On Tuesday there were placed at the bar of the Police Court two boys, named John Kerr and Charles Stewart, for stealing on Monday from the shop of Mr Rettie, spirit dealer, No. 1, Queen Street, two brass candlesticks. M’Levie, the criminal officer, stopped the thieves in Leith Wynd, about 20 minutes after the theft, with the stolen property in their possession. Kerr has been previously imprisoned in Perth prison. They were remitted to a higher court. A man named William Brash was also placed at the bar, for stealing from the shop of James Young, draper, High Street, five pieces of cloth and tartan, value L.22. About seven o’clock on Monday evening, information was given at the Police Office, and about twelve o’clock M’Levie apprehended Brash in a notorious house in the Netherbow, and found on his person the key of a workshop in Borthwick’s Close belonging to Brash’s father, where all the stolen goods were recovered. Brash had formerly been transported for seven years; he was therefore remitted again, to be dealt with according to law.
Caledonain Mercury Thursday, Oct. 31, 1844
Compare with McLevy’s story
The Belfast Key appears to recount the same case in McLevy’s later literary account.
The second case in this report concerns William Brash stealing cloth from James Young’s High Street shop, with the goods recovered using a key to his father’s workshop in Borthwick’s Close. These distinctive details also appear in the story. The newspaper describes five pieces worth £22, whereas the story describes a much larger haul.
