One of the most extraordinary cases of modern times was
brought to a conclusion on Thursday afternoon, when Mr. Hugh Watt, formerly M.P. for the Camlachie Division of Glasgow, was convicted of inciting to murder his wife on three separate occasions, and sentenced to five years' penal servitude. Mrs. Watt had divorced her husband for misconduct with Lady Violet Beauchamp, who had in turn been divorced by her husband. But as Mrs. Watt refused to have the decree made absolute, Mr. Watt could not marry Lady Violet Beauchamp, and as his marriage settlement was still in force he would have benefited by his wife's death. According to the evidence for the prosecution, Mr. Watt had endeavoured to induce a private detective named Marshall—who gave information to the police—and two other men to make away with Mrs. Watt. These two witnesses—Worley and Shuttle —were men with a very bad record ; but in view of the facts that there was no evidence to prove collusion with Marshall, and that their stories coincided, the jury brought in a verdict of guilty. The defendant met the charges with a fiat denial, and the theory of temporary insanity, which in view of his position and antecedents seemed alone capable of acounting for a crime recalling the methods of mediaeval Italy, was not urged by counsel on his behalf, though it was broached by the Judge in passing sentence.
Bank Rate, 4 per cent.
Consols (24 per cent.) were on Friday 891.
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