George Howe - Yorkshire
Map of Yarm: https://www.francisfrith.com/yarm/maps
Although not a lot is known about George Howe, we do know that his occupation was listed as a railway labourer. Indeed, it is said that he moved himself, his wife and children to live with the nephew of a widow called Amelia Wood on the 14th November 1848. However, Howe's wife passed away not long after they moved into the home. After his wife died, Howe according to Wood said he intended to leave the baby with her, as he had some work to do in Middlesborough, he stated that someone would come up to look after the child. When this person eventually came, Wood said that she refused to give her up.
On the day of the incident, Wood was feeding the baby whilst Howe watched. The child took around eight-ten spoonfulls of food. She then left Eliza for a short while, however, after she retured the child would take nothing. Tasting the food, the widow noticed that it had a vinegar flavour and burned her throat.
The poison: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/343047696596439586/
Wood immediately told her neighbour, who went to the resident surgeon a Mr Dale. The child became exceedingly ill with burnt lips and mouth. She died a couple of days afterwards. At the post-mortum it was found that the baby had ingested oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is a colourless substence that can be found in rheubarb leaves, bleach and metal cleaners. For Eliza it would have caused massive damage. It was also proved by the police that they found in Howe's sack a bottle of oxilic acid, and, that he had purchased it at a chemist's in Stockton.
Wood immediately was suspicious of Howe, and accused him of murdering Eliza. She said that Howe had expressed a wish to get rid of it. As he was prevented from marrying a woman of £300 which would be around £18,125.10 in today's money. There was even an application to exhume the body of his wife due to evidence of foul play in his child's murder. However, there is no evidence that I can find that Howe did acutally poision his wife, although it does seem quite likely. Furthermore, as if we needed anymore evidence that Howe was not a pleasant individual, the Yorkshire Gazette reported on the 31 March 1849 that Howe was sentenced to two years imprisonment of hard labour in the house of correction at Northallerton. For taking liberties with a girl with weak intellect.
Before Howe was sentenced to death, there was a petition signed for a commution of sentence however, the whole town refused to sign apart from two people. Howe was finally executed on the 31st March 1849, he was attended by the Reverend T Sutton who was the Chaplin at the Castle. It is reported that he seemed to be remorseful, however, denied any wrongdoing towards his child.
George Howe seemed to put his comfort and security, above the happiness and welbeing of his family. Whether Howe truly regretted the actions that lead to his child's death is uncertain according to some sources. In contrast, it does seem that Amelia Wood did care for Eliza in the short time that she did have her in her care and geniunely cared about the justice for the little girl.
Clifford's Tower, York: https://www.ontheluce.com/10-british-weekend-break-ideas/
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