Broadside entitled 'Murderous Outrage in Fife'

Transcription

Murderous Outrage
IN FIFE!

A Full and Particular Account of that most Murder-
ous Outrage that was committed on the body of
George M'Donald, a flax-dresser belonging to
Dundee, by a person of the name of Robert Dems-
ter, a plasterer and slater from Cupar.

George M'Donald, a flax-dresser, belonging to Dundee, who has
for a considerable time been unable to follow his occupation, owing
to his having received a shock of the palsy about a fortnight ago,
left Dundee, and went to Dysart on a visit to his sister, who resides
in the latter place. He set out from Dysart last Wednesday mor-
ning, purposing to return to Dundee, and get a ride in a cart as far
as Craigrothie. Being, as he says, (for this statement is from his
own mouth,) very cold, he went into a public-house kept by a per-
son of the name of Cooper, and asked for half a gill of whisky. He
was shown into a room, where one Robert Demster, a plasterer and
slater from Cupar, waa sitting, and immediately engaged in conver-
sation. After having finished their whisky, they set out together,
purposing to go to Ceres ; when about half way to Ceres, and al-
most opposite Weymss Hall gate, Demster asked M'Donold for the
loan of a sixpence, and assured him he would get it when he got
to Cupar, alleging as a reason for this request, that] he had been
long out of employment, and was very scarce of money. M'Don-
ald said he was a poor man and had no money. Demster then
said, " Oh, I saw you have plenty of money when we were in
Craigrothie." M'Donald then said I am thinking I will be surer of
my money if I keep it in my pocket. Demster then said, " If you
do not give me it I will knock you down," and held up his ham-
mer (a slater's hammer) in a menacing manner. M'Donald then
said, you surely dinna intend to strike me with that." " Perhaps
I will, replied Demster. M'Donald getting alarmed, cried out
" you surely do not intend to murder me." " Yes I do," was the
answer, he sprung on him and inflicted repeated blows with
the hammer onhis head. Perceiving, however, two females coming
up, he pushed the body into a ditch and fled, throwing his ham-
mer over the wall, into one of the Parks adjoining to Wemyss
Hall. The ladies, when they came up, observed the unfortunate
man, and endeavoured to lift him, but were unable to do so. They
however, soon obtained assistance, and the unfortunate man was
carried to house in Ceres kept by one Ellen Howie, where he-now
lies in a very dangerous state, with very little prospect of his re-
covery.

" Mrs Cooper, who keeps the public house in Craigrothie, says,
that they were both nearly drunk, and that when they left her
house, Demster was intending to go to Cupar, and M'Donald to
Ceres. Another person who passed the two on the road, says, that
when she passed them were quarrelling about something, but can-
not say what it was about. It is reported that Demster, after pe-
petrating the deed, hastened to Cupar, went to the Jail, and told
the Jailor to take him in, as he had mundered a man. The Jailor,
however, told he could not take him in without a warrant. Dem-
ster then went to his friends, and having taken a second thought
made his escape, and has not since been heard of. Placards are,
however, posted up through the whole country, and there is little
doubt of his apprehensson. M'Donald is a poor lame object; he
was bred a flax-dresser a few miles south from Edinburgh, and fol-
lowed this occupation until he sustained a stroke of the palsy
which has deprived him of the power of the whole of his left side
and arm. He usuelly resides iu Dundee, and receives five shillings
per week from a fund in that town."

Price One Penny.

previous