John Ward - Lincolnshire

Map of Thorp: https://www.francisfrith.com/broadlowash/map-of-thorpe-1921_pop847435

In July 1849, John Ward, aged just 26, was hanged at Lincolnshire Assizes for the murder of his own mother. It shook the close-knit community of Thorpe, near Wainfleet, and he was convicted on 9 April 1849.

According to the newspapers of the time, Ward lived with his parents, a Mr Wm Ward, who worked as a labourer, and his wife, Mrs Martha Ward. From what was reported, it seemed that James Ward was a lazy man who had an indifferent character. It was said that he had formed a relationship with a young woman whom he wished to marry, but his mother was strongly opposed to the match, and it was over this subject that they argued on the morning of the murder. Furthermore, according to Douglas Jerrold's Weekly Newspaper, Mrs Ward had also complained about her son's behaviour, saying that if he did not behave better she would have him thrown out of the house.

Different newspapers have different accounts of what happened next, one version is that John Ward left the house immediately after the argument and then, after dinner was being prepared around 2-3pm, Ward appeared with a gun in his hand, saying to his mother that he would either shoot himself or someone else. His mother replied 'pshaw', as if she didn't believe he was capable of it. James Ward then left the house for several minutes, returned, pointed at his mother sitting at the table in the kitchen and shot her at close range. The other version was that he found his mother sitting in her chair, pointed a gun at her and shot her through the head, killing her instantly.

Image of a gun (not the gun used in this case): https://www.collectorsfirearms.com/products/2617-colt-1849-pocket-model-revolver-c16122.html

Afterwards the servant in the house, who had witnessed the whole event, said: 

"Oh dear, John, what have you done? You have shot your mother. 

Then he replied: "If you do not mind, Twill serve you the same". Ward then pulled the maid on her knees, she was frightened and asked what they should do and he replied that he didn't know. The maid then said that they should both run away, but the maid's motive was to escape from Ward. He then said that he had no money, she said that she did, but that it was upstairs. He then went upstairs to get it, while she made her escape to the house of a fellow worker named Joseph Marshall, with Ward following close behind.

Joseph Marshall went out of his house and found Ward, grabbed him and said; 

"John, you shot your mother."

He replied: "Yes, I did."

Marshall said, "Is she dead?"

Ward then said: "Ay, - she's dead enough."

Marshall commented that he seemed to know what he was doing and, having known him since childhood, said that there was nothing wrong with Ward's mental state. Marshall took Ward back to his parents' house where his mother lay dead, he felt her face and it was cold. He moved her legs away from the fire as there was a risk of her body being burned. When he looked around, Ward had managed to escape, but Marshall caught him and brought him back to the house.

At one point Ward attempted suicide by cutting his throat, but it was a small superficial wound and he soon recovered. He was then taken to the constable, who committed him to Spilsby Prison on the evidence of the maid. At the trial, the defence, led by Mr Wilmore, tried to argue that the gun had discharged accidentally and also said that it was unlikely that Ward would have any reason to kill his mother as no motive had been given. However, the jury found Ward guilty and Mr Justice Coleridge sentenced him to death.

There is little record of Ward's eventual execution, but there is a small article in the Cork Examiner in which Ward expressed no remorse for his crime and stated that he would have killed his father and servant if he had had the chance. He noted that he wanted to be a "little Rush", referring to the infamous case of James Bloomfield Rush, which we have covered on this blog. However, Ward was hanged for his crime on 27 July 1849.

Death by hanging: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/death-by-hanging