[Here the witness pointed out Mr. Brodie to be the same person that had
called himself John Dixon.]--On getting out to sea Mr. Dixon delivered
to the captain a letter from Mr. Hamilton or Mr. Pinkerton, but,
although I desired him to let me read it, I did not see it. In
consequence of this, the captain altered his course and steered for
Holland, and the vessel, although bound for Leith, sailed to Flushing. I
do not think she was driven there by contrary winds, as the wind was
south-west, and fairer for Newcastle or Leith than for Holland. During
the voyage, Mr. Dixon complained much of a sore throat. When we arrived
at Flushing we cleaned ourselves and went ashore, and Mr. Dixon set off
for Ostend in a skiff which he hired for that purpose. On shore, before
he left, Mr. Dixon gave me a packet containing two letters, one of which
had another within it, to carry to Scotland to be delivered in
Edinburgh. One of the letters was directed to Mr. Michael Henderson,
stabler in the Grassmarket, in which there was one inclosed to Mrs. Anne
Grant, Cant’s Close, and the other to Mr. Matthew Sheriff, upholsterer
in Edinburgh, signed and dated as mentioned in the indictment. We did no
business at Flushing, and I am of opinion that the ship did not come
there with that intention. After landing Mr. Dixon we sailed for Leith.
When I arrived in Leith, from the accounts I heard about Brodie, I was
convinced that Dixon and Brodie were the same person. Next day I went to
Mid-Calder, and about three weeks afterwards was at Dalkeith, where I
had occasion to see the newspapers, and the description of Brodie
therein given confirmed me in the above suspicion. I then delivered the
letters to Sheriff Cockburn. I had previously opened the packet and read
them. [The witness was here shown the letters libelled on.] I know that
these are the letters I received from the prisoner and delivered to the
Sheriff.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL--Did Brodie say that he had any business at
Flushing?
WITNESS--He mentioned that he had business at Ostend, and Captain Dent
said he was to wait till he returned, and that he supposed he belonged
to the Carron Company; but when the wind came fair, Captain Dent said
he would not wait for him, and the devil a bit of business he supposed
he had.
Cross-examined by the DEAN OF FACULTY--You have told us that you went
ashore when you arrived at Flushing. Pray, sir, did you make any
purchases there?
WITNESS--None, except a piece or two of nankeen for breeches to myself.
The DEAN OF FACULTY--Did you purchase nothing else?
WITNESS--Nothing, except two or three handkerchiefs for my own use.
The DEAN OF FACULTY--You will remember, sir, that you are upon your
great oath, and that it is your duty to tell the whole truth.
Lord HAILES--My Lords, the witness should be informed that if he
purchased any contraband goods he has nothing to fear from acknowledging
that he did so.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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