Country code |
GB |
Repository code |
234 |
Repository |
National Records of Scotland |
Reference |
HH16/111 |
Title |
Criminal case file: Oscar Slater |
Dates |
1914-1948 |
Access status |
Open |
Access conditions |
File opened following review under the Open Government Initiative White Paper (Cm 2290). |
Location |
Off site |
Description |
Secretary for Scotland's papers concerning Oscar Slater, alias Otto Sando, convicted for murder in May 1909. File consists of the following parts:
20577/81 - Newspaper cuttings of articles from the Glasgow Weekly News by David Cook, Writer in Glasgow, on the Oscar Slater case, 23 May 1914 - 1 August 1914.
20577/82 - Letters from James G Millar, the Sheriff of Lanarkshire, requesting instructions in the matter of reimbursing the expenses incurred in the inquiry into the Oscar Slater case, 28 May - 5 June 1914.
20577/83 - Letter from Alexander Shaughnessy, agent for Oscar Slater, regarding his request to be furnished with copies of statements and evidence which the Secretary of State for Scotland proposes to lay before Parliament in connection with the inquiry of 23 - 25 April 1914 into the Oscar Slater case, 17 June - 1 July 1914.
20577/84 - Printed copy of statements submitted to the Secretary of State for Scotland and evidence taken at the inquiry held by the Sheriff of Lanarkshire on 23 - 25 April 1914 into the Oscar Slater case, 27 June 1914.
20577/85 - Newspaper cuttings commenting on the inquiry held by the Sheriff of Lanarkshire into the Oscar Slater case, 27 March - 27 June 1914.
20577/86 - Letter from James G Millar, Sheriff of Lanarkshire forwarding letters from David Cook requesting to publish private letters from the Sheriff of Lanarkshire about the scope of the inquiry into the Oscar Slater case, and a letter from Miss Mary Blair McCallum complaining about a statement made by Detective Lieutenant John Trench, 6 May - 29 June 1914.
20577/87 - Letter from Alexander Shaughnessy, agent for Oscar Slater, requesting a copy of the Parliamentary White Paper concerning the Inquiry into the Oscar Slater case. Also requests a separate inquiry into the conduct of the original inquiry or an interview with Oscar Slater, 29 June 1914 - 2 July 1914.
20577/88 - Letter from Chief Detective Inspector William B Powell of the Glasgow Police Force requesting permission to answer "slanders" against him in the 'Glasgow Herald' (cutting enclosed), 29 June 1914.
20577/89 - Newspaper cutting from the 'Glasgow Herald' of letter from David Cook, writer in Glasgow, criticising editorial comment on the statements at the Inquiry of 23 - 25 April 1914 into the case of Oscar Slater, 29 June 1914.
20577/90 - Letter from Alexander Shaughnessy, agent for Oscar Slater, requesting to be sent 24 copies of the Parliamentary White Paper of the Inquiry into the Oscar Slater case, 13 - 15 July 1914.
20577/91 - Letter from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle requesting a copy of the Parliamentary White Paper of the Inquiry into the Oscar Slater case, 14 - 15 July 1914.
20577/92 - Letter from Alexander Shaughnessy, agent for Oscar Slater, concerning the Secretary for Scotland's refusal to send 24 copies of the Parliamentary White Paper of the Inquiry into the Oscar Slater case and asking him to reconsider, 16 - 22 July 1914.
20577/93 - Covering letter from James G Millar, the Sheriff of Lanarkshire, sending requested vouchers for payments in connection with the inquiry held into the case of Oscar Slater, 16 July 1914 (vouchers wanting).
20577/94 - Letter from Donald Shaw, Solicitor to the Supreme Court, concerning the dismissal of Detective Lieutenant John Trench after the Inquiry into the Oscar Slater case, 20 - 29 July 1914.
20577/95 - Letter from Donald Shaw, Solicitor to the Supreme Court, requesting reply to his letter of 20 July 1914 regarding Detective Lieutenant John Trench's suspension after the Oscar Slater Inquiry, 28 July 1914.
20577/96 - Letter from Donald Shaw, Solicitor to the Supreme Court, stating that he does not propose to act further in the matter concerning the Inquiry of the Magistrates into the accusation that Lieutenant John Trench communicated information which he had acquired in the course of his duty to David Cook, Writer in Glasgow, a person who is not a member of the Glasgow Police Force, 3 August 1914.
20577/97 - Letter from Detective Lieutenant John Trench asking for the Secretary for Scotland to intervene on his behalf in the Inquiry of the Magistrates into his conduct, 1 - 14 July 1914.
20577/98 - Letter from J L Mackenzie, Town Clerk Depute of the Corporation of Glasgow, forwarding a copy of Detective Lieutenant John Trench's statement in defence of his conduct and 2 letters from J V Stevenson, Chief Constable of the Glasgow Police Force, stating his views on Trench's conduct, and intimating that the Magistrates Committee will meet on 12 August to hear the case, 4 August 1914.
20577/99 - Letter from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle regarding the dismissal of Detective Lieutenant John Trench from the Glasgow Police Force and expressing his hope that the Secretary of State for Scotland will use his influence to reinstate him, 16 - 17 July 1914.
20577/100 - Newspaper cutting of comment on Detective Lieutenant John Trench's dismissal from the Glasgow Police Force, printed in Glasgow Weekly News, 12 September 1914.
20577/101 - Letter from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stating that Detective Lieutenant John Trench gave evidence at the request of the Secretary of State for Scotland and that responsibility rests with the Secretary to prevent Trench from being victimised, 23 September 1914.
20577/102 - Newspaper cuttings from the Glasgow Weekly News criticising the Glasgow Magistrates action in dismissing Detective Lieutenant John Trench from the Glasgow Police Force, 19 September - 3 October 1914.
20577/103 - Covering letter and manuscript by N W Sibley analysing the case against Oscar Slater, arguing that if there were a Court of Criminal Appeal in Scotland, Slater's conviction would be quashed, and that if the Secretary of State for Scotland believes an appeal against the conviction would succeed in England then Slater should be released immediately, 4 January 1915.
20577/104 - Letter from Ernest R Stable stating his belief that Oscar Slater has been imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, and requesting an interview with the Secretary of state for Scotland, 1 August 1917. Also contains letter from the Prison Commission for Scotland, forwarding a letter by Oscar Slater and asking if there is any objection to it being sent, 29 January 1918 (Slater's letter is wanting).
20577/105 - Reports by J Stewart, Governor of Peterhead Prison and Gilbert Garrey, Medical Officer of Peterhead Prison on the conduct and health of Oscar Slater, 6 February 1919.
20577/106 - Letters of Miss Margaret Campbell, Belfast, petitioning for the release of Oscar Slater and asking for permission to write to him, 28 February - 21 April 1921.
20577/107 - Copy letter from Dr Mamroth, Advocate in Breslau, and letter from Patrick Docherty, regarding legal efforts to secure the release and deportation of Oscar Slater, 7-5 August 1922.
20577/108 - Papers relating to the public campaign for Oscar Slater's release and an inquiry into his case, 1 February 1924 - 16 November 1927. The file includes a letter from A M MacRobert, HM Solicitor General for Scotland stating his view that Oscar Slater's sentence was 'not justified by the evidence submitted to Sheriff Millar' in the 1914 inquiry, 18 October 1927 (number 349), and a letter from John Lamb stating that Oscar Slater is to be released on licence, 8 November 1927 (number 375). It also includes several letters from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Ramsay MacDonald, MP.
20577/109 - Parliamentary Question (PQ) (No. 20) by Mr Dixey MP asking if the Secretary of State for the Home Department is prepared to reconsider Oscar Slater's case, 9 May 1924, with reply by the Secretary of State for Scotland. Includes a letter from Marshall, Learmont and Paterson, Solicitors, asking if the Secretary of State for Scotland will liberate Slater in view of the fact he has served 15 years of his sentence, 6 May 1924.
20577/110 - Letter from James Jackson, in Springburn, Glasgow, stating that there may have been difficulty in identifying the colour of Oscar Slater's coat due to the light conditions at the time of the murder of Marion Gilchrist in 1909, 12 - 15 May 1924.
20577/111 - Papers relating to the campaign for the release of Oscar Slater and an inquiry into his case, 8 February 1925 - 4 November 1927.
20577/112 - Prisoner petitions by Oscar Slater, 20 February 1926-29 January 1927, complaining about the manner in which he was tried by the Governor of Peterhead Prison after an incident there on 14 November 1925 and asking for the Secretary of State for Scotland to intervene on his behalf.
20577/113 - PQ (No. 7) by Colonel Day MP asking whether Oscar Slater's life sentence has been reviewed and if a decision has been arrived at, with reply, 29 July 1927.
20577/114 - PQ (No. 214) by Colonel Day MP asking if Oscar Slater will be released early if he has complied with Rule 408 of the Scottish Prison Rules, and if his nationality is contributing to the delay of his release, with considerations of reply, but question was subsequently withdrawn, 15 November 1927.
20577/115 - PQ (No. 77) by Mr James Stewart MP asking if the Secretary of State for Scotland is prepared to make a statement regarding Oscar Slater, with reply that he will be released once suitable arrangements can be made, with reply 10 November 1927.
20577/116 - Letters relating to the campaign to release Oscar Slater and securing compensation for him, 9 - 11 November 1927.
20577/117 - Newspaper cuttings regarding the release of Oscar Slater in 1927 and his death in 1948, 1 October 1927 - 2 February 1948.
Contains several letters by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. |
Level |
File |
Closed until |
01/01/1994 |
Related material |
HH16/109-110, HH16/112 |
Departmental cipher |
20577/81-117 |
|
|
|