CASE OF OSCAR SLATER

Evening Star, Issue 19924, 21 July 1928, Page 4

CASE OF OSCAR SLATER

CONVICTION SET ASIDE Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, July 20. (Received July 21, at 1 a.m.) Slater’s conviction was unanimously set aside.—Australian Press Association. Oscar Slater was convicted i,y tiro verdict ol un Edinburgh jury (nine to six) in May, 1000, ot the murder ot an old lady, Aliss Marion Gilchrist. Nino jurymen voted guilty, hvo not proven, and one not guilty. Miss Gilchrist was about seventy years ol age, and Jived alone in apartments in Glasgow with a maid, Aliss Helen Lamme, who had been in her employ lor some years. bhe was wealthy, eccentric, and bought jewellery largely, which she kept, m her rooms. At the time ol her death she nad jewellery worth £3,UUiI put away in her wardrobe. She was found on December 21, iUUd, in ber dining room, brutally murdered. Slater was ar rested in America and extradited, lit was sentenced to death, but the sentonc., was commuted and reduced tc one of imprisonment tor life. Jn November 1U last the Under-Secretary tor Scotland, Alajor Walter Elliot-, stated that Slator would bo released on license. Ho bad served years. A Bill was passed a lew days later [ioviding for the reference of uie ease to the Criminal Appeal Court of Scotland. The case was remitted to the Scottish Court on March 14 last by the Sktctary for Scotland, Sir James liimour. Preliminary points in tho appeal were dealt with on June S last, when leave was granted defence to recall Miss Lambic to give evidence, and also new I witnesses, including the woman wnoso identity has not been divulged, aud Pinkney, a New York egardiug whether witnesses, including Miss Lambie, saw Slater handcuffed at the Tombs Prison. The court refused the giving of evidence by Sir Berrmul Spilsbury, regarding a descript u «! the injuries, upon the photos of which D» Adams, who is now dead, had op- • posed the Crown’s case, stating tint Aliss Gilchrist was murdered with a hammer. But it permitted tho widow of Dr Adams to give evidence regarding anytliing lie said and any document left regarding Miss Gilchrist sin juries. Miss Lambie refused to return ! from America to give evidence.