From the Scots Magazine of 18 November 1816:
This evening, a puncheon of spirits was left nearly opposite to a grocer’s door in Broughton-street, Edinburgh. When the people to whom it belonged came to remove it, three young boys were discovered lying beside it totally insensible from intoxication. They had bored holes in the cask by which they effected their purpose, but at the expense of the loss of almost the whole of the spirits. The boys were carried to the Calton watch-house, where they recovered their senses, but two of them remained very ill. None of them are above 12 years of age.
Next, from the Edinburgh Evening News of 10 May 1876:
ACTION FOR DAMAGES FROM THE BITE OF A DOG.
At the Edinburgh Small-Debt Court to-day—Sheriff Hamilton on the bench—James Burns, sen., 8 Glengyle Buildings, Canonmills, Edinburgh, as administrator in law for his son James Burns, jun., sued Robert Hair, smith and farrier, Bellevue, Edinburgh, and Andrew Leslie, blacksmith, 3 Tenant Street, Leith, for damages. The summons concluded for £12 for loss, injury and damage sustained by James Burns, senior, through Mr Hair having in his possession a ferocious and vicious dog going at large, which Andrew Leslie, blacksmith, in his employment, urged on to attack pursuer’s son, James Burns, junior, and which bit the boy on the left leg to the effusion of blood and serious injury of his person.
—The medical gentlemen who attended the lad said there were three abrasions on the leg, and any one of these would have produced hydrophobia had the dog been mad.—Two lads who witnessed the occurrence gave evidence to the effect that they, along with some other lads, were standing at the entrance of Mr Hair’s yard when Leslie set the dog to frighten them and others who had gone within the gate. The dog, which was a black retriever, darted at Burns, who was standing at the gateway, and bit him.—The pursuer stated that his son’s nervous system had got a severe shock.
—Mr Hair denied that his dog was ferocious. It was kept as a watch-dog. He was much annoyed by boys coming in and amusing themselves in his yard. The dog was kept chained, though it must have been loose on this occasion. He gave no orders for the dog to be set upon the boy. He had called upon pursuer and offered to destroy the dog.
—The Sheriff though there was no use of dealing with the case as regarded Leslie. Mr Hair admitted that he kept the animal as a watch-dog, and that it was loose when it bit the lad. He also offered to destroy it, and if, after a dog had bitten a child and the owner offered to destroy the animal, it seemed to him that it was an admission that it was vicious. He gave decree in favour of the pursuer for two guineas with expenses.
BOARD & EDUCATION.—Two Ladies, residing in Bellevue Terrace, Edinburgh, receive under their care a limited number of Young Ladies as BOARDERS, who will attend Classes, or can be Instructed at Home by the most eminent Masters in Town. Their Studies and Musical Practice will be daily superintended by an experienced Governess, and every attention paid to their Comfort, Health, and general Improvement.
Address, Misses MARSHALL and SIEVWRIGHT, 2, Bellevue Terrace, Edinburgh.
References of high respectability in Leeds and Edinburgh can be given.