Not the THREETOWNS but close

[Penny Tray]

GLASGOW HERALD
23 APRIL 1819

AYR CIRCUIT COURT – DEATH SENTENCE

This morning, Thursday, April 22, the Court was opened by Lord Pitmilly.

The first libel taken up was that against John McNeil alias Boag, and Joseph McNeil alias Boag, accused of breaking into the house occupied by Archibald Scott at Kilruskin, parish of Kilbride, by the door on the 17th October last, and opening a chest and stealing two one pound bank notes, a web of linen, and several articles of wearing apparel; on the 20th of the same month, of entering the house of William Reid, and stealing a silver watch, &c.; and on the 22nd October, and on the of breaking into the house of Robert Wyllie, in the parish of Kilwinning, by forcing open the window, and stealing a variety of men and women’s wearing apparel, ring, &c., and on the 23rd October, of breaking into the house of Robert Andrew in Grangehill, Parish of Beith, by forcing open the window and taking away six tea spoons, and a number of other articles.

Both prisoners pleaded guilty.

The jury found the prisoners guilty in terms of their own confession, but, in consideration of that confession, a majority recommended them to mercy.

After an impressive address by the Judge, in which his Lordship, forbade them to indulge a hope of mercy, they were condemned to be hanged at Ayr, on Friday the 28th May next.

[John McNeil alias Boag, was indeed hanged at Ayr on Friday, 28 May, 1819. Joseph McNeil alias Boag was reprieved.]

[Hughie]

Hamilton Advertiser
April 26, 1930

Fatality at Lanarkshire Quarry
An official of Nobel's Explosive Factory, Ardeer, was killed, and two workmen were injured, as the result of a fall of rock during blasting operations on Wednesday at Cathkin Quarries. Mr James Skinner, the Ardeer expert, who resided at Ardrossan, was caught by a 20-ton boulder, and some time elapsed before his body could be removed from the 150 tons of stone and other debris dislodged by the explosion.

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The Scotsman
May 23, 1930

Quarry Fatality
An inquiry was held in Glasgow yesterday before Sheriff Wilton, K.C., and a jury into the accident at Cathkin Quarry, near Carmunnock, on April 23, as a result of which a mining engineer, James Skinner (32), of Ardrossan,, was killed. Deceased, it was explained, met his death while demonstrating to workmen the use of explosives. The Fiscal said the cause of the accident was not clear. Two theories had been advanced, one of which was that fire might have been set up by friction, and so caused the explosion. That was probably the correct theory. The jury returned a formal verdict, adding a rider to the effect that no blame could be attached to the owner of the quarry or to any of the employees or the manufacturers of the explosives used.

[Penny Tray]

James Skinner resided at 9 McKellar Avenue, Ardrossan.