Broadside entitled 'Trial and Sentence'

Transcription

    TRIAL

    AND

SENTENCE

Just published, the Trial of Duncan Macmillan, for the
horrid crime of assaulting and raviging the person of
Jean M'Lauchlane, with the dreadful Sentence pro-
nounced upon him, which important trial came on
before the High Court of Justiciary yesterday, and
lasted for twelve hours.

The Lord Justice Clerk and Lords Commisioners of
Justiciary met this morning to sit on the trial of Dun-
can M'Millan, a young man, from Fort William, The
indictment charged the pannel with having violated the
person of Jean M'Lauchlane, a good looking country
girl, about 17 years of age.

The trial proceeded with shut doors, but we are able,
to give the following brief account of this indelicate
crime for which the prisoner stood charged.

It appeared that the pannel had met the girl in the
town of Fort William, She consented to go into a
public house with him, where the prisoner called for a
bottle of porter, at the same time requesting the land-
lord to delute the liquor with half tumbler of whisky, which was
done and presented to, the unsuspecting girl, who drank freely of
it. They shortly after left the house, and an reaching a ford a few
miles in the country, the girl been me disny, when the prisoner took
her on his back and crossed the water, and committed the assault
for which he stood charged.

The Lord Justice Clerk having. summed up.the evidence, the
Jury retired, and about ten o'clock returned a verdict of the Rape
not proven, and the assault with inten: to ravish oroven by A plural-
ity of voices.

Lord M'Kensie, in proposing sentence, said, that had the jury
found the prisoner-guilty of rape, he would have had no alternative
but to propose the sentence of death ; but even although the pri-,
soner was relieved of that crime, yet be stood convicted of one of
the most brutal and degrading assaulte, an assault committed. in
the forenoon of the day, at a rime he (the prisoner) was possessed
of his   sober senses,    The crime was also aggravated by the art,
cunning, and stratagem used by him to commit the foul and dia-
bolical deed. Under there circumssances, and many other consi-
derations, he could not propose less then that the prisoner should
be transported beyond seas for the natural period of his life.
    In these sentiments Lord Moncrieff and the Lord Justice Clerk
fully concurred, and M'Millan was accordiogly seutenced co tran-
sportation for life.

It was remarked by almost every person who had admittance
into the hall where the girl M'Lauchlaue was during the trial, that
she conducted herself in the most unbecoming manner. The levity
she displayed was truly disgusting.

Thomas Yule pleaded guilty to breaking up the portmanteau of
a gentleman who was lodging in his house, and stealing therefrom
30 Napoleons, a Dutch gold coin, and several other articles--Sen-
tenced to one years' imprisonment in Bridewell.

James Hosie was then placed at the bar, accused of having 'bor-
rowed   from   ten different .spirit dealers as many copper gallon
measures , and from another a copper half gallon measure, and ap
propriating them to his own use.    He pleaded guilty to six of the
charges, and was sentenced to one years imprisonment in Bride.
Well.

Forbes & Co. Primers , 171, Cowgate.

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