by Harry Nankin
I said “Please to give me an ounce or half an ounce.” I forgot which.”
“She turned towards the kitchen we went in after her Slawson was close at my back. I put my hands upon her mouth. She began to shout as well she could. Slawson began to rummage through her pockets but could not find it. We threw her down between us, Slawson give her the first kick on the head. I knocked her once or twice on the head afterwards and cut her throat as she lay on her side with her face from me. Slawson did not see me cut her throat; he at that time I did this thing was at the door I think he heard someone coming.”
“Both of us made the bargain to murder her if we could not rob her without. Slawson though he may not have seen me using the knife new very well what I was doing and he was not three yards away from me and the old woman at the time. After this I said come here I have settled, that is murdered her. He then said we will have a fair rummage.”
“Williams had robbed a man on the previous Saturday night after the honey fair at Wrexham and went to Jail in Ruthin for that offence.”
“Williams then stated his reasons for his young violent life ending in the way it had.”
“I attribute my end to the Sabbath breaking and playing pitch and toss on a Sunday and frequenting public houses which caused me to lose my work and I got bad companions particularly bad women. I did anything I could to get money to go to the public house; I was made worse by being in Ruthin jail as a vagabond. All the offenders were together in one court we learned a great deal of wickedness there. I wish the truth to be known that they may learn and the many others for the kindness they have shown and here by the Governor may God bless them all.”
Signed John Williams
An eye witness to the eventual execution wrote the following account which is quoted.
“Come the day of the execution on the 1st of April 1842 at the gates of the Dana prison in Shrewsbury the area in front of the Jail was crowded with spectators not only during but for hours previous to the execution every place which commanded a view was thronged.”
“On the Welsh Bridge the crowds were so great as to prevent the passage of horses and carriages. The English Bridge was crowded also, so in fact was every place from which the melancholy spectacle could be witnessed. The throng of spectators kept crowding into the town from a very early hour from Wrexham, Chirk, Ruabon, Oswestry and many other places within the locality of the murder. The influx of spectators was very considerable and unusually they arrived from Wellington, Dawley and the adjacent district.”
“Mr Peel the under sheriff arrived at the jail accompanied by six javelin men at about 11am. The hangman, Taylor, a razor grinder from Stourbridge, had arrived in Shrewsbury on the previous evening and stayed in the prison. He is a slight small man about sixty years old. Last year he wore a smock and a glazed hat over his eyes, on this occasion he was wearing the prison garb.”
“The minister of the law made no parade of himself or of his duties. He did not appear to pinion Williams’s arms until a few minutes previous to the execution when Williams and the Parson had retired into the porters lodge.”
“It had been the custom to place the rope around the neck of the victim before he was handed from the custody of the Governor to the Sheriff thus saving him having to carry it with him to the drop.”
“On this occasion the rope was not put around the prisoner’s neck until he had reached the drop. At twelve the bell of the prison began to toll when the sheriff, attended by two of the javelin men presented himself at the grated door at the basement of the prison and made the usual demand for the body of John Williams to be delivered for execution.”
“The prisoner accompanied by the Chaplin to whom he now appeared to give his exclusive attention was passed from the custody of the jailor to the sheriff at the vestry room Chapel. Williams shook hands with Mr Eastcote the prison surgeon and walked away with firm step.”
“When they reached the courtyard a sort of procession was formed, the Chaplin took the lead reading the burial service. The prisoner came next accompanied by a turn key on each side.”
“The procession entered the lodge and his leg irons removed. When his arms were being tied he said “Oh Lord what nerve I have not a nerve about me moves, the Lord sustains me.”
“Williams then knelt down with the Chaplin and continued in prayer for a further ten minutes. He then got up and walked from this little room with firm step preceded by six of the javelin men.”
“He then proceeded to the flat roof of the building from which the drop had been erected.”
“Here, he stopped and looked around and seemed struck with the greatness of the crowd that had assembled to see him suffer.”
“He shook hands with Mr Young the task master who said Bless you Williams I hope the Lord will have mercy on you.”
He replied “I hope he will, the Lord does sustain me, bless the Lord.”
“The hang man trussed him up and adjusted the rope which had been hanging from the cross beam of the gallows putting it around the culprits neck.”
“He then drew the white cap over his face and said “Stand firm.”
Williams replied “I will.”
“The bolt was drawn, the platform fell and the prisoner who had kept saying “Lord Jesus keep my spirit.”
“With his hands by his side moving slightly he was launched into eternity at twelve minutes past twelve.”
“He struggled violently for a minute and a quarter and then was motionless except for a slight swaying in the wind which was strong. Although his suffering must have been over in little more than a minute his pulse when felt by a medical gentleman continued to be felt for nine minutes.”
“After the body had hung for an hour it was taken down and conveyed to a room in the prison where it was laid out and with permission of Mr Peel, a cast of the head was taken in plaster of Paris by some gentleman connected to Coalport china manufacturer.”
“The face was not distorted but a cast was over the bottom half. The rope had slightly grazed under the ear on the left side of the neck. The neck was not broken but the wind pipe was. This would have caused immediate suffocation. He was a remarkably fine made muscular man, the body was placed in a coffin, marked John Williams 22 years, 1812.”
“At half past ten last night he was buried in the jail near to the body of a man recently executed.”
“This was a change from the year 1830 when the bodies of those executed were given to local surgeons for dissection..”
“The spectators viewing the execution were made up of both sexes and all ages.”
“An immense number of young girls and mere children positioned themselves immediately in front of the gallows and passed the hours singing and talking the topic of conversation was far from improving the situation.”
“The vendors of cakes, nuts and oranges were plying their vocation among the crowd.”
“In short if the execution was intended to show a moral lesson to the thousands who saw it we fear their purpose was completely thwarted..”
“Intense curiosity appeared to predominate the feeling amongst the immense crowd and impression by the scene was slight and transient. The scene went far to confirm the belief of some members of parliament who last year had intended to embody in the law public executions are not very conducive to morality.”
“If the atmosphere at Williams’s execution was to show how slightly the spectacle affected them. Their conduct on the day did not give them much credit for they resorted to the public houses and in a few hours after the execution the streets were crowded with men, women and children exclusively strangers in a state of intoxication.”
A subsequent write up in the Shropshire newspaper read:-
“Williams’s parents had been in respectable circumstances for many years (having kept a public house at Wrexham) of late they have been reduced so as not to be able to afford legal assistance for their son during his recent trail”
“It is a defect of English Juris Prudence that the Court, does no
t in all such cases allot Counsel to the accused as is done in Scotland. In Williams’s case no Counsel no matter how able could have procured his acquittal. The difference being, if Williams had, had counsel as well as Slawson, the case against the latter would have been considerably stronger. The Counsel being employed for one of them was able to put a darker shade upon Williams than he would have done if he had been defended.”
“We repeat that if Williams had, had twenty Counsel the outcome would have been the same but in all human possibility Slawson would also have been capitally convicted, his having planned the robbery as well as participating and this is strongly corroborated by Williams with his dying breath.”
“The closing part of Williams confession with be read with painful intersect by all those interested in prison discipline in this country. “I was made worse by two months in gaol in Ruthin prison as a vagabond.”
There was no reaction from the audience as Jack continued.
Whilst I am on the subject I will also read this case of young boy here in England.
“On the 29th of May 1843 one Thomas Purcell, aged 12 years was attending a service at Ash parish church. A native of Whitchurch, the indications are he originated from a large family, residing at Terrick on the outskirts of the town. His sister was in service at a farm in the village of Ash two miles from Whitchurch. After the service Purcell was seen by another boy to take with him a prayer book and this was reported to the vicar. An instant reaction from the cleric revealed that Purcell had thrown the book over a hedge down the road.”
“The theft was reported to the police at Whitchurch and Constable Amos investigated. Enquiries were made and it was reported by another family in the village that Purcell had given their son a tooth pick and that this was proved to have been stolen from a house in Whitchurch.”
“Thomas Purcell was arrested and brought before the Magistrate and was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment with hard labour on each charge and in addition he was to receive six strokes of the birch rod on each charge.”
“Purcell then made the long twenty miles march from Whitchurch to Shrewsbury prison. Being aged twelve it was not recorded if he received beer the usual refreshment for police and prisoners in those days, enroute to the prison.”
“On arrival the six strokes of the birch were administered and he was set to hard labour. In those days, such boys were put to work all day on a treadmill within the prison.”
“On completion of the fourteen days he was brought to the front of the prison where the remaining six strokes of the birch were administered, he then returned inside serving the remaining 14 days at hard labour before being released to walk the long twenty miles back to Whitchurch.”
“The question I suppose” said Jack “in the year 2013 do we wish to see justice done as in these two cases. Are you as budding detectives desirous of witnessing such ends to the cases you will investigate, it is a matter of personal opinion I suppose.”
CHAPTER SIX
THE MAN WHO BORE NO ARMS
The Chief Constable was pleased so far, the course certainly appeared to be giving Jack their full attention. If pressed of course, she would be obliged to admit she was also very interested.
Jack had a change of tack,
“I mentioned earlier the need for attention to detail and the will to win. I would now offer a word of caution. Corruption, yes officers, in all my years the one thing that cannot be placed upon my character is that of corruption.”
“This comes in many forms mostly for money of course. Officers selling their profession, their good names and that of the police service for money. There are other forms, attempting to obtain promotion for example by obtaining a good name as a detective, this is all very well but is no excuse for what we used to call “fitting someone up.”
Officers making false statements, lying in court, even forging the signatures of those in custody, we all know of such conduct. Believe me in the longer term it will all fail.
“I will give a brief account of a case I dealt with involving corruption though not involving a police officer. The consequences however were no different.”
“I was looking through some old case papers I chanced upon this case, a very tragic affair, I can recall the scene.”
“A young man aged only twenty three years of age was seated in a chair, his army uniform stacked ready for handing in, and he could hear his escort to the military prison walking down the corridor.”
“The three Military policemen, a sergeant and two corporals were seeking room 13. There was a loud bang, just like a shot being fired. The Sergeant opened the door only to discover the gruesome sight of their prisoner to be, slumped over the table.” His arm was hanging down, blood still pouring from his head, running down his civilian clothes and onto the floor. They had been there but missed it.”
“One of the officers ran for medical assistance but it would be to no avail the convict to be was dead; it was clearly obvious seeing the massive hole in the top of his young head.”
“Although on a military base the commanding officer had requested the coroner to request the civil police investigate the case. It fell to my lot to do so.”
“Some two months previous Captain Thomson had received a note in his in-box that one Private Dean Martin had stolen drugs from the medical stores.”
“The Captain had reported it to the Military Police; as a result they had visited and searched the room of Private Dean Martin. Several boxes of Diazepam were discovered.”
“Martin had been arrested and taken into custody. He had been interviewed and according to the papers in front of me he had initially denied any knowledge but subsequently he had admitted the theft.”
Jack turned over the papers and found the statement of the soldier.
Dean Martin Private 4378965743 Army Medical corp.
Aged 22 years, Student Nurse.
States:
“I am a student nurse stationed at Chester barracks hospital. I enjoyed being a nurse but the pay was low. I have had some stress at home in the family which I don’t want to go into. As a result I started to steal the odd diazepam as they make you feel relaxed. I got short of money so as it was easy to take the odd tablet I decided to take a few more.”
“When I went out into the city on a Saturday night two weeks ago it was easy to sell them to my mates in the star pub where we all drank.”
“I am sorry now I stole them. The drugs you found in my room are the ones I took.”
Signed Dean Martin.
Witnessed by
Sergeant Denham
Corporal Hitchen
“I rooted through the papers there was nothing to indicate Martin had been legally represented.”
“When he appeared at the Court-Martial he had pleaded Guilty simply saying he was sorry.”
“He had been sentenced to two years detention in military custody with a view to discharge in disgrace.”
“He had seemingly been left alone in his room awaiting escort to a military prison.”
“I stood, went to the window and opened it. Just at that moment a voice said, who are you and what are you doing here?”
I turned and looked; it was a sergeant in the uniform of the military police. The name upon his tunic showed he was Sergeant Denham.”
“I am Superintendent Jack Richards of New Scotland Yard, Serious Crime Review Squad; I am instructed by The Chief of Her Majesty’s Defence Staff upon the request of Her Majesty’s Coroner for south London, to review the case of Private Dean Martin. I have been handed these papers by Colonel Cleveland the commanding officer here and provided with this office. Does that satisfy you sergeant?”
“Denham hesitated then replied, “why the open window?”
“I looked and smiled then replied,” “There is a smell coming from within the papers I have been reading.”
“What sort of smell?” replied Denham,
“A rotten smell, almost corrupt,” I replied.
“There was no response
to my comment so I asked, “There appears little reference to the note left anonymously to Captain Thompson. You I believe were the investigating officer. What enquiries did you make to ascertain who the author of the note was?”
“Well” stumbled Denham he was fumbling and I could tell. He eventually replied, “Well known.”
“I see” I replied, handwriting test, fingerprints checks were they carried out?”
“Well no, there seemed no need after Martin was interviewed he readily admitted the offence.” replied Denham.
“Corroboration man,” I commented, “corroboration that is the point.” Sergeant please enlighten me exactly what did you do?”
Looking at the audience Jack then related this narrative.
“According to Sergeant Denham once he was informed of the note he went with two other military police officers, searched the room of Dean Martin a searched found the boxes of tablets hidden in the fridge. Not a very ideal place to keep drugs in tablet form nor a very secure hiding place.”
“Having found them they immediately arrested the young man took him to the camp guard room where after a little questioning he admitted the theft and selling the drugs. As he had so quickly admitted his guilt is was not thought necessary to get a friend or any legal representation for him.”
“Detectives, I considered the case highly unsatisfactory. I made further enquiries and it was with some luck that when I visited Captain Thompson again he had still retained the anonymous note.”
“I seized this and sent it for forensic examination. I included the fingerprints of the deceased Martin who had fortunately been finger-printed at the time of his arrest. Seemingly the investigators had not forgotten anything to prosecute the soldier even if his defence procedure had not been thought essential.”
“I next visited the parents of Private Martin. I was surprised at what I discovered. The Martin family were in a state of trauma. Mr Martin was at the point of death suffering from cancer. Mrs Martin the full time carer of her husband related how their son a trained nurse had visited home just prior to his death. He appeared greatly worried. He had been very concerned about something, the details of which he refused to disclose.”
