06-10-2016, 05:39 PM
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Re: Tales from the mid 19th Century
The next witnesses. One was a school friend of the drowned boy.John Lowley, aged ten years, said, yesterday morning about nine o’clock, I met little William. Marshall, the deceased, and asked him if he was going to school - he said no, he dust not, for that his father had said that he would either hang him or cut him into collups if he went to school. I went to school, and in about an hour and a half afterwards, a woman came to the school and said William Marshall was dead; that he had died in the street.
Sarah Pearson said, ‘On the 16th of June last, I went to do the washing for Mrs. MarshaIl. Marshall asked me if I was going to wash in his kitchen. I replied yes but he said I’d better take them to my own house. I told him I would not mucky the kitchen. I’d always washed in the kitchen before this. I saw Marshall brought into his own house on Friday morning by James Loweley and a boy; they held him down into a chair. He was in the custody of Lowley and the boy, in consequence of his having drowned the children. I did not see any difference in Marshall’s behaviour and conduct to his usual habits. Mind you I have often remarked that Marshall was very low spirited, and I used to think he was not in his right mind.
William Mathias Theakston, of Ripon, shoe-maker, spoke to taking Marshall some leather to make him some shoes of, on the morning in question, and said, he appeared at that time to be quite cool and collected, and as he usually was; I never heard nor have had any reason to believe he was at any time deranged or out of his mind. He has worked for me for ten years and upwards. I never observed or had reason to believe, that he was at any time insane or not in his proper senses.
Hannah Procter said, I was in the habit of nursing the child. About nine o’clock yesterday morning, I went to Marshall’s house. He came down stairs; I said, if you please, is the baby up. He said it was asleep. I came away; I used to mind the child when the mother was out; I went again in about a quarter of an hour afterwards. He was then wiping out some slop in the kitchen. I said, if you please, has the baby got up yet? He did not speak, but shut the door in my face - he seemed just as usual.
06-10-2016, 07:42 PM
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Re: Tales from the mid 19th Century
Last of all the surgeons and Sweeting the policeman.Mr. Septimus Tutin, of Ripon, surgeon. I was sent for to Marshall’s house, and informed that Marshall had drowned two of his children. When I arrived there, I found the bodies of the deceased; the boy, about eight years of age, was laid on his back on the bed; the other, a female child, about six or seven months old, was laid on a crib. Both were naked and had been dead for about three quarters of an hour. I examined them and it is my opinion that the children had died from suffocation, by being immersed in water. They had been dead so long before I saw them, that all attempts to restore animation would have been unavailing. In reference to Marshall; after having seen the bodies, I went down stairs to where Marshall was. He was sitting on a chair, and Lowley and another were holding him by the arms; I spoke to him, and said, “Marshall do you know me?” He gave me no answer, neither then nor after repeating the question several times; he appeared to be in quite a state of delirium; and totally unconscious of what was going on; I went from thence to the Mayor, and by his direction, Thomas Sweeting and another constable were called to the house in Low Skellgate. I ordered a strait waistcoat be put upon Marshall, as by now he was in a state of excitement almost approaching to delirium. I assisted in the putting on of the waistcoat. When he was secured, the police officers, escorted him to the House of Correction.
Mr. Alfred Smith, of Ripon, surgeon, also gave similar evidence; He said “I had been sent for on 30th May to attend Marshall. At that time I found him labouring under a degree of nervous excitement. It is my opinion that at the time of the murders he was insane. It should be noted that as the children had been immersed perpendicularly, it might have caused apoplexy, as well as suffocation.
Thomas Sweeting “I was one of the constables who apprehended Marshall. He was in a wild state. I asked him on the morning of the murder, if he knew what he had been doing. He said he had had a strong battle with a black cow, and he thought she would have beat him once, but he had got on the far side of her and beat her; she was a good cow and had come from Manchester.”
On the inquest, the prisoner, who had been present all the time, in custody of the Master of the House of Correction, and after having had the evidence of the witnesses read over to him, declined making any statement, and declared he should reserve any thing he had to say in his defence until he was put upon his trial. He also declined to sign his name to the examination.
The jury, immediately on the Coroner’s returning, unanimously found a verdict of Willful Murder in each case, against the prisoner, and he was committed to York Castle, to take his trial at the ensuing Assizes.
Neither from the evidence, nor from any other source, can his motives for the commission of the dreadful crime, be conjectured. The Venerable the Dean, in his sermon delivered in the Cathedral on Sunday, made a most eloquent appeal to the religious feelings of the congregation, in allusion to the awful event, and stated some particulars of a confession which he said the prisoner had made to him.
07-10-2016, 05:34 PM
20
Re: Tales from the mid 19th Century
A couple of the papers printed some background information.FURTHER PARTICULARS
Marshall is a native of Ripon, and was looked upon as superior in abilities to the generality of mechanics, of good information and well read, but remarkably near and covetous. He bore a respectable character for honesty and sobriety, though he never attended any place of worship. He worked as a journeyman shoemaker, and occasionally for himself, and was always fully employed; he had been able to support his family, and save money, which he had out at interest. His mother has not long been dead, and left him near £100, yet he was always grumbling at the badness of the times, and at the expense of supporting his family, and it is known he never cut a slice of bread for his children without grumbling, although he appeared fond of them, and showed fatherly affection previous to the melancholy catastrophe. Covetousness was his besetting sin, and the source of this tragic event.
Although in a state of great mental excitement when first taken and confined, yet in the course of the same day, he appeared composed and collected; on being questioned concerning the deed, he stated it had been on his mind two years, but particularly for the last three months, and could assign no other reason, except the devil urging him on to do it.
Much apprehension was entertained for the safety of the eldest son, whom only a few days previous, he had taken to Leeds, on his way to Oldham, to be apprentice to his (the boy’s) uncle, but we are glad to hear of his safety.
A younger child, a boy, aged about seven years, had a narrow escape, being playing in an adjoining yard. Marshall went to seek him, and told him to come into the house, but the boy being bent on his play, fortunately did not comply, and on going a second time, the boy was not in sight, having gone into a neighbour’s house, and thus escaped being added in the number of victims. Marshall was sent to York Castle on Sunday. His wife, who had left home on that fatal morning to assist in the way of business, at a neighbouring house, has since this tragic event, been confined to her bed, in a state of great excitement and affliction, and great fears are entertained of her restoration to health, and the future enjoyment of her mental faculties.
The children were buried by the Dean of Ripon, amidst a large concourse of spectators, who seemed much afflicted on the melancholy occasion.
Sources used:
1837-06-24 Leeds Intelligencer
1837-06-24 Leeds Times
1837-06-24 York Herald
1837-07-22 Yorkshire Gazette
1837-07-24 Yorkshire Gazette
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