The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-30 00:00:00

THE GLASGOW iIIUBDER.

Petitions are being numerously signed in favour of a
reprieve of the convict Jessie M‘Lauchlan, and last night
a great meeting was to be held in Glasgow in favour of the
the same object.

The Caledonitzn Mercury of yesterday says :
Mrs. M'Lauchlan, we learn, has through thp week been
suffering mentally very much. Since last visited by her
husband, a dull moping state of mind has succeeded the
former resolute upbearing against the despair that may well
overwhelm one in her position. Several of the city clerg3 -
men have offered their services, but she is contented with
the ministrations of the Rev. Mr. Doran, and unwilling to
be visited by any other clergyman. The formula of the
sentence that the convict be "fed on bread and water " was
carried out after the unfortunate woman first entered the
condemned cell, but her weakly bodily condition rendering
this diet hazardous to her life, which at present it is in-
cumbent on the prison officials to maintain, nourishing nu-
triment was ordered to be given her.
The story I gave you on Saturday regarding a certain
gentleman who heard screams coming from 17, Sandyford-
place on the night of Friday, assumes now a new character,
the said gentleman turning out to be a Mr. Stewart, a
wealthy jeweller, residing next door to the house of the
murder, and having his place of business in Argyll-street
Mr. Stewart did not hear screams, but says that, as he
thinks, shortly after eleven o'clock on Friday night, he was
awakened by a noise in the adjoining house, which had
ceased when he awoke. The editor of the Free Press, a
Roman Catholic organ in the city, brings forward in Satur-
day's paper the evidence of the old clothesman, Paton, to
whom old James Fleming says he sold his clothes abuut a
fortnight before the murder. Paton says the clothes sold to
him were not those of old Fleming, but of the son, John,
Fleming, being far too large for the old man.

The same paper (tbe Free Tress) assails Fleming's repu-
tation, and produces as evidence of the old man's moral
and physical character the following assertion of a Mrs.
Samuel Gray :

" Dr, Main-street, Gorbals, brought me a female•
child, nine years ago, at the time my first child was born.
The father is James Fleming, 17, Sandyford-place, wb
allowed me at first £1 per month for her maintenvaee,
which was subsequently reduced to 10s., and raised to 125.,
which James Fleming himself came regularly to pay, He
has been here soon after his release from prison, and paid
£1 4s. for two months, and I expect him again in a few
days. The child's mother I understood to be a yoitng
woman in service, who died when the child was about ten,
months old. The girl is now at sclloo!, and we call her
Elizabeth Gray.

(Signed) ELIZAISTII WCANN or Gray,
Govan-road."
The Free Press assails him in other respects, questioning
his sobriety, and asking that in any future investigation the
servants who served in his son's house during the last 12
years, or the female servants whose rents he collected,
should be asked whether he has appeared to them sparing
in his use of ardent spirits. Unless " Old Fleming" is
thoroughly cleared in the course of coming events of all
suspicion, he need never again personally go forth into the
wynds to collect rents as heretofore, the somewhat lawless
inhabitants of that locality being fiercely inclined towards
him.