It was Christmas 1821 at Ballbritton. James teamed up with a wild mob that had been tagged the 'White boys.' They terrorized the wealthy neighborhood, robbing from the rich. He had met up with John Daly from the days when he would hang around the wharf unloading barges. They finally met their match when on 26th December 1821, they were apprehended on the Grand Canal in Kings County. To make matters more serious they had stolen arms from a house owned by Mr J. Cooper. The two men were sentenced to death in Phillips town under the 'White boys Insurrection Act.' They were tried in the Assizes court on the 20th March 1821.