England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Married people -- Fiction; Mystery fiction
LET me confess another weakness, on my part, before I begin the Story
of the Trial. I cannot prevail upon myself to copy, for the second time,
the horrible title-page which holds up to public ignominy my husband’s
name. I have copied it once in my tenth chapter. Let once be enough.
Turning to the second page of the Trial, I found a Note, assuring the
reader of the absolute correctness of the Report of the Proceedings. The
compiler described himself as having enjoyed certain special privileges.
Thus, the presiding Judge had himself revised his charge to the jury.
And, again, the chief lawyers for the prosecution and the defense,
following the Judge’s example, had revised their speeches for and
against the prisoner. Lastly, particular care had been taken to secure a
literally correct report of the evidence given by the various witnesses.
It was some relief to me to discover this Note, and to be satisfied at
the outset that the Story of the Trial was, in every particular, fully
and truly given.
The next page interested me more nearly still. It enumerated the actors
in the Judicial Drama--the men who held in their hands my husband’s
honor and my husband’s life. Here is the List:
THE LORD JUSTICE CLERK,}
LORD DRUMFENNICK, }Judges on the Bench.
LORD NOBLEKIRK, }
THE LORD ADVOCATE (Mintlaw), } DONALD DREW, Esquire
(Advocate-Depute).} Counsel for the Crown.
MR. JAMES ARLISS, W. S., Agent for the Crown.
THE DEAN OF FACULTY (Farmichael), } Counsel for the Panel
ALEXANDER CROCKET, Esquire (Advocate),} (otherwise the Prisoner)
MR. THORNIEBANK, W. S.,}
MR. PLAYMORE, W. S., } Agents for the Panel.
The Indictment against the prisoner then followed. I shall not copy the
uncouth language, full of needless repetitions (and, if I know anything
of the subject, not guiltless of bad grammar as well), in which my
innocent husband was solemnly and falsely accused of poisoning his first
wife. The less there is of that false and hateful Indictment on this
page, the better and truer the page will look, to _my_ eyes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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