackoull's release and complained of this failure of justice. The judge before whom the thief had been arraigned admitted that he ought to have been hanged. "He went to the play-house to steal and not to hear music; and he gave a strong proof of this, Mr. P., when he preferred _your_ notes to Mr. Incledon's." Mackoull, retiring south after his liberation, lay low for a time, but he made one expedition to Scotland for the purpose of passing forged notes, when he was again arrested, but again evaded the law. Another enterprise in Chester failed; the luck was against him for the moment. But now, having sought out efficient confederates, he laid all his plans for the robbery of some one or other of the great Scottish banks. He was well equipped for the job, had secured the best men and the finest implements. [Illustration: THE TOLBOOTH, EDINBURGH.] He was assisted by two confederates, French and Huffey White, the latter a convict at the hulks, whose escape Mackoull had compassed on purpose. They broke into the Paisley Bank at Glasgow on Sunday night, July 14, 1811, with keys carefully fitted long in advance, and soon ransacked the safe and drawers, securing in gold and notes something like £20,000. Of course, they left Glasgow at once, travelling full speed in a postchaise and four, first to Edinburgh and then _viâ_ Haddington and Newcastle southward to London. In the division of the spoil which now took place Mackoull contrived to keep the lion's share. White was apprehended, and to save his life a certain sum was surrendered to the bank; but some of the money, as I have said elsewhere,[18] seems to have stuck to the fingers of Sayer, the Bow Street officer who had negotiated between Mackoull and the bank. Mackoull himself had retained about £8,000.