Alexander Hutchison

The electrifying air in Perth Circuit Court crackled with anticipation as Alexander Hutchison stood in the dock, the accused murderer of his wife, Christina. It was a high-stakes trial that gripped the entire city. The first witness, their neighbour James McKenzie, took the stand, revealing a chilling tale. He recounted how his young sons hadRead more ⟶

David Urquhart

The Spring Circuit Court of Dundee commenced on the 19th of April 1883, amid great anticipation and ceremony, with Lord Mure presiding. Among the cases presented, none were more distressing than that of David Urquhart. He stood accused of a heinous crime – the murder of his illegitimate daughter, Elizabeth Meffan, aged approximately two yearsRead more ⟶

The Murder of Margaret Cairns

The murder of Margaret Cairns is a story we told on our Halloween Takeover of Verdant Works, back in 2016. This tragedy happened in Playfair’s Entry, an old street off Hawkhill in the west end of Dundee which is long gone. It seemed everyone had a different version of events, and in the end, thereRead more ⟶

The Murder of Mary Conn – Pt 2

This is the continuation of the Murder Trial of John Jenkins for the murder of Mary Conn in West Port, in Dundee’s West End. Read the first part here. Dundee Courier, Friday 13th January 1893 MURDER TRIAL IN DUNDEE. THE WEST PORT TRAGEDY. TWELVE YEARS’ PENAL SERVITUDE. The trial of John Jenkins, labourer, on aRead more ⟶

The Murder of Mary Conn – Pt 1

These extracts from the Dundee Courier tell the tale of a horrid murder in West Port, in Dundee’s West End, in 1892. Dundee Courier, Monday 14th November 1892 HORRIBLE MURDER IN DUNDEE. A WOMAN KILLED. HER ASSAILANT IN CUSTODY. SCENE OF THE ATROCITY. INTERVIEWS WITH NEIGHBOURS. PRISONER’S ANTECEDENTS. For a considerable time, Dundee has beenRead more ⟶

Curious Case of Mrs Webster, 1890

Kirriemuir, 1890 In August 1890, the wife of a Kirriemuir landlord, John Webster, fell ill. The local doctor attended the ailing woman and diagnosed gastroenteritis. Within 3 days, Mrs Webster had died, but this did not conclude the matter. Suspicions were rife that something sinister lurked beneath the surface of this cut-and-dried case. John hadRead more ⟶