efly dealt with, the gist of the information on
the subject being that the tax had been levied from a period beyond the
memory of the "oldest people" without quarrel or dispute. That the
resistance of Johnston was not an isolated instance we likewise learn
from this statement of the case, for it says "there appears a fixed
resolution and conspiracy to resist and forcibly obstruct the levy of
this usual custom," and as the result of the tax according to the
executioner's own version amounted to more than L13 annually, it was of
sufficient moment to make sound advice desirable. The opinion of Crosbie
was that rights obtained by virtue of office, and exercised from time
out of mind, were legal, and might very justly be enforced. While
commending the imprisonment of the dealer Johnston, he suggested that
the process of collection should be made more formal than appears to
have been the case in this instance. Officers should assist Jack Ketch
in his _role_ of tax-gatherer, and all preventers should be formally
tried by the magistrates. The tax continued to be levied. The farmers
either gave up their meal grudgingly, or, refusing, were sent to gaol.
In 1796, when the towns-people were in the utmost need of food, riots
and tumults arose in Dumfries, and as one means of allaying the popular
frenzy it was proposed by the leading member of the Corporation,
Provost Haig, that the ladle's harvest should be abolished, and his
recommendation was immediately put into effect. The hangman of Dumfries
was then one Joseph Tate, who was the last of the officers of the noose
connected officially with Dumfries; for the loss of his perquisite he
was allowed the sum of L2 yearly. It is satisfactory to learn that the
ladle itself, the only substantial relic of this curious custom, is, in
all probability preserved at the present time. A footnote in W.
McDowall's valuable "History of Dumfries," says: "The Dumfries hangman's
ladle is still to be seen we believe among other 'auld nick-nackets' at
Abbotsford." It was for many years lost sight of, till in 1818, Mr.
Joseph Train, the zealous antiquary, hunted it out, and, all rusty as it
was, sent it as a present to Sir Walter Scott.[5]

Horrors of the Gallows.

From the following paragraph, drawn from the _Derby Mercury_ of April
6th, 1738, we have a striking example of how deplorable was the conduct
of the hangman in the olden time. It is by no means a solitary instance
of it being mainly caused