大象传媒 Scotland - 大象传媒 Scotland - The 鈥榤urderer鈥� who used dentures to smuggle a letter out of prison asking Sherlock Holmes鈥� creator to help clear his name

The 鈥榤urderer鈥� who used dentures to smuggle a letter out of prison asking Sherlock Holmes鈥� creator to help clear his name

David Wilson’s Crime Files investigates the case of prisoner William Gordon who – in 1925 – was released from the remote Peterhead prison with something carefully concealed in his mouth, under his dentures: a letter from fellow inmate, Oscar Slater.

Slater had been locked up for 16 years after being convicted of murdering 82-year-old Marion Gilchrist while stealing her diamond brooch. But Slater had always professed his innocence and wrote Gordon a note, pleading him to spread word of his case:

“Please do what you can for me... Please do not forget to write or see Conan D.”

The Conan D in question was Arthur Conan Doyle – creator of the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes.

鈥淥ut of sight and out of mind鈥�

Fiona Walker tells the story of a case of miscarriage of justice from 1925.

Marion Gilchrist’s murder

In 1908, Marion Gilchrist was brutally murdered in her Glasgow home and a diamond brooch was found to be missing from her belongings.

The resulting court case became one of Scotland’s most notorious miscarriages of justice, with anti-German sentiment, incompetent, anti-Semitic police and corrupt judges at its core.

Mr Slater was persecuted even after he provided an alibi and proved the brooch belonged to his mistress.

He was tried, found guilty and sentenced to death with no means of appeal.

It is impossible to read and weigh the facts in connection with the conviction 鈥� without feeling deeply dissatisfied

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle steps in

Slater knew that Conan Doyle had been thoroughly investigating the case and had presented findings in a . Conan Doyle concluded that Marion had known her killer, and it was not Oscar Slater.

The author continued campaigning for Slater until 1927, when the case was taken to the newly-formed Scottish Court of Appeal.

Oscar Slater’s conviction was quashed and he was released from prison after 19 years, though he was not pardoned.