Robert Emond: The Haddington Murders

On the night of 25th - 26th October 1828  a widow named

Catherine Franks along with her fourteen year old daughter Madelina

 were brutally murdered. 

On 8th February 1829 her brother-in-law Robert Emondwas tried in

Edinburgh for the crimes.  Having been found  guilty he was hanged in 

the city on 17th March 1830.

Robert had married Catherine's sister Mary Magdalene ("Highland Mary")

In Edinburgh on 17th January 1827.  They had known each other for about

 five years.  Initially both were travelling hawkers and corresponded by

letter.

The trial attracted a great deal of public interest.  Burke and Hare had been

tried in Edinburgh on Christmas Eve 1828.  Emond's trial and execution

drew even larger crowds.

Many inches of newspaper print  gave details of the crimes and attempted to

analyse the dynamics of the families involved.  Basically, these were domestic

murders caused by Robert's jealousy of his wife's better business sense.  He

thought that Catherine Franks' interference was undermining his marriage

and making a bad situation worse.  Mary's family and friends had cautioned

her about marrying Robert as he was known for his bad temper.  They had

 moved to England following their marriage. Mary had insisted on returning

to Scotland despite her husband's protests.

After Robert's execution his family pursued his widow Mary for money. 

This resulted in her being detained for debt.

Brief summaries of both Robert's family and that of his wife, Mary Munro, can be
found to the right of this page.➨