Star.
London, England, 1827-10-03 00:00:00

r'

AIERD!
(Before
Joie Logic
" lit. That

stickedly and
tb be administered,

ish servant, then

primp, or some
or e.g, with
upon the Iso . 14th
feloni rusty administer, 1. pTOCUre
ministered, to thisaid Margaret M'Kisser or MrKassa:,
si quantity of arsenic; and the said Margaret M`Kisser
or M•Krottar, having swallowed the said arsenic so ad-
ministered, was, in consequence thereof, shortly after
taken violently and dangerously ill, and continued to
languish until the afternoon of the 14th day of August,
1827. when she died in eontequence of the arsenic thus
adminrstered, and was thereby murdered by the said
John Lovie."-1 he panne' pleaded Net Guilty.
William Simpson, Advccate—ls Procurator F scat of
Afirdeenshire ; on Sunday, the 19th ult. went to Fre.
terborgh along ajar Dr. Blake; met Dr. Jamieson
and Dr. Coons; the latter exhibited w•stomacli and
uterus in Dr. Coutes house in a box ; the stomach was
tied at both ends, to prevent fluid getting nit ; and the
stomach and uterus were taken out ; a keit 'was found
in the interior; experiments wete Made on part of the.
stomach, and the remainder was divided into two parts,
which witness sealed up in presence of the Gentlemen;
the outer part of the stomach was also sealed up ; one
of the portions of the stomach witness sealed up to be
sent to Edinburgh, and the other' was given to Dr.
Blakie, along with the stomach t witness afterwards get
the stomach from Dr. tibiae, with the seals unbroken,
which witness transmitted in same state to Edinburgh ;
identifies the bottle in which the outer patbolthe sto-1
Mach was sent ; sees the seals and labels which the
witness affixed, also the bottle with the ball of the coo-
tents which he transmitted to Edinburgh, and box seat
to Edinburgh.
For prisoner—Seal might have been taken off,
she label also, and pot on auother bottle.

Alexander Rannie, servant to the prisoner—Prisoner
and Widow Louie, his mother, lived together; Mar.
garet M'Kessar, Yule, and witness were the other mem;
hers of the family ; Yule is about seven years of age ;
has been in prisoner's service since Whitsunday last;
never saw any rats about the place, nor did be ever
hear the pi isomer, nor any one else talking of rats; be
asked Lovie in the course of the summer if there were

any ram and he said not; there were four cows, four
calves, and four horses, about the place one of the
calves was badly, and there was something the matter
with one of the cattle some time before M'Kessar's death,
about a fortnight before she died ; the beast was bled by
A. Milne, a witness here ; his mother gave a cow a chink
dfterM‘Kessar's death,but he never heardLov re or his mo-
ther say any thing about rubbing ahy thing into the backs
of the cattle, nor did he ever see any thing about the
cattle that led him to believe they required rubbing;
Lovie was bust in the shouker by a beast running off;
was not confined by it; it was in the month of June he
got the hurt; M'Kessar came to Lovie's service at Mar-
tinmas last; he observed, on a day Mrs. Lovie wa►
from home, that Lone went to his bed in a forenoon;
that at this time Margaret 11.Kessar went into his sown,
the witness being in the kitchen; when she returned,
witness asked her, "1s that the way you do, go to bed
*ri'•folk ?" when M'Kessar said, " 111 go to bed wi'
you ;" witness said, " I dinna want you." Remembers
Meggie's death, it was on Tuesday, in the middle of
August ; before M•Kessar's death, prisoner had several
conversations with witness about poison, in the course
of the summer, when hoeing potatt.es; Lovie asked wit-
ness if he knew,what would cause abortion ? but witness
told him he did net know ; had some conversation about
it; Lovie asked him if he knew how much jsllap would
produce physicking, and how much would kill ; Lovie
also asked witness how much laudanum would make
a body sleep? but witness could not tell ; Lovie said,
he would warrant Saute could tell (meaning a person
who lived near, a kind of doctor in the country, whom
they believed to be a prophet); L .vie told witness that
he bad dreamed one morning that he (witness) had given
Lovie two glasses of whisky and a glass of laudanum ;
one morning, while hoeing turnips, Lovie asked witness
U be knew the name of a white kind of poisooous stuff?
and witness said he supposed it was arsenic; this was
more than a week before Margaret's death ; on one
occasion Love said, he supposed Officer or Massie would
have arsenic ; on second Saturday • before . WKessar's
/death, witness went to his father's at night; witness'
father's is about half a mile from Lovie s ; dined at
lArvie's before be went to his father's; the whole family
dined together; did not see any of them dine; does not
recollect it he dined alone; Margaret was at home
that day ; an hour after dinner • witness felt sick, and
was seized with a dysentery when he went to his fa•
then, and be took salts to carry it off ; on the night be-
fore Margaret died witness was Irons home, but returned
•by nine o'clock, and the whole were at home, as far as
witness recollects; Margaret seemed in her usual
way ; rose next morning about six ; Lovie was up a
little before; witness went to a neighbour's for a drill
.plough ; was sent by his master ; was away about an
hour ; met Lovie about seven, more than SO yards
from his house, but when he saw him first he was not

more thou 100 yards from the house, coming in the
direction from the house ; Mrs. Louie was in the house
when witness went out in the mornirg ; saw *Mslressar
get out of the cl;set in the morning, and go past wit-
ness ; she seemed quite well ; witness and prisoner
went to work together, and Lovie continued working af-
ter witness left for breakfast; when witness went to the
house, Mrs. L. told him that Margaret was sick; was
about a quarter of an hour at breakfast, when he went
back where Lovie was working; told him Meggy was
sick; prisoner's face got red on hearing this; Lorre went
to breakfast about half-past nine; remained there about
half an hour, when he came back to witness, who was
still working in the fields; Louie said Meggy was un.
well, and that he heard her vomiting; witness said she
might soon get better; when witness said if she did not
soon get better she would not be " lang to the fore;"
,yemained with Lovie in the field till he went to dinner,
after one o'clock; left Lovie in the field ; saw M.Kestaes
mother on the turnpike. near the field where he was
ploughing, snore than once before he went to dinner;
Louie did not sFeAt to her; she went past quite close,
and Lovie must have seen her; did not hear friar call
out to her;
.Lovie told witness not so tell Margaret'S
mother that she was ill; this was either berme or after
Lovie came from breakfast; witness does not socol.
feet if this was after he came from breakfast; could
' have made Margaret's mother hear from the place
yrherelirimees-wes-tmadting ; on returning to dinner',
fottiod Mrs. Date and the 66r-Xelas Margaret was in
' the closet in bed; beano Margaret tatcfliag and groan,'
• fog; seemed in pain; she said to who's,. toga and Wll
b 0 sister and motbeeo when be was don% with dimwit.
So speak tuber, sssbeSrli-aever so unwell before t. does
sot think widow Lovie itearti thin; •heard widow Leyte

%El

baling
being ris
this
weeks before .; spoke . about it
he said he did not think it; saw M•Kessar chested, and
_ _

knows that it was Margaret's body that left the house
to be buried; OW no dead rats about the time of Mar-
'garet's death; got no caulon that poison had been set;
thinks he dined with Jodie on potatoes the day he went
ho his father's, when he had she bowel complaint.
William Park, labourer, Loanhead—On the evening
before M•Kessar's death, supped at Lovie's ; saw Mar-
garet, who seemed in good health ; got supper between
six and seven o'clock ; turnips usually sown in June;
left Lovie's at eight.
John Yule is seven years of age; was at his faahel's
the night before M•Kessat's death; came to Lovie's
next morning brtween six and seven ; saw M•Kessar,
first when she went out with his pottage, about eight
o'clock on the morning she died ; saw her vomiting
twice at the end, of the house, at eight o'clock ; when
she came out with his pottage, the cried on witness ;
heard her vomit in the.bed-room after he got his pot-
tage ; after witness heard M'Kessar vomiting he staid a
good while in the house; did wot leturn until a ,little
before her death, when Mrs. Lostie told him to go for
Margaret's mother : heard a noise of rats or mice, and
toldbis grannie of this; she-said the would have a trap
set; this happened three orbor weeks before Mar.
garet's death. -
Mrs. MiCessar—Her daughter, Margaret.-went
Lovie's service at Martinmas last ; Louie visited her be-
fore she went into his employment ; witness swished her
to go to another, but s' .e preferred going to Lovie;
wirness taxed her with b'eing-wieh child; but she Said
nothing; was complainin'g of head-ache; she saw her
op the Monday before her death ; was its her usual way,
and made no complaints, passed the field where Lovie
was working on the day of Margaret's death; Rannia
was in the same field w ith Lovie ; she pissed four times,
and on the fourth was taken into the house; the boy
Yule called witness in; went down the grit time about'
eight, returned between ten acd eleven; passed second
time between Cesen and twerve, and "returning the
fourth time between one -and two o'cloci,Nras called
into Logic's; spoke with Lovie the first' time at a dis-
tance; did not again speak to him after Margaret's
dead); did not tell witness Margaret was unwell ; found
Margaret almost dead ; she was undressed, and did not
speak ; was in bed ; she got her in her arias, felt her
ha d, which was cold ; felt marks of vomiting with her
Fret; Dr. Bissett was sent for, but she was dead before'
he arrived.
By Mr. COCKBURN—John Lovie was present at the
chesting; when Lovie heard that Margaret was dead,
he said, " Good Gon" Or "My GOD ; ail agreed to
send for a doctor, and Lovie went Oft hi:tieback fcit
one, who arrived in about fivlt an hour • that it was
afterwards proposed to open the body, but witness ob-
jected to it ; that Lovie said, he would not like to have
the body opened ; witness supposed it was unncessary
to open the body to discover poison.
By the COUBT.—Witness fixed the tie! for inter-
ment; no proposal was made for its 'being otherwise.

Jean M.Kessar (sister to deceased) span to her sis-
ter about her being with child ; neither refused not con-
fessed it ; told witness- jaolfle was to inaery: her; saw
her the day before-het „death ; was in the muss when
Rannie first told her sbc was very ill, and wanted to
see her ; fount; her in bed ; she was dead; felt her
bands and feet cold; her hands were blue, her heat'
still warm ; saw marks of vomiting before she came in ;
marks of this were found on a handkercnieT of her
esters; Mrs. Lovie told witness that she had com-
plained of &pain in her stomach, and sbe had given bar
flannel to it; she first complained about eight; deceased
told her about ten days before her deajh that she was
seized with dysentery; very bad ; boy Rannie was taken
ill at the same time; in washing her nandkerchi‘f found
it was difficult to take out the rn4lks of vomiting; Lovie
said he diJ not wish Margaret's body opened, as she
was with child, it might Le discovered; and witness
did nut wish it, opened for the same reason ; and
Lovie told witness to tell her mother to object to
the body being opened ; on speaking to Lovie about
her sister being with child, and saying, that she had
never said much about it, to her, Lovie said she should
not have had that in her power, as he intended to have
taken her back to him; on asking Lovie if her sister
was with child, he said, he g, didna ken;' and on asking
if Meggy had ever spoken to him about her.ng with
child, he said, 6, she Q 3 ay be had ;" on hearing that Lovie
had bought poison, witness went to Lovie and told him,
that her mother was going
_to Officer to inquire if it had
been bought.; he wishe.l her to wait till Tuesday, when
he would go with her ; on Saturday after her death, she
told Lovie that Officer said poison had been bought ; be
Lovie, denied having done so, or that he bad even seen
it, and that he would rather put a ki.ife to his own heart,
than to have harmed her ; witness then proposed going
to Officer with Lovie and two men but he declined
going, saying, he would wait till the body was disin-
terred,as he understood Mr. Simpson was corning out.,
Elizabeth Bannerman—Was ;seising Lovie's between
eight and nine 4 the day M4Cessar died, and heard
some one throwing in the garden ; did not see the person ;1
saw Mrs. Lovie passing at this time.
Mary M'Kess sr—Deceased confessed to her being
with child, amt told her Lovie was the father of it.

William hlansie apprentice to John Officer, druggist,
in Frsserburgh—Louie called at his shop there in Au•
gust last ; first, the end ofJuly or beginning of August;
asked for an ounce of jalap, which he got; he said that
would be a good dose; witness asked if it was for a
bent? when he said it was for a person; witness said it
it would be enough to kill any one; Love then said he
would divide it; asked if jalap was the strongest pur-
gative? when witness said not; asked what was the best
for rats? witness answered, arsenic; asked if there was
any thing else for rats? and witness said, nuz vomica,
but it was not so effectual; Lovie again returned in
about eight days (the Bth or 9th of August) and .said
he would, take the poison now, as he was very much
troubled with rats; arsenic is in half ounce parcels;
gave him a half ounce parcel, and when witness said it
was SJ. Lovie said he would taw two; the word " poi-
son" was Written on the two parcels which he got; Of-
ficer was present on the second oecasioa ; Lovie wai
particularly warned to taste care of tht arsenic; heard
of M'Kessar's death' four or five days after Lovie got
the arsenic.

John Officer, grocer and druggist, in Fraserburgb--
Lonie called ot•his shop, and said ha wanted some poi•
moods stuff founts, sad witness asked if it was ea stole
be said it was ; Lonie then got she arsenic made op ill

s

asked
el/Ving 0n....
()Leer
he bought any from Met ___ he pee US—,
searched Lovie's house after he was apprehended, but
found nothing ; searched the dunghill, hut found no rats
James Grant—Saw the body interred ; went to take
up the body with, Drs. Coons and Jamieson, on the Sa-
turday ; tecogniscd the body ; it had been interred on
Thursday ; save' the body again opened ; Lovie asked
a knew, before the body was lifted, if It would swell If
slit had got poison?
lain -Brown—Saw M•Kessar interred; opened the
sum and disinterred her tErcly to Pis. Coutta and
Ja-
iitts~M; searched the dunghill, but found no rate.
Thies as' Bisset, student of medicine in Fraserburgh;
14s called to Lovie's to see a woman ; was called [spool
Lovie; saw Margaret lid'Kessat ; found no pulse ;,
:old sweat on the body ; Lovie told witness that she
had been taken ill in the morning: fivas sick and had,
vomited, and complained very much of thirst; was
present when the body was inspected.
Dr. Jamieson.--Witness and Dr. Coutts inspected
IN•Kessar's body ; took out the stomach ; verifies the
report, and that the stuff taken from M.Kessar's sto.l
mach was 4118 into bottles similar to those now :hewn;,
,prisoner called on witness, and wished him to go and
,inspect the body, as a report had been propagated that
tbe deceased had been poisoned ; Lovie appealed anxious,
to have this done: witness understood Lorre meant top
have the body opened.
Dr. Wattle got hot rles from Mr. Simpson, two of which
he took along a irk him to Aberdeen; he returned one
to Mr. S. and the other he analysed; in t' ese he under-
stood that the contents of M'Kessai's stomach were con-
tained ; verifies the report made up by him and Drs.
Forbes and Knight ; from the symptoms witness has
heard, the witness's opinion is confirmed that she died
of arsenic; she must have had a good dose, from what
he has heard. • • . .

Dr. Forbes verities the report sad result of the espeti-
mehts.—Dr. Kt•ight also verifies report. . •
Professor Christison recelvailooz with phials, which
he verifits; made op a report., ehich he now sees; has
no doubt but M'Kessar died of arsenic, but the sy rap-
toms might have been produced by natural disease, viz
cholera; but coupling what he has heard with the tact
of arsenic being round in the stomach, his,:bas little
doubt but she died of arsenic.

Dr. Coutts—Went to inspect the. b01t,.:/sPhich was
disinterred by warrant of Binllie Chalmers, and not at
the request of Logic or his friends.
Mr. Autsort addressed the Jury for the Crown and
after commenting at great length on the invaluable
privilege they enjoyed in the net che of their 'O4
Jurymen, from the due discharge of which such im- '
portant consequences must result to themselves and the
public, he entered lop the case, which he detailed in an
able style of great perspicuity and candour, pointing
out foriibly the strength of the evidence which had been
adduced.

He waslullowed by Mr. Coctanatt,who, in a lumi-
'nous and ingenious speech, combated- the arguments
brought forward on the opposite side of the bar, and
pointed out the defetts of the evidente, on which he.
rested the. defence of his client.
Lord Prnats.rir, with his tssual ability, surnamed up
the evidence, and with the greiteit impartiality, laid
before the7ury the import and erect of the testimony,
as appeased to bins, which had been given, whether
Unfavourable or otherwise to the panne!. With great
humanity, he painted out what teemed to operate in his
favour ; particularly reminded them, that where any
doubt might arise in their Minds, the prisoner should
base the advantage of that doubt, and left it entirely to
the Jury, on their taking into view all the circumstances
of this extraordinary case, to determine oa which side
the preponderance ray.
The Jury were immedia•ely inclosed, and returned
into Court in about half an•hour, with an unanimous
verdict of Notroven.
The prisoner was dismissed from the bar, and on his
retiring:appeared alike unmoved as during the trial.—
He was rather a goOd looking man, of mild aspect and
demeanour, and appeared to be about 40 years of age.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
_ MANSION HOUSE.

Yesterday William Francis, who was brought before the Loan
Maros a few days ago, charged with having robbed Mr. Stapp, of
Snow-bill, of a gold watch, chain, and seals, was again examined.
The circumstances of the case, as stated on the former occasion,
excited the greatest interest, and the Justice Room and the Hall
were crowded during4he whole of the investigation. Mr. Stapp's
oridtect was, that at about a quarter before nine o'clock on the
evening of Saturday week, as he was passing along King-street,
Snow-bill, at the corner of George-alley, the prisoner pinioned him
by the arms, while another man snatched his watch. A Mr. Yar-
row, who heard Mr. Stapp cry " Stop thief!" ran to George-yard,
and be said that there be saw the prisoner. The prisoner was ap-
prehended next day in Smithfield, and upon being told the nature
of the charge, appeared to be very indignant, and declared that be
could bring evidence to prove that be was not near the plate when
the robbery was said to have been committed.
Mr. Humphreys, the Solicitor for the prisoner,. requested that
the Lord Mayor would bear stridence hi proof of an
'The Loan AUTOS—Had you not better keep the evidence for
another pace?
The Solicitor said that be had eight persona, to prove that the
prisoner was at a great distance from the place where the robbery
bad been committed at the hour above mention's:l. His object in
bringing those witnesses forward was to entitle his client to .give
bail, according to the proviso' of the 6th of Geo. ly. cap. lid,
which enabled two Magistrates to allow bail to be taken prides
certain circumstances-
The LOKI, Nlavoii. acquiesced.
Charles Warner, a post-boy, in the service of the UMW& of the!
Hope and Anchor publiclionse,ia Lbsott-grace, atired;ther
membered Saturday week last; be was atteadiftg big
house, and saw the prisoner and three or four other-tato enttelhe
tap-room at between -nine and tea o'clock in• the' mOrnirt TA*
prisoner continued drinking all day, and did not go awe!' indtelnalt
a quarter after nine at night. 'Witness recollected tel‘bilreieetieri-
stance, because' lie borrowed a. frying pan, In which ilielithilirret,
bad borne mutton chops cooked. • The men tense Wier Dandon, be,
believed, -to look after tome persuaewho were-eoppraledlw have
George Wellar, of Union-street, Liston-grove, jounwowas heti
key, deposed, that hs wee is the' Mope Sad Anchor public-house.,
from *eves o'clock guidable, as the sight in Tenth*, anddie wrG,
convinced that the ?dewier weathers dating that time. . • ,
Afthkd witness deposed, •that the prisotrer.wae is the home-
drinking, antU,he believed.aboat twenty minutes after nine:
A fourth deposed, that he ineethe prisoner at the Bon's Head,
in Smithfield, st half.peattwetverotdocia on the Saturday, and se•
companied lira to the Hopewiel 4achotpublic.bouse ; and they
started for Paddisgtort at aisput woe terdsek, and reached the pub-
lic-house at Lissomtrove. at about a. gitarter before four o'clock,
and that they renuioed there together, mail. past nine 'al.-night.
A fifth witness depapini„ that he went into the public house
abosnmentioned at mese o'clock. aad iaW the prisoner is the tap-
room at that hour.
drover, named Broom, swore, Aut& was.ln the company of
.beprisoner, from the-time be left smithfiild, until twenty minutes I
.past_alec,rind that they..hird.lisett,m
the. Hope *NI Anchor instil
that lime, .Tlie pi iaoaert trig spa jug deff.it.fir.t, slack& 113*

tell the boy yule to g for argaret's mother ; Mar- iwo.pfkrcels; casllfwaddideiDuillkiabletl of it ;il Voi.
ERDEEN CIRCUIT, flarta,R7. . garet M•Kessar 444 at half pest one,and before hz4on was marled on 'parcels -, only heard of
—dr.- ..
- - mother arrived.; !heard Maigaret cry f i
or a drink sceisires death stoic stietalataried , got the peisian
3efors Lords prom= and Acsaway.) treater; witness went fus;lowsie; 'retell he saw wittses;Your flb ®se days previous ielseradiatbrarsesic is never
W. farmer, was indiesed_tandee two charges, !running, he asked whaOsias the rioter, and *tees, psed to rob cattle, tut is.usert for sheep.
upon the 4th day of August last, he did
—-- 'said Meggrlllis either dead or bad fainted; Louie tokd * James Walker, wrie,hs--Ignows the pii•oner ;•131 at
d feloniously administer, or cause or procure ! George Yale% the Saturday viler 11• R essar's • d. ads,
witness to go for Megsy's sister, but not 'Wray Meggy
stered, to Margaret.M.Kisser or bli•Kessar, ;was dead, fiir fear of alaraing ftft ; thrlie was a garden 'slang-withit;ws t desired him to..Ry,ssit was discovered
:hen in a state of pregnancy, a large dose of :at the end of the byte • witness went to it and saw be had bought arsenic Irom Officer stLow:e said he never
rie other poisonous or dekrterious substance marks of ar,,,,iii„g, and of a person hissing bout phy• had boug,hc poison, nor did .be know It.
th intent to produce abortion.—gd. That sicked ; challenged Margaret with being with child ; John Millie, Messenger, apprehended Lottie;• Yule
Ith or 14th August, he did wickedly and 'she neither denied nor took' with it t this Was 'some asked Louie. if he had bought pawn ? and he denied
administer, or CSIIIN or procure to be ad- !weeks before her death; spoke to Louie about ir, but `casing done so for a Lou:Were* ;line hack, nor hpl
- —"' " - " •