Day of doom at Paisley Jail
Silhouetted sombrely against the black backdrop of Paisley’s castellated jail, the cold corpses of two robbers hung lifeless on the gallows.
Watched by silent crowds and guarded by 250 police in County Square, James Brown, a labourer, and John Craig, a glazier, were publicly executed after breaking into Foxbar House and attacking 70-year-old William Robertson and his sister on the night of June 14, 1829.
The terrified victims were left bruised, bloodied and bound after the pair beat them up with a cudgel then escaped with silver spoons and other valuables.
Apprehended in Belfast some time later, the robbers – both Irishmen - were tried in Glasgow, found guilty and sent to Paisley for execution.
Waiting in Paisley Jail for their day of doom, Brown and Craig were visited by local ministers.
The condemned men blamed their misfortunes on strong drink and violation of the Sabbath.
They admitted the stick with which they bludgeoned the Robertsons
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– and which was used in evidence against them – was cut on a Sunday as they walked through woods near Foxbar House where they planned the robbery.
The Sunday before their execution, the robbers met Mr Robertson and apologised for attacking him and his sister.
Two days before the drop, they met their families for the last time. Both men’s wives carried little children in their arms and were accompanied by sons and daughters.
Brown urged his wife to avoid bad company and respect the Sabbath.
He told his two eldest daughters to avoid public houses because strong drink had been his ruination.
Craig begged his wife never to take in lodgers as they had led him astray.
On their last night on earth, the prisoners were comforted by ministers, including the Rev John Geddes of Paisley High Church, who took it in turns to share their condemned cell.
On Thursday, October 29, 1829, James Brown and John Craig mounted the scaffold where nooses were placed round their necks and their arms pinioned to their sides.
“Are you ready?” asked the hangman solemnly. “Yes,” both men whispered.
A lever was pulled, the wooden floor clattered open beneath their feet and the platform shuddered horribly as the gallows and ropes round their necks took their full weight.
The prisoners, who died in seconds, were left hanging for half-an-hour.
Their bodies were then delivered to their families. After their coffined corpses lay at home for two days, the mortal remains of James Brown and John Craig were buried at well-attended funerals in Johnstone.
Long afterwards, their sad story was told in Paisley churches as ministers urged their flocks to avoid strong drink and shun bad company.
Today, these sermons from the scaffold are as meaningful as they were nearly 200 years ago.