Deposition of James Grant at Preliminary Hearing for Donnelly Murders, March 1880

JAMES GRANT. — I am a magistrate, and live in Granton; there was some proceedings against the Donnelly family for arson; I have the papers with me (produced); the informations are the ones on which proceedings were taken; the last time that any evidence was taken was on the 29th Jan., and it was adjourned until the Wednesday following, (the day of the murder), on that day James and Julia Donnelly were to appear; […] I was there, and the other magistrates, at the appointed hour; the complainant Patrick Ryder was there, James Carroll was there, James or Julia Donnelly were not there; […] the report was that they had been murdered […]