Star.
London, England, 1827-11-15 00:00:00

HIGH COURT OF JUSTICIARY, EDINBURGH.

Saturday the Court, after the conviction of two lads
for housebreaking and theft, and who Mere sentenced
to traosportation tor 14 years, proceeded to the trial of

James Vka, sen. accused of wickedly and maliciously
throwing James Glen, jun. a male child •,f- 17 months
old, of which he was the reputed father, into the Fitch
and Clyde Canal, at a put thereof called the New
Plash, about three miles from Glasgow ; or otherveises
that he did feloniothly choke or strangle the said child,
by squeezing its throat with his hands, or by tying a
string tight round its neck, or by some other means, to
the prosecutpr unknown; and the said child was thus
bereaved of life and murdered, and its body thrown into
the Canal, 'where it was found on the 9th May.
The general outline of the ca .e was—The child, of
which Glen was the reputed father, was brought to
lodgings on the evening of the Ist of May, by its me-
'her, with a view to talon money from the prisoner to
pay for its maintenance. She left the infant with him,
although Glen threitened, if she did, he would drown
it in two hours. In two hours thereafter, he wrapped-
elle child up.in a cloak, and proceeded with it, as be
said, to Glasgtitir, but en his way thither averred that
be gave it to an old woman, who for 12s. engaged to
free him for ever of his troublesome charge. The
child being found drowned on the 9:h of May, the
prisoner was aprrehenckd, and before the officers of
justice had said one word to him, he exclaimed, " I
am innocent of drowning the boy." The evidence
was altogether of a circumstantial, but at the same
time of a most conclusive nature, against the pri-
soner. The evidence of two medical Gentlemes,,
who examined the dead body, proved that on the
Lore part of the neck there was an appearance of
violence basing been used to produce strangulation.
They examined the body, and considered it to balm,
been dead about eight or ten days, but it was not de-
cayed. A person who knew the child could not readily
recognise its features.
At the conclusion of the evidence, the Jury was ad-
aressed by the Lord Advocate for the prosecution, and
by Mr. Monteith Ua the pi ironer. They then retired
and after being enclosed for ten minutes, returned a
verdict of Godly. •
The prisoner was sentenced io be,executed at Glace.
gow on the 12,h of December, and his body to be given?
for dissectiou.
The most el9iiqr nary einem:tat* onenected with
Otis case is, tAl'at ierap.,abeke young min, about 22
years of 'age, Waling eaceird lions Glasgow gaol, re-,
turned treat day. ve himself up.
Glen condhcted lu throughout the trial with
great co,mirque,'lnd did
,qot seem in any particular
degree affected by tOn solemn ;and impressive address
of this Lord 3iastice Crean. The trial lasted from,
noid-daj till after eight ri:plo*
,

Tuesday evening an. Inquest was held at the sign of
the Thirteen Cantoons, Ying-stseet, Soho, before Taos.
HIGGS, Esq. on the body of Ann Batten, aged 59 years,
whose death was supposed to have been occasioned by
a stave beating she had received from a man named,
Thomas Clements, a plasterer, With whom she had:
cohabited i0r.19 years. rEvidence.having- beea heardM
the ;my retarp•4 a verdigt.o4-- Manslaughter against'.
Thomas demos'," who bad bon la custody for,
dint thiys.