The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-10-12 00:00:00

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ABERDEEN ASSIZE.% °mos= e.
•
On Wednesday last the Circuit Coon of,Justi-
entry was opened here by the Right Rom the LOAD
JUSTICS CLESK and Lord PITIOILLY.
MURDER.
George Thom, residing at Harthill, in the parish
of Newhills, sod county of Aberdeen, was accused
of murder, committed by means of poison. He
administered poison to a whole family of the name
of Mitchell, with whom he was nearly connected,
consisting of two brothers and two sister of his wife.
One of the brothers died in consequence thereof,
and the ether members of the fatuity have been sn
disabled, as to leave it doubtful whether they will
ever recover so far as to be able to follow their
usual occupations. This case has excited very
great interest, us well on account of its singular
its atrocious nature. The Panel pled Aol(;oilly,
and the case was remitted for trial.
James Mitchell, brother of the deceased, the first
witness called— Resided in family with his deceased
brother William ; has two sister., named Helen and
Msry, who lived at the farm with William. Has
• 'sister named Jane, who was married to the Pii-
miner about Whitsunday last ; was not altogether
willing rot the marriage, bat no quarrel took place
on that account. Jane lived with her dreamed
brother at the lime of the marriage; after which
she was taken home by her husband.
The Prisoner and his wife were not in the habit
of visiting them *fief marriage; the Prisoner was
once at Borsivide after the marriage; he came on
a Saturday, the day before they were all taken
bad. The Prisoner came on the afternoon of the
liaturdsy. Witness sod brother and sisters re-
ceived him in a friendly manner, and asked him
to stay that night ; he agreed ; gave him some
meat as a refreshment, till he got his supper; was
not in the house when the supper was preparing ;
does not know who was in the house when the
supper was getting ready. One of his sisters made
sapper, being her usual custom ; came in to his
sapper ; his brother William mud sisters. Mary and
Helee, were at supper, and Prisoner ; supper con-
sisted of milk-porridge. The brother, witness,
and Prisoner, at one table, and sisters at another ;
all ate of the same pottage ; was its perfect health
when he sat down to supper ; brother and sisters
appeared to be in perfect health ; the Prisoner ap-
peered to be the same, us they heard 'Keith%
against his bring in perfect health. Before they
went to bed on Saturday the Prisoner proposed to
sleep in the kitchen ; gave no reason for wanting
to steep there. The witness told him he might
sleep where he slept before ; Prisoner did not In-
sist to sleep in the kitchen ; went with his brother
William to bed in the inner room. Witness went
to bed iii the kitchen. Before going to bed locked
the doors. The meal in daily use is kept in
the sole of a press in the kitchen, close to the bed
where the witness slept ; the press an open one ;
milk fur daily use stands in the same press. No
lock upon the press; salt kept in the saute press;
purridge-pot stands in the kitchen also. Analten-
eil •u Sunday morning; did not harry himself
out of bed, it being Sabbath; heard • foot come
into the kitchen before he saw any body; the
leaves of the witness's bed were close at the
time, so that he could not see. The fire was
not burning, as it was not token " out of
the rest," was not burning bright. After the
person had been walking shout, he heard the voice
of sisters coming in f milking the cows. He
thought the person walking about spoke to the
persons that came in ; heard this person's voice
answering them; knew it was neither his brother's
or Motet's voice; cannot tell exactly whose voice
it was; did hear his sisters speak to the Prisoner;
think they bade hint stay breakfast ; did not cull
him by his name; the Prisoner said he would not
stay. Whets up, he found himself in perfect good
health. Saw his bloater and sisters, who ap-
peared to be its real good health ; no complaints
of bring unwell were made ; went out, after rising,
for a little; (-stile in swain to his breakfast a little
while after; brother and sisters were in the kitchen
when he came in; the breakfast was ready; did
not see it made; got intik-pottage, because it was
Sabbath 1110 f :: Itt g; each of them had separate
dishes; the witness took a little milk to the milk-
pottage, the others took sin milk a• he thinks; heard
au complaints from the others es to the pottage, but
found something in the pottage, • taste that he did
nut like; said lie would take up more; got some
milk from one of his sisters, who said that lie
would begin to try then again ; took two spoon-
fuls and theta stnpt. Brother ‘Vollison ate heartily,
and a good deal more than the witness, as much
agates; heard no complaint of the taste from hint.
His sister ate heartily, as he heard no complaints ;
mewed to take their breakfast as usual. Helen
made some complaint during breakfast. After
eating went away to dress fur church ; found him-
self unwell, and not able to go to church; did not
vomit ; did soot retch or attempt to vomit at that
time. The sickness continued and turned worse.
When lie got to church the sickness continued ;
found himself fuming blind when in eliureh.—.
Brother said he was sick ; lie answered, 1 did soot
think y'ou were sick ; to which he %towered lie
never was so sick. The witness came h ; on
ha way home he begout to vomit, but could do very
little ; the atoll' he vomited was of the colour of the
yolks of eggs; was so sick could wit tell whether
it had smell or not; had not been much sooner
home, when his brother came. had it hoot been fur
a railing, could loot have got home; when he came
home lie took off Iris clothes, mud °prised a win-
dow in the gable, and lay down on the floor. At
this time lie was like to burn within, all the lower
part of his body ; doutok sonic water in coming
home ; was lying mo the flour when one of Ills
sisters came loos tom to his diuner ; he said that
he was nut able to take any ; his sister said lie
would lie obliged to come to tag dustier, asked what
ailed him ; she said, the two asters were both
bad ; he said, we have been all bad. When he
saw William alter coming from the church, he was
worse than any of them ; couipl gof the same
feelings with ;hem; wills it greater pain in Isis head;
the witness had um,posit in his head, but a dimness
in his e) re; uktaxiveil r swelling iu Wsllistu's
breast, and it woe rising up in his throat.,—
'Tie brother vomited • in the mime way at the
witness; did nut ere what his brother vomited;,
lib 'ekes were alfcietl, and before his &lOU