Heaven Knows Who (41 page)

A bonny clear summer's night in Glasgow, just a hundred years ago—and a harmless, good-natured woman done violently to death.

Did the senile admirer strike her down for fear of what she might tell? Did the loving friend turn to ferocious murder for what she possessed?

Old Fleming—or Jessie M'Lachlan?

Heaven knows who.

¹
It was for a certificate for this sister that Jessie had intended visiting Mr. M'Gregor on the evening of July 4th.—which may well have suggested the further visit to Sandyford Place and so precipitated the whole terrible affair.

INDEX

Adams, Mrs Mary,
14
,
21
,
37
,
75
; arrives,
41
; obliges,
41
,
50
; declaration on,
87
; implicated,
114
; evidence on dyeing,
174–5

Adams, Miss Sarah,
14–15
,
39
; takes the trunk,
41
; curiosity,
61
; involved,
89
; evidence of sewing,
175

Aikman, Rev. Mr John,
48
,
132
; sympathises,
250

alibi averred,
81–2

Alison, Sir Archibald,
206
; holds enquiry,
250
; memorial,
255

arrest, evidence of,
171

attacks, timing of,
243–4

Bannantyne, Mr Adam,
121

Barclay, David,
41
,
62

basement cupboard,
267

bedclothes evidence,
162

Beveridge, Bella,
45

black cap, paraded,
206

Black, Mary,
236–7
; evidence enlarged,
236–7
; official record,
238

Blair, Alexander, testifies against Fleming,
236

blood distribution,
69–71
; marks,
164
,
168
; splashes,
70

bloodstains,
57
; evidence,
185

bonnet observation,
61

bottle problem,
210
; resolved,
214

box,
64–5
; at Hamilton,
89
; identified,
182
; and the bundle,
38
,
62

Broomielaw,
28
,
75–6

Brown, Mary,
43
,
72
; washes floor,
44
; tells story,
45

Brownlie, Elizabeth,
46
; deposes,
81

bruise,
160
,
164
,
166
,
210

Buchanan, Dr, attends Jessie,
261

Caldwall, Mr, factor,
86

Cameron, P.C.,
34
; enters,
54
; evidence,
192

Campbell, Mrs,
21
,
36
; and daughter,
15
; in bed,
22–3
; the milk,
35
; confused,
39
; recollects,
74–5
; evidence,
84
; not suspicious,
223

Campbell, Detective Officer, P.C. Donald,
77
,
32–3
,
34
,
42
,
56
,
168
; patrol,
28
; evidence,
168
,
194
; evidence distorted,
208
; testifies,
239
; and his letter,
239

cell shared,
93

cells in Glasgow Old Court,
122

Chassels, Mrs,
62
,
91
; Master James,
62
; evidence,
177

charge to jury,
206

Christie, Agnes,
93
,
111
; enquires,
106

Chrystal, Mr, 5.3

Clark, Mr Andrew Rutherford,
121
; for defence,
117
; character,
118
; challenges Strathers,
127
; and Gemmel,
128–9
; cross-examines Dr Fleming,
163
; opens defence,
198

cleaver,
71
; action with,
221–2

cloak confused,
91

close-mouth,
13

clothes, secondhand,
49
; résumé,
108–9
; interpretation,
109

Clotworthy, Mrs, neighbour,
12

Clydesdale Buildings,
14

Commons, House of,
260

Cooper, P.C., at Hamilton,
106

conclusions, medical,
72

conflict, evidence of,
162

confrontation,
86

corpse, state of,
67–8

corroboration of statement,
117–8

Court, Old, in Glasgow,
122

credit system,
16

criticism of examinations,
78–9

‘Dark' (solitary confinement),
259

Darnley, Andrew, asks for Jess,
47–8
; appears,
136–7
; arrives,
156

Deas, Lord,
79–80
; character,
121
; assists,
128
,
149–50
; intervenes,
163
; circumscribes jury,
173
; observations to jury,
195
; criticised,
206
; violent prejudice,
208
; choice of action,
225
; assesses position,
245
; discredits statement,
247

‘Death, Lord,'
121
,
206

declarations,
101
; to be read,
185–6
; arguments on,
186–7
; read,
188
; suspect,
198

defence, alibi,
11
; opens,
198

demises,
272

detectives misunderstand,
267

Dixon, Mr Joseph Anthony, solicitor,
111
,
122
; shares story,
114
; confounded,
116
; interviews client,
251
; present at enquiry,
251
; perplexed,
255
; doubts,
261
; pleads with Jessie,
265
; his opinion,
266–7
; discredited,
268

doctors vindicated,
227–8

Doran, Rev. Mr, ministers to Jessie,
258

doubts, review,
274

Downie, Mary,
95
; provides stone,
102

dragging problem,
229–30

dram for guests,
23

dresses, history of,
201

drink, controlled,
15

Dunlop, Mr William Smith,
260
; evidence on box,
178–80

Dunoon reacts at Mr Fleming,
256

Dunsmore, Janet,
20

dye evidence,
174–5

dyeing episode,
92

Dykes, Miss,
28
,
30
,
32
,
54
,
74
; confirms,
240

editorial on Jessie,
268

emigration talk,
81

enquiries, official,
234

enquiry demanded to clear Fleming,
258
; questioned,
258
; evidence published,
260

evidence from prisoner not permitted,
119
; by women,
172

expenditure, weekly,
212

Fairley, Catherine,
93
,
111

feeling, local,
103

‘Female Life in Prison,'
259

fire treatment,
229

Flemings,
17
; foregather,
51
,
155

Fleming, Mr John, senior, ‘Grandpa,'
17
,
18
,
20
,
35
; alleged murderer,
12
; finance,
30
; in the garden,
37
; supervises scrubbing,
43–4
; collects rents,
46
; arrested,
64
; alleged call,
85
; problem,
104
; set free,
105
; can give evidence,
105
; accused in pleading,
126
; attack on,
129
; appearance,
131
; memory,
132
; pastor,
132
; evidence,
133
; hears squeal,
135
; seeks Jess,
136–8
; goes to church,
139
; silverware,
140
; recognises Jessie,
141
; discovers body,
140
; suggests path of murderer,
143
; cross-examined,
144
; morning activity,
144
; nae milk,
144–59
; challenged on Jessie,
149–50
; shirts,
154–5
; clothes,
158
; faculties,
183
; early confession,
183
; villified,
191
; criticised,
203
; offence to Jess,
218
; cleans up,
217
; provoked,
218
; attacks,
221
; directs Jessie,
222
; provoked,
223
; gives silver,
223
; gives money,
224
; suffers,
256
; possible injustice,
261
; defended,
265
; last of,
272–3

Fleming, Mr John, (son) evidence
129
; denial of key complex,
130

Fleming, Mr John, junior, evidence,
131

Fleming, Dr Joseph,
56–7
,
72
,
160–1
; examined,
162

floor, sooty,
238
; washing,
57
,
231–2
,
262

footmarks, sooty,
239

footprints,
57–8
,
70
,
76
,
166–7
,
201
; experiments,
77
; verification,
78

Fraser, Mrs Christine,
22
; certificate,
23

Fraser, name,
76

Galbraith, Mr,
117

Gemmel, Jno.,
80
; at Edinburgh,
104
; follows Strathers,
128
; present at enquiry;
251

Gibson, Mrs,
63

Gifford, Mr Adam,
121
; attacks Fleming,
133
; examines Dr Fleming,
162
; addresses the Court,
195

Gilchrist, Mr, testifies against Fleming,
234–5

Glasgow scene,
12

gravestones,
272

Grey, Lord, instructs,
255

Grey, Sir George,
250

Grey, Mrs Samuel, takes Fleming's child,
235

Gushet,
25

hair cut off in prison,
259

Halliday, Elizabeth,
20
,
234
; quotes Jessie,
234

Hamilton exhibits,
76
; story,
96
; investigation,
106
; evidence,
177

Hart, William,
108

Hislop, Miss, alleges guilt,
269–70
; condemned by press,
70

husband complex,
207–8
; involved in declarations,
187

indictment,
125
; evidence,
114–5

inquest, no,
64

jaw-box (sink),
70
,
164

Jeffrey, Police Officer Robert,
56
,
58
,
69
,
72
,
193
; the bag,
193

Jess M'Pherson, murdered,
11
; family, description,
12
; ill-health,
14
; physique, history,
16
; business,
16
,
18
; courted,
18
; room,
26
; missed,
51
; discovered,
51–2
; wounded,
57
; bloodstained clothes,
57
; debt,
91
; clothes,
95
,
98
; burial,
102
; memorial stone,
102
; her story,
218
; salary,
263

Jess and Jessie,
17
; drinking,
253

Jessie M'Lachlan, trial dress,
11
; history,
16
,
20
,; plan and dress,
21–2
; cloak,
21
,
24
; arrives home,
36
; dresses,
36
; finance,
38
; changes dress,
38–9
; trunk,
40–1
; poplin dress,
41
; movements obscure,
61
; synthesised,
61
; goes to Hamilton,
62
; suspected,
74–5
; declarations,
79–80
; declarations,
80
; admissions and ordeal,
81
; fabrications,
86
; declaration on clothes,
87
; avers return,
82–4
; dresses dyed,
88
; underwear,
91
; case against,
104
; denies Hamilton clothes,
107
; in prison,
105–6
; learns of Fleming's freedom,
112
; depression sets in,
113
; discloses story,
114
; spontaneous statement,
115–6
; as victim,
118
; instructed,
120
; rent in arrear,
185
; not in good health,
192
; movements recapitulated,
197
; murder reconstructed,
197
; presence in house not proved,
199
; Clark agrees to read statement,
206
; discovers Jess,
216
; gets the drink,
215
; hears moaning,
216
; oath to Fleming,
219
,
226
; anxious to get doctor,
220
; capitally involved,
222
; directed by Fleming,
222
; Roughhead assessment,
231
; arrives home,
233
; ‘why' problem,
232
; sentenced,
247
; hysterical,
252
,
261
; last story,
253
,
261
; in prison,
258
; pestered in prison,
258
; arranges for child,
259
; timing difficulties,
262
; bribed by Fleming,
264
; last interview with Dixon,
264
; confession to Mr Dixon,
266
; protests innocence,
267
; confession worthless,
268
; emigration,
273–4
; death,
274
; retrospect,
274–5
; difficulty of money,
263–4
; released,
273