The Sun.
London, England, 1834-05-15 00:00:00

CONFESSION OF NOBLE.

Immediately after sentence was pronounced
against him, this unfortunate man confessed to his
counsel that he was the murderer. Leaning over
the dock, he whispered, " Mr. Macdougal, I am
happy at this—l deserve it.' He says he never
before mentioned the circumstance even to his
parents. Next morning he made a confession to
Mr. Sheriff Cameron and Mr. Forteath of Newton,
as well as to the Rev. Mr. Clark and the Rev. Mr.
Scott of this place. His statements are contra-
dictory, and cannot be relied upon. Yesterday he
distinctly avowed that he went to the scene of
the murder in a desperate state of mind, under
a feeling of degradation, because he was a deserter,
that he could get no employment as a labourer,
was in absolute want, and was accordingly pre-
pared to wreak his vengeance and attempt rob-
bery upon the first person that might come
in his way. After striking down Ritchie, he
searched one of his pockets and took out the to-
bacco spleuchan, but was overcome with a horror of
his guilt, and without waiting to search the body
any further, fled from the spot. The spleuchan he
threw away in the hedge. This morning he makes
a totally different statement. In our hearing he
gave the following version of the story. He was in
search of work on the fatal day, the 28th of De-.
cember, but was not destitute as he had ss.
in his
pocket. After leaving Mr. Gray's, at Birnie, in-
stead of taking the road to Elgin, he took the road
above Linkwood, intending to apply to Mr. Warren.
On reaching Coxton, it struck him that there was
little chance of his being employed at Mr. Warren's,
and, ashamed to go there on account of his former
bad conduct, he resolved to walk to Elgin to his
mother's for another night. He came down towards
the public road, passing through Mr. W
fields, and leaping the ditch immediately opposite
Sheyiffstown. He was now on the public road. He
first met a person dressed in a blue great coat ; he
took the right hand side of the road to Elgin. When
near the second milestone a glimpse of moonlight
showed him the person of a man. He had on a
light waistcoat, which he took to be the lace of a
regimental coat, and concluded that he was a soldier
in search of him. The man had a small switch in
his hand, which lie took to be a bayonet. Thinking
the man was approaching him, he put forth his hand
and tore out the nearest piece of paling-bar from
the hedge, crossed the road and before the man spoke
to him, struck him a blow which felled him to the
ground. The man, he says, was near the middle
of the road .; he gave one step forward and fell
upon his face. He cannot say whether he struck
him when he was down, but he never spoke a word
after the blow. He never touched the body, but
threw away the stick, and ran on the public road to
Elgin. The first person he saw was the witness
Jesse Smith, and he slackened his pace to avoid ex-
citing suspicion. He positively avers that he had
no stick in his hand, as deponed by this witness, for
it was not till after the murder that he met her.
He never saw Helen Lee or the cart, but met
several persons on the road, particularly near Elgin.
He went directly to his mother's house, remained
there in concealment till Monday morning, and never
heard the murder talked of till he went to Muirside. m
He never intended to commit urder. He had not
the smallest suspicion who it was he had attacked
till Mr. Sheriff Cameron told him in the Court-
house at Elgin that he was accused of the murder
of William Ritchie. He says that he was very
sorry to hear that it was William Ritchie, as he
was " a real fine man," and had been very kind to
him. When
aboutthtewyowyeeraers ago,working together at Mr.
Warren's
Ritchie was the first
to tell him that the soldiers were coming to appre-
hend him, and in consequence of this timely notice
he made his escape. They never had any quarrel.
To account for the discrepancy between his confes-
sions, he says he was very confused yesterday. This
afternoon he repeated the above statement to us,
and solemnly averred that it was the true account.
—lnverness Courier.