The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-10-10 00:00:00

CIRCUIT COURT.,

PEItTli, Ocr. 4.
Yesterday the Circuit Court of Justiciary was i
(Spelled here by Lord MCA DOWBANIE.
Margaret Robertson, daughter of the late Mr.
Robertson, surgeon, in Crail, was tried for the tour:.
der of her mother, by administering poison to her
on the 2tl of July last.
The first witness on the part of the prosecution
was Goodair, surgeon, in Austruther, who 4
had been appointed by the Sheriff Substitute of
Fife, to examine the body of Mrs. Robertson.—
This Gentleman having corroborated, the re.
port which he had formerly made to the Sheriff,
gave his decided opinion that Mrs. Robertson had
died in consequence of swallowing arsenic, of
Which be had discovered a portion remaining in
the stomach. He also declared it to be his upi.
nion, that Miss Robeitson, on thu day of her.,
mother's death was labouring under a partaXraT:
of insanity. Tit this conclusion he was led by.abe
absurdity and ineolierence'of her conversation, of
Which, on being required, he gave some specimens.
Charles Grace, physician, in Copy, confirmed
the evidence of the former witness, along with
whom be hid exatnitied the body of Mrs.. Robert.
san, and drawn up the report to the Sheriff.. The`
witness had attended Miss Robertson, by the
Sheriff's decire, during her imprisonmentl.and gave
a distintt account of the progress and termination
of her disease: When first called on, the 2d of
July, he found her in a state of delisinoi and fever,
her pulse being at 120. Thii state of the pulse
continued till the beginplot of AngSt.', whcu She
had a discharge of pus and. blood !Amp the nose.
After thin, her fever and detirium gradoally abated,
and on the 16th ~of that inooth.bur pulse was re.
dared to 76. These circumstapeechstl, led the wit.
mess to believe that the .causes ,f her ailment was an
indamniation and collection of matte! la she sinuses
of the brain, which,, ho asserted (thungli thii opt. '
',lion seemed to be queatiottell by the Judge), had a
communication with the nostrils.
•
Thc next witness was isabella Marshall. She wan
the aeryaut .Mrs.,Robersson, and had beep a ith
her foe six months,. pro4ops to her death. She
had hear! that.Mise Itylkftsoa had been sometimes,
deranged ;, bpt saw PO. lippgaraljlClO of it till Thtns.
day, the 28th of Jr tie, -a hen- she observed a
singularity in her carriage and conversation, and
a change from the warmest affection to an .evi-
dent aversion for her mother. , The words of the
witness were, that " Miss Robertson was execs,
alvely dutiful." On Sunday, Ist of July, being
the day of the Sacrament, which Miss Robertson re.
ceived, the witness observed the latter in church,
bursting out into• fits- of laughter. Nest monag
she was awaked by the Prisoner about five, and

saw her soon. after throw &lamp at her mother, who
had just entered the kitchen where tkie.witsiess
Between seven and eight, the family, including the
witness, weal to breakfast, at which the tea was
blade by Miss Robovtauti. Aitax,Mrs. 11.ohertson
hail swallowed a cup uf tea, she went *set, and the
Prisoner brought a bottlesontaining a white pow-
der, ISOM thn.Shrip (halooging to bl/s. 14o4oertsen),
and put a part uf the skunitlec into hec,Anathet',
tee, Niters• asitottisee. what,it. vas, . 4114 sho said
it was somethisg ,that 'avid do.t►at; intSbor geo4
The wituuse dues um' roomoikrar *hpothor Tbot,she
paw Mrs, animas** cailltAho bog Woo tiattSt
Areot sajd, {kg Isar calledbit ihe:k•emer
witness to see 'qrs. R., w yes. akilenalp 114 and
found her sitting in ke Amp.. .She:said. to the wit,.

new, that sht.% (the wituese supposing sho meant her
daughter) had given her something which she be-
;Weed to be whitening. Witness, at Atre. ht.'s re.
quest, helped ttnr,ta a room upstairs that she might
go to bed, when Miss R.. opposed their entrance;
hot tho deceased admitted, uo the interference
of a tmighbouring genilesnan!s . savant, the witness
came away. , 4 .
4. • Air. Sheen, surgeon, in Creil, and Dr. Flint, of St.
ASKlfew'st went Ontnintul in sateetpatiess. They
heal bothAttemied Atibe 14nbertinans ant Prlnett dis.
tinctly her insanity on funnier Occasions 44 well
as at the period of her mother's deatts.
Margaret liorseborglo, gave a very interesting
account of her connection with the family of Mrs.
Robertson, and of the insanity of her daughter. She
had been 14 years servantin the family, and re-
moved at Martinmas, 1809. Miss R. nine years
ago, caught A favor from her mother, by her care.
ful, assiduous, and anxious attendance. One day,
in 1808, themes, withoist, any previous depression

of spirits, . suddenly seized- vi,ith a •delirintn io
church. She continued in that state for some time,
and afterwards recovered. • She often told the wit_
tress, after .her recovery, that when first seized, she
imagined herself capable of flying out of the roof
of the church, and when taken home, she thought
the house on ',fire„.and her mother some monstrous
creature. T.he malatty.did nut recur tiH 1809. The
itearreace was preceded by lowness of spirits ; and
what seemed then to hang on her mind was a dread
of nut being sufficiently dutiful to her mother. The
delirium, with iutervals of low spirit's, continued for
some Anne, but she recovered, and. was not again
afflicted with the distemper until, July last, though
ehe had been in low spirits from the begiuning of
the year.. .
Mr. WpnIEREURN, the Advocate Depute, ad-
dressed the Jury, aml Mr. kaattaer,the Patine!,
left the case without any observatiou ; and, after
a short charge.from the Judge, the hit/ Were.eu-
closed, bat had nut. returned their verdict 'When the
accounts came away. „

At Northanerton Races, on Tuesday last, a boy
was struck on the head by one of the horses, as he
"'as crossing the course during the muting for the
Iting's Hundred. 11e-expired out Thursday.
It is remarkable t)tat the, first 20,0001. Prize in.
fradtwed,..iti a Lottery, and the. very last drawn
20,10001., should be ahare d. and sold by HORNS.
BY and Co. ; likewise two of the tint .SOIOOOL
P.rizes, and theionly 15,0001.' besides.fite
(41 f-
-0,0001., limo 01440001., lour of 5,0001., five.
te. of 1,0001., lind 'twelve 5001. prizes,
were shared. and sold. by LIORNB43Y. and Co., lit
the last five successive:Lotteriest, at• So. tte, Cons.
bill, awl Maigarees.hill, Borough ; where-soup
be 114Ctickets aotk ShAti.s, for the.titaieLottery
se;hiekitill-liggi awl :finish 'ow the LOUt iinstant.. . •