The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1858-11-16 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

TRIAL FOR MURDER.  The trial of William Reid for murder by procuring ebortion, was opened at the High Coat of Tustiolory, Edinburgh, on Wednesday, The prisoner who melded with hie mother at Sinallbarn, three miles from Fol• kirk, and who is most respeetsbly connected, wail tried In September, UM?, along with another young man, at the Atlrlingshire circuit, for breach of trust end amble• element, in so far aa he aided and abbetted the frauds of the it, Henry Salmon, manager of the branoh of the Commercial Hank at Falkirk, who, it may be »mem. bared, on his extensive defalcation' being discovered, took to eight, and eventually committed suicide In the eourt•yard of a Welsh Inn, The two young men were not suspected of partiolpations In the monies appropria• tad by Salmon, but were neverthieu convicted of the often°e charged, and were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment. The representations mode to the Home Secretary, however, succeeded in procuring the Mara. Con of both at or before the expiry of six months. Maid accordingly returned to his mother's house in April hut, and resided there until the occurrence of the event which a second time brings him to the criminal her. His mother's servant, Margaret Taylor, had become preg. mini by him, and been so three or four months, and he, in conjunction with the deceased, Dr. Thomas etirwood, used instrumental, it is said, to cause her to abort. Tills criminal act proved fatal to the young woman the next day ; the night of her death the dootor who gave hie aid committed suicide by taking laudanum, while Reid himself fled, but wee apprehended in Glasgow the fol. lowing day. The bench was occupied by the Lord Juntlee Clerk, Lord Cowan, and Lord Ardmillan. The Lord Advocate, the Solicitor• General, and Mr. Adam appeared for the Crown ; and the Dean of Faculty, Mr. Moir, and Mr. Morrison for the prisoner. The prisoner pleaded "not guilty," and e jury were einpanolled. The witneesei examined concluded with the mother of the deceased, the mother of the prisoner, Dr. Myrtle, Dr, Oirwood (father of the prisoners' supposed s000m• plies., and Mr. Hamilton, the physician at Falkirk. The mania' evidence was unanimous is to death having been tutored by mechanical violence, The lastmemed witness was Interrogated at oonslderoble length aa to the character, effeet, and aurae of the wounds, end also as to the probable moons of inflating them, He oonaldered that the operation bed been recklessly conducted, but whether by a surgeon's hand or an unpreetiuil hand he amid not arty. He had seen many instances of reckless. WI even on the port of profeesionol men. Is being tie o'clock, and several witneoses to OakTailla for the prinecution, the anti rove, There were Ut witnesses far the defense, The mat his allattlat gyeat intermit in Itilinburgh and the neighbourhood, end the emir% wee orowded to exam the Whole day, The pri• sonar lalgatithied a otoical Indifference throughout, ec. emit when his mother WWI giving her evidenee, when his tulip were apparently much wrought upon, Al the umweneement of the triol the Lord Juallee• Clerk reinorked thot is the WM would probably manly more then one lay, the preoe would no doubt tublith the evidence afore the trial wee 011111PiatOti, 7'o that the Court had no ohleellon but he truoted they amid ebeheit time making any romarko upon it until the terininatimi of the trial, After mewed witnesses had hen esautined on Thurs. day for the defendant, The Lord Alienate addrooled the jury for the prom'. lotion, and the Nan of Phonily for the prisoner, The Lord Juillemtkerk sniumoned up strongly Malan the prieoner, The jury retired it thlrty,Ave minute* post live, and were 'Went about one hoer, when they re. turned a verdict, "Not guilty on the Ara °horse of murderi and guilty on the nand and third, amounting to milpahle homielde,"—The prisoner was sentenced to ten years' penal servitude,