The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-04-16 00:00:00

THE MOUNT STIWART MURDER.

At Perth Circuit Court, as TieWAY, helm the Lord
Ihistlcie Clerk of llestland and Lord Dees, James Ore&
toe, a ploughman, was charged with the murder, ea
the 30th of March, 1888, of Janet Bandanas. es
Bodeen, within the Gumbos,. of Mount Sto Wart,
strathearn, Perthshire. 1e deceased, who wee aneged
MOU3•11, wife of James Rodgers, labourer, Airritilly. had
on the 28th ef Marsh tame to the farm of Mount
Stewart, tenanted by her brother, Wiabert Handsome,
to keep his house till he could get • domestie eartsat in
room of Christios Miller, who bad left. On the 3011
Header-goo went with his bona and cart to Perth, sad
was absent from 10 I. the morning till eight at night,
sad the deceased was the only remit In the house. Os
his return he found the prisoner Crichke waiting at
the stable, and Crichton assisted him to unload sad pet
up the bone. liondersou than went to the boor, but
could not get in. He than followed Oriebton to hie
home, several hundred yarda at, to ask If be had ems
his sister, and was told by him she had apt been saes
ghee the forenoon. He returned to the farsahoure, and
called for his sister at all the doors and windowe. bat
there was no response. At length he took • ladder,
wed got in by a bedroom window. He found the de-
ceased lying deed as the kitchen floor, silvered by •
heap of bsdolbee. He went for some aeighbours, and
the Vilna night Dr. Laing. Bridge of Barn, and the
pollee were sent for. Some matey gad 'lathing were
to be owing. The medieal evidence showed
that death had resulted from • wooed initiated by an
see, the blow, to all appearance, having been imme-
diately fatal. The walla of the kitchen were spotted
with blood op toe feet high, but no trains of blood were
found drawbars The evidence width counseled
Criebton with the deed wag wholly oironmatiatiaL It
appears that he alone was on the term,.. fete. meld
be dimming, .n the gay of the murder; that the frac
mints of • pipe resembling his were found in the
kitehen ; that he bad changed his dollies ce the day of
the murder, and next day isult of Moths@ ewe set out
by be wife to bleach and a The only probable
p.
motive was pleader, but the • .. Marin the Mill
the prisoser w eather vague. The doctors
te;e property to
opinion that the murder had bean sonealtisd
in the ate:soon. It was not till December that
Criehtos was apprehended, as =spiciest lithe fireplace
bad fallen on Rendetios, whom CAM.= bad sewed
of committing the murder on his ratans at night from
Perth. Hrnd.reos was, bower, liberated, and a re-
ward wee iteeed for the aiwrohomios of lb* matimer,
sod eventually °dates wee 'taken. The evidence if
Christina Miller, formerly Eleodereoe's servant, was to
the effect that, after leaving the farm, she bad reinthild
a night or two at Criehton's, and that one night while
In bed she had heard Crichton say to his wife that if
the murder was (mod out he should be hanged, to
which his wife replied that she and the (many would be
disgraced, and would be unable to live, for the people.
This witness (who bad been imprisoned in order to
ovum her evidence) deposed to seeing some pomade in
the hands of Criehton's wife, from whom she had on
leaving borrowed a few shiliinp. Yesterday the saes
war brought to • conclusice, Yr. Arian addresting the
jury for the Crown, sad Mr. Booth for the prisoner.
Lord Doss sommed up, pointing out many thong facto
being against the prisoner. The jury, alter 11 minutes'
absence, brought in a verdict of Not Prone.