Death Warrant for executing Hugh McLeod (the Assynt Murderer), 1831
In March 1830 peddler Murdoch Grant, who had been travelling through Assynt in search of business, mysteriously vanished. After four weeks of searching, his body was discovered in Loch Torr na h Eigen. It was unclear how he had died, but the local schoolmaster, Hugh McLeod, announced that he believed it to be an accident.
However, it remained a mystery where the victim’s belongings had gone. As a peddler, he had often had large amounts of goods and money with him – he had had around £40 when he was last seen – but nothing was discovered with the body. Investigations stalled until local man Kenneth Fraser – known as Kenneth the Dreamer – had a vision in which he saw the victim’s belongings under a cairn. This vision turned out to be accurate, a number of items belonging to the victim were found under a cairn, and the theory of murder and robbery resurfaced.
Hugh McLeod, the once-respected schoolmaster, had left his job but had been spending large amounts of money (he even had a £5 note – rare for a man with no job). His house was searched and items belonging to the victim were found. McLeod was transported to Dornoch and indicted in August 1830, despite continuing to claim his innocence. At his trial in September 1831, he was found guilty and sentenced to death. He was later said to have confessed his guilt to a minister, saying he used a hammer to murder Murdoch Grant.
He was executed at the Longman on the 24th October 1831 and his body transported to the University of Edinburgh, to the care of the Professor of Anatomy, to be publicly “dissected and anatomized”. A receipt for the transfer of the body can be found in the bottom right hand corner of the warrant.
Writing Ideas
What do you think happened after this was written? Was the situation resolved or were there even bigger problems at the next election?
Imagine you lived in Dingwall at this time and witnessed the events described in this document. Write a letter to a friend/family member detailing what you have seen and your reaction to it.
Download a typed copy of the document.
Document Ref: GB0232/L/INV/HC/12/29
