Much turned upon the evidence of a girl who identified
Slater as the man whom she had seen running out of Miss Gilchrist's house, but subsequent events showed that this girl's word was by no means to be trusted. It is quite true that Slater's record was a bad one, but it does not follow that he committed murder. In 1912 we examined the evidence in an article in the Spectator and expressed our profound misgivings. " Oscar Slater," we wrote, " should be released at once as a man convicted without sufficient, or indeed any, evidence of guilt." If thert had been a Court of Criminal Appeal when he was convicted he would certainly have had another trial. It is some satisfaction that a short Bill is to be passed which will enable the present Scottish Court of Criminal Appeal to review Slater's case. Of course, the Court may find that the glaring objections which we have mentioned to the first trial did not, in fact, deflect justice, but it is permissible to say that the long delay in granting reconsideration has been dis- creditable. * *
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