Search Query

 

Y

 

This list is intended to give both an historic and a modern look at murder. With both new and old cases included it is hoped that a more complete picture will be available. This list only contains murders committed by men.   This section currently has information on 50 cases

 
Young, Henry William
*****
Yarnold, William
*****
Yeldham, William James
*****

Young, Henry William 

 
Henry William Young was a one legged shoemaker who was sentenced to death at Dorset Assizes by Mr Justice Denman on 28 April for the murder of Percival John Ings, his wife's one month old illegitimate child. Young and his wife lived together at Poole and after she gave birth to the child he showed no affection towards it, even though his wife told him he was the father. On 8 February, the doctor was summoned when the child began to suffer from a stomach upset, and remained in the physician's care for the next four days until he deemed that the illness was past. The next day, Young was left alone with the child and when his wife returned home he informed her that the baby had suffered a relapse and died. The doctor was called and issued a death certificate without further examination. Later that night, Young was heard to boast that he had tried to poison the child by administering caustic soda and water. The doctor was informed and a post mortem revealed that the cause of death was strangulation and severe chest injuries. He made a full confession in which he claimed his wife had been unfaithful and that he wasn't the father of the child. Despite strong attempts to secure a reprieve, Young was hanged by Berry on May 16 1887 in Dorchester at the age of twenty seven.

Yarnold, William 

William Yarnold was an army veteran with 26 years service, who was convicted at the Old Bailey of the murder of his unfaithful wife. While serving in South Africa, his wife back home had fallen for another man and when Yarnold returned he found that she had left him and gone to live with her new lover. Yarnold tracked her down and went to the house to try and persuade her to come home. When this failed, he Pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the back, severing her spinal cord. He was sentenced to death by Mr Justice Jelf.  He was hanged by Henry Pierrepoint and John Ellis on the 5 December 1905.  The execution took place in Worcester and he was fifty at the time.

Yeldham, William James 

William James Yeldham was a twenty three year old labourer charged, along with his wife Elsie who was a year younger at twenty two, with the murder of George Stanley Grimshaw, a decorator, who was found beaten and robbed in Epping Forest, Essex. The motive for the crime lay with the couple's extreme poverty. It was initially thought that the victim may have been a 'peeping Tom' but the police soon realised that they were dealing with a well planned assault. Yeldham and his wife had been living rough near Braintree since the end of April. On 17 May, Elsie arranged to meet Grimshaw, with whom she had been friendly for several years. She led him to a quiet spot in the forest and as they kissed, Yeldham sneaked up behind them and beat Grimshaw about the head with a spanner. They were both sentenced to death by Mr Justice Shearman at the Old Bailey on 19 July. They appealed and on 23August, the Home Secretary announced that he had reprieved Elsie Yeldham but not her husband, who was subsequently hanged by John Ellis and William Willis.  The execution took place in Pentonville on the 5 September 1922.


Go to the top of the page
For more information contact:
Gregg Manning