Arizona republican., 1914-08-10
The Gowrie Trial

One of the unique cases of Scotch history, and one that is still en- shrouded in the veil of mystery, is that of the Gowrie Plot. On the fifth of August, 1900, the king started for a hunt from Falkland palace. Short ly after setting out he was met by Alexander Ruthven, the younger brother of the Earl of Gowrie. Ruth
 ven stole up to the monarch with a great air of secrecy and told him in whispers of a mystery that had come to his notice, that of a man burying a pot of money in a field. Thinking the matter so unusual, he had fol-
 lowed and captured the man, and he was at that moment lodged in the Gowrie House, in Perth. He begged the king to come and see him.
 The king, as one would suppose, was not averse to coin of the realm, whether begged, borrowed or stolen, and accepted the invitation of Ruth ven. Telling nothing to his follow CTS, he ordered Mar, LennoX, and about twenty other gentlemen, to ac- company him. Upon the arrival at the castle the king was entertained and dined as befitted royalty of that period, and after dinner Alexander took his monarch aside. When
 later some of his attendants asked the whereabouts of the king they were told that he had returned to Falkland. While they were prepar- ing to follow, some few of them heard cries from a turret. This they recognized as the kings voice, and as they turned. the king thrust his
 head out of the window and called for help. His face was red, and he was minus his cap as he cried from
 the small window in the tower: Help, my Lord Mar, Treason, Trea- son! I am being murdered!'
 Instantly most of the party rushed hither and thither, searching for a way to ascend to the turret. Then one who was supposed to be Sir John Ramsey, called for them to come right to the top of the turnpike stairs and rushing up, they found him at last in a small room, struggling with Alexander, whilst a man dressed in
 armor was looking on, Both Alex ander Ruthven and the Earl of Cow rie were killed in the scuffle that fol- | lowed. A tumult arose, for the Earl had also been Provost of the town and was very popular with the townsfolk. and the king and his fol- lowers were forced to make an un- dignified escape along the muddy banks of the river.
 After many preliminary summons | and meetings, the trial proper began | before the parliament on November | Is. As Alexander was dead, there | was only one witness of the crime | remaining. besides the king himself. | the man in armor.
 1 Andrew Henderson, chamberlain to | the late Earl of Gowrie. was the man | in armor He deposed that he went | with Alexander Ruthven to Falkland, and was with him when the tale was | told of the Spanish gold. He was
 sent back to Gowrie castle in ad-
 vance to tell the earl to prepare for his maiesty's coming. Upon arrival,
 the earl asked how many noblemen
 were with the king and he answered I llOHt DIl lHN bcIu lIuhc 'I<CbhoN'' | Gowrie then ordered him to put on
 coat of mail and plate-sleeves. And when asking the reason was told something about a highlandman who
 was to be arrested. After the arrival
 of James, he was asked for the key
 of the gallery chamber. and was | then taken aside and told by the
 earl to go with Alexander to the gal
 lery chamber When up there he
 was, as he then thought. locked in
 the round" of the gallery for no reason whatever.
 By his evidence, Henderson betray-
 ed the reason for the plot When the | king and Alexander entered the | tower, the latter said; Sir. you must
 be my prisoner; remember my fath-
 CTS death" In his evidence the man
 in armor revealed the whole scheme
 to assassinate King James. whom
 the earl accused of killing his father. | The parliament then pronounced
 sentence declaring the brothers, Earl
 of Gowrie and Alexander Ruthven, to | have committed manifest treason and
 ordered the name, memory and dig
 nifty of the dead men to be exiting
 uished Their bodies were to be
 hung, drawn and quartered in Edn-
 burgh, and it was also added that
 their property go to the crowd" Others who had assisted the plot
 were another Alexander Ruthven and
 his brother, Henry, Hugh Moncrieffe,
 Patrick Eviot, Thomas Cranston.
 George Craigengelt and John Mac 1 duff who had rushed up the turn pike with the Earl of Gowrie. They
 were all convicted at Perth by evil
 dence and confession, and executed