The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-13 00:00:00

Do. end month ... 685.

Bank Shares 3600
Credit Foncier 1250
Italian Loan 64 90
Do. end month 64 85
RAIL'

rAYS.

Cash. Acct.
Orleans
Northern lO4O ... 1038 75
Lyons and Mediterranean 846 25 ... 843 75
Southern 560 ... 560
Western 538 75 ... 535
Eastern
Sardinian 268 75 ~. 267 50
Austrian
Lombard 485 ... 486 25
North of Spain 162 50 ... 158 75
Saragossa 315 ... 315
Ditto to Barcelona

'-" ''-' •••

Confession of Dr. Pritchard.

On Tuesday the convict Pritchard made a writ-

ten confession of the murder of his wife. The pri-
soner confessed his guilt to Mr. Oldham, Episco-
palian clergyman, in a private manner, but Mr.
Oldham requested that Pritchard should write the
confession, and he did so. The confession states
that Mary M'Leod, the servant girl, was aware that
he was poisoning his wife, and that on the evening
of his wife's death, when he admhlistered a dose of
chloroform, M'Leod was present. Prisoner gives
as a motive for poisoning his wife his improper in-
timacy with M'Leod ; and denies that he poisoned
his mother-in-law, Mrs. Taylor, who, he says, died
from an overdose of Battley's solution. He con-
fessed to having drugged the solution found in her
pocket after death, but denies that it was poisoned
before she expired. It is mid that when his brother,
sister, and daughter were present with him on Mon-
day, the latter had kneeled in the cell and prayed
him, if he had poisoned ler mamma to confess, and

is alleged that he then acknowledged his guilt.

The following is a copy of the confession :
"I, Edward William Pritchard, M.D., M.R.C.S.E., and
L.A.S., &c., hereby make in writing, in the presence of the
Rev. R. S. Oldham, M.A., the following confession, for
transmission by him to the proper authorities :

"It was when my wife 'vas at Ardentinny,* in the
summer of 1863, that I first became intimate with the girl
Mary M'Leod, sleeping with her in my house at 22, Royal-
crescent. This continued at iiitervals up to the time of
our removal to 131, Sanchiehall-stroot. She became preg-
nant in May last [year], and with her own consent I
produced a miscarriage. I have reason to believe that Mrs.
Pritchard was quite aware cf this, and rather sought to
cover my wickedness and foly. My mother-in-law, Mrs.
Taylor, came last February to our house, and caught Mary
M'Leod and myself in the consulting-room ; and the day
before her death, having apfarently watched us, she said
to me in the same room, Ycu have locked her into the
cupboard,' which was true ; bit nothing more passed. I
declare Mrs. Taylor to have died in the manner I have
stated, and I now believe her death to have been caused by
an overdose of Battley's solution of opium. The aconite
found in that bottle was put in by me after her death, and
designedly left there in order tc prove death by misadven-
ture in case any inquiry should take place. Mrs. Prit-
chard was much better immediately after her mother's
death, but subsequently became exhausted from want of
sleep. I accounted for this by the shock produced by her
Mother's death ; and, hardly knowing how to act, at her
own earnest request I gave her choloroform. It was about
midnight. Mary M'Leod was in the room, and in an evil
moment (being besides somewhat excited by whisky) I
yielded to the temptation to give her sufficient to cause
death—which I did.

" I therefore declare before God, as a dying man, and
in the presence of my spiritual adviser, that I am innocent
of the crime of murder, so far as Mrs. Taylor is concerned,
but acknowledge myself guilty of the adultery with Mary.
M‘Leod and the murder of my wife.
"I feel now as though I had been living in a species of
madness since my connection with Mary M‘Lood ; and I
declare my solemn repentance of my crime, earnestly pray-
ing that I may obtain Divine forgiveness before I suffer the
penalty of the law.
(Signed) " EDWARD WILLIAM PRITCHA.RD,"
John Stirling, Governor, Witness.
R. S. Oldham, Witness.
John Mutrie, Witness,
North Prison, Glasgow, July 11, 18C5,

* The convict afterwards desired thir name to be altered
to Eilmun.

MR. LAYA.RD AND THE ROMAN CATHOLICS.—The
right hon. gentleman in returning thanks yesterday
for his re-election for Southwark, in the course of his re-
marks paid the following tribute to Dr. Grant, the Bishop
of Southwark. He said the Catholic Oath Bill was a measure
to extend to our Roman Catholic fellow-subjects the samo
privileges—no, he disliked the word privilege—the same
rights which wore enjoyed by Churchmen and Dissenters.
It was brought in by a Roman Catholic member, Mr. Mon-
sel ; it had the entire support of the Government ; it was
opposed right and left by the Conservative party ; it passed
the House of Commons by a largo majority, and when it
reached the House of Lords it was thrown out. Was there
no difference between those who desired to promote reli-
gious liberty and those who impeded it ? In that borough
there were many Roman Catholics ; they were headed by
one of the most distinguished Roman Catholic prelates in
the country, Dr. Grant. At the last election they opposed
him to a man, under the wrong impression that the Govern-
ment was endeavouring to overthrow the power of the
Pope. That was a mistake. If the Roman Catholics
would turn to the history of the country they would find
that no measure was ever brought forward for their relief
but it emanated from the Liberal party, and was opposed
by the Conservative party. Therefore the Liberal party
hada Clain3, on the Aupport of the lioman Catholics.