At Dromore he was arrested and brought before the magistrate, but he spoke with an Irish brogue, and declared that his name was John McColgan, and that he came from Armagh.
He escaped from Dromore jail by jumping through a window, and actually went so far as to pay three pound ten shillings for his passage to America, but he was afraid of the sea, and changed his mind, and lost his passage money at the last moment.

After this he made a tour right through Ireland, in spite of the fact that the Dublin _Hue and Cry_ had a description of his person which he read more than once.

His assurance was such that in Tullamore he made a pig-driver apologise before the magistrate for charging him with theft, although he had been living on nothing else all the time he was in Ireland.

Finally, he was captured, being recognised by a policeman from Edinburgh.

He was brought from Ireland to Dumfries, landed in Calton jail, Edinburgh, and was tried and executed.