The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-10-22
AVID RTURpEREp poWNGRo

0AANNs%f 80 -
I "WHO MURDERED DOWNEEf"
}, About the eighteenth century, whenever
any student Of the Marischal College,
Aberdeen, incurred the displeasure Of the
, humber citizens, he was assailed with the
question "Who murdered DOwnie Z" Reply
and reiOinder generally brought on COLI
sion between "tOwn and gown" although
} the young gentlemen were accused Of what
was chrOnologically impossible. People
have right to be angry at being stigma
! tized as murderers, when their accusers
have probability on their side but the
I" taking off" Of Downie, occurred when the
gownsmen, SO mAligned, were in swaddling
4 clothes.
i But there was time, when to be branded
as an accOmplice in the slaughter Of Richard
j Downie, made the blood run to the cheek
/ Of many a youth, and sent him home to his
books, thoughtful and subdued. Downie
was sacrist, or ianitor at Marischal College.
| One of his duties consisted in securing The
| gate by certain hour previous to which
| all the students had to assemble in a com
mon hall, where Latin prayer was deliV.
cred by the principal. Whether, in dis
charging this function, Downie was more
rigid than his predecessor in office, or
whether he became stricter in the perform
ance of it at one time than another, can not
now be ascertained but there can be no
doubt that he closed the gate with austere
punctuality, and that those who were not in
the common hall within a minute of the
prescribed time were shut out, and were af-
terwads reprimanded and fined by the prin-
cipal and professors. The students became
/ srrifoNo1 NJ ahfo oArs1fuaao at,I Eoalr
petty means of annoying the sacrist he
in his turn; applied the screw at other
! points of academic routine, and a fierce
war soon began to rage between the collie
} gians and the humble functionary. DOwnie
. took care that in all the proceedings he kept
5 within the strict letter Of the law but his
opponents were not SO careful, and the de.
n cisiOus Of the rulers were uniformity against
e them, and in favor of Downie. Reprimands
o and fines having failed in producing due
g subordination, rustication, suspension, and
y even the extreme sentence of expulsion had
to be put in force and, in the end law and
8 order prevailed. But a secret and deadly
:, grudge continued to be entertained against
DOwnie. Various schemes Of revenge were
: thought of.
= DOwnie was, in common with teachers
} and taught, enjoying the leisure of the
; short New Years vacation--the pleasure
} being, no doubt, grestly enhanced by the
} annOyances to which he bad been subjected
during the recent biekerings-when, as he
was one evening seated with his family in
J his official residence at the gate, messen-
ger informed him that a gentleman at a
neighboriBg hotel wished to speak with him.
Downie Obeyed the SUMMONS, and was
yIeh hnrnH from fnfn ounfkHs fsD a
|, length he found himself in a large apart.
ment hung with black, and lighted by q
solitary candle. After waiting for some
} also dressed in black, and with black masks
on their faces, presented themselves. They
arranged themselves in the form of Court,
and DOwnie, pale with terror, was given to
understand that he was about to be put on
1 his trial.
A Judge took his seat on the bench; a
clerk and public prosecutor sat below a
jury was empannelled in front and witness
ses and spectators stood around. Downie
at first set down the whole affair as a Joke ;
but the proceedings were conducted with
such persistent gravity, thatin spite of him.
self, he began to believe in the genuine mis-
sion of the awful tribunal. The clerk read
an indictment, charging him with conspir.
ing against the liberties of the students I;
q Witnesses were examined in due form, the
}. public prosecutor addressed the jury and
: the judge summed up.
s Gentlemen" said Downie, "the Joke
a has been carried far enOugh--it is getting
n late, and my wife and family will Be Get.
a ting anxious about me. If | have been TOO
It strict with you in time past, am sorry for
A. it, and assure you will take more care
. in future"
81 "Gentlemen of the jury" said the Judge,
ID without paying the slightest attention 70
st this appeal, consider your verdict and Il
rs you wish to retire do 80"
lg The jury retired. During their absence
ry the most profound silence was observed
en- aud except renewing the solitary candl,
es, that burnt beside the Judge, there was mo-
aw the slightest movement.
he The jury returned, and rendered yerdie
at Of GUILTY
of The judge solsmnly assumed huge blacl
lty cap, and addressed the prisoner
Tx Richard DOwnie The jury have upan
ey imously found you guilty Of conspirip,
ere against the just liberty and immunities q
uf- the students OF Marischal College, You bay
i'm WI ntonly provoked and insulted those in
tie offensive heges for some months, and Won
an punishment will assuredly be condign. Yo
ed must prepare for death. In fifteen minute
to the sentence Of the Court will be carrie
nd into effect"
an The judge placed his watch on the bench
as A block, an ak, and bag of saw-dust, wer
bis brought into the center Of the room. A &c
nd ure more terrible than any that had vet Al
Peared, came forward, and prepared to a
an the part of doomster.
ed 1t was now past midnight; there was n
m sound audible, save the ominous tickling
m. the judges watch. Downis became mo-
ia alarmed.
his For any sake, gentlemen" !" said the ts
her rifed man, a. let me home. promise III,
ith you never again shall have cause for con
I'D plant"
AT Richard Downs" remarked the judg