Broadside entitled 'Awful Crime'

Transcription

Awful Crime!

A full and particular account of the Trial and Sen-
tence of JAMES NEWLANDS, who is to be executed
at Inverness, on Saturday the 25th May, 1833, for
the Horrible crime of Rape on a young girl, only
17 years of age.

At Inverness, on Thursday the 2d May 1833, James Newlands,
from Speymouth, Morayshire, was put to the bar, charged with
having voilated the person of a young woman named Jane Ross,,
servant to John Inglis, farmeo at Westerton. The prisoner pleaded
not guilty. This case was, as usual, tried with closed doors. The
unfortunate woman is only 17 years of age. It appears the prisoner
had in company with Jane Ross, and several other young persons,
been returning from Elgin Feeing Market; they stopt at a public
house at Lanbride, and had a glass or two of spirits. Newlands
(who is about 39 years of age, and unmarried) then advised Jane
Ross to walk on before with him, and take a different road from
the rest of the party, stating that they would speedily rejoin them
at a place where the two roads met. He had no intention of re-
joining the company, but violated the person of the poor girl, and
brutally attacked her three different times. On reaching her mas-
ter's house, she informed her mistrces of the ill treatment she had
experienced, and next morning she acquainted her relations with
the fact. The case was fully established by the evidence of the
young woman and other witnesses. It engaged the Court from
about three o'clock to half-past two on the Sabbath morning. The
jury returned a verdict of guilty of ths crime libelled, but from the
previous good character of the prisoner, unanimously recommend-
ed him to mercy.

Monday, April 29th.? At nine o'clock this morning the Court as-
sembled. Jemes Newlands was placed at the bar, and Lord Med-
wyn addressed his brother judge, Lord Moncrieff, at some length, on
the henious nature of the crime of which the jury had fouud the
pannel guilty, after a painful and patient investigation, He- felt it
to be his duty to propose, in the aggravated circumstances of the
case, nothing less than the punishment of death. His lordship there-
fore proposed that the prisoner at the bar be executed on the 25th
of May.

Lord Moncrieff put on the black coif, and the prisoner having
stood up, proceeded in a most impressive manner to deliver the
sentence proposed by Lord Medwyn. His Lordship referred to
some of the leading circumstances of the case, exhibiting the malig-
nity of his intentions, and the cruelty of his purposes. From your
years and other circumstances, you was calculated to be the pro-
tector rather than the destroyer of the young woman, whom you
have so deeply and irreparably injured. After she had cast herself
upon your confidence and protection you have planted in her heart
a wound which she herself has declared was more painful to her
than death itself. When our Creator presented to man in his lone-
ly and unfallen state, woman, to be a comfort and a blessing, he
did not give her for the gratification of passions, degrading in them-
selves, or like that of the brutes that perish, but for the perpetuation
and preservation of our own species. The God of Nature has im-
planted in the constitution of women, principles and feelings which
are calculated to exalt and improve our condition, and has given to
our sex, affections and privileges, which woman, in her proper place,
can well esteem and repay. But for you, unfortnnat man, you have
violated the laws of God and nature, and with a determination and
resklessness degrading to our sex, for the gratification of your sel-
fish passions, turned a blessing into a bitter curse. Your days are
now numbered, and it becomes you to apply to that fountain of
mercy, which is able to make you acceptable to God ; and one of
the first visible evidences of your repentance will be, to banish from
your mind all feelings of resentment towards that young woman,
whose happiness you have destroyed, and by every means which
the law permits, and you have in your power, to endeavour to re-
store to her, that character which, in the course of your defence,
you have attempted to deprive her of, by throwing out insinuations
as to her purity. I would not advise you, said his Lordship, em-
phatically, to build much hope on the recommendation to mercy,
to which I have referred, but would recommend you to prepare
your mind to meet that God before whom you must so speedily ap-
pear. May the God of peace, that brought again from the dead
that everlasting covenant, grant you the salvation of which you stand
so much in need. His Lordship then read the sentence of the Court.

The prisoner seemed little affected during the delivery of this sol-
emn adress, and at the conclusion, when about to be removed, turned
round as if he had forgot something, and exclaimed in a moderately
firm voice?" I declare before God and man, and this Court, that I
am innocent."                                                         

EDINBURGH:?Printed for Francis M'Cartney ..   

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