The Life & Death of Agnes Montgomerie of Eaglesham

Introduction

This article, written by Tracy Harrison Butler while she was volunteering at Giffnock Heritage Centre, details a summary of events that occurred in Eaglesham in the latter half of 1857.

On the 14^th January, 1858, Peter Walker (aka John Thomson) was hanged for the murder of Agnes Montgomerie of Eaglesham, and the attempted murders of a Glasgow couple Agnes and Archibald Mason.

More detailed documentation is held at Giffnock Heritage Centre.

Peter Walker: Early Years

Walker was born in Campbeltown, Argyll in 1832/33 and by the age of 20 was a tailor, working in Lochgilphead at J and J Bell & Co; but after 3 years, his nefarious activities came to light. Accused of the theft of a selection of fabrics including corduroy, tartan and silk, and £21 in notes and silver, Walker was taken to Inverary jail where he was imprisoned until his trial (approximately 194 days). On 27^th April 1853, Peter Walker was sentenced to 7 years transportation.

However, instead of being sent to Western Australia, Walker was moved to Wakefield Prison, where he languished for a year before being moved onto a horrific prison hulk, The Defence, at Portsmouth. (For more information on conditions and day to day life, see A Day in the Life: Convicts on board Prison Hulks by Carrie Crockett). Peter Walker appears to have been a model prisoner and was released on licence in June 1856, 3 years into his sentence.

Events Leading up to the Murder Trial

In June 1857, John Thomson arrived in Eaglesham – Peter Walker had by now changed his name – and came to live at Janet (Agnes Montgomerie’s sister) and James Watson’s house. He was working once again as a tailor. In the early months, Thomson seems to have been well liked, making friends with members of the Montgomerie family. Agnes Montgomerie appears to have been the exception, eventually, on the 11^th September 1857, accusing Thomson of taking money from her brother-in-law. She thought Thomson was “not a good man”. Prior to this date, she, along with her friend Janet Dollar, had thrown water on him – there are no further explanations as to why.

Agnes Montgomerie was 27 and a reeler in the Eaglesham cotton mill, where she wound threads onto large bobbins that were then used for weaving cloth. She attended church on Sundays and as his only unmarried sister, her brother Fredrick, sent Agnes half of his £4 monthly naval salary. On the 13^th September, 1857, in her home on Montgomery Street, Eaglesham, Agnes suddenly died, surrounded by two of her sisters. The attending physician, Dr. David Scott, listed apoplexy (a stroke) as the cause of death. No one questioned the diagnosis and Agnes was buried the following day in her local church, mourned by all her family. (Her grave stone can be found next to the far right hand corner of the Eaglesham Parish Church).

Fewer than two weeks later, John Thomson left the house of Janet and James Watson, accused of taking a letter containing £1, but having agreed to pay the money back. He moved to Glasgow, lodging in John Street, with landlords Agnes and Archibald Mason, who he promptly attempted to poison. After his wife fell ill, Archibald Mason was suspicious of the whisky they had both been drinking, but instead of taking it to the police, he took the contaminated alcohol into work where he asked his colleagues to taste it. Thankfully, none fell ill, but all agreed that the whisky tasted odd. Archibald reported Thomson to the police. As a result of the arrest and method of attempted murder, Agnes Montgomerie’s body was exhumed on the 30^th September 1857. The post mortem revealed she died from prussic acid (now known as hydrogen cyanide) poisoning. John Thomson was then accused of the murder of Agnes Montgomerie and the attempted murders of Agnes and Archibald Mason.

The Trial

The trial lasted for 3 days, at the end of December 1857. John Thomson pled not guilty and was defended by Mr Moncrieff, the same lawyer who assisted the defence in the notorious Madeline Smith trial (March 1857).

A plethora of witnesses described Agnes Montgomerie as a well-liked, church going, single woman who appeared not to trust or like John Thomson. She had been found alone, propped up in a chair, in her locked room, by her sisters, who had a second key. The doctor was called, while Miss Montgomerie was moved to her bed, but she died within an hour. One witness noted that she could smell almonds.

Just before Agnes Montgomerie was discovered, John Thomson was seen leaving her house, fiddling with the door upon exit and then hiding something under a tree – this later proved to be the key to the front door.

Further witnesses attested to a discussion that John Thomson had had with them about the Madeline Smith trial, and how he had appeared very interested in the further conversation about poisons and prussic acid.

It was proven that John Thomson had given Agnes Montgomerie prussic acid, clumsily obtained from Hart’s the druggist, Glasgow, in a glass of beer. After his conviction, he admitted that he just wanted to see what effect prussic acid would have on someone.

John Thomson, aka Peter Walker, was convicted of the murder of Agnes Montgomerie and the attempted murders of Agnes and Archibald Mason and sentenced to hang on the 14^th January 1858. On the Saturday after the trial, John Thomson fully acknowledged his guilt, and said his motive was to obtain possession of money which belonged to the deceased.

Execution of Peter Walker

On the 13^th January, 1858, a ‘triple-tree’ gallows was erected in Paisley. By 7:30am, County Square and every adjoining street commanding a view of the scaffold were completely crowded. Around 18,000 people gathered to see the hanging, carried out by infamous executioner William Calcraft. Twenty minutes before 9am the body was cut down, and by about quarter before 9, workmen had started to remove the gallows.

On the 25^th January 1858 a corrected entry was applied to the death certificate of Agnes Montgomerie.

Bibliography

Above is a brief summary of events in Eaglesham, with more in-depth information held at the East Renfrewshire Heritage Service. Documents used to research this included:

1. Transcript of day 1 of the trial at Glasgow Circuit Court before the Lord Justice Clerk. Reported in the Glasgow Herald, 23 December 1875.
2. Transcript of day 2 of the trial at Glasgow Circuit Court before the Lord Justice Clerk. Reported in the Glasgow Herald, 25 December 1875.
3. Newspaper description of a confession by and the execution of John Thomson.
4. Further newspaper description of the execution of John Thomson.
5. An angry letter, as a result of the diagnosis of Agnes Montgomery’s death by Dr Scott, calling for Coroner’s Inquests to be held in Scotland as they are in England. To this day, Scotland does not have a coroner’s inquest, instead, as in 1857, cases of sudden death are referred to the Procurator Fiscal, who then examines details and then decides whether or not to take it further. In the case of Agnes Montgomery, Dr. David Scott did not do this.
6. Register of Death in Parish of Eaglesham. Agnes Montgomery September 1857.
7. Register of corrected entry, Parish of Eaglesham. Agnes Montgomery, 25 January 1858.
8. A report of Peter Walker’s confession to Rev Mr Aitken.
9. Peter Walker’s prison record and person description.
10. Record of Peter Walker’s entry into the Defence hulk.
11. Peter Walker’s registration of death in the Parish of Middle Church, Paisley (difficult to read).
12. Reference numbers and details of precognition of Peter Walker (1853), found via find my past.
13. Reference numbers and details of trial papers (1853), found via find my past.
14. References to record of punishment (1853), found via find my past.
15. References to Architectural drawings of house at Eaglesham (scene of poisoning). The plans can be viewed at the Heritage Service (Reference only)