| Description | In two parts. 1. Proof of procedure states that William Masson must pay half a quince to the Procurator Fiscal who will then hand the money to Helen Caird. 2. Petition & Complaint Thomas Kinnear Procurator Fiscal against William Masson, 4th July 1826. Petition states that "William Masson, Constable in Stonehaven...who having contrived some groundless malice and ill will against Helen Caird residing in Stonehaven, a poor woman of 83 years of age, thought proper, on Friday 30th June last betwixt 11 and 12 o'clock at night, under pretence of searching for suspected persons, and while in a state of intoxication and drunkenness, to make an attack on the house of the said Helen Caird after she had gone to bed. That having knocked violently at the door, he damned her, the said Helen Caird, for an old whore and strumpet, to rise and open the door. That the said Helen Caird , who was frightened and terrified at such violent and outrageous conduct, rose and looked out at the window and informed the said William Masson that there was no person with her, but he still insisted that she should open the door, and by the noise which he made, he collected a mob of people at the said Helen Caird's house. That the said Helen Caird requested him to be quiet, and she would open the door and after having done so, she asked him to go in and look the house; but he refused to do so, and continued to abuse her, calling her a hore and a vagabond and a lodger of rat-catchers, that he was determined to distress her, as she had formerly complained of his conduct to your Honours, from all which, the said Helen Caird was so much frightened and terrified, that she has not been well since. That from this conduct of the said William Masson, it is plain that he has been actuated by some groundless malice and ill will towards the said Helen Caird, and not from a desire to the faithful discharge of his duty as a Constable and Town Officer. That he has abused his commission which he holds from your Honours, and has been guilty of a breach of the peace and collecting a mob at an unreasonable hour, at the house of the said William Caird, besides inflicting on her [Helen] a serious injury, and ought therefore to be deprived of his commission, and otherwise punished to deter others from committing the like in time coming. May it therefore please your Honours to call the said William Masson summarily before you, and on confession or proof of the facts before stated, to find that he has abused his commission of a Constable and Town Officer, and has been guilty of gross oppression under pretence of acting in the discharge of his duty, and a breach of the peace; to suspend him from acting as a Constable and Town Officer within your jurisdiction in future and otherwise to fine or imprison him as the nature of his offence may seem to your Honours to deserve and [make] him liable in expenses and also grant warrant for citing witnesses." 5th July 1826- Masson is called to appear before the Baillies at the Town Hall on 6th July at 11 o'clock in the forenoon. |