On the night of August 28, 1874, Alice Hole was sitting on her front porch of their Bristol, England home drinking and waiting for her husband William Hole. She would do this when he was home late. Sarah Cocum a life in domestic servant asked Alice to come inside to go to bed, but she refused. Sarah left Alice on the doorstep to go visit her brother.
Unfortunately, William was also blind drunk when he got home. This lead to yet another fight when he arrived home that night.
When she saw him coming up the road she went inside. Soon after he came inside the house she left and stood in the road near pavement across from their door. He soon came out. They insulted each other and called each other "blackguards". He then hit her so hard she fell to the ground. He locked the door behind him leaving her outside. She crawled to a neighbors doorsteps and sat there for a couple of minutes before going back to her own.
She told her neighbor "I shan't go in tonight." The neighbor reminded her that if the police come by she'd have to go inside.
A few minutes he asked her to come back in and her response was. "When I like." He came out another time just after 11 p.m. to ask her to come in and she also refused. He came out a third time a few minutes later. Alice was in the midst of standing up when he knocked her down. The neighbor who was out their went inside their house and locked the door scared.
Other neighbors witnessed what had happened. William fought with Alice and slit her throat. He then threw the knife against the wall and left it on the pavement when he was done. She was in the sitting position. Someone went to get the police.
William stood on the doorstep and told them that she was not to come in the house. They begged him and he stated, "I've killed her, and I shall be hung for her." A few of the neighbors went and carried Alice into her home anyway. They tried to help stop the bleeding but were unsuccessful.
One person took the knife with them to keep it from William. William followed and asked for the knife, but they refused to give it to him. Sarah returned to the Hole's home from her brothers right after the murder had occurred.
William didn't resist the arrest when they came to get him. He wanted a glass of Brandy before leaving, but the police refused.
An autopsy showed three bruises under the left collarbone, on the right shoulder and the left thigh. Her fingers on her left hand were cut to the bone. Her throat was sliced twice. One was two inches from the chin and the second was lower, deeper and hit her windpipe.
William was prosecuted and executed on April 26, 1875.
The two had been married for around 30 years and were around their 50's. They had one child together and unfortunately, he had died. They seemed to be a loving couple except when they were drinking. In which their fights would become extreme especially in the last 6 or so months. People suspected something would eventually happen.
William was suffering from chronic headaches after a head injury. Despite how he had decided to murder his wife he wasn't crazy. He was a successful businessman and employed several people. He and Alice were well liked in the area.
SOURCES:
Executed Today
The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, Western Countries and South Wales Advertiser
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