Broadside entitled 'The Only True Account'

Transcription

THE ONLY

True Account.

Of the-Execution of Catherine Davidson, who
was executed at Aberdeen on Friday last, for
the murder of her husband, by pouring vitriol
down his throat; with the confession which she
made. With an account of a remarkable cir-
cumstance which happened about 40 years ago
at the execution of a woman in Aberdeen.
when the executioner threw the rope among
the crowd, which struck her on the breast..

(From the Caledonian   Mercury of Monday Oct.   11, 1830.)

On Friday, Catherine Davidson, for the mur-
der of her husband, Jas. Humphrey, was executed
at Aberdeen in pursuance of her sentence. Since
her condemnation her conduct has been becom-
ing and exemplary. On Wednesday she parted
With her friends, and the scene was most heart-
rending. On Thursday afternoon, while wash-
ing herself, she said, " O, it's a sair thing to wash
for the gibbet; but I hope I will be washed in the
blood of my Redeemer." She was attended by
several clergymen and other persons, and paid
great attention to their ministration.

When brought into the Court-house on Friday
she was asked by the Lord Provost if she had
been properly used during her confinement, to
which she replied in the affirmative.    To aques,
tion by the Rev. Mr, Murray, she said, " I ac-
knowledge the justice of my sentence; but O, I
did not buy the stuff to give him?but misfortune
took hold of me, and I gave it him? but O, I
did not think it would kill him?but I did it, and
I suffer justly.''

When led out to the scaffold, she was conduct-
ed instantly forward to the drop, an every prepa-
ration being over, she addressed a few words to
Dr Kidd, and at five minutes before three she gave
the signal, and was in a few moments in another
world Her last words were " O, my God." A
great multitude,witnessed the execution.

It is upwards of 45 years since a female criminal
suffered the punishment of death in Aberdeen: The
last woman that was executed there was Elspet
Reid, from Banffshire, who was hanged on the 14th
Jan., 1785:

Jean Craig for stealing linen cloth and women's clothes, was
also executed on the 23d July, 1784.

It is a singular fact, and which Mrs. Humprey more than once
mentioned since her trial, that being present at Jean Craig's exe-
cution, on the body being cut down, the ;ope was, as was then u-
sual, thrown among the crowd, when the knot struck her on the
breast. She said that she recoiled with horror; and that the cir-
cumstance had borne much on her mind since she received her sen,
tence.

John Muir, Printer.

previous