Court of Justiciary Trials (2)

The Court next proceeded to the case of Jean Davidson, from Banff, accused of housebreaking, theft, and of being habit and repute a common thief.  This was a very distressing case.  The prisoner, a young creature, and apparently pregnant, appeared in the most calamitous circumstances, totally friendless and forlorn.  She instantly pleaded generally guilty; but the Court having permitted Mr Gordon to converse with her, it was reporter by him, - that the prisoner was neither aware of her situation, nor of the proper mode of communicating to the Court her real meaning; that she did not mean to admit her guilt as to the housebreaking, or the habit and repute; that she was innocent as to these charges; and that her only guilt was, a participation in the thefts libelled.  The Advocate-Depute, with great humanity, expressed his happiness at this explanation, and his satisfaction on the whole, that this was a case which he was at liberty to restrict from the capital pains, under circumstances singularly affecting in the history of the prisoner.  She then repeated her plea of guilty, under the qualifications stated by her Counsel; and a jury having been impannelled, were directed to return their verdict on Tuesday.

On Tuesday the Court resumed its sitting.  The jury, in Farquhar's case, returned their verdict , finding, by a plurality of voices, the libel Not proven; whereupon the prisoner was assoilzied and dismissed from the bar, after a suitable and impressive admonition from the Court.

After this, the jury in Jean Davidson's case returned a verdict, unanimously finding her Guilty, in terms of her confession. - Sentence to-morrow.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 27th April 1814.

Court of Justiciary Trials (1)

On Monday last, the Circuit Court of Justiciary was opened here by the Right Hon. Lords JUSTICE CLERK and SUCCOTH.

The Court began with the trial of JAMES FARQUHAR, late flesher in Huntly, accused of stealing a considerable sum of money from the haversack of John Rose, private in the Aberdeenshire Militia.  It appeared in evidence, that Rose met with the pannel at Bainshole, on their way to Aberdeen, and kept company together to the end of their journey.  On their arrival in Aberdeen, they went to the same lodgings, and slept in the same bed.  Early in the succeeding morning, Farquhar rose and left the house; and Rose having reason to suspect him, got up and examined his haversack, when he found that his money to the amount of about L. 20, had been abstracted and carried off.  A good deal of evidence was heard, in order to bring the crime home to the pannel, particularly as to identifying the notes, and that the pannel employed some person the same morning, to change the small notes for L. 5 ones.  After an excellent charge by the Lord Justice Clerk, the jury were enclosed, and appointed to return their verdict on Tuesday morning.

Counsel for the Crown, Mr CLEPHANE, Advocate-Depute; - for the prisoner, Mr GORDON.

Published in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 27th April 1814.