THE CASE OF DR. PRITCHARD.

Evening Post, Issue 130, 10 July 1865, Page 2

THE CASE OF DR. PRITCHARD.

On the 27th March, Mr. Procurator Fiscal Gemtiiel examined at great length a young woman named Mary Paterson, who entered Dr. Pritchard's service shortly before the death of his mother-in-law. This witness, we have heard, gave important evidence regarding Mrs. Pritchard's last illness, and what transpired in the household up to the time of her death. Mr. Superintendent M'Call, accompanied by Sub-Inspector AudJey Thompson, again visited Dr. Pritchard's house, where he took possession of a number of letters. Mr. J. A. Dixon, writer, who appears to have been engaged as agent on behalf of the prisoner, was engaged at the house during the day in precognoscing the girl Mary M'Leod. Up to the hour when the County Buildings were closed for the day no communication had been received from Edinburgh with respect to the result of the chemical analysis. There have been various rumours abroad as to the mode in which suspicious about this case were first communicated to the authorities. It has been insinuated that this was done by means of an anonymous letter written by Dr. Paterson, which was afterwards traced to him and acknowledged by him. That an anonymous letter reached the hands of the Fiscal, we believe. But we have the most direct authority for stating that such letter was not written by Dr. Paterson, and that in short, he never wrote an anonymous letter in his life. Neither did he make or send any verbal communication to the authorities. He did not seek them. They sought him, and found him, and interrogated him on the Monday succeeding Mrs. Pritchard's death, on the night of which day her husband was apprehended. It is proper to state, however, that when Dr. Paterson refused to certify the death of Mrs. Taylor, the mother of the deceased, he accompanied his refusal with a letter addressed to the registrar, which was calculated to attract attention and excite inquiry. In thus addressing the registrar as a public officer, Dr. Paterson only did his duty as a good citizen and a conscientious professional

man. It is stated, however, that the registrar has either thoughtlessly destroyed this communication or lost sight of it.—-Glas-gow Herald. Edinburgh, 28th March. Professor Maclogan, who was employed to make a chemical analysis, with a view to dis-over poison in the body of Mrs. Pritc' ard, has made his report. He found abundant traces of antimony in the liver, spleen, and blood. The quantitative analysis is not yet completed, but enough lias been disclosed to induce the authorities to issue their warrant for the exhumation of the body of Mrs. Taylor, the mother of Mrs- Pt'itehard, which has accordingly been done.