Transcription
TRIAL, and sentence An account of the trial and Sen- tence of Andrew Ewart, for the murder of Henry Pennycook, in the Church yard of Libber- ton on-the 4th December last, and who is to be executed at Edinburgh on the 19thday of March next. This day Monday 11th February, came on the Trial before the High Court of Justiciary of Andrew Ewart, for firing a guu loaded with swan shot, on the morning of Wednesday the 5th December last, within the Church-yard of Libberton, and wounding Henry Penaycuick in the right arm, whereby he lingered till the 8th of the same month, when he died. The-substance of the evidence was that the &,. ceased and the prisoner were, along with others in the watch-house of the church, yard of Libberton, on, Tuesday evening the 4th day of December last. They were so earnestly occupied in conversation of what took in the church yard on the Monday pre ceding, when the watchman of that night approhand- ed a body-snatcher in the act of opening the grave, that they did not observe the deceased, leave them- Shortly afterwards he was followed by another, who. observing a dusky figure standing at the end of the watchhouse, hastily returned, and gave an alarm that another resurrection man was in the yard. Firmly impressed with this idea, he snatched up a loaded gun, ran to the door, and instantly levelled it at the sup- posed intruder, who pacifically said, ' Sorely you'l not shoot me ? but the words had scarcely escaped his lips ere he received the contents in his arm. It was then too late, discovered that the unfortunate man was Pennycuick; and that a friends life had been sacrificed instead of that of a sacrilegious depre- dator....Pennycuick died on the Saturday following, Tee public Broseestor addressed the Jury at great length, which was ably answered by the Prisoners council. The jury .'then .retired and in a few minutes raturned verdict of Guilty, but strongly re- commended the prisoner to mercy. The Lord Justice clerk after addressing the prison- er sentenced him to be executed at Edinburgh, on Wednesday, 19th of March next. The prisoner is a decent looking man, appeared to be very very, much affected when the awful sentence of death prohounced against him.
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Date of publication:
1828 shelfmark: Ry.III.a.2(82)
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