Broadside entitled 'Second Edition'

Transcription

SECOND EDITION,

An account of the trial and sentence of Robert
Emond, who was tried at Edinburgh on Mondt
last, for the horrid murder and robbery of his
sister-in-law and his niece, in the village of Ab-
bey, near Haddington, by cutting their throats,
and nearly severing their heads from their body;
he was found guilty, and sentenced to be exe-
cuted at Edinburgh., on Wednesday the 17th
day of March next,?Glasgow 9th   February,
1830.

EDINBURGH, FEB, 8, 1830---This day Robert Emond was
placed at the bar of the High Court of Justiciary, charged with the
murder and robbery of Mrs. Franks and her daughter, in the vil-
lage of Abbey, near Haddington, in the month of October last, The
following are the circumstances of the case :?

" In the village of Abbey, which is about a mile from Haddington
resided a poor widow woman named Franks, and her daughter, &
girl of about 14 years of age.    The house they inhabited is about
a hundred or a hundred and fifty yards distant from the village, and
is enclosed within a wall of four or five feet high.---The last time
the inmates of this dwelling were seen alive was on Monday Oct.26,
1829. Early on Wednesday morning, a miller belonging to the vil-
lage was surprised by the piteous squeaking of a pig on the widow's
premises. Conjecturing that the poor woman might be from be home,
and the animal in want of food, he was induced to go and investi-
gate the cause of its outcry.    Finding no access by the gate he
scaled the wall, when the first object that presented itself to his
horror struck gaze was the body of the widow lying in the pig-sty,
with her throat cut and otherwise dreadfully mangled. The miller
immediately alarmed the villagers, several of whom hurried to the
scene of death.    On entering the house they discovered the girl
also a corpse, with her head severely bruised, as if by blows from
some heavy instrument.    It was found on examination that the wi-
dow's marriage ring which she constantly wore, had disappeared,
and that her ear-rings had been torn out of her ears.

"Among other circumstances which had excited suspicions against
Emond, (brother in law to the deceased), we are informed that hav-.
ing married the sister of Mrs Franks who was known to be pos
sessed of some property, he had entered into speculations contrary
to the wishes of his wife, who, in consequence, refused to supply
turn with money.    This enraged him to a great degree, and in the
course of Sunday week led to a serious quarrel between him and
his wife, whom he grievously maltreated upon the occasion, and
even attempted to throw in to a deep well.

" Another circumstance was the prints In the bloody floor of the
late Mrs. Frank' house, corresponding; with a pair of shoes worn
by him; these slices, we hear, are not likely to be matched in Scot-
land, or at least in the county of Haddington they were manufac-
tured in' Sunderland.    A shirt with blood on the wrist   was also
found in his house at North Berwick; this he explained by stating
that it received this stain while he was dressing his wife's head,
which at he wounded, and for which he expresses great regret.    But
in addition to this, another shirt had been found, the front of which
was stained with blood, as if a quantity had spouted against it, and
been partially washed out. There was also a print upon the breast,
as if a bloody hand had taken hold of it When Emond was shown
this we were told he exclaimed, O God, be merciful to me."

The prisoner being placed at the bar, pled Not Guilty,
A great number of witnesses were examined, the principal of
whom were Robert Tait and Daniel Alexander Murray, who it will
be recollected stole about £300 from Mr. Campbell in Glasgow, and
who being confined in the same cell with Emond, had the following'
Conversation with him.    Tait asked him?"Did you really do it-
then ?    He replied?" Oh, yes. but don't speak of it to me; for it
goes like s knife to my heart whenever I think of it."?[This nar-
rative excited a great sensation in the Court, and the prisoner, who
full then had maintained the greatest composure was observed to
quail dreadfully.]    In consequence of their becoming witnesses for
the crown, both these young men have got tree.

The Jury at half.past three o'clock on Tuesday morning, on
returned an unanimous verdict against the prisoner, who ,heard it
unmoved, although it was received by a cheer with the auditory.

The Lord Justice Clerk then addressed the prisoner in a very
feeling,and solemn manner on the atrociousness of the crime he
Stood charged with, that of killing a mother and her daughter, he
hoped and implored the prisoner for the sake of his immortal soul,
to make his peace with the Almighty God, Sentence of death was
then pronounced on him in the usual form, to be executed at Ed
inburgh, on Wednesday the 17th day of March next, between the
hours of eight and 10 o'clock in the morning.

John Muir printer, Glasgow

previous