"Christina McKenzie and Rosina McKenzie, two sisters and known to be reputed thieves were accused of assaulting Mary Ann Robertson Miller, residing with Robert Miller, cabinetmaker, Drumdryan Street, Edinburgh, and robbing her of a leather purse and bead purse containing the sum of £3 5s. 1½d., also a parcel containing a wincey skirt and apron on the 23rd December 1869.
The prisoners pleaded not guilty and the case went to trial. Mr Melville conducted the case for the defence.
Mary Ann Robertson Miller deponed that she left the City Police Office between 11 and 12 o'clock on Thursday 23rd December last, and was met by the prisoners in High Street. Witness expressed herself to the prisoners that she felt very unwell, and they advised her to take something.
His LORDSHIP - By something I suppose they meant spirits?
Witness - Yes. Witness and prisoners went into Hamilton's public house in High Street and had three glasses of toddy. Witness paid for the liquor with a shilling she took out of her purse. The prisoners afterwards decoyed her to their own house in Dickson's Close. Witness was very unwilling to go but ultimately she went along with the prisoners. When witness entered the prisoners' house she saw no one in it. She had not been more than five minutes in the house when the prisoner Rosina McKenzie rushed out of a room, seized hold of witness by her arm, and forced her purse out of her hand. Christina stood behind her, and assisted Rosina to take the purse from her. Witness also had a parcel containing a wincey skirt and apron, which was likewise stolen from her by the prisoners. She cried, "Murder" and "Save my life". The prisoners after robbing her of her purse and parcel left the house, and witness attempted to follow, but was prevented from leaving the house by two girls named Coyne and Purves, who were in the house".
The locations mentioned in the newspaper report will be familiar to anyone with a knowledge of Edinburgh, particularly the Royal Mile. Indeed, the entrance to Dickson's Close, where the assault and robbery took place, now forms part of the reception of the Radisson Blu Hotel, just down from the Tron Kirk.
Why Rosina went to Aberdeen on her discharge from prison in July 1875 is not known. Initially she stayed at the Victoria Lodging House on Guestrow, now known as Provost Skene's House, after which she moved to an address on Park Street. In September of that same year, she found herself in trouble once more, with the Register of Returned Convicts recording that she was again "Committed for Theft" (see image at bottom of page).
Although it hasn't been possible to locate a newspaper report of this second trial, it is almost certain that Rosina was sentenced to a further seven years' penal servitude for this crime, and that she served this sentence at H.M. General Prison, Perth. The reason for believing this is that she is noted as being incarcerated there on the 1881 census, while her mugshot (below) appears in a register of convicts released from Perth prison which is also held by Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives. The card alongside her image provides both the date (7th April 1876) and length of her sentence, as well as the fact that she was tried at the Circuit Court in Aberdeen.
Rosina was liberated from Perth prison in July 1883, with her intended residence being her old haunt of Edinburgh.
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