Trial Two
![[ Jury At the 2nd Trial of James Carroll, By Permission of Ray Fazakas, Frank Cooper, Private Collection of Ray Fazakas ]](../../images/site/52422_2.jpg "[ Jury At the 2nd Trial of James Carroll, By Permission of Ray Fazakas, Frank Cooper, Private Collection of Ray Fazakas ]")
When the first jury failed to agree, preparations began immediately for the second trial. By this time, however, Crown Attorney Charles Hutchinson was becoming somewhat disheartened with the process. In October of 1880 he wrote to Aemilius Irving, one of the prosecutors, that it was “a waste of time & money” to attempt to secure a guilty verdict in the anti-Donnelly county of Middlesex. Regardless, he persevered, as did the remaining members of the Donnelly family. The trial, which began at the end of January, 1881 before Justice Matthew Crooks Cameron and Justice Featherston Osler, lasted just over one week. The verdict, which came just days before the one-year anniversary of the murders, was “not guilty”.
Trial Preparations
Letters
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, October 22, 1880
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, October 25, 1880
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, October 26, 1880
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, December 9, 1880
- William Donnelly, Letter to C. Hutchinson from William Donnelly, December 20, 1880
- Charles Hutchinson, Charles Hutchinson Letter Book, January 15, 1881
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, Biddulph Murder Case - Special Commission, Huron Signal-Star, October 29, 1880
- Unknown, The Biddulph Prisoners - Steps Being Taken for Their Trial by a Special Commission, Globe, November 6, 1880
- Unknown, The Donnelly Tragedy - The Date of Trial Fixed - A Special Commission to be Issued, London Advertiser, November 18, 1880
- Unknown, The Lucan Sensation - What Mr. Porte, the Lucanite Referred to, Says, London Advertiser, November 24, 1880
- Unknown, The Biddulph Trial, London Advertiser, January 21, 1881
Trial Two
Books
Diaries, Journals or Reminiscences
- Justice Featherston Osler, Diary of Justice Featherston Osler, January 22, 1881
- Willaim Porte, William Porte Diary, January 24, 1881
- William Porte, William Porte Diary, February 2, 1881
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- Unknown, The Donnelly Murder - Opening Day of the Great Trial, London Advertiser, January 25, 1881
- Unknown, The Biddulph Tragedy - Second Day of the Great Trial, London Advertiser, January 26, 1881
- Unknown, The Biddulph Tragedy - Johnny O'Connor Gives a Description of the Terrible Scene, London Advertiser, January 27, 1881
- Unknown, The Biddulph Prisoners, Irish Canadian, January 27, 1881
- Unknown, Biddulph Horror - O'Connor Gives Some Valuable Evidence, London Advertiser, January 28, 1881
- Unknown, The Biddulph Tragedy, London Advertiser, February 3, 1881
- Unknown, The Great Trial - Opinions of the Outside Press on the Verdict, London Advertiser, February 4, 1881
- Unknown, Biddulph Case, Listowel Banner, February 4, 1881
- Unknown, Carroll Acquitted, Huron Signal-Star, February 4, 1881
- Unknown, The Biddulph Case, Listowel Banner, February 4, 1881
- Unknown, Tragedy Items, London Advertiser, February 4, 1881
- Unknown, After The Trial, London Advertiser, February 5, 1881
- Unknown, An Unnecessary Hardship, Irish Canadian, February 10, 1881