Trial of Duncan Terig

John Growar, in Inverey, aged fifty years and upwards, a widower; who being solemnly sworn, purged of partial council, and interrogate, Depones, That upon the 28th of September, 1749, the deponent having gone to a glen called Glenconie, to bring home his horses to lead in the corns, he met with Serjeant Davies, of whom he had some acquaintance before; and he had at that time a good deal of conversation with him, particularly with relation to a tartan coat which the Serjeant had observed the deponent to drop, and after strictly enjoining him not to use it again, dismissed him, instead of making him prisoner: That the deponent went home with his horses, and saw no more of the Serjeant, who was alone; and that their meeting was about an hour after sunrising, to the best of the deponent's knowledge: That some time thereafter, about four years ago, he was told by Alexander Macpherson alias M'Gillies, a former witness, that the Serjeant's ghost had appeared to him, M'Gillies, and had desired him to bury his, the Serjeant's, bones, and to bring Donald Farquharson, also a former witness, along with him; but M'Gillies at that time did not mention the place where the bones were to be found, but afterwards told the deponent that the Serjeant's bones were found in the place to which the ghost had directed him; and one day the said M'Gillies and the deponent being in the hill together, he, M'Gillies, pointed to him the place where they were found, which was not far from the place in which he had formerly met Serjeant Davies, upon the 28th of September aforesaid; and that two years ago, in labouring time, the said M'Gillies told him that the said ghost came to M'Gillies's master's house, and the door flung open, and took M'Gillies out of the house, and told him that the panels had been his murderers. Depones, That about two years ago he had a conversation with M'Gillies, who told him, that one day coming from the hill with Duncan Clerk, the panel, then his master, and another time when in bed, he had a conversation with the said Duncan concerning Serjeant Davies's murder, and all the answer Duncan made was, What can you say of an unfortunate man? Depones, That about ten or eleven years ago, Duncan Clerk, the panel, was said to have stolen some sheep from one Alexander Farquharson, in Inverey, and there was a Sheriff-court held upon that matter at the Mill of Achindryne, in which nothing was found against the said Duncan, but John Ewes alias M'Donald was fined, and the deponent became cautioner for him, that he should never speak about it again. Causa scientiæ patet. And this is the truth, as he shall answer to God.

(Signed)

John Grewer.

Hew Dalrymple.