Dainton, Henry
*****
Daley, Hugh
*****
Daley, Thomas
*****
Dalgleish,
James
*****
Dalton,
Hubert Ernest
*****
Daly, John
*****
Daniels,
George Nathaniel
*****
D'Arcy, John
*****
Davis,
Errol & Leavy, Hugh
*****
Davis, John
*****
Davidson, Thomas Joseph
*****
Davies, Frederick
*****
Davies, Michael John
*****
Davies, Richard
*****
Dahmer, Jeffrey
*****
Dawson, Charles
*****
Day, Thomas
Lyons
*****
Deacon, Edward
*****
Deschamps, Dr Etienne
*****
De Kaplany, Dr Geza
*****
Delaney,
Arthur James
*****
Delaney, Thomas
*****
Delvin, Henry
*****
Detheridge,
Jonah
*****
De Salvo, Albert
*****
Devere, Eugene
*****
De
Villiers, Leon & Goosen, David
*****
Devereux, Arthur
*****
Dews, Alfred
*****
Dhingra, Madar Lal
*****
Dickman, John Alexander
*****
Dilley, James
*****
Diston,
William Joseph
*****
Dobkin, Harry
*****
Docherty,
Patrick
*****
Dolan, John
*****
Donellan, John
*****
Dougal, Samuel Herbert
*****
Dowdle, Michael
*****
Downey, Michael
*****
Duckworth,Cross
*****
Dukes, William
*****
Dumbleton,
William
*****
Dumollard, Martin
*****
Dunphy, Patrick
*****
Dunn, John
Thomas
*****
Durling, George
*****
Dutton, Henry
*****
Davidson, Thomas Joseph
No details listed for this case at this time
Dahmer, Jeffrey
No details listed for this case at this time
De Kaplany, Dr Geza
Dr Geza De Kaplany was a 36 year old Hungarian Doctor who worked at a hospital
in California. On the morning of the 28 August 1962 the police were called
to the apartment by the neighbours disturbed by both loud music and a wailing
sound. When they searched the apartment they found the doctors 20 year
old wife suffering from third degree corrosive burns.
The ambulance men burnt their hands on her acid soaked
body. The bedroom resembled a torture chamber with bottles of Hydrochloric,
Sulphuric and Nitric Acids. The bedclothes were a disintegrating mess of
acid soaked material. Hajna De Kaplany remained in hospital for 36 agonising
days before eventually dying.
De Kaplany was found guilty of murder and setenced to life imprisonment
He was released on parole in 1976. The reason was believed to be rejection
of his love.
De Salvo, Albert
During a reign of terror that was to last from June 1962 to January 1964
thirteen women ranging in age from 19 to 75 were brutally murdered by a
man that because of the area he stalked was called the Boston Strangler.
His real name was Albert De Salvo and he was a very dangerous man. There
was never any doubt that this murdering spree was motivated by strong sexual
urges and it was believed that as well as murdering 13 he may also have
been responsible for up to three hundred attacks and rapes.
When the police arrested him in November 1964 he had already stopped
murdering and was now raping his victims. He had a rare talent which seemed
to be the ability to talk his way into houses and apartments of women who
were already worried about the strangler. Often he would pose as a plumber
or other workman.
As with a lot of multiple murderers he had a trade mark which allowed
the police to be able to identify his handiwork. It was almost as if he
was afraid someone else would get the credit. Most of his victims were
strangled and he used to tie the ligature into a bow under the chin. He
would also leave the victims naked and in a position to give most exposure
as if he wanted to shock the people who found the body, this of course
worked.
Some of the attacks were so frenzied that police were concerned that
when tried for murder there was a good chance he would plead insanity which
considering his actions could seem quite plausible. If this was the case
then he could have been sent to a secure hospital until he could prove
he was 'cured'. It meant that he could actually be released within a few
years. To avoid this happening the police decided not to charge him with
murder but to charge him with robbery and a host of sexual offences to
which a plea of insanity would not be an option.
He was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1967. In this
case life actually meant life because on the 26 November 1973 he was found
dead in his cell in Walpole State Prison in Massachusetts. He had been
stabbed in the heart.
Deschamps, Dr Etienne
This was the very sad case one man trusting another man wrongly. Dr Etienne
Deschamps had been born in France and had studied to become a dentist and
was practising in New Orleans. Deschamps maintained that he had powers
of the occult and told a friend of his that he was close to being able
to use these powers to identify the whereabouts of some lost treasure.
All he needed was a 12 year old virgin. His friend, Jules Deitsch agreed
to allow his own 12 year old daughter, Juliette to help him. Over a period
of six months the girl attended these sessions where she would be hypnotised.
What in fact happened was that he would use chlorform to induce unconciousness
and then sexually assault her. All went well until Juliettes younger sister
discovered what was happening and told her father. Unfortunately for Juliette
it was too late and when her father went to confront Deschamps he found
his 12 year old daughter naked and dead from an overdose of Chloroform.
Deschamps was arrested and tried in May 1889 and found guilty. He fought
the sentence of death and won two short reprieves but on 12 May 1892 he
was finally hanged.
Detheridge, Jonah
Twenty year old Jonah Detheridge was sentenced to death at Dorset Assizes
on 22nd July for the murder of a prison warder. On 23rd March, Jonah Detheridge
a native of Wednesbury, Staffordshire, was part of a work party at Portland
Prison, Dorset. He was breaking stones in the quarry when he was berated
by assistant warder James Trevett who complained about the standard of
his work. Trevett, who was popular with both staff and inmates, told him
to do the work as he had been shown and gave him some extra duties, which
he refused to do. An hour later Detheridge crept up behind the warder and
beat him to death with his pick-axe. He was hanged by William Calcraft
on the 12th August 1869 in Dorchester.
Delaney, Thomas
Thirty eight year old Thomas Delaney was sentenced to death by Lord Chief
Justice Maloney on 12th November, for the murder of Patrick Hogan, an elderly
man whom he beat to death with a hatchet at Banagher on 27th June. He was
hanged on the 12th December 1923 in Dublin.
Davies, Michael John
A 20-year-old labourer found guilty of stabbing a man in a gang-fight in
1953. Davies was a member of a gang known as 'The Plough Boys'. It was
on the evening of 2nd July 1953 the gang, eight to ten strong, were out
looking for trouble. They saw and attacked four youths on Clapham Common.
The fight took place not far from the road and was actually witnessed by
a member of the public who was passing on the bus at the time. When the
fight was over 17 year old John Beckley, was found lying on the ground
dying of stab wounds.
Six members of the gang were charged with Beckley's murder. At their
trial in October 1953, four were acquitted and a fifth found not guilty
of murder though all five received prison sentences of between six and
nine months for common assault. Although none of the youths identified
Davies, a passenger on a bus that was passing at the time of the fight
picked him out and he was subsequently found guilty and was condemned to
death.
For three months he sat in the condemned cell waiting for the sentence
to be carried out before being reprieved. His sentence was commuted to
life imprisonment and he was released after serving seven years. He never
admitted his guilt and has always protested his innocence. His conviction
was based entirely on the witness statement from the person on the bus
who had identified him.
Dhingra, Madar Lal
Madar Dal Dhingra was an Indian engineering student, studying at London
University, who was convicted at the Old Bailey of the murder of Sir William
Curzon Wyllie. He had taken shooting lessons to enable him to hit his target,
the treasurer of the National Indian Association. He shot him in the foyer
at the Imperial Institute at Kensington on 1 July. He also shot dead Dr
Cowas Lalcaca as he tried to detain him, before turning the gun on himself
only for it to misfire. He was sentenced to death on 23 July and spent
his time in the condemned cell smoking and reading, declaring that he was
proud to die for his cause. He was a frail man, weighing only 100 pounds,
and Henry Pierrepoint and John Ellis gave him a drop of eight feet three
inches. The Indian lost his nerve on the scaffold and was trembling violently
as the noose was placed around his neck. Sentence was carried out on the
17th August 1909 in Pentonville, he was twenty five when he died.
Dickman, John Alexander
John Dickman was convicted of the murder of John Innes Nisbet who was forty
four, a wages clerk, who was murdered in a railway carriage outside Newcastle.
On the morning of Friday 18 March, the slow train from Newcastle to Morpeth
pulled in at the small town of Alnmouth. A porter opened a door and found
the body of Nisbet under a seat. He had been shot dead and robbed of his
satchel containing almost 400. Witnesses recalled seeing Nisbet board the
train in the company of another man who had since vanished but was later
identified as John Dickman, a professional gambler. When interviewed. he
admitted being on the train but denied the murder. His ready replies to
their questions drew suspicion upon himself and so a search of his house
was made, unearthing a pair of blood stained trousers and a number of gold
sovereigns. When placed on an identity parade, he was picked out by several
people as Nisbet's travelling companion. A probe into his background found
that he had been having trouble with mounting debts thus supplying a motive.
The evidence was all circumstantial but the police believed that they had
a strong case and he was committed for trial. On 4th July he was tried
by Lord Coleridge at Newcastle Assizes. Despite evidence that the body
had gunshot wounds from two different guns - suggesting the work of two
killers - Dickman was convicted. Passing the death sentence, Lord Coleridge
added: 'In your hunger for gold you had no pity on the victim you slew.'
The conviction caused a public outcry, and a mass protest took place outside
of the prison while he was hanged by John Ellis and William Willis. The
sentence was carried out on forty five year old Dickman on the 9th August
1910 in Newcastle.
Dolan, John
Thirty seven year old John Dolan was sentenced to death at Durham Assizes
on 27th February, for the murder of Hugh John Ward in Sunderland
on 9 December 1868. Dolan and Ward lodged with Dolan's girlfriend, Catherine
Keehan, at a house on Union Street, Sunderland. On 8 December, Ward and
a friend went out drinking. Dolan had also gone out drinking and returning
to the house at 1.40 am he sent Mrs Keehan out for some more beer. Ward
later returned home, made some comment to Keehan, and went to his room.
While Dolan sat drinking his beer, he suddenly jumped up and attacked the
startled woman. She screamed out for Ward to help her as Dolan attempted
to drag her into his bedroom. Ward came down and the two men began to fight
on the stairs. Mrs Keehan rushed out to fetch the police, who came to the
house but left after finding the disturbance had died down. No sooner had
they gone than the two men began to fight again and, in fear. Mrs Keehan
jumped from a window to seek out the recently departed officers. When they
returned they found that Dolan had fatally stabbed Ward with a shoe - maker's
knife and he was taken into custody and charged with murder. He was hanged
in Durham on the 23rd March 1869.
Dougal, Samuel Herbert
Samuel Dougal was born in the East End of London in May 1846. He received
an education and was apprenticed to a firm of civil engineers. When his
debts became too much of a burden he enlisted in the Royal Engineers at
Chatham in March 1866. In 1869 he married a Miss Griffiths at the age of
23.
She already had four children which was a lot of responsibility for
Dougal to take on and she suffered much ill-treatment at the hands of the
heavy drinking man.
In June 1885, while Dougal was serving in Nova Scotia, his wife fell
ill and died in agony within twelve hours. He took leave back in England
and, two months later, returned with a new wife. In October she, too, started
vomiting and suddenly died.
He returned to England with his regiment in 1887 and brought with him
a young girl who he passed off as his current wife. She had his child and,
when the beatings grew too severe, returned to her family in Halifax. By
this time he was forty and had left a string of illegitimate offspring
around the world. When he left the Army he had tried several jobs including
that of a salesman, storekeeper, publican, surveyor and clerk, also trying
his luck with a variety of women who seemed to find him attractive. Most
of them did not stay with him for very long once they realised how cruel
he could be. This was often not before they had become pregnant by him.
In 1889, he was tried and found not guilty of fraud, a pub he was involved
in burned down after being insured. He moved to Dublin where he met Sarah
White. She became wife number three and bore him two children. In 1891
he moved back to London and moved in with a Miss Emily Booty. Emily must
have been particularly gullible because it was not long before he had invited
Sarah, his wife to move across from Ireland and join them. Emily put up
with this for four months, before throwing them all out.
In 1896 he was tried and found guilty of forging cheques and sentenced
to twelve month's hard labour. This conviction caused him to lose his army
pension and because he was now fifty he found it hard to get work.
His brother, Henry, found him a job as a clerk in Biggin Hill. Sarah
came back to him but then left again when he got too violent, and returned
to Dublin. This was too much for Henry who sacked him and so Samuel moved
back to London.
In September 1898 he met Miss Camille Holland, a 55-year-old spinster.
She was a naive woman who was hardly Dougals normal choice but she did
have one saving grace and that was £7,000 in savings. On 19 January
1899 Camille purchased Coldhams Farm, near Clavering in Essex. They stayed
in lodgings while the sale was finalised before moving into the farm on
the 27th April. Dougal renamed it Moat House Farm'.
It wasn't long before Dougal was caught trying to seduce the maid, Florrie
Havies. This was the second maid they had employed, the first had left
within days. On the evening of Friday 19th May Camille told Florrie that
she and Dougal were going out and wouldn't be long.
Around 8.30 that evening Dougal returned alone. When Florrie asked where
her mistress was Dougal replied 'Gone to London.' He told her that she
was coming back and that he was going to meet her. He dutifully rode off
and met every train until midnight. After that the pair retired, with Florrie
waiting all night by an open window in case her employer should try to
enter her room.
Florrie had sent her mother a note explaining everything and her mother
was so worried that she arrived the next morning and immediately took her
daughter away. Dougal quickly sent a telegram to Sarah and told her to
come and join him. She moved in and he told everyone that Sarah was his
widowed daughter, though it generally became known that she was his real
wife. She wore some of Camille's clothes and told everyone that Mrs Holland
was away yachting.
Over the next two years Dougal set about getting his hands on Camille's
assets. He forged her signature on cheques and transferred ownership of
the farm to himself. He continued his habit of chasing the staff with several
of them leaving pregnant. At one point he was involved with three sisters,
and their mother.
By January 1902 Sarah had had enough of this, especially after Dougal
was spotted giving cycling lessons to naked girls behind the farmhouse.
She left him and in August 1902 she divorced him.
In September yet another maid left the employ of Dougal pregnant. She
was Kate Cranwell, 18-years-old, and she started a paternity suit. Dougal
decided to contest it which was a bad move as rumours in the area about
Miss Holland's disappearance were rife and to start a legal fight with
Kate and her mother was very unwise.
The local constable, wrote to his Chief Constable in January 1903 expressing
his concerns about the missing woman and Dougal was investigated. His explanations
were accepted but some of the cheques signed, supposedly, by Miss Holland
were inspected.
The visit from the police had alarmed Dougal and he decided that the
best way out was to leave. The day after the police visit he drew some
money and travelled down to London. A week later he came back to the farm
but stayed only one night, before travelling back to London. He was staying
at the Central Hotel, and was joined by a pregnant Georgina Cranwell who
was Kate's sister. On the following Tuesday, after a few days in Bournemouth,
Georgina returned to Essex. The next day Dougal tried to change some money
at the Bank of England. The cashier recognised the numbers and refused
to change them.
DI Cox was on duty at the bank and Dougal admitted to him who he was.
He was asked to accompany Cox back to the station. On the way Dougal made
a run for it but was soon caught and over-powered. He was charged with
the forgery of one of the cheques. This gave the police the excuse they
needed to really search the farm. They drained the moat and dug everywhere
but, after five weeks, could find nothing suspicious. One of the officers,
Inspector Bower then heard locally that, soon after Dougal had moved to
the farm, he had a drainage ditch filled in. They decided to search there.
Four years to the day after Camille Holland and Samuel Dougal moved
to Moat House Farm a small boot was dug up. It contained a small foot.
The rest of the corpse was carefully revealed and removed. It was identified
as Camille Holland by her clothing. She had been shot in the head at close
range. The bullet was recovered and proved to come from Dougal's revolver.
His trial began on 22nd June 1903 at Chelmsford. At 3.55pm the following
day the jury retired to consider their verdict. It took them just 75 minutes
to find him guilty. James Billington was the executioner who carried out
the wishes of the court when he was hanged at Chelmsford Prison on 8th
July 1903. He was only charged and found guilty of one murder although
it seems likely he may have been responsible for more than this.
Dawson, Charles
On 13th September 1873, Charles Dawson, an ironworker, and Mrs Martha Jane
Addison, whom he lived with at Darlington as man and wife, went out drinking
with three people they shared a house with. Dawson became angry because
he found his shirt collar too tight and punched Mrs Addison. She left him
to go drinking with some of her own friends, and later in the evening when
Dawson saw her, he knocked her to the ground with a bottle and stamped
on her, causing fatal injuries. He pleaded manslaughter at his trial but
was convicted of murder. Sentence was carried out in Durham on the 5th
January 1974.
Daley, Hugh
On 7th November, Hugh Daley, a married man from Dinton, a small mining
village near Durham, returned home drunk and was assisted to bed by his
wife and a neighbour. Later that evening Phillip Burdey, a single man,
called at the house to see Mrs Daley. A few minutes later Daley woke, rushed
downstairs, and chased Burdey out into the street brandishing a poker.
Cornering his victim, he rained blows on him with the poker for over two
hours until he died. Sentenced to death on 14th December; he was hanged
just two weeks later on the 28th by William Marwood in Durham.
Docherty, Patrick
Twenty one year old Docherty was convicted of the murder of John Miller,
a miner, by striking him over the head with a hoe, near Rutherglen Bridge.
On 1st May, three men and a woman were dancing on the bridge. They had
been drinking. They were later joined by Docherty and his sweetheart, and
soon afterwards Miller climbed onto a wall and watched them. Miller and
Docherty then exchanged words, after which the fatal blow was struck. Docherty
was tried before Lord Neaves at the Glasgow Circuit New Court on 14th September.
He pleaded not guilty. The prosecution claimed it was a deliberate act
of murder while the defence argued the blow was struck merely on impulse.
He was hanged by William Marwood after a petition for a reprieve was refused.
Sentence was carried out on the 5th October 1875 in Glasgow.
Deacon, Edward
Edward Deacon, a shoemaker, had been married for nine years but had been
separated from his wife at various times in the last five years, due mainly
to his drunkenness. Shortly before Christmas 1875 they made another attempt
at a reconciliation, but no sooner had they got back together than she
threatened to leave if he didn't curb his drinking. On 23rd February, he
borrowed an axe from a neighbour, at his wife's request, and began to chop
some logs for the fire. Whilst engaged in the chore, his wife began to
curse him, and in a rage he struck her with the axe. He pleaded that he
had acted in self-defence after she had attacked him with a kettle, but
the testimony of his step-daughter was enough to convince the court of
his guilt and he was hanged by William Marwood in Bristol on the 24th April
1876.
Daly, John
Forty seven year old John Daly was a coal carrier sentenced to death by
Baron Fitzgerald for the murder of Margaret Whiteley, whom he kicked to
death at his home in Belfast on 15th September 1875. The deceased was a
relative of Daly's and the crime was committed while they were both drunk.
Sentence was carried out in Belfast on the 26th April 1876.
Hanged by Marwood.
Dalgleish, James
Dalgleish had moved to Penrith in 1870 and had held several good jobs in
the town. Early in 1876, he was sacked from his last position and took
to drink. On the evening of 24th September, he entered the parlour being
shared by his landlady, Sarah Wright, and her cousin. They were awoken,
and the cousin saw him whisper something to Mrs Wright, who followed him
from the room, returning immediately. Later that night, the cousin woke
and saw a figure leave the room. She turned up the gas and found Mrs Wright
lying beaten to death on the bed. Her screams alerted the other lodgers
and Dalgleish was seen entering his room covered in blood. A bloodstained
billhook was found in his room and he later confessed. Sentenced to death
by Mr Justice Lopes at Manchester Assizes on 31st November. No motive was
ever established for the crime although witnesses testified that they had
frequently quarrelled over rent money. Twenty seven year old Dalgleish
was hanged by Thomas Askern in Carlisle on the 19th December 1876.
D'Arcy, John
D'Arcy was a clock cleaner who was convicted at York Assizes on 7th May,
for the murder of William Metcalfe an old man of eighty five, a gamekeeper
from Oulton, near Leeds. On 4th March two women heard a cry of murder coming
from a cottage on an estate, and saw a man robbing the elderly gamekeeper.
Also in the vicinity were a father and son named Mosely, the younger of
whom grabbed the cottage door handle to prevent the man escaping while
his father rushed for assistance. Before the police could arrive, the robber
pulled out his gun and threatened that he would kill them if the
door was not released. Mosely sensibly complied and the man fled, leaving
Metcalfe dead on the floor. He had been battered to death. Metcalfe's niece
told police she had seen John D'Arcy at the cottage earlier and he was
arrested in his lodgings at Hunslet, Leeds. Upon identification by witnesses,
he was charged. He was sentenced to death and hanged by William Marwood
on the 27th May 1879 in York. He was just twenty two when he died.
Dilley, James
James Dilley was a forty one year old picture framer of Shefford, Bedfordshire,
convicted along with his paramour Mary Rainbow who was a twenty nine year
old domestic worker, for the murder of their three month old illegitimate
child. Dilley, a married man, also worked part-time as a letter carrier
for the post office and through this job he met Miss Rainbow who worked
six miles away at Baldock, Herts. On 22nd April she gave birth to the child.
On 10th May. Dilley called at her home and after spending the night together.
they set off' for London. They then deposited a parcel at St Pancras station.
and were seen drinking together later that afternoon. Next day a workman
at the station opened the parcel and discovered the remains of the child,
which had been beaten to death and poisoned. They were tried together on
8th August and both convicted. Miss Rainbow was reprieved on Saturday 23rd
August, while he was hanged by William Marwood on the 25th August 1879
at Newgate.
Dumbleton, William
On 3rd February, John Edmunds called at a public house at Ludgershall
Buckinghamshire, offering a selection of watches for sale. After doing
some business he left the pub and Dumbleton was seen to follow him. In
a field the next morning, Edmunds' body was found with horrific throat
injuries, and Dumbleton was arrested later that day. He was convicted at
Northampton Assizes on 20th April and despite the jury's recommendation
for mercy on the grounds that he had a defective upbringing, he was hanged
by William Marwood in Aylesbury on the 10th May 1880.
Diston, William Joseph
On 27th August, Eliza Daniels. a widow who lived with Diston as his
wife, stormed into the local public house and dragged him home for his
dinner. They were joined by a friend of Diston's and sat down for supper
apparently on good terms. Soon after the friend left, Mrs Daniels, bleeding
from a wound to the shoulder, staggered into their landlady's room, where
she collapsed and died. Diston was recommended to mercy at the trial on
the grounds that the crime wasn't premeditated but it was ignored and he
was hanged by William Marwood. Thirty five year old Diston was executed
on the 27th November 1880 in Bristol.
Durling, George
Thirty six year old George Durling was convicted at the Old Bailey on 5th
August, of the murder of Fanny Mussow, aka Francis Vincent who was twenty
five, with whom he lived in lodgings at Woolwich. Both were heavy drinkers
and as a result had frequent drunken quarrels. On 20th July they had a
fight in the street, during which Durling threw bricks at her and threatened
to kill her before the night was through. They made up and walked home
together, but on reaching the garden adjacent to their lodgings, the quarrel
started up again. This time he picked up an iron carpet beater, swung it
around and smashed it into her head with such force that it penetrated
her skull to a depth of four inches. She died at once. and realising what
he had done, Durling fell to his knees and began kissing her and begging
her forgiveness. He was arrested and immediately confessed. He was hanged
by William Marwood in Maidstone on the 23rd August 1881.
Day, Thomas Lyons
In 1877, thirty one year old Thomas Day became acquainted with Caroline
Meek. They began a relationship and in 1879 a child was born. Soon afterwards,
they split up and she later married another man. When Day, a former Coldstream
Guard from Oldbury, Staffordshire, discovered this he went to Ipswich and
tracked her down. They met up and after he cursed her for her unfaithfulness,
he took his child, sat it on his knee and cut its throat. He was tried
and sentenced to death at Norwich Assizes, he protested his innocence to
the end. He was hanged by Bartholomew Binns in Ipswich on the 13th November
1883.
Dutton, Henry
Henry Dutton was an iron moulder. He lived in a house on Atholl Street.
Liverpool. with his wife. whom he had only recently married. and her grandmother
Hannah Henshaw who was seventy one. He was very jealous of his wife. and
while out on the evening of 6th October they had a row which resulted in
Mrs Dutton going to stay with a friend. Dutton was heard to say he would
do for her or her grandmother. and later that night cries were heard coming
from his house. A neighbour gained entry and found Mrs Henshaw dying from
a throat wound, and also suffering from several other horrific head wounds.
Dutton was arrested at a friend's house but denied the crime. He was sentenced
to death by Mr Justice Denman at Liverpool Assizes on 17th November and
hanged by Bartholomew Binns. It was the first of Binns' botched executions;
the Governor was informed that the hangman was drunk and didn't know how
to carry out an execution properly. The sentence was carried out on the
3rd December 1883 in Liverpool. Dutton was just twenty two when he
died
Downey, Michael
Michael Downey was convicted of the murder of a John Moylan (or Molsh)
at Clonbooland on 19th December 1883. Moylan was a farmer who had recently
returned from America to take up a tenancy on an evicted farm at Clonbooland,
seven miles from Galway. On Wednesday 19th December, he and his wife were
strolling down a country lane when they were approached by a man who asked
if Moylan was 'Burke?' Moylan made no reply and was immediately shot by
the stranger. His wife dived across his prostrate body in an attempt to
shield him from further shots, but the assailant merely dragged her off
and fired again before fleeing. It was first thought the crime may have
been committed in consequence of Moylan taking over at the farm, and the
previous tenants were questioned. all of whom satisfied the police of their
innocence. Acting on information received, police later arrested Mrs Moylan
and Downey. with whom she had been having an affair. It v as alleged that
Downey had killed her husband so that they could be together. Charges against
her were later dropped: Downey was hanged by Berry and Chester after leaving
a note confessing his guilt. The execution took place in Galway on the
16th January 1885
Delaney, Arthur James
Thirty one year old Arthur Delaney, from Chesterfield, and his wife had
been married for four years but had recently been on bad terms due to his
drinking. In the spring of 1888, he attacked her while drunk and as a result
she took out a separation order on him. Delaney was also fined by the court
and when he repeated the attack, she again went back to the courts and
Delaney received another fine. Upon leaving the court, he rushed over to
her and assaulted her so viciously that she died from her injuries. On
the 10th August 1888 he was hanged by James Berry in Derby.
Daniels, George Nathaniel
Widower Daniels, a printer, was in the habit of visiting Emma Hastings,
the daughter of a Birmingham publican with whom he was having an on-off
relationship. At closing time on 14th April he called at the back door
of the pub, and after kissing her he shot her twice with a revolver. One
bullet hit her in the chest, the other blew her brains out. His defence
of insanity failed. Sentence of death was carried out in Birmingham on
the 28th August 1888. Daniels was thirty four at the time of the
execution.
Dukes, William
George Gordon and his father ran a successful furniture business which
had warehouses in Burnley and Bury. Dukes was the manager of the Bury branch
and part of his duties was to prepare the monthly accounts for George Gordon
to assess. During August. Dukes got into trouble over his failure to produce
the accounts and warned that if he slipped up again he would be dismissed.
He was also cautioned for drinking at work. On the morning of 25th September.
Gordon came to the shop to see the books. Dukes. who had been drinking
all morning. avoided him but when Gordon returned again that afternoon,
he had to face his boss and knew he would be in trouble. Later that afternoon,
Gordon's body was found in a wardrobe at the warehouse. Police accused
Dukes of beating Gordon to death with a hammer after he had been threatened
with the sack. He denied the charges but later claimed it was an accident.
Sentenced to death at Manchester Assizes by Mr Justice Charles on 4th December,
and hanged by James Berry on the 24th December 1889 in Manchester..
Davies, Richard
On Saturday 25th January, George Davies who was only sixteen, rushed into
the family home and claimed that their father had been attacked by two
men on a Crewe road. He took police to the scene where they found the body
of Richard Davies senior aged fifty, a tailor. He had been battered about
the head with a large tree branch that lay close by, covered in blood.
Detectives from Cheshire Constabulary questioned the family and learned
that the father frequently bullied his children. A search for the two assailants
had yielded no clues so they set about re-checking the statements made
by his two sons. Richard Davies junior trapped himself when he revealed
more about the murder than he should have and soon both he and George were
charged. They were tried before Mr Justice Wills at Chester on 20th March
and after a fair trial. both were convicted. George was reprieved a few
days before the scheduled execution on account of his age, although he
was just as guilty. if not more so. than his brother. Richard Davies was
hanged by James Berry. who later wrote that the spectre of the young man
frequently came back to haunt him. The execution took place in Knutsford
on the 8th April 1890. Richard Davies was only eighteen when he died.
Davies, Frederick
Davies was a forty year old gunsmith who lived with his wife at Birmingham.
They had an unhappy marriage due in most part to his intemperate habits,
and as a result she left him and went to stay with her sister. On 16th
May, he called at the house and asked her to come back, and she decided
to give him another chance. Wary of threats Davies had made to kill his
wife, Mrs Davies's sister and husband accompanied them back home. They
had only been there a short while when Davies and his wife began to quarrel
about his drinking. Without a word, he left the room, returned with a pistol
and shot his wife. Mrs Davies rushed into the yard where she collapsed
and died. Davies was attempting to reload when he was overpowered by his
brother-in-law, who managed to hold him until police arrived. Sentenced
to death by Mr Justice Hawkins and hanged by James Berry. Sentence of death
was carried out in Birmingham on the 26th August 1890
Delvin, Henry
A father of seven sentenced to death by Lord Adam at Glasgow Circuit Court
on 2nd September, for the murder of his wife. In June, he beat her
to death with a poker at Benhar near Shotts, while their children looked
on. On the morning of the execution the hangman entered the cell and pinioned
the condemned man, then had to wait until the bailey had signed a warrant
before the procession formed that led to the scaffold. It was reported
that Delvin behaved like an utter coward on the walk to the gallows, and
had to be held erect by the warders. After Berry pulled the lever and the
trap fell, the officials were horrified to hear a snorting from the pit;
it was obvious that the drop of four feet had failed to break his neck
and that he had died from strangulation. This was not made public at the
time as it had become standard practice to record that all executions passed
off without incident. This terrible exhibition took place on the 23rd September
1890. Delvin was forty five when he went to the gallows in Glasgow.
Dainton, Henry
A stonemason from Bath convicted of the murder of his wife, who was found
drowned in the River Avon on 8th September. Witnesses claimed they had
heard a woman screaming 'Don't Harry!' shortly before the body was found.
When she was identified, the police visited thirty four year old Henry
Dainton at his home and found a bundle of saturated clothes and a pair
of muddy boots. He was arrested immediately, and the police were lucky
to get him to the station alive as he was almost lynched by an angry mob
that had formed outside the front door. He claimed he was innocent and
that his wife had frequently told him she intended to drown herself in
the river. Dainton was hanged by James Billington in Shepton Mallett on
the 15th December 1891.
Duckworth, Cross
On 8th November 1892, the body of Alice Barnes was found suffocated
at Witton Park, Blackburn. From the position of her clothing, it looked
as if she had been the victim of a sexual attack, although police could
not be certain whether any assault had taken place. They had an immediate
suspect in Cross Duckworth and he reinforced their suspicions by greeting
them with the question 'Have you come to see me about the murder?' A search
of his house uncovered a pair of muddy boots that matched prints found
at the scene and also a handkerchief similar to the one used to gag the
victim. His alibi for the time of the murder was weak and he was charged.
Thirty two year old Duckworth was convicted at Liverpool Assizes on 12th
December and the jury took less than an hour to find him guilty. He was
hanged by James Billington in Liverpool on the 3rd January 1893.
Davis, John
On the afternoon of Sunday 15th April, a courting couple came across the
body of Police Sergeant Adam John Eves lying in a ditch at Purleigh, Essex.
He had been battered about the head and his throat had been cut from ear
to ear. It appeared he had been taken unawares as his truncheon hadn't
been drawn and his lamp was switched off. Beside the body was a number
of broken sticks and several sacks of corn. Next day, four poachers were
arrested on suspicion. They had been under investigation after some corn
had been stolen. When the men were examined, two of them had bloodstains
on their clothes which they claimed were from an animal. All four stood
trial at Essex Assizes at the beginning of August before Mr Justice Matthew.
The jury took less than half an hour to find Davis and his younger brother
Richard guilty; the other two not guilty. Thirty four year old John Davis
made a full confession while awaiting execution which partially exonerated
his brother who was granted an eleventh hour reprieve. He was hanged by
James Billington and William Warbrick in Chelmsford on the 16th August
1893.
Dews, Alfred
Twenty eight year old Alfred Dews was an iron moulder from Wakefield who
was sentenced to death at Leeds Assizes for the murder of his infant son.
Dews poisoned the child after a jealous quarrel with his wife when he became
convinced he wasn't the child's father. He claimed he was innocent to the
last and left a will telling his wife how to dispose of his property. He
was hanged by James Billington in Leeds on the 21st August 1894.
Daley, Thomas
Thomas Daley was a forty year old labourer who beat to death his paramour,
Sarah Ann Penfold, at Chatham on 4th June. They had been drinking in a
public house and on returning home, they began to quarrel. A neighbour
heard a thud followed by a moaning and a cry of 'Don't Tom. you'll kill
me.' The disturbance lasted only a few minutes so she decided not to investigate.
The next morning. Daley called on his neighbour and told her he thought
Sarah was dead. and when she went into the house. she found the woman lying
naked on a chair, shockingly disfigured and covered in blood. Beside the
body was a blood stained poker. The police were summoned and Daley was
taken into custody and charged with murder after he confessed.
Sentenced to death at Kent Assizes and hanged by James Billington.
The sentence was carried out in Maidstone on the 14th December 1898.
Dowdle, Michael
Michael Dowdle was a forty year old pensioned Irish soldier who worked
as a quarryman and was convicted at Manchester Assizes for the murder of
his wife at Whitworth, near Rochdale. Ellen Dowdle had left her husband
in the summer of 1899 due to his increasingly quarrelsome and brutal behaviour.
On 12th August, she went to stay with friends who lived less than a quarter
of a mile away. On l9th August, Dowdle called at the house and found his
wife alone. He made a passionate plea for her to return home and promised
to mend his ways. She refused and after repeated attempts also failed,
his temper got the better of him and he attacked her. At that moment, one
of their friends' children came home and witnessed the attack. He rushed
out into the street and found a policeman to whom he pleaded: 'Come quick,
Mr Dowdle is hacking up his wife's throat with a carving knife.' The officer
hurried to the house where he found Dowdle walking towards the police station,
followed by a crowd of children. Dowdle had served with gallantry in the
Zulu war but was sentenced to death in November. He was hanged by James
Billington and William Warbrick in Manchester on the 6th December 1899..
Dunphy, Patrick
Dunphy was a farmer convicted of the murder of his two sons, Eddie who
was nine and John who was eleven. On the 27th September 1899, he poisoned
one son with strychnine; and on 17th December, he despatched the other
in a similar fashion. He committed the crimes in order to claim a small
amount of insurance money. There was a widespread belief that Dunphy would
be reprieved because the execution coincided with a visit to the country
by Queen Victoria, but the Home Secretary refused because of the cold-blooded
nature of the crime. Hanged by Thomas Scott; it was the first execution
in Waterford for 36 years. The execution of thirty four year old Dunphy
took place on the 10th April 1900.
1902
December 30th: James DOCHERTY (65)
Sligo
Docherty was an elderly farmer who murdered his son, Patrick, after
Patrick had objected to his intention of marrying a younger woman. Patrick
had encouraged his father's fiancee to break off the relation- ship and
as a result Docherty blasted his son to death with a shotgun. Convicted
at his second trial after the jury failed to agree at the first. Hanged
by William Billington.
1903
July 14th: Samuel Herbert DOUGAL (57)
Chelmsford
A thrice married soldier and philanderer charged with the murder of
Camille Holland (55), whose body was found buried in a ditch at Moat Farm,
Essex, four years after she had disappeared. Dougal gained his reputation
as a womaniser while serving in the Royal Engineers. In 1869, he married
his first wife, a marriage which lasted sixteen years, although Dougal
fathered a number of illegitimate children during this time with his many
mistresses. While posted in Canada his wife died, and after being allowed
home on compassionate grounds he shocked his colleagues by returning to
camp with a wealthy new bride. The marriage was short lived because she
died suddenly and without raising suspicion. In 1896, Dougal was cashiered
from the service when he was convicted on a forgery charge. After serving
a two year sentence, he returned to England where he met Camille Holland,
a wealthy spinster who lived at Moat Farm, Essex. He moved in with her
but soon after she caught him frolicking with a servant girl and told him
to pack his bags. Later that week, Miss Holland disappeared and Dougal
told the locals that she had gone on a yachting holiday and that he had
been left in charge of the farm. Over the next four years, a succession
of women came and left the farm and eventually several neighbours became
suspicious and they alerted the police. Investigations into Miss Holland's
bank transactions led police to arrest Dougal on a charge of forgery. Still
suspicious of Dougal, the police then conducted a thorough search of Moat
Farm which revealed the bullet riddled body of Camille Holland. He was
convicted at Chelmsford Assizes in June 1903 before Mr Justice Wright four
years after carrying out the murder, and was hanged by William Billington
and John Ellis. His execution caused a controversy when it was alleged
that an over zealous chaplain had badgered him into confessing his guilt
on the scaffold.
1903
December 8th: James DUFFY (46)
Durham
A widowed labourer convicted of the murder of his paramour at Sunderland.
Duffy shared a house in Sunderland with Ellen Newman, a divorcee, and lived
together happily even though he had once served a prison sentence for assaulting
her. One night in September, they had a fierce quarrel during which Duffy
strangled her. Realising what he had done, he summoned the police. Duffy
was convicted at Durham Assizes and sentenced to death. He was scheduled
to be hanged alongside another convicted murderer, Alfred Johnson. When
Johnson was reprieved a week before the execution date, Duffy was hanged
alone by William and John Billington.
1904
April 5th: Charles Samuel DYER
Birmingham
An ex-soldier turned hawker convicted of the murder of Martha Simpson,
with whom he lived. Dyer was very much in love with the woman, and became
angry when he learned that she had earlier been in the company of another
man. He cut her throat and she died at once. His defence was that he was
sodden with drink but he was convicted, and hanged by William and John
Billington.
1904
December 13th: Conrad DONOVAN (34)
Charles WADE (22)
Pentonville
Donovan, aka Joseph Potten, a sailor, and Wade, a labourer, were half-
brothers convicted at the Old Bailey of the murder of Miss Matilda Emily
Farmer (65), a newsagent who lived alone in a small shop on Commercial
Road, Stepney. On the morning of 17 October, a paperboy who worked for
her found the shop empty. He was alarmed to see her false teeth and a shoe
behind the counter, and when he went to investigate he discovered her bound
and gagged, face down on her bed. A police doctor was able to report that
she had died from suffocation after being gagged. The house had been ran-
sacked in a search for jewellery, which the police later found under a
floorboard. The two men were arrested on suspicion and after conviction,
Donovan confessed to the chaplain that they were guilty but that they had
never intended to commit murder. Hanged by William Billington and Henry
Pierrepoint.
1907
January 1st: John DAVIES (53)
Warwick
A father of two convicted of the murder of Jane Harrison at Aston Manor.
Davies and his wife had separated and he was in the habit of visiting Jane
Harrison, whose husband was committed to an asylum. On 17 November 1906,
he called at her house and after a row he cut her throat and fled, but
was seen by a neighbour as he slipped away in the dark. At his trial, held
at Warwick Assizes just before the Christmas of 1906, his defence pleaded
that the crime was not premeditated but he was found guilty and sentenced
to death by Mr Justice Ridley. He was hanged by John Ellis and William
Willis. It was Ellis's first as chief executioner.
1907
November 20th: William DUDDLES (47)
Lincoln
Convicted of the murder of Mrs Catherine Gear (35), the wife of an
agricultural labourer, at Lutton Marsh. He was arrested soon after she
was found battered to death with a coal hammer, and after sentencing he
told the court he was deeply sorry for the murder. Hanged by Henry and
Thomas Pierrepoint.
1908
August 5th: Matthew John DODDS (43)
Durham
A one-legged miner convicted of the murder of his wife at Hamersley,
near Bishop Auckland. Dodds made history when he became the first man allowed
an appeal to the Central Criminal Appeal Court in a murder trial. When
Dodds married his wife Mary Jane in 1905, she possessed a considerable
amount of property. She made a will in February 1907 that left everything
to her husband. Six months later, some incident occurred that caused her
to have a new will drawn up, and this time Dodds was left a pittance. In
January 1908, he persuaded her to have a new will made, with all her wordily
goods going back to him again. On the afternoon of 20 February, Dodds summoned
a neighbour and cried that his wife was lying dead in the fireplace. Police
treated her demise as suspicious but the coroner recorded an open verdict
of death due to burns. The police later received information that made
them order an exhumation of Mary Jane Dodds, and a pathologist found that
she had been strangled. Dodds was tried before Mr Justice Grantham at Durham
Assizes on 1 July and despite a spirited defence, he was convicted. He
was granted a stay of execution while his appeal was reviewed, but it failed
to change the sentence and he was hanged by Henry and Thomas Pierrepoint.
1909
July 9th: Walter DAVIS (37)
Wakefield
Aka Fred Evans, a Middlesborough painter sentenced to death by Mr Justice
Bucknill at York Assizes, for the murder of Esther Harriet Richards (53).
Two years earlier, Davis had taken a room with Mrs Richards while her husband
was working away. When he returned she told him that Davis was her cousin,
but they had in fact been having an affair. When Richards left to return
to work, the couple moved across the county and found a new home. Davis
was a jealous man, and he repeatedly threatened her harm if she had anything
more to do with her husband. Later the following year, Esther Richards
left Davis and returned to her husband but soon after Davis followed her
back to Middlesborough and often called at the house while her husband
was out at work. On 30 March 1909, Davis and Esther were together at the
house while her husband was working. When he came home he found his wife
dead with her head battered in. A blood stained hammer was found in a cupboard.
A witness testified that she had seen Davis leave the house, and a manhunt
was launched. He was arrested at Blythe on 17 April, and at his trial the
jury took only a matter of minutes to return a guilty verdict. He was hanged
by Henry and Thomas Pierrepoint.
1914
March 10th: Josiah DAVIS (53)
Stafford
A Wolverhampton iron worker convicted of the murder of Mrs Martha Hodgkins
(54), his landlady. Early in December 1913, Mrs Hodgkins, a widow, was
found dead in her bed with a piece of tape tightly knotted around her neck
and a silk handkerchief covering her face. When the police arrived, they
discovered that Davis, who had recently lost his job and subsequently fallen
behind with his rent, had fled the house and so a search was mounted. He
was located at Walsall and arrested. He denied the charge at his trial
before Mr Justice Lush, saying he was innocent and that he had no knowledge
of the crime other than what he had read in the newspapers. The evidence
against him was very thin but he erred during questioning and that was
enough to convict him. Hanged by John Ellis and Thomas Pierrepoint. Ellis
gave him a drop of seven feet six inches, eight inches longer than the
recommended drop and as a result he was censured by the prison authorities.
1916
December 20th: Joseph DEANS (44)
Durham
Convicted of the murder of Catherine Convery (48), a widow, at Monkwear-
mouth, Sunderland on 13 October. Deans was a respectable looking man who
had spent 17 years as a gold miner in South Africa before returning to
his native north east where he found work in the mines there. He was fond
of Mrs Convery and being the recipient of two pensions, one from the South
African Government and the other from the War Department, he lavished money
upon her. Mrs Convery allowed herself to be wined and dined but his affections
towards her were not reciprocated. When he discovered that she was seeing
another man he made a number of threats to kill her and then himself. On
7 October, he left a local public house in a drunken state claiming that
he 'would do it tonight.' He had with him a bag which contained an axe
and a few minutes later Mrs Convery burst into the pub bleeding from a
hideous wound to the head. She died in hospital six days later. When sentenced
to death by Mr Justice Low, after his defence of insanity had failed, he
shouted to the court: 'I killed a woman and I'm glad I killed her!' Hanged
by John Ellis and George Brown.
1918
February 12th: Arthur Harry Victor DE STAMIR (25)
Wandsworth
Captain Edward Tighe, a retired army veteran, lived with his wife at
Winkfield Lodge, Wimbledon Common. On the morning of 3 November, 1917,
a housemaid took him up a cup of tea and found him lying severely battered
on the bedroom floor. Beside the body was a bloodstained poker, which had
been bent by the force with which it had been used to hit the Captain.
Missing from the house were two watches. The detective investigating the
crime thought there were similarities between this vicious assault and
a number of burglaries carried out in Streatham, south London. Some of
the jewellery from these robberies had been sold to a jeweller who was
able to give the police a good description of the seller. Four days later,
Captain Tighe died from his injuries, and not long after this, the jeweller
who had bought the stolen goods spotted the seller in a Wardour Street
shop. He called the police and the man was taken into custody. He gave
his name as Arthur Gray but they soon learned that his real name was De
Stamir. He also had a long criminal record. When his house was searched,
the two stolen watches from Winkfield Lodge were found. He denied the murder
but while in custody he eventually made a statement that implicated another
soldier called Fisher. It was while making the statement that De Stamir
put the noose around his own neck. He readily admitted being in the bedroom
at the time of the assault although he denied striking the killing blows,
ignorant of the fact that as the law stood he was equally as guilty as
the attacker and therefore liable for the ultimate penalty. On 10 January,
he was sentenced to death at the Old Bailey by Mr Justice Darling, and
hanged by John Ellis and George Brown.
1923
January 5th: Lee DOON (27)
Leeds
Sing Lee owned a number of Chinese laundries including one in Crookes,
Sheffield, at which he lived on the premises. Also living above the Crookes
laundry was Lee Doon, an employee. Sing Lee employed a woman, Lily Siddall,
who tended to the accounts and marked the laundry. On 9 September 1922,
as she prepared to leave after finishing for the day, Sing Lee asked her
if she could work on the following morning to help clear a backlog of work,
and she agreed. When she arrived she was greeted by Lee Doon, who told
her that their employer had returned to China and left him in charge. Mrs
Siddall suspected that something was wrong and this was highlighted the
next day when Lee Doon engaged workmen to dig a hole in the cellar into
which he said he was going to bury a trunk. Later, she noticed Doon struggling
with a heavy trunk in the yard. Adding to her suspicion was a lady friend
of Sing Lee's who came to the shop saying that he had failed to meet her
on the previous night as arranged. Later that week, the suspicious women
became more certain that something was clearly amiss and they called the
police, who visited the shop only to find it closed. Forcing their way
inside, they found the body of Sing Lee concealed in a trunk. He had a
number of gaping wounds to the head which had been inflicted with a blunt
intrument. Lee Doon was quickly arrested and stood trial before Mr Justice
Greer in December. In the face of overwhelming evidence linking him to
the crime, Doon admitted causing the death of his employer but claimed
that it had been an accident and that Sing Lee had fallen during a struggle
after he, Doon, had tried to prevent him from taking drugs. Sentenced to
death on 2 December, 1922, and hanged by Thomas Pierrepoint and Thomas
Phillips.
1923
July 4th: Rowland DUCK (25)
Pentonville
A labourer sentenced to death by Mr Justice Swift at the Old Bailey
on 31 May, for the murder of Miss Nellie Pearce (18). Duck was a married
man with three children but used to visit Nellie at her lodgings. For reasons
never made clear, he cut her throat and then wrapped her body in an army
blanket before concealing her under the bed. He claimed no recollection
of the murder, and stated in his defence that he was an epileptic with
hereditary insanity. Strenuous effo s were made to secure a reprieve for
Duck, who was partially sighted. Hanged by John Ellis and Robert Wilson.
1923
November 29th: William DOWNES (25)
Dublin
Downes, a former soldier, was part of a gang of thieves who raided
a candle works at Ashdown on 19 October, stealing over £30 and a
number of bicycles, which they used to make their escape. They were pursued
by a number of Free State CID officers who eventually cornered the men
at Castle Knock, Co Dublin. In the ensuing fight, Downes was arrested and
placed in a police car guarded by Captain Thomas Fitzgerald, while other
officers attempted to round up the rest of the gang. Downes waited for
Captain Fitzgerald's attention to be distracted, then withdrew a pistol
and shot him dead before escaping, only to be quickly rearrested. He was
sentenced to death by Lord Chief Justice Maloney on 30 October. A newspaper
article claimed that the authorities had to advertise for an executioner
to carry out the sentence, although it was likely John Ellis officiated.
Another article claimed that the hangman's identity was specifically not
disclosed.
Dalton, Hubert Ernest
A railway platelayer of Ingelby Greenhow, Yorkshire. convicted of the murder
of a workmate. sixty eight year old Francis Ward. The pair were long time
friends and usually spent Friday evenings drinking and playing dominoes
in their local pub. On Friday evening, 3rd October, 1924, Ward failed to
appear at the pub. The next morning, Dalton's mother-in-law found Ward's
body close to Dalton's house. He had horrific throat wounds and had been
robbed of his watch and money. During routine questioning, the police called
at thirty nine year old Dalton's house but he was not home. A search of
the outhouse unearthed Ward's purse and other items taken from the body.
The police started searching for Dalton and they later saw him staggering
towards them from the nearby railway line. He had a self inflicted throat
wound which he claimed he had administered when they had arrived at his
house just before fleeing. He was tried before Mr Justice McCardie at York
Assizes in the spring of 1925 and pleaded insanity. The trial ended when
the jury announced that they had failed to reach a verdict. It was reconvened
for the next Assizes at Leeds in May before the same Judge. As before,
the defence was insanity. The prosecution claimed the motive was robbery,
and evidence was shown that death was caused by blows from a hammer which
had been found nearby. It was also alleged that Dalton had returned to
the body in the early hours, and by candle light had cut Ward's throat
to be sure he was dead. The jury needed just five minutes to find him guilty
and he was sentenced to death. An appeal failed and he was hanged by Thomas
Pierrepoint and Robert Baxter in Hull on the 10th June 1925.
Devere, Eugene
A one legged tailor sentenced to death by Mr Justice Slater at the Old
Bailey on 12th February for the murder of Polly Edith Walker who was seventeen.
They had been courting but following a quarrel on New Year's Day at her
mother's house in Camden Town, London, she ended their relationship. He
was very fond of her but she did not return his affections, a situation
which seemed to have been the cause of the row. During the argument. he
slapped her and she replied by biting his finger. In a rage he picked up
a pair of tongs and struck her about the head. As she slumped to the bed.
he picked up a stocking and strangled her. He was hanged by Robert Baxter
and Thomas Phillips in Pentonville on the 24th March 1926. He was
only twenty five when he died.
Dunn, John Thomas
John Dunn was hanged by Thomas Pierrepoint for the murder of his estranged
wife, Ada Elizabeth Dunn, at Sacriston on 24th September, 1927. He was
tried at Durham Assizes before Mr Justice Roche on 15th November, 1927.
It was alleged that Dunn, a former inmate at an asylum, had strangled his
wife after she had refused to come back and live with him. While she was
visiting him, he strangled her, hung her body on some pegs in the kitchen,
then cut her down and claimed that she had committed suicide. He told the
police that she had spent the night in a separate room and he had found
her hanging when he awoke. Forensic evidence indicated that she had been
strangled, and letters found in her room, written by Dunn, had begged her
to come home and threatened her if she refused. The sentence on fifty two
year old Dunn was carried out in Durham on the 6th January 1928.
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For more information contact:
Gregg Manning
