Alexander Donaldson

343

Maureen Withey on 26th January 2026

Alexander Donaldson, brother of Thomas Donaldson, the panel convicted in the preceding case, was then placed at the bar, charged, along with William Buchanan, also before convicted, of the crimes of theft, aggravated by housebreaking and stouthrief. William Buchanan was not brought forward; and the Advocate-Depute restricted the libel  to the crimes of theft and stouthrief,  of which he was found guilty, and sentenced transported for life.  Perthshire Courier, 18 April 1823. The case referred to, which involved Alexander's brother Thomas Donaldson: The Court proceeded to the trial of Thomas Donaldson, William Buchanan, and William Forbes Duncan, who were placed at the bar, charged with tbe crimes of theft, aggravated by housebreaking, and of stouthrief. Before proceeding to trial, the Advocate. Depute restricted the charge to the crimes of theft and stouthrief. William Forbes  Duncan pled Guilty, the other two pannels Not Guilty. From the evidence adduced to the Jury, it appeared, that on the day libelled, two of the pannels, William Buchanan and William F. Duncan, bad gone to the farmhouse of Greens, in the parish of Monquihiter, county of Aberdeen, occupied by John Cooper, farmer; and there, under pretence of lighting their pipes, had found admission into the house, and while there, made several inquiries about the number of men servants, and where they slept. They learned that there was only one man servant and a boy at the farm. From this they proceeded to the house of James Risch, innkeeper in Cumines own, in the same parish, and after refreshing themselves were shown into a room, to sleep for the night. They absconded from thence during the night by opening a window, taking with them a pair of sheets, an umbrella, and glass decanter. Risch and his wife identified the pannels, and the articles taken. The panels had then proceeded, about two in the morning, to the John Cooper's farm-house at Greens, where they demanded admittance. This John Conner, the tenant refused, and sallied out of the house with an unloaded gun to oppose them. A struggle ensued between him and and one of the pannels, W. F. Duncan. During the struggle both fell to the ground, when William Buchanan, the other pannel, came up and most inhumanly beat John Couper, an old man of 70 years of age, on the head with a large stone; and after wrenching his gun from him, fractured two of his ribs by striking him therewith. During this period the other panne!, Donaldson, who had some years before been a servant to the said John Cooper, was standing watch over the man servant and boy, at the out-house, where they slept. They left Couper for dead in the front of the house. Two of the pannels then broke into Cooper's house, rummaged it, and carried off two pairs of boots. The two pannels, William Buchanan and William F. Duncan, were disguised, by having the sheets they had stolen from Rsch's wrapt around them. These, with the rest of the articles they had taken from Risch, they left behind them in Couper's close. The Advocate-Depute and the Counsel for the pannels declined addressing the Jury. Lord Justice-Clerk summed up the evidence, and the Advocate-Depute restricted the libel as to W. F. Duncan, to an arbitrary punishment. After the Jury had retired for a short period, upon their return, they delivered an unanimous verdict against all the punnets —Guilty of the crimes of theft and stouthrief. When the verdict was recorded, the Advocate. Depute moved the judgment of the Court, and the Lord Justice Clerk, in a most impressive speech, warned  the pannels, Donaldson and Buchanan, that, from the frequency of the crime of stouthrief in this quarter,  there could be no hope of mercy held out to them,—beseeched them to turn to the Saviour of mankind, the fountainof salvation, to supplicate at the throne of mercy for forgiveness of the heinous crimes they had been guilty of, and to prepare for their awful change from time to eternity. They were sentenced to be executed at Aberdeen, betwixt the hours of two and four o'clock, upon Friday the 23d day of May next. The pannels seemed to be affected on receiving sentence. Inverness Journal, 18 April 1823. All three were executed.

343

Maureen Withey on 26th January 2026

https://www.oldscottish.com/convict-records-4.html Old Scottish Genealogy and Family History, Database of Scottish Court records relating to Australian convicts.  Alexander Donaldson, Unstated. Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Tried Aberdeen, 10 April 1823, Transportation, Life. Per Countess of Harcourt, 16 March 1824, to New South Wales. ------------------------------------------------------------ National Archive. Criminal Petitions. HO 17/6/65 1823 Apr 30 Prisoner name: Alexander Donaldson. Prisoner details: Aged 17 years. Farm servant to John Hunter and John Lickly in the parish of Ellon, Aberdeenshire. Court and date of trial: Circuit Court of Justiciary, Aberdeen, 10 April 1823. Crime: Stouthrief; in entering the house of James Bowman at Fordmouth, Ellon, in December 1822 and carrying away money. Initial sentence: Transportation for life. Annotated: '20 May 1823 Nil'. Petitioner(s): William Buchanan (indicted with the convict), his dying declaration. Alexander Donaldson (the convict) supported by a character from John Hunter and John Lickly (former employer). Grounds for clemency: Innocent of the crime; mistaken identity; previous good character. Additional Information: Indicted with William Buchanan who was not brought to trial as he had already been capitally convicted for housebreaking [HO/17/6/63].