John Smith - Salisbury

Map of Collingbourne Ducis: https://www.francisfrith.com/collingbourne-ducis

The defence of insanity is incredibly difficult to plead, John Smith is one of those defendants who tried to use the defence in order to avoid the death penalty for the murder of Eleanor Lawrence.

Eleanor Lawrence was 34 year old, she lived in Collingbourne Ducis in Wiltshire with her friend Mary Annett. According to Annett, she last saw Eleanor when she went to the fields to give the workmen some lunch. Lawrence then went back to Collingbourne after an hour and a half, Annett made her way back home. She then found Eleanor on the road blood, with several wounds to her head and face. Apparently inflicted by a stone or a sharp object. Lawrence was insensible and Annett reports that after two days, Eleanor succumbed to her injuries and passed away. The only evidence that was present was that there was a jacket lying near the body. 

The perpetrator of this crime was John Smith, he was a blacksmith who was out of work at the time. He was last seen at Luggershall which was a mile and a half from where Eleanor's body was found. Smith was seen at another blacksmith's house asking for work, and reportedly looked well. 

Smith then went to the house of the Rev. Mr Hadon in Eversleigh where he again asked for work. After Hadon said that he had no work to give him, Smith threw two stones at Hadon which was aimed for the head, fortunately for Mr Hadon it only hit him on the arm. Hadon also reported that Smith looked very out of breath and excitable. After Smith left the house, Hadon ran after him trying to get him into custody, but Smith responded by throwing more stones. 

Smith's weapon of choice: https://back2back.org/2016/04/throwing-stones/

This commotion resulted in other villagers trying to help Hadon subdue Smith, one asked if Smith was not ashamed for throwing stones at a man nearly killing them. Smith responded by saying "I do not care if I had, for I had murdered one person this morning already. I did not care what I did, for I am tired of life." He was then asked where he had killed the person and he said "You will soon know". When he was taken to gaol, he had said that he had thrown a rock at Lawrence and then kicked repeatedly in the head. 

Smith was tried for the assault on Mr Hadon and was sentenced to be transported for seven years. But was also charged with the murder of Eleanor Lawrence. He was tried at Collingbourne in front of Lord Denmen, the prosecutors were Mr Slade and Mr Hadow, the counsel for the defence was Mr Challanor Smith. The defence as stated earlier tried to use the plea of insanity to suggest that at the time of the incident Smith had no sense of right and wrong. 

However, Lord Denmen threw the defence out by arguing that it was rashness that made defendants use the defence to excuse their worst passions. He said that he was not aware that the medical authority had more claim over a person's actions than their peers. He did not see anything that warranted a plea of insanity apart from the violence of the crime itself. Lord Denmen even argued that the surgeon attending the gaol could find no evidence of mental disease, and he had attended Smith throughout his time at the gaol. 

According to various newspapers at the time, 7000 people attended Smith's execution on the 27th March 1849. Apparently Smith ran up to the gallows and placed himself under the noose. Smith did not say a word and when the bolt was finally drawn, he struggled occasionally by severe convulsions due to the short drop. After one hour, he was cut down and buried within the confines of the prison. 

Executed by hanging: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0105r8x

 Robert Pulley - Worcestershire

Map of Pershore: https://www.francisfrith.com/pershore

The village of Broughton in Worcestershire was left reeling after the death of a sixteen year old girl, by a man who was well known to them.

The victim, who was named Mary Ann Straight was sixteen years old and lived with her Aunt Richards in the village of Broughton. On the day of her death, she had been sent by her Aunt to get some tea and sugar, but never made it home. She was found lying in a ditch, her body saturated with water. Her basket containing her purchases was lying spilled next to her. Upon examination of the body it was found that she had blunt trauma to the skull which had fractured upon impact. 

The perpetrator of this heinous and unprovoked crime was a local man who was identified as Robert Pulley. Pulley was born on the 25th August 1799, to John and Jane Pulley. At the time of the incident, he was of no fixed address and was reported by the Standard of Freedom which was published on the 16th December 1848 to sleep in outhouses or barns and gained a living by doing odd jobs and helping out as a farm labourer. 

It was said that Pulley who was 49 at the time and was 4ft 8 had become obsessed with Mary Ann, and had begun to try and gain her attention by shouting insults at her. He referred to Mary by shouting “my little whore” and “You want your bloody head broke”. which obviously did not endear Mary to him, as the result was that she ignored him. 

Numerous witnesses saw Pulley following Mary back from her shopping. When following her, Pulley met the son of an local Innkeeper and asked for Mary's whereabouts, when the man said yes. He replied "Damn her! If I light on her tonight, I'll giver her a 'snowler'. She says I'm jealous of her with a man at Broughton; but I'll give her a 'tout' on the head, and then see what she'll think about it.'. Another witness named James Savage who worked as a labourer said that he also met Pulley on the night of the murder and that he said: "he should not mind if he was in prison himself, even if it was for wilful murder, and to have what the law allowed rather than be in the state that he was in". Apparently Pulley had said to Mary, "You be going off again tonight, be you?. You'll have it before you comes back."

The scene of the crime: https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/18537759.crime-files-grisly-story-behind-bob-pulley-lane/

Three days after the incident, Frederick Taylor a young boy of thirteen and his father went to find the murder weapon. They found near where the body was a stick, with a knob on the end with two or three brown hairs on it. Taylor said that he had seen Pulley, with a hatchet with the same description, saying that he wanted to put it through Mary's head. The surgeon who had attended the scene had said that the force of the blow that had killed the the young girl had caved in her skull. 

The police finally traced Pulley to the Parish of Purvin, where he found lying on some straw in a barn where two men were threshing. When he was taken into custody it was said that Pulley's clothes had blood on them, one stain on the waistcoat and one of the wrist sleeve. When the police charged him with murder, Pulley claimed that 'he didn't do it'. 

Worcestershire County Jail: https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/18537759.crime-files-grisly-story-behind-bob-pulley-lane/

The trial was set for the 6th March 1849, apart from mumbling a plea of innocence Pulley remained silent. It took just 10 minutes to convict Robert Pulley of the death of Mary Ann Straight, he did try and appeal his death sentence but it was refused. He was set to be executed on the 26th March 1849, according to the Berrows Journal it was reported that; 

“By five o’clock many people were beginning to assemble outside the Gaol and began to take up the most favourable  positions they could find in Infirmary Walk and its vicinity. As the morning wore on the crowd increased and by seven o’clock a large concourse had assembled. Vast numbers of persons in every available vehicle were continually arriving, especially from the Pershore district. Cart after cart brought its load of human beings and as the time fixed for the execution drew near every place from whence a glimpse of the scaffold could be obtained was completely crowded. Very large number also arrived from Birmingham."

“With the exception of a few of the very lowest class of persons, the mass behaved very orderly. But we fear from the levity which we witnessed that the moral effect of the scene was quite lost upon the multitude, who eventually had come to look upon it as a spectacle, or a matter of amusement or curiosity and were actuated by the same feeling as if they were witnessing a theatrical entertainment. 

Among the crowd we were aggrieved to see many apparently respectable females and so powerful was the incentive which brought them there, that numbers of them that could find no-one to take care of their children at home, actually brought them with them. Hundreds of women with children in their arms stood for hours exposed to all the boisterousness and ribaldry of a mob composed of some of the very worst specimens of humanity. 

As noon approached, the already grim event took an even more macabre turn when all the male prisoners in the jail were herded into an area called the debtors yard and arranged in rows to witness the execution. All the women prisoners filed into another enclosed yard and were also told to watch. Then Robert Pulley was brought to the gallows to meet his executioner. This dreaded personage was enveloped from head to toe in a dark gloomy coloured cloak, which entirely covered the whole of his person, the lower part of his face was muffled in a capricious handkerchief and a cap slouched over his head and eyes, most effectively disguising his countenance.

As the jail bell began to toll, Pulley and his executioner, accompanied by several civic officials, made their way up a short flight of steps to the press room where the black painted gallows had been erected. Pulley’s arms and hands were pinioned to his body and his necktie loosened. On reaching the platform, the prisoner was positioned beneath the beam and the cap placed on his head. The executioner then soaped the rope well with soft soap and positioned it over Pulley’s head. Everything being ready the drop was released. The body remained suspended in the air for a few moments quite motionless. But then a few tremors in the legs were observable. Shortly afterwards it heaved convulsively four of five times and then remained without motion and Robert Pulley was no more. So it was entertainment over, everyone back in their cells, mothers take your children home and the crime correspondent returned to his desk."

 James Landick & James Mills - Exeter

Map of Exeter. Image taken from: https://www.etsy.com/listing/95574446/exeter-map-old-map-of-exeter-large-wall

What would be known as the Tedburn Tap Murder was a sensational crime story which lasted from January to March 1849. The violent murder of the elderly Mrs Grace Holburn rippled through Exeter although the case was overshadowed by other violent crimes around this time.

James Landick who was 33 years old at the time of the crime, was, as the newspapers put it one of the main perpetrators of the crime. According to the evidence given by the other two at the scene, Landick was convinced that Mrs Holburn had a lot of money within the house. He convinced James Millls, his accomplice and a man named Henry Wood to help him with breaking and entering the property. Most of the evidence of the night of the murder was given by Henry Wood. 

James Landick. Image taken from: https://medicalgentlemen.co.uk/patients-and-diseases/tedburn-murder

However, this witnesses' reputation was in dispute according to the Exeter Flying Post which was published on the 25th Janaury 1849, Henry Wood was seen as a half witted person, although he came from a good family within Exeter. He received a good education, and his family even managed to get him into a boarding school in London. Whilst within London, he attempted to try and get into the profession of the law and even worked for a firm for a while. However, even with these advantageous moments in his life. He had idle habits and a dissipated character where he led a vagabond lifestyle.

Wood stated that he was engaged by both Landick and Mills on the day of the murder which was the 2nd December 1848. They arrived in Tedburn at half past eleven. Landick, entered the property through the orchard garden, He then admitted the other two men into the property. He then said that they blackened their faces and entered Mrs Holburn's bedroom. 

Image taken from: https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/breaking-and-entering-crime-gm493478436-76900641

The witnesses stated that Mrs Holburn was asleep, but soon woke up when Mills held her down. Landick then rifled through chest of drawers and through her boxes trying to find any money. He found; some money; a sovereign in gold, four half crowns and five shillings in silver. He found a silver spoon and a crooked half sixpence. Landick then went downstairs and found some more silver spoons in a cupboard. He then asked her again where the money was, Mrs Holburn replied and said that the money in the purse was all she had. Mills came off the bed, and Landick threw some clothes at her. Woods then said "don't for God's sake you will kill her". Landick apparently said that it would stop her from crying out. However, this meant that she ended up being smothered to death. They remained in the house for around three hours. For his part in the crime, Wood was given 12 shillings.

It is not clear how James Landick and Mills were caught, but Landick and Mills appear in Court for the wilful murder of Mrs Grace Holburn. Their accomplice, Henry Wood testified against the both of them. Landick admitted his part in the crime, but denied according to multiple sources that he threw the box or clothes at Mrs Holburn which led to her death. He claimed that Wood himself actually threw the box. He further believed that he would be acquitted by the jury, but hearing the judge's summing up and the jury's verdict lost hope. The jury acquitted Mills, but convicted Landick. They recommended a verdict of mercy, as they believed that Landick did not premeditate the murder. However, the judge sentended Landick to death,

Image taken from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0105r8x

On the 4th April 1849, Landick was hung for the murder of Mrs Grace Holburn, it was said that he showed great self-possession at the scaffold. He also talked of his own past, having being a criminal for most of his life committing theft and house breaking through most of his life. Landick further stated that he was grateful that Mills had been acquitted as the man had not known what he, Landick, was going to do. It was said that Wood, with a bunch of women attended the execution. 

However, this is not the end of the Tedburn Tap Murder, after the execution of James Landick. James Mills enlisted in 83rd Regiment as an infantryman. He apparently was on his way to India before the Police took him into custody. When he was released from gaol, he deserted his regiment and was finally executed in October 1849. 

 Thomas Malkin - Leeds 

Map of Leeds: Image taken from: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEEDS-Vintage-town-city-map-plan-Yorkshire-1957-old-vintage-chart-/401723619354

Thomas Malkin's case is very similar to James Kelly, who we have covered on this blog. A young man who murdered his sweetheart. However, Malkin was only 17 years old at the time. And, like Sarah Thomas he was seen as another juvenile that lost his life in the Victorian era. 

Esther Inman and Thomas Malkin met at a flax mill in Leeds owned by Mr Houldsworth & co. Malkin was employed as a wood turner, making bobbins. Both of them were also members of the Methodist community, they attended not only the same Sunday school but the same singing lessons. It has been thought that this led to intimacy between the two, and by the time of the incident they had been going out for at least two months. 

A flax mill in Leeds (not Houldsworth Mill). Image taken from: https://urbexhub.com/the-flax-mill/

On the 8th October 1848, Mr T Watson, Esther's stepfather recalls that Esther left the house just after 10 o'clock having been called out by a friend, named Mary Ann Smith. He recalls that Esther had left the door open, but that he had shut it due to the cold weather. As he was shutting the door he spotted two people in the garden; a man and a women but could not clearly identity them from that distance. After shutting the door he heard a cry of "Oh Father, open the door.". When the door finally opened, he saw Esther lying on the ground clearly injured. After Watson carried Esther inside, they sent for the surgeon, a Mr Gisburn who arrived in five minutes. Esther was pronounced dead at the scene, she was just 16 years old.

According to the Northern Star and Leeds General Advertister which was published on the 14th October 1848, apparently Malkin had seized hold of her and cut her throat in two places, when she tried to resist by throwing up her arms. He stabbed her in the arm which such force that he could get the knife out. It is claimed that before Esther died, she said that "he" meaning Malkin had killed her. He was further seen by various witnessess runing away from the scence, and just after the murder he confessed in the presence of the people in his mother's house that he had "done for her". The dagger was further identified by the resident Blacksmith as a similar one that he had forged for Malkin a short time before Esther's death. Evidence was further given that Malkin had threatned to kill Esther. It was thought that the motive that Thomas Malkin may have had for killing Esther Inman, was that he thought she was seeing another man. And fuelled by jeleously and implusivity took her life. 

A dagger with blood on it. Image taken from; https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/bloody-knife-on-black-background-gm1018043702-273704381

Malkin had fled the scene and it was generally believed that he committed suicide, by drowing himself in the River Aire. However, he was eventually found and taken to the Police station without attempting any resistance. Malkin was tried at the York Assizes on the 20th December 1848, he claimed that he had never been anywhere near the scene of the crime although there were countless witnessess who testified that he had been there. He further protested his innocence to the court by claiming that all the evidence against him was circumstatinal, as there was no blood found on him. He further claimed that he had never even thought of harming Esther in any way. 

Malkin's defence which was led by Mr Overend claimed that Esther herself may have committed suicide. Claiming that there was evidence that Esther had a volatile temperement and that earlier she had been found to be carriying a dagger around in her clothes. However, the Judge dismissed this defence. The Jury at Malkin's trial returned after just twenry minutes of delibration. They found Thomas Malkin guilty of wilful murder, but they recommended that Malkin should be shown leniency due to his age. However, the Judge dismissed the recommendation and sentenced Malkin to death by hanging. 

   York castle. Image from: https://www.reddit.com/r/Castleporn/comments/8fud7k/cliffords_tower_the_keep_of_york_castle_england/

After the sentence was passed it has been claimed by various authorities, that Malkin confessed to the murder of Esther asked for forgiveness from her parents. Malkin's execution was carried out of the 6th January 1849, and according to various reports from the press there was around 12,000 people who attended the execution. At 12 o'clock, Malkin accompanied by the Rev J H Sutton, approached the scaffold, Malkin knelt down and prayed. When the drop finally occurred, it was said that Malkin died incredibly quickly. 

As with similar cases we have covered, Malkin's age was definitely seen as a factor to the Jury at the time. However, the Judge's decision not to show leniency could be explained by the fact that he denied murdering Esther and he had ran away from the scene of the crime, and had been a fugitive until the Police finally found him. 

 Sarah Harriet Thomas - Bristol 

Map of Bristol. Image taken from: https://www.vintage-maps-prints.com/products/old-map-of-bristol-uk-1890

Sarah Harriet Thomas is known as the last person publicly hanged in the city of Bristol. A young girl dragged up to the scaffold, screaming in absolute fear led even the hardest of hearts to evaluate their attitudes towards public hanging. 

We know very little about Sarah Harriet Thomas, but we know that she was employed as a maid to the 61 year old, Miss Jeffries. Miss Jeffries was a women of considerable wealth, however, she was well known to have a violent temperament. She had very little to do with any of her family and friends, and became increasingly isolated from society. She also lived alone apart from the support she had from a female servant.

According to the Sun on the 17th April 1849, the newspaper references a few of Miss Jeffries late employee's testified about their late employer. A witness named Sarah Miller, said that her employer was violent towards her servants and ill treated them. Another witness named, Lucy Chad had left her employment due to Miss Jeffries treatment of her. She claimed that Miss Jeffries had threatened to beat her and raise a stick against her. Furthermore, she also claimed that her employer had threatened to beat her because she did not get up in the morning, when she was called. Lastly, the newspaper references a women called Charlotte Morgan, who had only been able to remain in Miss Jeffries employment, for two nights and a day. But left due to her mistress arguing about Morgan getting up in the morning. These testimonies from these women demonstrate convincingly, the violent and abusive nature of Miss Jeffries. And, the amount of resentment shown towards her by past employees. 

Violence. Image taken from: https://nationalpeo.com/workplace-violence/

On the day of the murder on the 3nd March 1849, according to Sarah Thomas' confession. She claims that Miss Jeffries had called Sarah to her bedroom, and threatened to hit her. The next night, she stayed in the room with Miss Jeffries. After she was sure that her mistress was asleep, she got up and found a rock. She then hit Miss Jeffries three times, according to Sarah, Miss Jeffries woke up between blows and cried out "Christ God". After the murder was committed she robbed the house of Miss Jeffries, clothes, jewels and other valuables. And, then left for her parent's home. Sarah further claimed that she had killed Miss Jeffries dog and shoved the body somewhere in the house. 

According to the Sun, they reference witnesses to the murder. One women named Anne Ham said that she heard great screaming coming from Miss Jeffries room. She mentioned this to her landlady Mrs Fry, who knocked on the wall to Miss Jeffries house, in which the screaming stopped. Anne Ham claimed that the screaming she heard was from Sarah Thomas herself. This is because she had heard Sarah crying before, this was because Miss Jeffries had called her a "dirty hussy" and that she was slow in her work. The Sun, clearly sympathetic to Sarah Thomas' case said that the stone was not a normal weapon to murder someone with. And, that it was clearly something picked up in the heat of passion. This testimony, although not referenced in Thomas' confession. Shows that either Sarah was so frightened of what she was doing that she was screaming, or the witnesses' were mistaken and that it was Miss Jeffries crying out for help. 

The stone as a murder weapon (obviously not the original one). Image taken from: https://www.clipartkey.com/view/ibwJTb_clip-art-rock-images-rock-stone/

However, Sarah Thomas' actions were soon discovered. A lady named Miss Miller who has also been mentioned within the Sun's report, claimed that she last saw the victim on the 2nd of March. When she returned the next day, the shutters were closed and the place looked deserted. Miss Miller claimed that it looked as if Miss Jeffries had left to go somewhere. Finally, Miss Jeffries brother who was a retired surgeon applied to the local magistrate, and, with the help of the Police finally gained access to the house. They found his sister's body lying in her bed, with several wounds to the head and a pool of blood on the floor. The stone was lying on the hob, with a clump of grey hairs and blood spattered on the rock. The house had been ransacked with a lot of Miss Jeffries valuables missing. 

Suspicion immediately fell on Sarah, as when the Police went to her parents house they immediately found all of Miss Jeffries belongings in Sarah's possession. When she was taken to the Police station, she immediately said that the perpetrator was an ex servant of Miss Jeffries, who had arrived on the morning of the 3rd of March to demand a character reference from her late employer. This servant, she claimed gave her all Miss Jeffries' possessions. However, the Police found that this story was plainly untrue. 

When Sarah was tried at the assizes, the evidence was found to be conclusively against her. The Jury found her guilty, but recommended to the Judge that because of  her age that she should be shown some leniency. During the trial, she showed very little emotion. But when the Judge placed the black cap on his head she was heard saying "Oh I cannot stand that". When the sentence was passed, Sarah begged the gaoler to intercede on her behalf to the Judge, and that she would not leave until he did so. The gaoler with the help of other officials managed to carry her from the stand. When Sarah had left the room, the Judge told the Jury that he would report their recommendation to the proper authorities. 

Judge wearing a black cap. Image taken from: https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/obiter/rogues-gallery-makes-headlines/5058460.article

Whilst in prison, there were attempts by sympathetic members of the public to gain a reprieve from the Home Office against the Death penalty for Sarah Thomas. One of the petitions was signed by over  3,500 women and was given to the local magistrate. However, these petitions were ignored by the state who were too busy with the Stanfield murders perpetrated by James Bloomfield Rush, to fully consider Sarah Thomas' situation. In prison, Sarah was visited by her mother and sisters, in which her mothers were severely distressed. However, her mother seemed indifferent to the plight of her daughter. As a result of this meeting, her mother asked whether she could have the clothes that Sarah had stolen from Miss Jeffries. And, her sisters said that they would attend the execution. 

On the 20th April 1849, Sarah's gaoler Mr Gardiner approached her cell and said that she must accompany him to the place of execution. Sarah stamped her foot and said that she would not go. It took six to seven men to remove her from the room, whilst being taken away she told the gaoler to send her love to her father. Sarah managed to walk to the scaffold unaccompanied, but eventually lost her nerve and had to be carried the rest of the way, with her screaming and struggling violently. When Calcroft, the executioner at the time, put the noose around her neck, she exclaimed; ""The Lord have mercy upon me! I hope my mother and none of my family are watching", it was said that Sarah died quickly with a few short convulsions. 

Sarah Harriet Thomas. Image taken from: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3001828079855185&set=pcb.3001830726521587

The execution gathered a massive crowd, with an equally massive police force to try and keep the crowd under control. This was to ensure that no last incident was to off set the execution. When Sarah was dragged to the scaffold, the governor of the prison overcome by the sheer traumatic event unfolding before him actually fainted. Calcroft, the executioner was also equally affected by the death of Sarah Thomas as he said about the execution; “in my opinion, one of the prettiest and most intellectual girls I have met with.”. At the time, a crime reporter called Mr E Austin said of the case that "Ribald jests were bandied about and after waiting to see the corpse cut down, the crowd dispersed, and the harvest of the taverns in the neighbourhood commenced.”.

This was the last public execution in the city of Bristol, it was said that many of the crowd felt repulsed by what had happened to Sarah, and remembered the execution long after the public had forgotten the case. However, it would take a long time before juvenile prisoners were not automatically sentenced to the death penalty and a fair consideration of their age would be shown as a mitigation factor. However, in the tragic case of Sarah Thomas, whose crime was probably motivated by the psychological and physical abuse of her employer, she found no other way out of her situation but bludgeoning Miss Jeffries to death.