Thomas Malkin - Leeds
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.
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.
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.
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.
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