Broadside entitled 'Murder'

Transcription

MURDER

An account of the shocking case of Mrs Anderson
St Giles Street, Leith, found strangled to death in her
house, on Monday morning last, with the apprehen-
sion of one of her neighbours, accused of having com-
mitted the diabolical murder; also an account of the
Dreadful destruction of Cromerty new jail by Fire, on

Monday night, when   shocking to   relate, the keys
of the Prison were lost in the confusion, and before
the door could be forced open, the prisoners (whose
horrid   cries were   heart-rending) were burned to
death, and   so   reduced   to ashes, that   the bodies
could not be known by their relations.
A shocking affair occurred in Leith on Monday morning last un-
der very suspicious   circumstances.    A woman   of the name   of
ANDERSON, residing in Lowrie's Close, Giles Street,   had   been
drinking ou Sunday evening with some 0f her neighpours,    with
one of whom she had a quarrel.    Shortly after retiring to her own
house, a disturbance was heard between her and her companion, the
latter it   is and was over and to the                ANDERSON whome   she

left after having had a short scufle.

There was nothing more heard till next morning, when the ser-
vant of a gentleman in whose employ ANDERSON had occasion-

ally worked, called at her house and found the unfortunate wom-
an lying dead on the floor, with a great deal of coagulated blood
about her mouth and nostrils, which led to a belief that she had
been Murdered. On notice being given to the Police. the person
with with whom the deceased had quarreled was apprehended, and af-
terwards set at liberty, but has since been recommitted for further
examination,

It was discovered thus morning (Monday the 15th instant) be-
tween two and three o'clock, that   the Newly erected Jail   was on
fire.    When the alarm was given, only the Westmost room   was
in flames but some delay took   place in getting   the   Jailors to
open the Prison.

Upon the arrival of the Turnkeys, the keys were, after some
coufusion, obtained?but owing to some mistake in dsicovering
the proper keys, the fire extended to the passage, and no access
could be obtained to the prisoners in that portion of the Jail,
and the consequence has been that GEORGE ALEXANDER, an
Architect, in Golspie, and ANGUS M'LEOD, Innkeeper, Ballin-
trade, both confined for debt, along with M'LEOD'S wife who
came on a visit to him on Saturday last, besides a great number
of other prisoners whose bodies could not be kuown, have all been
burnt to death.

t was truly horrifying to hear the cries of the wretched suffer-
ers for assistance before they had been suffocated by
the smoke, The delinquents who were confined in
the tower adjoining the jail were most of them saved
from the dreadful configration and allowed to go at
large The jail and Court House, with the exception
of he Tower, are all burnt to the ground, and no part
of them saved there being no fire engines in the place.
The portraits of MR M'LEOD Sheriff of Rosshire,
and MR MURRAY Provost of Tain, which were
placed in the Court Room, were with difficulty rescued
from the flames free of injury. It was was believed
that the fire was occasioned by some ashes being
placed in a wooden cinder bucket in the room where
the fire originated in which there was a considerable
quantity of straw which Ignited and gave rise to the
conflagration.

The bodies of ALEXANDER M'LEOD and his wife, have been
found in the ruins but neither of them can be distinguished they
are in such a mutilated state. Had the morning not been calm
ELLISON'S Hotel and Stables would also have been destroyed, as
well as the Office of the British Linen Company's Bank, but every
precaution has been made to prevent the fire from extending,
FORBES,and CO.PRINTERS, 171 COWGATE

previous