Detective Officer Harry Bromley PITMAN (38)

05 May 1880
Leith Burgh Police

DO Pitman died when he was thrown by his horse which lost its footing in Claremont Street.

Detective Officer Harry Pitman’s last case.

On the 1^st May 1880 the Edinburgh Evening News reported ‘Alleged shocking cruelty to children by a Leith dentist.’

John Hossack had been in Leith for some 8 months, residing with his mother at Charlotte Street where he broke his 7 year old son’s arm before fleeing to Penrith, Cumbria with the boy and his 3 year old brother.

It would appear the landlady at the boarding house in Penrith was alarmed by the state of the children. In any case, enquiries soon established he was wanted by Leith Burgh Police & he found himself in front of the local Magistrate.

The 7 year old was found to have a recently broken arm and the 3 year old had two broken legs which had set badly. Both children were extremely malnourished and bore other injuries and marks of violence. The elder brother responded well to some decent care and sustenance but his little brother required painful surgery and was expected to be crippled for the rest of his life.

Detective Officer Pitman and Sheriff-Officer Lindsay attended at the Magistrates Court and the prisoner was remanded into their custody. They had considerable difficulty getting their man to the railway station however, as a hostile crowd had other ideas for Hossack.

Captain Harry Bromley Pitman ‘late of the 106^th Regiment of foot’ (now ‘The Rifles’), was serving as Detective Officer with the Leith Burgh Police.  An ambitious man, he joined Leith Burgh to gain experience before seeking higher office. He had recently been shortlisted for the job of Chief Constable of Aberdeen City Police & appears to have been well liked by his military and civilian friends.

Having returned safely from Cumbria with his prisoner, he was thrown by his horse on 5^th May 1880, when it lost it’s footing in Claremont Street. He was taken to the Royal Infirmary where he subsequently died without regaining consciousness.

He was 38 years old and was survived by his wife.

In August 1880 Hossack was found guilty at the Sheriff Court and was sentence to 10 months imprisonment.

Detective Officer Pitman’s name is inscribed on the Scottish Police Memorial and will never be forgotten.

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