ON the afternoon of Sunday, 17th
February, 1822, a most extraordinary riot took place in the city.
It was directed against Mr. George
Provand, oil and colour merchant, who then occupied the handsome house in
Clyde Street, not far from the jail, which had been the residence of the
well-known city magnate, Robert Dreghorn, Esq., Laird of Ruchill, near to
Maryhill and Possil, an estate recently purchased by the Corporation of
Glasgow for a public park.
The house referred to had the
reputation of being haunted;
and in addition thereto, the mob had become possessed
with the idea that its then occupant, Mr. Provand, a bold, tall, and
vigorous man, was that obnoxious character, a resurrectionist; and it
might be even worse, a burker!
As set forth in a proclamation
issued by the lord provost and magistrates, the house was broken into and
entered by a riotous and tumultuous assemblage of persons, who, besides
breaking the windows, and destroying many articles of furniture in the
house, were guilty of stealing and carrying away therefrom a number of
gold, silver, and copper coins, silver plate, etc. Others of them who had
not an eye to plunder, indulged their propensity for devastation and
destruction, furniture being smashed, burned, or carried out and thrown
into the river, which flowed past quite handy for the purpose. The police
of the city were overpowered, pelted with stones, and forced to run for
their lives; while about four o’clock, when the worshippers in the
churches were coming out, the whole city was in a ferment. The
magistrates, and Mr. James Hardie, master of police, and some well-known
citizens, in vain sought to throw oil on the troubled waters. They were
hooted, pelted, and driven away; Mr. Lawrence Craigie, acting-chief
magistrate, having a most narrow escape for his life. In these
circumstances he rushed over to the Cavalry Barracks, then in Laurieston;
while one or other of his colleagues ran to the lnfantry Barracks, then in
the Gallowgate, for military aid.
Mr. Craigie, mounted on a dragoon
horse, soon appeared at full gallop over the old Jamaica Bridge, heading
the cavalry, while the infantry soon also came forward in double quick
order. The Riot Act was read; the dragoons charged with drawn sabres; and
the infantry advanced with fixed bayonets; on which the mob, innocent and
guilty, took to their heels and fled. Next morning the lord provost and
magistrates offered— "A reward of two hundred guineas" to any persons,
who, within one month, should give such information as would lead to the
apprehension and conviction of the offenders.
In consequence of said proclamation
and reward, various persons were apprehended, five of whom were brought to
trial before the Circuit Court of Justiciary in April following. They were
convicted; and one, Richard Campbell, weaver, who had been a police
officer, in addition to the sentence of transportation beyond seas, which
all received, was further adj udged to be scourged through the city, by
the hangman, on the 8th day of May following.
Accordingly, on the day specified,
at twelve o’clock a strong detachment of the 4th Dragoon Guards paraded in
front of the jail; while, at the same time, a large force of police and
civil officers attended. The culprit was brought out of the jail, and
bound to the cart; parties of the dragoons were placed in front and rear
to keep off the crowd; and when all was ready the cavalcade moved on to
the respective places of punishment. The first halt was made on the
south side of the jail; where the culprit’s back was laid bare by the
hangman, who there gave him his first twenty lashes with a formidable "cat
o’ nine tails."
The
