John and Elizabeth Broadingham would live in Flamborough, England. He would be convicted of smuggling. While he was sentenced Elizabeth would begin an affair with Thomas Aikeny, a younger man. It was no secret to John that Elizabeth was with Thomas as when he got out of jail the two were living together in Lincolnshire. For around three months she would continue to be open about the adultery.
It's unknown why, but Elizabeth would want John dead. She would give hints and shyly suggest to Thomas that he needed to be dead. Thomas didn't want John dead and begged her to run away with him instead. Elizabeth would get Thomas really drunk one night and he would agree with her plan.
She then moved back in with her husband and he welcomed her. Around a week later on February 13, 1776, Elizabeth's plan would be initiated. She would have Thomas knock on the door prepared with a knife. Elizabeth would shake John awake and tell him to investigate it. He would and a terrifying surprise would be on the other side of the door.
Thomas would attack John with the knife. He would stab him in the leg and the stomach. John would stumble into the street screaming for help as he held the murder weapon and tried to keep his insides inside. Neighbors would come and try to help the dying man. He would survive for a while and die the next day.
Thomas would use a knife that identified him. This would lead to him being captured and both him and Elizabeth being arrested. Thomas would be arrested for Murder and Elizabeth for petty treason. Both would be found guilty and set for execution.
On March 20, 1776, the two would be executed. Thomas would be executed. He was hanged at York and then his body was sent to the Leeds Infirmary as a surgical specimen for training students. Elizabeth would be tied to a stake, strangled to death by the executor, and then set on fire. Her ashes were collected by some of the onlookers. She would be the last woman in England executed this way.
SOURCES:
Yorkshires Murderous Women pages 25 to 29
