Disguised as an officer

Catherine Nairne, lately tried and found guilty of incest and murder, made this evening her escape out of Edinburgh gaol, in the disguise of an officer. Having been delivered about nine days before of a girl, she was indulged, on account of her weakness, with the quiet and privacy which the nature of her illness required. She desired, however, that her room-door might be left open for the benefit of the air, and being left alone for the night, she took occasion to dress herself in man's apparel, and walking out into the court, and mixing with the strangers that were going out, passed unnoticed by the keepers.

She seems to have been well seconded; for certain information was received at Mr. Fielding's office, that she was at Dover on the Wednesday following, in the dress of an officer, endeavouring to procure a passage for France, which probably she has since obtained.

Some letters from Edinburgh mention the accounts of Mrs. Ogilvie's [sic] escape to be as follows:

There were two rooms allotted to her when lying-in, an outer and an inner room, in the last of which she was brought to bed; after that happened, the under-keeper, or turnkey, visited her once a day to see she was in bed in the inner room; some days before she made her escape, she intreated that the door between the two rooms might be left open all night, for the benefit of air, as she was, or pretended to be, very sickly and weak. This, from a principle of humanity, was complied with; and that afternoon the keeper of the prison, or under-keeper, visited her, drew the curtains, and saw her in bed, when she intreated not to be disturbed till next day at noon, as she was very bad. Immediately after this she had got out of bed, dressed herself in man's apparel, and in the dusk came forward through the two rooms to the outer gate, where the turnkey suspecting no harm, among others, let her pass unnoticed. It does not appear that any person was with her at the time; but the plan being laid, she had immediately taken a post-chaise, and gone off. So that, next day at noon, on entering her room, no person was to be found.

The king and the magistrates of that city have offered a reward of 100l. each for her re-caption. The misfortunes of this family are not yet complete; for Alexander Ogilvie was lately, by warrant of the sheriff, committed to the tolbooth, for the alledged crime of bigamy: whose, father (being concerned in the late rebellion) was confined in Edinburgh castle, and broke his neck in making his escape over the embrasures facing Livingston's- yard. His eldest son was taken prisoner at Carlisle, and suffered an ignominious death with the rebels there; and his next son, Mr. Thomas Ogilvie, of East-Miln, husband to Mrs. Ogilvie, was poisoned by her and his brother, Lieutenant Patrick Ogilvie, belonging to the 89th regiment of foot, who were impeached by the said Alexander Ogilvie of incest, and (in part and art) concerned in the murder, both of whom underwent their trials, the issue of which has been related before.

And what adds farther to these melancholy disasters, the mother of this unfortunate family is still living.