At 7 p.m. on January 1, 1923, Bernard and Elizabeth Quinn were having a New Years party at their home at 1 Woodbine Street, Hendon, Sunderland. At the party were at least4 other people including Elizabeth's mother Elizabeth Cassidy. The party would only end in tragedy.
Elizabeth and 60-year-old Daniel Cassidy had been separated for a while and she was living in Manchester at the time. She wrote earlier to her daughter she would spend Christmas and New Year with her in Sunderland. This information was told to Daniel in hopes of reconciling their relationship. This however was not the case as when as he had a different thought in mind.
Daniel would show up to the party with a revolver. He would shoot six times at people in the room. Bernard, his mother-in-law, and his wife were all three shot. A downstairs tenant, James Coggins, would hear the shots and rush upstairs. He would see Daniel with the revolver.
When he came into the room Daniel struck him with the revolver. James would knock the gun out of his hands and bring him to the ground. He would then march Daniel along Hendon Road until a policeman was found.
The three who were shot were brought to the hospital. Bernard was beyond help and would pass away. The other two would recover from their injuries.
Daniel would be taken to trial and try to plead insanity. The jury did not believe there were any signs of insanity from Daniel and he was found guilty and set to hang. On April 3rd Daniel would be executed in Durham.
SOURCES:
British Executions
Evening Chronicle January 2, 1923
Evening Chronicle January 9, 1923
The Gloucestershire Echo January 15, 1923
The Shepton Mallet Journal, City of Wells Reporter, and County Advertiser April 6, 1923
No comments:
Post a Comment