The Sun. — 1860-08-22 (London, England)

THE MURDER IN TILE QUEEN'S PARK, EDINBURGH.  Notwithstanding the exertions of the police and the county criminal authorities, it is believed that very little transpired on Monday to clear up the mystery which overhangs the dreadful tragedy of Sunday morning. A number of persons, including five or six soldiers from Piershill, were examined by the Procurator-Fiscal during the forenoon, principally with a view to throw light upon the intercourse had by the deceased girl with the soldiers in whose company she was seen on Saturday evening, and especially with the prisoner Tanner. These preliminary examinations are, however, in accordance with the usual custom in criminal cases in Scotland, conducted with the utmost privacy. Early in the forenoon a story got into circulation to the effect that at the time Tanner and Quin were apprehended in Campbell's-close on Sunday afternoon, two other soldiers of the same regiment were sitting in an adjoining house in the same close ; and that, on hearing of the apprehension which had taken place, they got themselves dressed in civilians' clothing, hurriedly left the house, got into a cab, and drove off. The police immediately set about sifting the story, and proceeded to search the house in question ; but the result of their investigation and inquiries was to satisfy them that the two suspected men were cab .drivers, who went out about the time stated to their cabs.  About two o'clock a boy residing in the Canongate was playing in the enclosed piece of ground between the Abbey-hill and Regent-road, in which the old stones of Trinity College Church are placed. While running about he came upon a girl's shift, a little cotton printed bed-gown, and a white worsted stocking, apparently thrust in among the loose stones and debris towards the east end of the park. The boy took them home, but they were soon afterwards brought by his parents to the police office. There are two slight stains of blood on the shift, but none on the other articles. In the course of the afternoon the whole of the articles were identified by the members of Mr. Slater's household as having belonged to the deceased, and it is probable that they formed part of the contents of the bundle which the girl carried with her from the house.  From some statement made, it is believed, by the by the prisoner Tanner, during the day, a request was sent to the castle to ascertain all the men of the 78th who had been out during Saturday night on leave, and to order their attendance at the Procurator-Fiscal's office. The request was complied with, and between five and half-past eight o'clock on Monday night upwards of 20 of these men were examined. Tanner, who was shown to all the witnesses, bore himself in a very cool and unconcerned manner. He is a tall, slight made young man, barely 20 years of age, and would scarcely from his appearance be taken for a person likely to commit the brutal crime laid to his charge. He states that he is a native of Paisley, but speaks with English accent. No evidence of any kind has, it is believed, been obtained against Quin • and he has accordingly been handed over to his military superiors at Piershill, where he has been placed under arrest on the charge of absenting himself from the barracks without leave. No trace has yet been discovered of the " corporal" whom some of the witnesses thought they had seen in company with the girl on Saturday night or Sunday morning ; nor of the two absentees still missing from Piershill. It was considered advisable not to proceed with the post-mortem examination on Monday, as had been directed, in order to give a further opportunity to witnesses to identify the body—not as that of Elizabeth Slater, regarding which there is no doubt—but as that of the girl seen in company with the soldiers in the Queen's-park and elsewhere' on Saturday night. The medical examination was, however, to be made yesterday. It is considered a curious circumstance that no one heard the girl cry out during the struggle which it is believed mast have taken place in the Queen's-park before her death. The watchman employed to guard the tank in the course of erection on the face of the hill, directly opposite the trees, neither, it is said, saw nor heard anything to attract his attention.