Categories
Folklore

Laying the Ghost

The famous 1889 “Arran Murder” of Edwin Rose almost went unsolved because the island’s police buried a key piece of evidence in the sea–his boots. They upheld the old Arran superstition of “laying the ghost” to prevent murdered men from haunting the locals.

Source: Illustrated Police News. 14th September 1889. pg. 1
References

Roughead, W. (1913) Twelve Scots Trials. William Green & Sons, Edinburgh. pp. 273-302

Categories
Crime and Punishment

Crime in 1879 Dundee

Lochee was apparently a lawless place in 1879.

In that year the courts weren’t spending much time on your case…

On the 15th December, you got a decision in 48 seconds or less…