The Sandyford Murder - Sgeulachd Jessie McLachlan (The Jessie McLachlan Story)

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The Sandyford Murder - Sgeulachd Jessie McLachlan

Sandyford Murder - Sgeulachd Jessie McLachlan (Jessie McLachlan Story)

John Morrison

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Factual: Crime & Justice

Sgeulachd Jessie McLachlan

05/12/2013

BBC ALBA - The Sandyford Murder - Sgeulachd Jessie McLachlan (The Jessie McLachlan Story)

Was Jessie McLachlan wrongly convicted of the 'Sandyford Murder' in Glasgow, in 1862?

When servant Jess McPherson was found bludgeoned to death, her employer pointed the finger at her best friend Jessie. But was McLachlan wrongly convicted?

Chuir Jessie McLachlan seachad bliadhnaichean mòra sa phrìosan airson murt a tha sinn cha mhòr cinnteach nach do rinn ì. Chaidh a sgeulachd aice a dheanamh ainmeil sa leabhar aig Jack House, 'Square Mile of Murder'. Tha na ceithir cùisean murt sin fhathast air bilean dhaoine tha eòlach air fòirneart ann an Glaschu. A-nise, cluinnear an eachdraidh as ùr.

Mu cheithir uairean sa mhadainn air 5mh Iuchar 1862, bha triùir pheathraichean a' coiseachd sios 'Sauchiehall Road' ann an Glaschu. Bho thaigh ri taobh a rathaid, chual' iad boireannach a' sgiamhail. Ach cha deach iad faisg air an taigh, feuch a faigheadh iad a-mach dè bha ceàrr.

Nam bitheadh iad air sin a dheanamh, ma dh'fhaodte gum biodh cinnt againn thaobh aithne cheart 'murtair Sandyford Place'.

The case of Jessie McLachlan, known as 'the Sandyford killing', is the third in a four part series looking at Glasgow's notorious 'square mile murders.' Jess McPherson worked at Sandyford Place, part of gentrified Glasgow.

In the early hours of a summer morning in 1862, she was found badly beaten and dying in her basement bedroom. Her best friend Jessie McLachlan was subsequently arrested and accused of murder. There was a public outcry however, when it became evident that McLachlan's wealthy employers were being protected by the authorities.

Jessie McLachlan always denied the murder, and maintained that James Fleming had attacked McPherson in a fit of drunken rage, but despite much evidence against Fleming, a jury found McLachlan guilty and she was sentenced to hang. Despite widespread public sympathy, she went on to serve 15 years in prison after the sentence was commuted. The verdict is still considered one of Scotland's most shocking miscarriages of justice.

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