Glasgow Courier. — 1853-05-19 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

TUESDAY, MAY 17. CHARGE OF MURDER. Martha Woodcock or Kerr was placed at the bar, charged with having, on the 7th and Bth of January last, administered a quantity of arsenic, or other poison, to Peter Kerr, shoemaker, her husband, residing in Hope's Land, Canongate, Edinburgh, from the effects of which he died on the Bth of January. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. Mr. Young conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Lee the defence. The first witness called was Patrick Kerr, who deponed —lam a shoemaker in Purvis's Land, Canotigate. The deceased Peter Kerr was my father, and lived in Hope's Land, on the opposite side of the street. My mother died about eleven years ago. The prisoner and my father were not married—they merely cohabited together. I was not in the habit of visiting them. For the last few years my father did not work regularly at hia trate., having become rather dissipated in his habits. He came to my workshop quite sober, and apparently in good health on Friday evening, the 7th January, about seven o'clock ;he remained till half-past twelve, and promised to come to assist me next day. Thomas Docherty, who works with me, but lives with my father, came to me next morning about 8 o'clock, and asked my sister to send furs priest, as my father was very ill. About eleven I went tone him, and found that he had been vomiting. lashed him what was wrong with him, and he said he could not tell, but that his inside was 'roasting;' he also said he had only taken bread and water for his supper on the previous night. I went back to see him about eight o'clock in the evening, in conseqeence of a message that he was dying. When I went over he was dead. The prisoner was present. I said to her, ' Martha, you have done it at last.' She said she had done her duty. I said I would do mine, and I went and reported my suspicions to the police. My father had often said that she would poison him ; lie first expressed his fears to are about two years ago. He said, generally, that she had threatened to poison him, but he did not refer to any particular threat. The last time I recollect him mentioning it was about three months before his death. He was then sober. They had had a quarrel, and she said she would do for him. I saw the prisoner on Sunda7 forenoon, the 9th January. Thomas Doeherty, his wife and child, were present. Docherty said, 'Martha, did you not say that you would poison him on Friday morning? She replied, 'No, I did not;' hut he repeated his statement. Mrs. Docherty came forward end said, ' Martha, you bed bettvr bold your tongue and not make me speak, for if I do, I will be the worst of them.' She made no answer.. Thomas Docherty said that on the Friday Martha had called my father a Bennison.faced old b--, and ssie that Dennison was a decent murderer, but be (my father) murdered her hy inches. Doeherty also said that, on my father going out on the Friday, she said to him, 'Did he not think that he ought to be poisoned? The evidence of the above witness details the facts r the Cost, so far as brought out. The medical geodee examined exprenied theie conviction that deceased from the adniinistration of arsenic. The LORD Je iTICC-