Any dastardly crimes committed in the past on members of your family...?

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi Everyone,
Have recently read about how my gt-gt-gt-grandfather's brother Thomas Gurner was attacked in 1847 and relieved of his silver watch and some money while walking home one evening from work.  It was raining, and he was approached by several men, one of whom asked whether he could shelter under Thomas's umbrella.  When he told the man:"You are welcome to walk by the side, it will not shelter us both much" he was immediately beaten about the head by his own umbrella, generally assaulted, then robbed.
The scene might seem comical to us now, but apparently he never quite recovered from the ordeal, and when the assailant was eventually arrested he was tried and given a sentence of 7 years transportation.
The language of these old newspaper reports, including precise details of the trial and crime, is often extremely rich and in spite of the sometimes distressing details, can actually raise a smile in the reading...
So, do other Rootschatters have stories of crimes committed against their own families in the (distant) past...?
Keith

[sem73]

Hi Keith

In the  early 1880s a relative of my other half's was commited after he poisoned his father after a row about rent money he owed, shortly before he was hung he confessed to poisoned his wife in the same manner some years earlier.....the trial is lavishly described at Monmouth Goal.

The man in question shares the same full name as my other half!!.....what have I let myself in for!!  LOL

Sarah

[Floss]

Whilst browsing through the Grimsby Petty Criminal (court extracts) at my library I came across these , the surnames are in my family but not sure if they're related to me

Friday 07/12/1885
Elizabeth Blanchard of Humberstone, charged Mary Surfleet of the the same place, with assaulting her with a sweeping brush on the first intsance. Case dismissed

Monday 30/05/1864
William Sturgeon, fish curer,and Swanson carnes Brown, a boy employed by Sturgeon were charged  by Charles Surfleet, fish hawker, with assaulting him near the fish dock by throwing a quantity of fish entrails upon him. Sturgeon fined 1s and 11s costs.  Brown dismissed

Not found anything more sinister than this 

Fiona

[Keith Sherwood]

Sarah,
I expect your husband gets his leg pulled sometimes about his namesake, especially if you've had a bad day...
What is extraordinary today is to read these old newspaper reports that contain such emotive words such as:"..it, however, affords us great pleasure to be enabled to state that two out of three supposed guilty parties are held in custody..." 30th October 1847...Trial did not take place until July 1848. (re the particular case of Thomas Gurner)
I'm sure even some of the modern Press wouldn't be allowed to get away with such reporting...
Keith

[LouiseB31]

What a fabulous thread!

My Nana's Aunt, Ruth Hadley, was murdered by her lover in Wolverhampton early in the last century.

He was a married man who worked at a fairly senior level for a local brewery and they had a child together. From memory I think his name was Lawrence.

It was late December, there was a row and loud shouting that could be heard round and about. She came out into the street still shouting and he shot her dead, the blood dripping onto the white snow.

He was defended by Marshall Hain, one of the greatest defence barristers this country has ever seen. His defence basically was that Ruth was only a barmaid, had been known to have too much to drink and was a bit of a tart, therefore she was not much of a loss really. There was talk of her having to be "poured" into taxis.

Also his wife forgave him his infidelity and stood up for him at the trial - she was described in similar terms as the fragrant Mary Archer by the judge, some of you will know what I mean.

He was found not guilty. I am glad I never had to meet him or run into him, him or Marshall Hain come to that, or there would have been terrible trouble.

The case was featured on a TV programme called "In the shadow of the noose" some years ago. My mother has the reports from the Wolverhampton Express and Star, these were very useful generally genealogically too as they gave names of relatives called to give evidence at this celebrity trial etc.

My Nana's family were forbidden to talk about the case by her father who was obviously anxious that no shame or blame should attach itself to them.

Otherwise, other than that spectacular case, I dont think any of the rest of us have been victims.

Thankfully

Louise

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi again, Louise,
I think Agatha Christie at al. had better move over, this thread is getting rather graphic...!
Keith
p.s. Last little piece of newspaper reporting from the Thomas Gurner assault and robbery case.  Police Constable Stone, of Linton, went in search of the suspect, Charles Webb..."Having found him, the constable put his hand on his shoulder, and said: 'You must be aware that you are my prisoner'  He asked what for?  The constable replied:"Highway robbery", upon which Webb gave a jump and ran away over hedges and ditches, and the constable, not being so nimble, was soon left a considerable distance behind..."

No more from me now, I'll let others chill our blood (or is it bones?) with their personal stories.
Keith

[Rebecca Steele]

My Great Uncle Thomas was killed on his motorcycle on his way home from work. My Grandad and his brother always maintained that a wire was put across the road.

Reading the inquest in the newspaper it said that: Two boys were at the scene of the accident and denied any involvement and it was recorded as 'accidental death'. 

[behindthefrogs]

Not quite on an ancestor but on an ancestor's servant:

Inquisitions of England – “1592 Mother Atkins of Pinner - A most wicked work of a wretched witch ( the like whereof none can record these many years in England) wrought on the person of one Richard Burt, servant to Master Edling of Woodhall in the parish of Pinner in the county of Middlesex, a mile beyound Harrow. Lately committed in March 1592.”

I don't know what the poor woman was actually accused of doing.

[Mobo]

 

An ancestor of mine

Hugh EDGSON (Chemist), born 1871 in Nottingham, died in 1946 in London by suicide (not recorded).  He married,  Hannah Maude OLIVER in 1898.  She died and he married  Emily FRANKLIN in 1912 in West Bromwich.  She died  in 1920 from accidental poisoning (Coroners’ Inquest), and he married (3) Myfanwy DAVIES of Wales in 1924. 

Family leged has it that old Hugh poisoned Emily (being a Chemist it was easy in those days), and after his death, papers were found which showed he had committed suicide. 

Nice eh ??