Oxford Democrat., 1916-02-08
The MacGregor
Case
II Indicates the Danger sf Accept.
m Circunstaatial Evidence.
By ETHEL HOLMES

~ -
+ By ETHEL HOLMES +
iisssiiis-ss-s-s-i-st-i-i-34-s-sssssi-si.ss-sa-s
Fergus MacGregor and his wife,
Elisabeth, lived on the outskirts of
Edinburgh, Scotland. Their nearest
neighbor lived about q quarter OF O
mile distant. The MacGregors appear
ed to live happily together till one
evening their neighbor, Alexander
Tweedy, heard excited voices coming
from the direction Of their home.
Tweedy's wife thought she heard a
third voice once or twice take part In
what was going on trying to calm the
Others, but her husband failed to bear
her out In this, and she was not sure.
Finally the quarreling stopped, and
nothing more was heard.
The next morning Tweedy on his
way to Edinburgh, where he worked,
passed the MacGregor home and no
ticed that it seemed to be deserted. A
window pane on the ground floor was
broken, which he had noticed before
and at which he wondered, because the
MacGregors were tidy persons and
kept their home In good order. He
continued his way, not attaching much
importance to what he had seen or
what he had heard the night before.
But when the next morning he pass.
ed the house again and saw no one
about he became curious and, going to
the window. looked in. he was shock
ed to see evidences Of struggle.
Everything was in disorder. A table
that had stood In the center OF the
room had been overturned, and the
fragments Of lamp that had stood
on It were scattered over the floor.
Clothing lay about, both mems and
women's.
Tweedy was astonished. He had
heard no sounds that would indicate
anything more than a war Of words.
True, his wife had awakened him In
the middle Of the night and said that
the MacGregors were Quarreling again.
He had listened. but. hearing nothing.
told her that It was due to her imagt-
nation and she had better 90 to sleep
and think no more about the matter.
But now appearances tended to prove
that the quarrel had been more serious
than he supposed. Putting his arm
through the aperture left by the
broken pane, he raised the window and
entered the house.
There was nothing Of value left In
It except the furniture. 1t looked to
Tweedy as II either MacGregor had
killed his wife or the wife had killed
her husband and whichever was the
murderer had made OF with what
ever could be carried away hastily.
But this was only theory and did
not account for what had been done
with the body Of the victim.
Tweedy was about to leave the prem
ises when he noticed on the floor Il
strand of red hair. The hair was long
and evidently a woman's. The finder
shuddered. Mrs. MacGregor's hair
was red.
Tweedy dropped the strand on the
Hoor, where he had found it, got out
through the window and went OIL to
Edinburgh to his work. In the even
Ing when he returned to his home lie
told his wife that he had seen ex-
ceilent evidence that their neighbOr
had murdered hia wife, disposed in
some way Of the baby and fed with
all the valuabaes. Mrs. Tweedy listen
ed to his recital with horror.
I'm going to the sheriff to tell him
Of the murder" said Tweedy.
"Ye'll dinna do ony such thing, San
dy," was the reply. "Dinna mix yer
sell up with it. They'll think you had
summat to do with It Let somebody
else find 1t oot."
Sandy took his wlfs's advice. Every
morning he passed the deserted home
on his way to his work and every
evening on his return. His conscience
smote him for not making the tragedy
known, and on several occasions he
told his wife that he would report It.
but she always dissuuded him.
But one day the horror came out
through another source. A man pass
ing q thicket back Of the MacGregOr
home smelled an offensive odor und
thought the dead body of some animal
was there. Prompted by curiosity. he
made an examination and found the
decaying corpse Of a woman. Going
straight into the city. he reported his
find. and persons were sent out to bring
in the body. The face had been mutt
lated besides being decayed. SO that
It was beyond recognition. The hair
was red. The dress was the MacGpeg-
or tartan.
An examination was made Of the
MacGregor home, and what Alexander
Tweedy had found was carefully noted
even to the strand Of hair which was
picked up and preserved. There being
no doubt on the part Of the authorities
that MacGregor had quarreled with his
wife, murdered her and made OF with
the family valuables, q search Was in
stituted for him. He could not be
found, and the search was about to be
given up when some one suggested that
In time a murderer will visit the scene
Of his crime. A watch was set and,
true enough, one day MacGregor was
captured standing before his house
looking at 1t strangely. he was I'm
mediately arrested.
"What are ye takin' me forf' he
asked
"Niver mind what we're takin' ye
forf Yell have q chance to find that
cot late~ on"
When Fergus acGregor was inform
ed Of the charge against him and OF
the discoveries that had been made hl
uttered no reply whatever. He seemed
utterly crushed. He was advised To
secure the services Of a lawyer and
permitted a friend to send him an at
torney, who asked him what he had
to say.
whats the use O. tellin' q storyY
asked Fergus. "Isn't.my wife deadi
I don't care II they hang me-"
YOU'D better make up a story" said
the lawyer. Tell me something that
can hang q theory on"