Trial of Duncan Terig

Donald Dow Cameron, in Milntown of Ashintilly, Strathardle, aged forty-four years, married; who being solemnly sworn, and purged of partial council, by Duncan Campbell, sworn interpreter aforesaid, and by him interrogate, Depones, That in the summer after he heard that a serjeant in Braemaar was amissing, whose name he thinks was Davidson, or something like that, Angus Cameron, a preceding witness, told the deponent that he had seen Duncan Clerk the panel, and another man along with him, shoot a man, like a gentleman or an officer, upon a hill in Braemaar: That upon this the deponent told the said Angus Cameron that he did not want to hear more any such stories, nor to have such a report raised of the country; and the deponent at the same time advised Angus to keep the thing secret, and to speak no more on the subject. Causa scientiæ patet. And this is the truth, as he shall answer to God. This deposition signed by the sworn interpreter aforesaid.

(Signed)

Duncan Campbell.

Gilb. Elliot.

Lauchlan M'Intosh, in Inverey, aged near thirty years, unmarried, solemnly sworn, purged of malice and partial council, examined and interrogate by the sworn interpreter aforesaid, Depones, That the panel, Duncan Clerk's father, his house is within less than a quarter of a mile of the deponent's house: That upon the afternoon of that day in which Serjeant Davies was amissing, as he thinks, or at least the afternoon of the day following, he cannot be altogether positive which, he saw Duncan Clerk, panel, come from the hill to his father's house, with a gun in his hand, and a sort of grey plaid about him: That he does not remember that he saw him about his father's house before that time in the afternoon of that day. Causa scientiæ patet. And this is the truth, as he shall answer to God.

(Signed)

Lauchlan M'Intosh.

Gilb. Elliot.

Jean Davidson, spouse to Gregor Keir, in Inverey, aged thirty years, married; who being solemnly sworn, and purged of malice and partial council, by the sworn interpreter aforesaid, Depones, That she lived in the same town with Duncan Clerk, the panel's father, who is now dead: That the evening of the day upon which Serjeant Davies was first amissing, she saw Duncan Clerk, the panel, return from the hill to his father's house about sun-setting, having a plaid upon him, with a good deal of red in it, but whether he had a gun in his hand the deponent did not observe: That Duncan Clerk's father was that day working among his corns; and the deponent did not see the said Duncan about the town till the evening, as above deponed upon. And further depones, being interrogate for the panel, That when she first saw Duncan Clerk, she was among the corns with his father a little below the town, and that Duncan was about a gun-shot from her, coming towards his father's house from the hill, and that he came near to the place where she was with his father. Causa scientiæ patet. And this is the truth, as she shall answer to God. And this deposition is signed by the foresaid sworn interpreter.

(Signed)

Duncan Campbell.

Alex

^r

Fraser.

Lauchlan M'Intosh, servant to William Grant of Burnside, aged twenty-one years, solemnly sworn, purged of malice and partial council, examined and interrogate, Depones, That he was a servant to Michael Farquharson in Dubrach, in whose house Serjeant Davies quartered: That he saw the Serjeant have a little pen-knife, upon the end of the haft of which there was a seal for sealing of letters, and he heard the Serjeant say that was the use he made of the said seal: That he saw Serjeant Davies leave his master's house about sun-rising that day upon which he was amissing; that he never saw him since: That about two years thereafter, being on the hill with Alexander Macdonald the panel, and the said Alexander Macdonald had in his hand a pen-knife, which the deponent saw, very like the pen-knife which Serjeant Davies had above mentioned: That the deponent, upon seeing that pen-knife, told Macdonald that the pen-knife he then had was very like Serjeant Davies's pen-knife, and Macdonald made answer that there were many siclikes: And further depones, That he saw the Serjeant have a green silk purse, in which he saw the Serjeant put in and take out several pieces of gold: The deponent does not remember what the handle of the Serjeant's knife was made of, nor does he remember what was engraven on the end of the handle of the pen-knife which the Serjeant had, nor the end of the handle of the pen-knife which Macdonald had, but that both seals were white. Causa scientiæ patet. And this is the truth, as he shall answer to God. And depones he cannot write.

(Signed)

Alex

^r

Fraser.