This mugshot from 1872 features John Cameron who was tried by the Circuit Court of Justiciary in Aberdeen in September 1866 and found guilty of theft for which he was sentenced to seven years' penal servitude.
The photograph shows that Cameron was a reasonably well dressed and well groomed individual. The Aberdeen Press & Journal of 26th September 1866 reported the trial as follows, "John Cameron (31) of Aberdeen was next charged with the crime of theft, in so far as on the 22nd August last, he stole from a store on Marischal Street, occupied by the Aberdeen, Leith & Clyde Shipping Company a quart bottle of wine and a tin jug".
"Cameron had been twice previously convicted. The prisoner plead not guilty, and a jury having been empanelled, the case went to proof. After hearing the evidence, the jury unanimously found the prisoner guilty as libelled".
"Lord Jerviswoode said that there could be no doubt that the articles that the prisoner had stolen were of no great value; but they did not know, and no one but the prisoner knew, what his intention might have been on this particular occasion, if he had been at liberty for longer in the cellar. The jury had found that he went there with a theftuous intent; and he had been previously sentenced in this court to four years' penal servitude. The sentence must be one of penal servitude for seven years".
Once released from prison in May 1872, Cameron reported to the police on a number of occasions over the next year or so. He is variously listed as living at 21 Forbes Street and 54 East North Street in Aberdeen, along with a brief sojourn to Banff in April 1873.
Cameron was admitted to Aberdeen Royal Asylum on the 23rd June 1879 (National Records of Scotland, MC7/4 p.363)
No comments:
Post a Comment