The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-11-16 00:00:00

Scotlanb.

TRIAL FOR MURDER.

The trial of William Reid for murder by procuring
ebortion, was opened at the High Coat of Tustiolory,
Edinburgh, on Wednesday, The prisoner who melded
with hie mother at Sinallbarn, three miles from Fol•
kirk, and who is most respeetsbly connected, wail tried
In September, UM?, along with another young man, at
the Atlrlingshire circuit, for breach of trust end amble•
element, in so far aa he aided and abbetted the frauds of
the it, Henry Salmon, manager of the branoh of the
Commercial Hank at Falkirk, who, it may be »mem.
bared, on his extensive defalcation' being discovered,
took to eight, and eventually committed suicide In the
eourt•yard of a Welsh Inn, The two young men were
not suspected of partiolpations In the monies appropria•
tad by Salmon, but were neverthieu convicted of the
often°e charged, and were each sentenced to two years'
imprisonment. The representations mode to the Home
Secretary, however, succeeded in procuring the Mara.
Con of both at or before the expiry of six months. Maid
accordingly returned to his mother's house in April hut,
and resided there until the occurrence of the event which
a second time brings him to the criminal her. His
mother's servant, Margaret Taylor, had become preg.
mini by him, and been so three or four months, and he,
in conjunction with the deceased, Dr. Thomas etirwood,
used instrumental, it is said, to cause her to abort. Tills
criminal act proved fatal to the young woman the next
day ; the night of her death the dootor who gave hie
aid committed suicide by taking laudanum, while Reid
himself fled, but wee apprehended in Glasgow the fol.
lowing day.
The bench was occupied by the Lord Juntlee Clerk,
Lord Cowan, and Lord Ardmillan. The Lord Advocate,
the Solicitor• General, and Mr. Adam appeared for the
Crown ; and the Dean of Faculty, Mr. Moir, and Mr.
Morrison for the prisoner.
The prisoner pleaded "not guilty," and e jury were
einpanolled.
The witneesei examined concluded with the mother of
the deceased, the mother of the prisoner, Dr. Myrtle,
Dr, Oirwood (father of the prisoners' supposed s000m•
plies., and Mr. Hamilton, the physician at Falkirk. The
mania' evidence was unanimous is to death having
been tutored by mechanical violence, The lastmemed
witness was Interrogated at oonslderoble length aa to the
character, effeet, and aurae of the wounds, end also as
to the probable moons of inflating them, He oonaldered
that the operation bed been recklessly conducted, but
whether by a surgeon's hand or an unpreetiuil hand he
amid not arty. He had seen many instances of reckless.
WI even on the port of profeesionol men.
Is being tie o'clock, and several witneoses to OakTailla
for the prinecution, the anti rove, There were Ut
witnesses far the defense, The mat his allattlat gyeat
intermit in Itilinburgh and the neighbourhood, end the
emir% wee orowded to exam the Whole day, The pri•
sonar lalgatithied a otoical Indifference throughout, ec.
emit when his mother WWI giving her evidenee, when his
tulip were apparently much wrought upon,
Al the umweneement of the triol the Lord Juallee•
Clerk reinorked thot is the WM would probably manly
more then one lay, the preoe would no doubt tublith
the evidence afore the trial wee 011111PiatOti, 7'o
that the Court had no ohleellon but he truoted they
amid ebeheit time making any romarko upon it until
the terininatimi of the trial,
After mewed witnesses had hen esautined on Thurs.
day for the defendant,
The Lord Alienate addrooled the jury for the prom'.
lotion, and the Nan of Phonily for the prisoner, The
Lord Juillemtkerk sniumoned up strongly Malan the
prieoner, The jury retired it thlrty,Ave minute* post
live, and were 'Went about one hoer, when they re.
turned a verdict, "Not guilty on the Ara °horse of
murderi and guilty on the nand and third, amounting
to milpahle homielde,"—The prisoner was sentenced to
ten years' penal servitude,