The next witness was Sarah Watson, who had also been a neighbour of the couple, and who was aware of the marital difficulties they were experiencing. Early on Saturday morning, Sarah Yeomans had visited her home, saying William had threatened to kill her and she was terrified that he might carry out his threat. As the two women spoke William arrived, demanding to speak to his wife. However, after seeing her husband approach, Sarah locked herself in an outhouse and refused to come out to speak to him. A furious William told his neighbour that he had tolerated his wife’s adultery for too long and he was prepared to kill her and commit suicide afterwards.
However, William had left the scene without causing any difficulties, and later, Sarah was persuaded to return home by her friend, who had thought that he had simply been making empty threats. The next Sarah heard of the Yeomans was on the following Monday, when Hannah Godbehere ran to her house to tell her of terrible screams that had been heard coming from their home.
The next witness was Jane Godbehere, Hannah’s daughter, who described the events she had witnessed on the day of the tragedy. At 1.40 p.m. she heard what she recognised as blows being struck next door, which were followed by a piercing scream, which she knew immediately was coming from Sarah as she had heard her being beaten on several occasions in the past. She alerted her mother who went to find help, but meanwhile Jane heard Sarah scream a few times more until they eventually came to an end. There was silence for some minutes, before Jane ventured out to join her mother and other neighbours, who had approached the house and were attempting to force the front door open.
The chronicle of events was continued by Samuel Allen, a thirteen-yearold boy who travelled around the Derbyshire countryside selling ribbons, tapes and pins. On the day of the tragedy, he came to Belper and decided to call on Sarah Yeomans, who in the past had been a good customer. However, instead of selling some of his wares, he was to become the only eyewitness to the events that occurred in the Yeomans’ house, and he described them to a hushed coroner’s court.
When he reached the house Samuel knocked on the door, but there was no reply. He knocked for a second time, and as he did so he heard a loud scream coming from inside. He rushed to a window, through which he saw William and Sarah standing about 4ft apart and facing each other. They were standing very close to the window, but both seemed unaware of Samuel’s presence.
William, who was holding a poker, was described by the lad as being in a great rage, and Sarah looked terrified. Samuel watched helplessly as William struck his wife a severe blow to the head with the poker, forcing her to the floor. He then stood over the desperate woman and struck her several more blows. She continued to scream out, but after a few moments she fell silent.
Then, Samuel saw William take a chair from next to the fireplace and place it in the centre of the room, close to where Sarah lay. He sat in the chair with his back towards Samuel, who saw him take a knife from his pocket, which he opened, thus exposing the blade. In one smooth movement, William put the blade to a point just under his left ear and proceeded to slit his own throat. Although William had his back to him, Samuel saw a huge amount of blood spurt from the wound, and watched as he fell from the chair to the floor. Moments later, the group of neighbours broke down the front door and rushed into the room.
William Sims, the village blacksmith, had known William and Sarah for more than twenty years, and was a close neighbour. In describing William, he told the coroner’s jury that, until recently, he had never known a more placid individual. However, after he had learnt of his wife’s adulterous affair, his behaviour had changed dramatically, and whenever he met him he seemed to be always agitated and angry.
The witness had heard William threaten to kill his wife and himself if she did not end the affair. So worried was the blacksmith, that he had shared his concerns with the Yeomans’ eldest son, and suggested that he keep an eye on his father to try and ensure he did nothing foolish.
Mr Sims also told the court that he was the first to arrive at the scene after the alarm had been raised, and it was he who broke the front door down. However, once inside the house, the witness became so distressed at what he saw that he had to leave almost immediately.
That Sarah’s murder and William’s suicide were premeditated acts became clear from the evidence given by Francis Garrett, a local joiner, who had also known William for a number of years. At 7.15 a.m. on the day of the deaths, after leaving the Red Lion Hotel, William visited the witness’s shop. He produced a pocket knife, which was the one he used to kill himself with later that day. He asked Francis if he could sharpen it on an oilstone in the joiner’s shop, saying he wanted it to cut his corns. The witness noticed nothing unusual about his visitor’s demeanour, but he did leave the shop immediately he had completed his task, rather than stop and talk as he usually did.
Graphic medical evidence was provided by Dr Thomas Lomas, who had been called to the scene within minutes of the killings. He found William lying on his back in a position consistent with Samuel Allen’s evidence. His throat was cut from about 2in below the left ear almost across to the right ear. The wound was 7in long, and the vertebrae of the neck were exposed. The pocket knife, which had caused the fatal wound and which was covered in the deceased’s blood, lay close to the man’s body. Although not dead when the doctor arrived, William expired within a very short time.
Sarah was lying on her front, with her hands positioned as though she had been attempting to protect her head. There were three fractures to her skull, and she had received several other serious head wounds. The poker lay close to her body and was covered in her blood and hair. Her ring finger was broken; an injury sustained as she had attempted to defend herself. Sarah was alive and she remained conscious until she died twenty-four hours later. A post-mortem confirmed that death was due to serious head injuries.
Despite not having been called as a witness to give formal evidence at the inquest, the coroner summoned George Ride, a central figure in the tragedy. This had been at the request of the jury, as its members wished him to receive some form of reprimand from the coroner. This was due to what the jury had described as his ‘immoral and profligate conduct’. The coroner needed no persuading, and made it clear to the young man that he believed his reprehensible behaviour had been the most significant contributory factor to the deaths that were being enquired into.
The coroner next addressed the jury, pointing out that there could be no question as to who was actually responsible for the killings. The only issue to be determined was the state of mind of William Yeomans at the time. As far as the coroner was concerned there had been no evidence presented to suggest that he had been insane.
The jury retired, and on their return they advised the coroner that they disagreed with him, as it was their unanimous belief that William was insane when he killed his wife and himself. The coroner adjourned the inquest until the following day when the issue of William’s sanity would be addressed more fully.
At the resumed hearing, Hannah Yeomans, the ten-year-old daughter of the deceased couple, was the first to be called to give evidence. Although it must have been extremely distressing for her, she spoke in a clear and firm voice. She told the court that in the recent past she had come to realise that her parents were unhappy, and despite her young age, she was aware that this stemmed from her mother’s relationship with George Ride. Hannah worked at Strutt’s Mill, and when she left for work at 6 a.m. on the morning of the killings, her father was pacing up and down the street outside their house, and as she passed him he nodded to her but did not speak.
Hannah did not go home for breakfast, as her mother delivered it to her at work two hours later. However, she arrived home at a few minutes after twelve o’clock for lunch, which was eaten in silence, with her parents and her sister and brother. This was until her mother said she was going into the yard for some water. However, her father would not let her do so as he said that George Ride would be outside, and he told Hannah to go to the pump instead.
Hannah could see that all was not well, but she noticed no significant difference in her father’s behaviour, and he appeared quiet and calm.
John Yeomans, the disabled son of the deceased couple, was the next witness to be called to give evidence. He was unable to work and had lived with his parents all of his life. On the day of the killings he recalled his mother leaving the house to take Hannah her breakfast at the mill. As she left the house he heard his father shout to her, and, pointing to what he described as his wasting body, told her that he was so weak he would not be able to work for much longer due to his failing health.
His father had then produced two phials, and told John that he would visit the chemist to obtain a large enough quantity of laudanum to fill both of them. He returned home at half past ten without the drug, as the chemist had none in store. A few minutes later John’s sister-in-law called at the house to ask the young man to look after her child while she saw to some household chores. As he picked up his crutches, his father grabbed him, saying he should not go until after dinner, which John felt was most unusual, and he also noticed that his father was sweating profusely. As far as John was concerned his father was not of sound mind, and had not been so for the previous three months.
A neighbour, Alexander Sanders, told the court that he had met William at about eleven o’clock on the morning of the killings. William complained that a few minutes earlier, George Ride and a companion had passed by his house, and seeing William, they had both shouted abuse and ridiculed him. William told Sanders that he felt disturbed in the mind and did not know what to do. He had considered travelling to see his brother in Nottingham but was too ill to make the journey. William muttered to himself a great deal, and the witness felt that he was of unsound mind at that time.
Next on the stand was wood turner Charles Seal, who was chairman of the Druid’s Club, to which members made weekly contributions, thus entitling them to claim financial benefits when unable to work. William had continued to work after leaving hospital, but he had to work fewer hours and could only perform light duties. This meant that he was not receiving his full wage, which the club was supplementing. Mr Seal had called to see William a few days before the killings to pay him his sickness benefit. As he collected it, William told his visitor that he had heard a rumour that his benefit payments were soon to be stopped as he was rumoured to have been beating his wife, although he insisted he had only hit her once with an umbrella. The chairman tried to reassure him that this was not so, and he would continue to receive his payments from the club.
Mr Seal continued by advising the coroner and the jury that he had considered William to have been of unsound mind for at least six weeks. He had accompanied him to consult Dr Lomas, who had confirmed that William was suffering from a serious heart complaint, and that he must therefore avoid heavy work, and must not become excited in any way. This was because it would take very little for his heart to stop. This news had clearly alarmed William, who afterwards seemed much disturbed.
The last witness to be called was William Williamson, a longstanding friend of the deceased couple, who explained that he had been very concerned at the difficulties he knew they had been experiencing. He called on them at 12.45 p.m. on the fateful day and was the last person to see them alive and to talk with them. He stayed with them for approximately twenty minutes, in the hope that there was something he could do to help. During the period he stayed with them, William had seemed restless, and continuously paced about the room.
On one occasion the pacing stopped abruptly and he lay down on the sofa. Sarah approached him, but before she could speak, her husband waved her away, saying, ‘I’ll hear no more of it. I am at peace with you, and I will be’. He rose to his feet, and, grabbing hold of his thigh, said, ‘I’m wasted to nothing, I must soon be gone’. He next put his hand to his stomach and said he felt ill. Mr Williamson left, and as he did so, William said to him, ‘I’ll never be any better’. Thirty minutes later William was dead and Sarah had been fatally wounded.
This was the conclusion of the additional evidence called by the coroner to establish William’s state of mind at the time he killed his wife and himself. The jury again retired and after only a short time, they returned with their decision. As far as they were concerned that morning’s evidence supported the conclusion they had reached the previous day. They believed that William had killed his wife and himself while labouring under a fit of temporary insanity. On hearing the decision the coroner repeated that he did not agree with their findings, for as far as he was concerned no proof of his insanity had been provided.
Whatever the truth of the matter, it is clear that for some weeks William had known of his wife’s affair with George Ride, and this was the cause of much emotional turmoil. His physical health was deteriorating and he seemed convinced that he was about to die. On the day of the killings he had been taunted by Ride, which must have been especially distressing.
Who was right about William’s state of mind – the coroner or the jury – is something of a moot point. The simple fact is that a jealous and vengeful man, feeling a great sense of betrayal, had decided that no other man would have his wife.
3
THE BODY IN THE CESSPIT
Chesterfield, 1845
The cesspit in the yard of Chesterfield flour dealer George Bunting was 5ft deep and 8ft wide, and served his house and that of his neighbours, Mr and Mrs Townsend. It was now full, and Mr Bunting hired three men to empty it and spread its contents on his field, which was located close by.
On 28 August 1846 he employed Valentine Wall and Richard Ashley, who had the task of emptying the pit of its contents, and Thomas Green, who was responsible for spreading the manure on the field. After removing thirty or so buckets, Valentine and Richard noticed a number of bones, which they at first presumed to be those of an animal. However, within a few minutes they found several items of men’s clothing, which included remnants of a coat, a pair of trousers and a hat. They very soon recovered several more bones which were clearly human, namely two thigh bones and an arm bone, from which, to their horror, some remaining flesh fell off when they picked it up. Meanwhile, Thomas also noticed some men’s clothing in the field, and salvaged some stockings, braces and a neckerchief. He also came across some ribs and leg bones, and attached to the latter were two garters, one white and the other red.
When told of the discoveries, Mr Bunting consulted two of his friends, butcher Mr Wyatt and Dr Hugh Walker. It was confirmed that these were indeed human bones, and a further search revealed many more, including a skull. The police were advised and after an extensive search throughout the day, an almost complete human skeleton was found in the cesspit, with only a few small bones and teeth missing. Dr Walker confirmed it was the skeleton of a man.
He found three fractures to the skull, one of which was a little above the right eye, and another close to the left eye; all of the small bones around the eyes had been shattered. The other was at the base of the skull, and all three had been caused by violent blows with a blunt instrument, similar to the stave which was 3ft long and which had also been found in the cesspit. At this stage an accidental death or suicide could not be ruled out completely, but it was obviously a suspicious death of some kind.
Mr Bunting had hired Thomas Cowley to empty the cesspit fourteen months earlier, and Thomas told police that he had emptied it completely. He had seen no bones or clothes, and was adamant that he would have noticed if there had been any present at that time. Therefore, the police were convinced that the body had found its way into the pit within the previous fourteen months, which led them to recall the mysterious disappearance of twenty-six-year-old George Collis on Sunday, 7 December 1845.
Officers visited George’s mother, Mary Mawkes, and his girlfriend, Ellen Berresford, both of whom had seen him on the day of his disappearance. Both confirmed that the items of clothing found in the pit were those that George had been wearing that day. In particular, Ellen clearly remembered that he had bee
n wearing one red and one white garter. She was also able to identify the neckerchief as she had hemmed it for him.
Ellen and George’s mother had reported his disappearance at the time, but the absence of a body, and there being no evidence of his having been the victim of foul play, meant that the police had been unable to initiate a meaningful investigation. However, they now had grounds to look into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, and were able to commit the necessary resources to the case.
The police were aware that George had arranged to meet John Platts on the evening of 7 December 1845. The two men had recently become partners in a small butchering business. George contributed the necessary finances and business expertise, and his partner, who had worked as a butcher in the past, provided the necessary practical expertise.
Joseph Heathcote told the police that he had seen George leaving Ellen Berresford’s house at about 6.30 p.m. on the night of his disappearance. Later, he saw George and Platts in the shop of a man named Morley in the Shambles district, and as the door was open he could see the partners apparently having an argument. Platts was holding an axe, which at one point he banged against a block of wood as though to emphasise a point. Joseph continued walking, and after taking several more steps he heard the sound of something falling. As it seemed to come from the shop, he turned to investigate, but the door slammed shut and he could see nothing more.
Thirty minutes later, Samuel Slack of Brampton, who was visiting his sister in the Shambles district, saw three men leaving Morley’s premises. Two of them were apparently holding up a drunken companion between them, who was incapable of supporting himself. Samuel watched as the trio reached Platts’ shop, and saw the two men push their drunken acquaintance head first into the premises. He heard the sound of the door being locked from inside, and saw the curtains pulled shut.
Derbyshire Murders Page 3
