The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-12 00:00:00

Witnesses were called to prove the purchase of
two phials of laudanum by Dr. T. Girdwood, con-
taining eight ounces and four ounces, and which
were afterwards found on his person nearly empty.
Dr. Myrtle was then recalled, and was examined
in reference to the medical reports in the case. The
first report was made by witness, along with Dr.
Forrest, on the body of Dr. T. Girdwood, the con-
clusion of which was that they were of opinion that
the deceased died from the effects of laudanum.
The second report was made along with Drs Forrest
and Hamilton, first on the foetus taken from the womb
Of Margaret Taylor, which was a male fcetus appar-
ently aged two or three months ; and, secondly, on
the body of Margaret Taylor, their conclusion lieing
that the wounds on the uterus were inflicted during
life, that the penetration of the womb was effected
by some instrument, and that these injuries, and
the effusion of blood liandthe inflammation consequent
thereon were the causes of death. Dr. Myrtle fur-
ther depose—l have no doubt that the abortion was
caused by mechanical violence applied to the womb.
These wounds may have been effected by a wire or
by a sharpish flexible instrument such as a wire.
The woman might have gone about for days before
inflammation ensued. There was, I should say, no-
thing extraordinary in her going about all the Sun-
day after the operation. The tendency of the
wounds made was to produce inflammation. I do
not think the catheters shown me could have in-
flicted the wounds, and I am of opinion that some
sharper instrument had been used.
Cross-examined—The stylet of a catheter is no-
thing but a piece of wire which might be easily
supplied to any set of instruments. lam unable to
state whether the operation had been effected by a
practised or an unpractised hand.
George Hamilton, physician, Falkirk was called.
as a witness to the second report, and was interro-
gated at considerable length as to the character,
effect, and course of the wounds, and also as to the
probable means of inflicting them. He considered
that the operation had been recklessly conducted,
but whether by a surgeon's hand or an unpractised
hand he could not say. He had seen many instances
of recklessness even on the part of professional men.
At this stave the case was adjourned till next
morning at 10 o'clock.

•
PROPOSED‘CITY OF LONDON LUNATIC ASYLUM.
—ST. MARGARET, NEW FISH-STREET.—A meeting of the
)arishioners was held yesterday, Mr. Churchwarden Keel-
ng in the 'chair, who, after stating the nature of the mea-
sure, and how unnecessary its application to the wants of
the city of London, and the small number of lunatics charge-
able to the union, and whose care was well and amply pro-
vided for, without the necessity of incurring an immense
outlay upon the various City parishes, by the erection of a
costly building, with numberless appointments and un-
known expense, which, in addition to the already heavy
amount levied, with a contemplated Board of Works tax in
prospective, with which the parishes would be chargeable ;
—lt was moved by Mr. Maples, and seconded by Mr. Tors-
-will, that the churchwardens, with the vestry clerk, be
instructed to attend the meeting of the parochial authorities
convened by the Poor-law Union on Saturday next, and
offer every oppobition to the measure on behalf of the pa-
rishioners.
In the silver market business is at a stand pend-
ing the delivery of the Calcutta and China letters, which
will take place on Saturday. About £400,000 is already
engaged for the outgoing steamer next week, but the actual
amount despatched will probably be larger.
THE LETTER CARRIERS.—The letter carriers,
who are seeking a removal of certain hardships and grie-
vances to which they are subjected, have made an appeal
to the public for their sympathy and support. Subscrip-
tions are invited for the purpose. The letter carriers, as a
body, are a class of hardworking men, to whose honesty a
large amount of property is daily entrusted, and, therefore,
they have a clailn upon public sympathy.
[ADvERTIsEmENT 4 —Rarey'f Horse and Cattle Improv-
ing Food is equally adapted toimprove the stamina of ill-
conditioned Horses, Cows, Bullocks, Calves, Sheep, and
Pigs. It causes no extra expense, as it contains far more
and better nourishment than its cost of lid. per feed sup-
plies in corn and hay; hence ensures an actual saving in
the keep. But its principal advantages are a great improve-
ment in the digestive functions, the stamina and general
condition of horses enabling them to perform far more
labour without getting distressed. It imparts new vigour
to sick, debilitated, or old apparently worn-out horses, and
it puts rapidly the finest flesh on cattle generally, and im-
proves the milk in cows, as it enables them to extract the
entire nourishment out of everything they feed on. Rarey
and Co., 77, Regent's Quadrant, Piccadilly, London.,
Packed in tins of about 90 feeds, lls. ; in casks of about 450
feeds, 50s. ; of about 1,000 feeds,. £5, being about lid. per
feed.

want of money. I said I had none with which I
could assist him at the time, lout that, no doubt, his
friend Mr. Keir would give him money. He said
he could not communicate with Mr. Keir himEelf,
and I do not know who suggested it, but I agrJed
to go to Mr. Keir. I did so, and told him that' he
must assist with money to get Willie out of a scrape._
As I came out I told Reid, who had waited at the
door, that I had arranged the matter with
Keir. I then rejoined Dr. Myrtle, and we took
a conveyance at the Black Bull to go Smallbur.l-
- arriving there we found that Margaret Tay-'
for was dead and the body dressed. Mrs.
Taylor took me outside and made a statement to
me as to what her daughter had said, and when
, she said that it was Reid that had done it that re-
lieved my mind for the time from anxiety with re-
gard to my son. Mrs. Taylor was anxious to re-
move the body, but I said she must not do so till
the post mortem examination had taken place, and
she asked me if I would go to the Fiscal to see and
get that done, which I egret:d to do. On my way
home I met my son at Avondale toll-bar, whom 1
took into the carriage with me.
him the fact of the girl's death, I mentioned to
thct she had im-
plicated Reid, but that I had provided?
or his safety
by getting him out of the way. On ent„.:ring Fal-
kirk we alighted, and I met Mr. Gair, an 14.1
went
with him to report the case, and my son went .int°,
Falkirk. Shown a case with th;ce catheters C'
different sizes, and deponed :—This case belonged
to my son. The stylet had been missing from the
case for some years. I never saw my son again
alive, but was called to see his dead body at
M‘Naughton's,between three and four in the morning,
I there got a letter which had been written by. my
son, and addressed to Miss Nimmo.
Cross-examined—l had seen Reid on Saturday
afternoon previous on the Grangemouth-road. He
said he was hurrying to see his uncle, Mr. Hardie,
who was going to 'Glasgow that night, thence to
Liverpool, whence he was to sail for Canada on
Wednesday. I said, " For God's sake, Willie, take
this opportunity ; go away immediately.
.1 never
see your face without shuddering," and I reminjed
him of the old adage, " Whom the Devil finds idle.
he generally sets to work." This was before I
heard anything of the present story.
Thomas Keir, brother-in-law of the prisoner, de-
posed to aiding him with money for his proposed
flight to America, and other witnesses were called
to prove his journey to and apprehension in Glas-
gow.
Hugh M`Naughton, spirit-dealer, Falkirk, de-
posed,—l recollect the late Dr. Thomas Girdwood
coming to my house, about a quarter before el,:wen
o'clock at night, on the 6th of September. He asked
for paper, pens, and ink, wrote a letter, and ad-
dressed it to Miss Nimmo, Linlithgow. He sent
for a machine, and asked me to go with him to
Linlithgow, which I did. Wm. Hutton drove us.
It was an open vehicle we travelled in. On the
way Dr. Girdwood fell asleep. I tried to rouse '
him, but did not succeed. On reaching Linlithgow
we went to Mr. Nimmo's. I rapped at the door,
but got no answer. Dr. Girdwood was still sleep-
ing. I told the driver to take us back to Falkirk.
We took him out before getting into Linlithgow to
try to rouse him, but we did not succeed in awaken-
ing him. He was unable to stand, and was breath-
ing heavily. He continued to breathe heavily and
to groan on the way back. On getting him back to
Falkirk we laid him on the sofa, and sent for Dr. -
J. Girdwood, his father, but by the time his father
came he was found to be dead. I gave up to his
father the letter deceased had addressed to Miss
Nimmo.