John Forrest, CB, QHP (20 June 1804, Stirling, Scotland – 10 December 1865, Bath, England) was a British military medical officer.
Forrest dedicated 36 years of service to the Army Medical Staff, providing support to the British Army during numerous conflicts, including the Crimean War. He briefly held the position of overseeing Scutari Hospital where Florence Nightingale was stationed, and through his diligence and duty was made an Honorary Physician to the Queen. The Medical and Surgical Reporter hailed him as "One of the most distinguished medical officers of the British Army".
However, at the age of 18, as a student of Medicine aiming to deepen his medical knowledge, he became involved in grave-robbing in his hometown of Stirling. He faced charges for this crime, along with the local gravedigger and cemetery key keeper who were detained. He fled the country and was subsequently declared an outlaw. Although his accomplices were initially released, this action incited a riot in the town, compelling authorities to return them to jail for their own safety. A year later, Forrest received a pardon from the King, thanks to a successful petition by his Brother in law. The petition pleaded for clemency based on Forrest's age and his circumstances at the time of the crime.
Childhood and education
John Forrest was born on 20 June 1804 in Stirling, Scotland, the son of John Forrest, a physician, and Elizabeth Glas.
In 1822, when he was a student of medicine at Edinburgh University Forrest was involved in the removal of the body of Mary Witherspoon (née Stevenson) from Stirling Churchyard. The crime was discovered and John along with James Shiels, a street sweeper, Daniel Mitchell, a servant and changekeeper, and James McNab, the local gravedigger, were implicated as the culprits.
A trial was held at the Stirling Spring Circuit Court on 19 April 1823; however, Forrest had absconded and was absent from the hearings. He was assumed to be heading for Paris whilst McNab and Mitchel were held prisoners in the Stirling Tolbooth. The court documents do not mention Shiels however. The crime had been discovered when the grave of Mary Stevenson, wife of Joseph Witherspoon, that had been dug only a week before, was observed to be a couple of inches below the surface. A rope was discovered near the surface and digging down to the coffin revealed it had been broken open and the body removed, however the clothes had been thrown back inside.
In McNab's statement he described Forrest as the ring-leader who had approached him a number of times trying to persuade him to assist in the removal of bodies from the church yard, offering him up to four guineas per body. In McNab's role as the church gravedigger he would have held the keys to the church yard which would be of great use in such a crime. Although McNab admitted being with Forrest, Mitchel and Shiels on the night before the crime was discovered, he protested his innocence and claimed the crime was conducted after he left the group.
Mitchel's statement supports the claim that Forrest had offered a number of times three or four guineas for assistance in the removal of bodies from the graveyard. Mitchel also mentions one of Forrest's accomplices being "a tallish man with a great white coat with a number of capes and whom he heard to be called Mr Johnston from Edinburgh". This man was not located and assumed to be a fictitious character.
Mitchel goes on to describe how Forrest had offered him a large amount of whisky and so being intoxicated, he agreed to go with him, McNab and Shiels to the church yard where Mr Johnston gave him a pound note (which he admits he split with Shiels the following day). However, Mitchel denied assisting with the crime, saying he left immediately afterwards.
As all evidence pointed towards Forrest being the principal offender in the case and that he had absconded, the court decreed that he should be declared an outlaw. Outlawry was one of the harshest criminal penalties, as the eighteen year old Forrest would no longer be protected by the legal system and anyone could commit a crime against him (including murder) without any punishment. To be declared an outlaw was to suffer a form of civil or social death as the outlaw was debarred from all civilized society. No one was allowed to give him food, shelter, or any other sort of support—to do so was to commit the crime of aiding and abetting, and to be in danger of the ban oneself. As such, Forrest could not return to his family home in Stirling and had to support himself entirely.