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"DEATH OF AN OLD EDINBURGH WORTHY - Edward Holt, an Edinburgh worthy, better known as "Ned Holt, " who used to sketch old Edinburgh characters, died in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary yesterday morning from the effects of injuries sustained on Monday night, he having been knocked down by a cab at Joppa." (The Scotsman, Wednesday, 1892-09-21)

The same story appeared also in the Glasgow Evening Post on the same date, and the Musselburgh News two days later wrote; "CAB ACCIDENT.—Edward Holt, better known as "Ned Holt," and well-known in Edinburgh, was knocked down by a cab at Joppa on Monday night. He died in the Royal Infirmary early next morning. Mr Holt was noted for his ability to sketch old Edinburgh characters."

"FUNERAL AN EDINBURGH CHARACTER. Edmund Holt was buried this afternoon from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where he died from the effects of an accident at Joppa, a cab having knocked him down. Deceased was better known as Ned Holt and earned some reputation in Edinburgh as a street artist, the subjects he liked best to paint being well-known Edinburgh characters. Many of these products of his pencil still adorn the walls of certain public-houses in the city bearing the signature "Ed Holt." Among the best known of them are portraits of Cocoanut Tam, Old Malabar, Dundee Hughie, Piper Campbell, and the famous recruiting sergeant, Tory Gunn, of the Cameron Highlanders. One of the characters painted still exists in the person of Register Rachael. Ned himself was a bit of a worthy, having tried many ways of earning a living, though trusted mainly to his knowledge of the fine arts for earning a livelihood, occasionally relieving the monotony of sketching by a musical performance at a street corner. His social graces were great and made him the best of boon companions in the common lodging-houses in which he lived, and in public-houses, where also he occasionally figured as an orator. Though once a laird in a small way, his father, a sweep, having left him some property in the Grassmarket, Ned died poor enough, and only a subscription raised by some of his friends saved him from a pauper's grave." (Edinburgh Evening News, 1892-09-23)