Catalogue description Prisoner name: Thomas Stevenson alias Thomas Hodge. Prisoner details: Weaver by trade...

Prisoner name: Thomas Stevenson alias Thomas Hodge.

Prisoner details: Weaver by trade but a labourer and former sailor of Little Jack's Close, Canongate, Edinburgh.

Court and date of trial: High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh 26 May 1823.

Crime: Violating sepulchres; particularly that of the late Janet Moir, a cripple, at Larbert, Falkirk on 14 Mar 1823 and raising and carrying away her body.

Initial sentence: Seven years transportation.

Annotated: 'pardoned Aug 1823'.

Petitioner(s): Thomas Hodge (the convict).

Grounds for clemency: Although found in possession of the body (and two others), there was no evidence that he was involved in the crime as indicted (relating to the body of Janet Moir). He claims that the female body, which was lifted from a churchyard in Clackmannanshire and not Larbert, was wrongly identified as Moir due to decay, having been buried nine weeks earlier. He was prevented from entering into a material part of his defence relating to the place from which the body was taken.

Other papers: Letters from Sir Everard Home [physician] and B C Brodie giving their opinions as to the rate of decay of dead bodies. Letter from Henry Hobhouse to the Lord Chancellor relating to the medical opinions. Letter from John Watkins, the convict's agent, transmitting a petition to the Home Department. Certificate from Andrew Hay, late surgeon to HMS Hydra, confirming that the convict served on board that ship in 1809 and 1810 as Boy 3rd Class. Printed certificate from the Navy Office confirming that the convict was serving on board HMS Harlequin on 28 February 1815 as Boy 3rd Class. Printed Indictment. Copy written indictment. Copy declaration of the convict. Notes on the trial. Report on the case by D Boyle, Lord Justice Clerk.

Additional Information: The convict has previous convictions for this type of offence. He served on board the Hydra 1808 to 1810, Royal William, Antelope, St Juan and Sapphira after which he was discharged through ill-health. On recovery he re-enlisted in 1812 serving on board Ramelies and Harlequin until 1816.