THE GLASGOW MYSTERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 712, 21 July 1865, Page 16

THE GLASGOW MYSTERY.

The Glasgow Herald of the 29 th says :— In consequence of a letter received on Tuesday by the local authorities from Dr Maclagan, this case has now assumed a more tangible and, we may add, a much more serious character than it had formerly. We learn that, ia the communication referred to, Dr Maclagan conveyed a distinct intimation that antimony had been found abundantly in the urine, liver, spleen, intestines, and blood. of the late Mrs Pritchard. It thus seems evident that the poison in question had been swallowed by the deceased lady in large quantities— indeed, to an extent far beyond ■what could have been administered in any preparation of antimony as medicine. Hitherto the investigation has mainly taken the form of what is known as a "qualitative analysis," the object being to ascertain -whether there was poison in the system or not. The examination, however, is still proceeding, and from this point it will be conducted chiefly as a " quantitative analysi?," with the view of defiaiDg in the most exact manner the quantity of poison discovered in the various parts of the body. At the same time the analyst will conduct his further operations so as to ascertain if possible whether or not there be other poisons besides antimony in the remains of Mrs Pritchard.

Shortly after the receipt of Dr Maclagan's important communication, Mr Pro-curator-Fiscal Gemmel proceeded to Edinburgh for the purpose of having a consultation with crown counsel as to the grave aspect which the case has now assumed. He carried with him, we believe, a warrant for the exhumation and examination of the body of the late Mrs Taylor, Mrs Pritchard's mother. It may be difficult to found any criminal charge upon the circumstances connected with this lady's death; but there are undoubtedly certain suspicious circumstances connected with her death. Amongst others, reference has been made to the manner ia which the certificate to the registrar of the district was made up. Dr James Paterson was called in to visit Mrs Taylor, and saw her almost in articulo mortis. When he was applied to by the registrar for a certificate with regard to •her death, he distinctly refused to give one, accompanying his refusal with a letter, in ■which he gave it as his opinion that the death was one of a mysterious character. Under these circumstances, Dr Pritchard himself furnished a certificate, in which, if we are not mistaken, he stated that the death of his mother-in-law took place after twelve hours of paralysis and one hour of apoplexy, whereas it is a matter of certainty that Mrs Taylor died after only four hours' illness— that, in fact, she wa9 in the act of writing a letter to a friend at nine o'clock at night, and was a corpse at one o'clock on the following morning. Taking these

'things into account, it will be seen that the authorities "have some grounds for inquiry touching the death of Mrs Taylor.

We have reason to believe that now, when the presence of poison in large -quantity has been discovered, the authorities will be in a position to adduce material evidence bearing on its administration. A few days ago we spoke of an important witness as likely to be examined ia the case. The person referred to was Mary Paterson, the young woman who succeeded the old servant, Catherine Latim^r, and who went to the doctor's house before Mrs Taylor's death, and has remained there ever since. This witness was examined by the Fiscal on Monday, and it has transpired — although we do not of course speak on direct information — that her deposition embraced several points of a kind not to be lightly set aside. She states, we believe, that on the Monday before Mrs 3'ritchard's death she happened to taste a small piece of cheese which had been sent down from that lady, and subsequently felt a burning sensation in the throat, which was followed by sickness and vomiting. Again, on the Wednesday following, she was asked by Dr Pritchard to prepare an egg flip for her mistress. The doctor put in the sugar with his own hands, and the girl alleges that, having taken a sip of the mixture before it was sent to the patient, she was again attacked, but more violently than before, with pain in the throat, with sickness and vomiting. She further asserts, we believe, that Mrs Pritchard, after tasting this liquid, ordered it away. If we are not misinformed, the girl M'Leod also states that Mrs Taylor at one time expressed some suspicion as to the character of the food or cordial sent up to her daughter, and subsequently, down to the time of her death, attended to those preparations herself. So far as matters have pone, we have not heard any motive alleged at all sufficient to account for the perpetration of so great a crime, if it be the fact that murder has been really committed.

The girl M'Leod, in the course of an examination lasting over the whole of one day and part of another, gave a great deal of information as to what transpired in the doctor's household during the period of her service. She at the same time admitted, in the most explicit manner, the circumstances of her illicit connection with Dr Pritchard. This may be held as proving that the doctor had ceased to cherish feelings of respect and affection for bis wife ; but, at the same time, as we formerly hinted, it is inconceivable that a gentleman in his position would do his wife mischief in order that he might afterwards form a matrimonial connection with an unpolished and uneducated person like the girl M'Leod.

As the result of the investigation which has taken place, Dr Pritchard was on the 29th lully committed for trial on a charge of murder. In the afternoon the chief sheriff officer proceeded to Edinburgh and lodged with Professor Maclagan a number of articles of bed and body clothing used by Mrs Pritchard in her last illness. Most of these articles, and more especially the body clothes, present certain stains, and it is considered desirable that they should be submitted to analysis, with a view to discover whether or not they bear traces of poison.