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Vaquier, Jean Pierre
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Vest, Robert
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Vinall, Martin Henry
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Voison, Louis Marie
Joseph
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Vollman, John
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Vaquier, Jean Pierre
Jean-Pierre Vaquier was only 45 years old when he was sentenced to death.
His trial took place at Guildford Assizes on the 5 July where he was convicted
of the murder of Alfred Jones. It had all begun while Vaquier was in France
and had met up with the wife of Alfred Jones. They had enjoyed an affair
but instead of it being just a holiday romance a few weeks after Mrs Jones
had returned from holiday to the Blue Anchor Hotel which she ran with her
husband Vaquier once again turned up only this time as a guest.
Obviously Alfred Jones was unaware of the fact that his wife and Vaquier
were already lovers. Vaquier informed Mr Jones that he was in the country
on business and intended to use the hotel as a base. He stayed for six
weeks without paying, everytime Mr Jones asked for money he would tell
him he was waiting on a cheque from a business deal.
Every morning Mr Jones would start the day by drinking a glass of health
salts. He did this as usual on the 29 March but it did not taste right
and he complained about the bitter taste, he was to die in agony a few
hours later. Due to the suddeness of the death the police had the body
analysed and it was found to contain strychnine. Vaquier and Mrs Jones
were both questioned and a photograph of the Frenchman appeared in the
evening newspaper. This photograph was recognised by a chemist from a nearby
town who contacted the police to tell them that he remembered the man in
the photo as a customer who had purchased poison. Vaquier protested his
innocence throughout the trial but was convicted on overwhelming evidence.
He was sentenced to death and hanged.
Vinall, Martin Henry
Martin Henry Vinall who was 22 years old was also known as Martin Brown.
He was convicted at Lewes Assizes for the murder of an elderly man
by the name of David Baldey. On 9th October 1868, David Baldey
had made the journey into Kingston to collect wages that were owed to himself
and his two sons. When he failed to return home a search was carried out
the following morning and his body was discovered in Lewes. He had
been badly beaten as well as shot. He had been robbed of all his
money and this included the wages he had collected that day.
Martin Vinall had been a lodger with Martin Brown up until August and
he became a prime suspect. He tried to evade arrest by joining the Royal
Artillery, but was soon apprehended. He confessed that he had been responsible
for the murder but stated that he had not meant Baldey any harm and that
he was in fact not the intended victim. He stated that he had intended
to rob a wealthy shepherd called Tupper, whom he had hoped to ambush and
rob, and he had killed Baldey by mistake. He offered this information
almost as an excuse as if once the authorities realised he had made a mistake
they might let him off. They were not swayed by his confession and
he was sentenced to death. The sentence was later carried out by
Calcraft on the 19th January 1869.
Vollman, John
John Vollman picked up a young 16 year old girl and made sexual advances
towards her which she rejected. They struggled and he killed her.
It seems such a sad story which of course it is but it happens quite often.
In Edmundston Court John Vollman was found guilty in
November 1958 for the murder of Gaetane Bouchard and sentenced to death.
This was later commuted to life imprisonment.
Vest, Robert
Robert Vest was a ship's steward who was convicted of the murder of William
John Wallace, a pilot on the barge 'William Leckie', at Sunderland. The
captain of the boat had cautioned Vest for being drunk on duty and Wallace
had sided with the captain. Shortly afterwards, Wallace went to a closet
where he was surprised by Vest who stabbed him in the throat and abdomen.
Vest was detained on ship until the police could take him into custody.
Sentenced to death by Mr Justice Bagalley on 14 July, after a plea of insanity
had failed, although the jury did recommend him to mercy. He was hanged
by William Marwood on the 30th July 1878 in Durham.
Voison, Louis Marie Joseph
Louis Marie Joseph Voison was a french butcher who was convicted of the
murder of his Belgian mistress, Emilliene Gerard (32), whose dismembered
corpse was found by a road sweeper on 1 November, 1917. Evidence suggests
that Miss Gerard visited Voisin after an air-raid and found him with another
woman. During the fight that followed Voison battered Miss Gerard to death.
In an attempt to conceal her identity, he used his butcher's knife to dismember
the body, and concealed the parts in several bags. Voison then called at
Miss Gerard's lodgings and said that she had gone away for a few weeks.
The next day the bags containing her remains were found by a road sweeper
in Bloomsbury and investigations soon led the police to Voison. One of
the bags also contained a crude note scrawled on a scrap of paper and planted
with the intention of throwing the police of the scent. Conversely, it
assisted them, for when they had Voison write the words that appeared on
the note, his handwriting and poor spelling matched. Convicted at the Old
Bailey in January, he was sentenced to death by Mr Justice Darling, and
hanged by John Ellis and Edward Taylor. The hanging took place in Pentonville
prison on 2nd March 1918, Voison was forty two years old at the time.
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For more information contact:
Gregg Manning
