Widnes Examiner. — 1892-12-31 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

THE NORTHAMPTON MURDER.  A REMARKABLE SPEECH BY THE CONDEMNED MAN.  The last stage of the trial of Andrew George Macrae for the murder of Annie Pritchard was reached on Saturday night, at Northampton. At the sitting of the Court, the prisoner's counsel continued his address, relying mainly for the defence upon the theory that the woman had disappeared with one Guy Anderson, whose name had been mentioned in the case. Afterwards Mr. Justice Kennedy occupied over Ave hours in placing the case before the jury, and it was half-past seven o'clock when the jury retired to consider their verdict. At nine o'clock they returned with a verdict of guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to death. Both inside and outside the court there were some remarkable scenes towards the conclusion of the proceedings. The prisoner's brother, who had been ejected during the delivery of the judge's charge, created much disturbance by his efforts to re-enter the court, and a crowd of several thousand persons gathered round the doors, raised tremendous cheers when the result of the trial was communicated to them. _ _  The prisoner, who stood in the dock with a warder on each side, received the verdict apparently unmoved. In reply to the usual question whether he had anything to say, he ccmmenced " Very little, my Lerd--"and was immediately interrupted by a scuffle at the back of the court, evidently caused by his brother, the ejected witness, trying to get in. Above all the noise could be heard his voice, " I shall come in." He seemed to be quieted, and the prisoner turning to the judge, added : " Any sentence you pass upon me has no terror." Again there was the scuffling at the back, and again rang out the brother's voice through the court : " He's my own brother. I shall come in." At this moment, too, the verdict was by someone communicated to the crowd of five or six thousand persons waiting in the street. They gave a tremendous shout, and then several prolonged cheers. The second ejectment of Macrae having been effected and the cheering having stopped, the prisoner in a firm voice said : I hope, my Lord, under the circumstances, you will excuse my brother his excited state in making the interruptions in the Court some time ago and again just now. I beg to say no sentence I you pass upon me has any terror for me, because I am perfectly innocent of this charge. There are many things I could say in regard to the evidence brought forward against me, but it is needless, of course. All the evidence of the conversation supposed to have taken place between witnesses and myself is a mass of abominable lies. The Pritchards also know very well the existence of circumstances connected with Guy Anderson which they have parposely kept back—Turning to the jury : Gentlemen, you have this day, each and everyone of you,become what you have made me—a murderer. You have this day widowed a good, devoted wife. You have this day, this night, this Christmas-eve, made fatherless loving children. Go home to your homes, can you, with a clear conscience. Have you, in giving your verdict, tempered your duty with mercy ? I say no ! , As long as you live your conscience will accuse you.— To his Lordship: My Lord, in as few words as you possibly can, if you please! His Lordship then passed sentence of death.