The Sun. — 1848-04-29 (London, England)

PERTH CIRCUIT COURT OF JUSTICIABY, APRIL 22. CHARGE OF. MIIRDEL—Jamey Robertson was placed' at the bar, accused of having, on the 24th December, 1847. in a house on the farm of Unthank, near Brechin, occupied by William Norrie, got possession of a female illegitimate child, of which he was the father ; sod that, _ on the farm of Cookston, and near the public road leading to Brechin, di4 thereafter wickedly and feloniously putthheer e clotheshead and iscuhffwo suffocated d h uponerthe person of the child over and in that way murdered her. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. f Witnesses were examined in support of the prosecution, whose evidence it appeared that the prisoner, who was a farm servant, was father of several other illegitimate children. Jean Guguid, the mother of the child, deposed to having carried the infant to the prisoner, at his request, three weeks after its birth, and to having left it in his charge,'at his sister's house, who was married, on the understanding that he was to find a nurse for it: The prisbner's sister corroborated the witness's testittionyroind stated that her brother desired her to say that the' child was to be with her all night. The prisoner, however, after the mother of it left took away the child, which was wrapped up in three shawls to protect it from the cold. Before doing se, his sister requested him to leave the child with her to keep it ; but he objected, and said that his mother would hear of it. He said he was going to take it to a place about a mile and a half west frow the place he lived at, where a woman was to keep it. William Jack, an officer in the Forfarshire rural police, deponed that on the 6th March the mother of the child and her brother came to him, and stated that the prisoner had confessed to the former that he had made away with the child on the night she gave it to him, and buried it in a field of land. In consequence of this. information, he apprehended the panel on the following morning. Panel confessed to having made away with the child by gathering the clothes over its head and smothering it. The prisoner's declarations were then read, which.detailed with great minuteness a full confession'of the Whole affair. He stated that he was 25• y ears of age ; hid three other illegitimate children beside those that JeanDughid had to him ; that their maintenance pressed hard upon him ; and it was from that circumstanee that he had been induced to-do the deed.  • The jury retired for about 15 minutes, and on return. ing- into court delivered a unanimous verdict of Guilty as libelled; but, from the candid way in which he hao confessed the deed, strongly recommended the prisoner to mercy. Lord AIONCREIFF then addressed the prisoner upon the awful situation in which his crime had placed him, and advised him earnestly to reflect on his condition, and turn to God in prayer and repentance that his sins might be washed out in the blood of the Redeemer. In reference to the recommendation of the jury, it would certainly be attended to in the proper quarter ; but the Court could bold out to him no strong hopes of mercy. He was then sentenced to be executed at Forfar on the 19th of May. The prisoner heard his sentence unmoved, and appeared throughout the whole trial to be little impressed with his situation.