Murder of Joseph Wilson at the Lintz Green Station

 On the night of October 7, 1911, it was a normal work night for 60-year-old Joseph Wilson. He was the station master at the Lintz Green Station un County Durnham, England. He would see off the last train around 11 p.m. that night. After it had left Joseph walked to his home 50 yards from the station. 

Someone would ambush the stationmaster on his doorstep. Sand would be thrown into his eyes and there was an attempt to gag him with a linen cloth. During a struggle, he would be shot in the chest. This would not automatically kill him, but he was unable to say who did. Four Miners who were on the last train weren't very far when they heard the gunshot.

By the time they arrived to Joseph's aid, his killer had disappeared unseen. His daughter was in the house and came out when she heard the sound. The miners and his daughter brought Joseph into his home and tried to help him. He seemed to have tried to talk but was unable to do so before he died. 

Police believed that the motive for the murder was a robbery. Though the day's takings weren't with him and he had brought them home earlier that day. 

The prime suspect in this case was 25-year-old Samuel Atkison. Samuel was a relief porter for railroad. Someone stated that they saw him at the station that night. Samuel said that he had went home after work and went for a walk around 7. He would be arrested and arraigned at the local Magistrats Court. At the trial there was no evidence against Samuel and this allowed him to be released. This case was never solved. 

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

True Crime Library

Unsolved Murder UK

The Times October 9, 1911

The Guardian October 13, 1911

MISSING: Sheila Fox

 

On 18 August 1944 around 4 p.m. 6-year-old Sheila Fox was seen leaving her school in Farnworth, Lancashire, England. Companions of Shiela would state that they would see the girl with a man with a bike outside of a bakery. Some accounts say she was on his upturned handlebars others said she was walking with him. 

One witness claimed they had talked with Sheila while she was with the man. Sheila told this person that she was "going with the man". This behavior would have been strange for the shy girl if she did not initially know or was comfortable with the man. 

Sheila's parents had initially hoped that she would return home. They did not want to believe that their daughter had met with some sort of foul play and instead had gone to London to meet friends. According to neighbors later they changed their mind and acknowledged that something had happened to their daughter. 

The Man was described as being a well-dressed, clean-shaven male with a slim build between 25 to 30-years-old. 

In 2001 a man who was 13-years-old at the time of the disappearance came to the police and told them he suspected his neighbor had hurt Sheila. He had seen him around that time digging in his garden. The garden was dug up, but there was no evidence. It was found out the suspected neighbor had been convicted of rape in 1950 and in the 1960's child rape. The man was deceased by then and his son stated he had no knowledge of anything requiring a police search. It's unknown if he had anything to do with Sheila's disappearance. 

Sheila is a white female and was 6-years-old at the time. She was wearing a blue-flowered frock, a green coat, stockings and shoes, and pink bows in her hair. 

SOURCES:

Doe Network

Wikipedia

The Line-Up

Murder of Annie Yates

 In 1884, 23/24-years-old Annie Yates was living at No. 12, Burton-Crescent St. (now known as Cartwright Gardens) in London, England. It was a home that rented out furnished apartments to women. Annie's room was on the first floor in the back. At the time Annie was working as a prostitute. Annie's past is a bit mysterious. It's believed that Annie Yates was an alias as a friend said that her name was Mary Anne Marshall, and her friends were in Reading. One article refers to her as Mary Anne Yates. 

On the night of 8 March 1884 Annie Yates and another lodger Annie Ellis this was not unusual for the pair. Around 1 a.m. The two would part at Euston road as Annie Yates had gotten into a conversation with a well-dressed man. It wouldn't be until around 2 a.m. that Annie was heard coming home with a man who is assumed to be the same man she was seen with earlier. 

Around 3 a.m. screams were heard from Annie's room, but it wasn't unusual. The other lodgers said that she would go into bouts of hysteria and those sounded similar to her screaming that night. A considerable time after the screaming sounds of a man going downstairs and leaving the house was heard. This was also not an uncommon sound in the place so nobody went to check.

Annie would not end up coming down for breakfast. Between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. Annie Ellis went upstairs to check on her friend. The door was already open a crack so Annie E. went inside. What she saw was the bedding piled up on something. Seeing Annie's foot sticking out from underneath Annie E. pulled them off. 

Annie was laying on her stomach. She was partially dressed and was laying in a pool of her blood. She had a serious gash on the left side of her head above her ear and had a towel tightly tied around her mouth with the knot on the back of her head. Annie E. noted that there were bruises on the back of her legs. It was found that there was blood on the wall bed and towel. 

The alarm was raised to Mrs. Apex the landlady of the house. Mrs. Apex would send for medical help and notified the police station. Unfortunately, Annie had been dead for hours and it was believed the towel wrapped around her mouth had led to her suffocating.

Police searched for the weapon used to hit Annie, but it was not found. It's likely the wound on her head knocked her out and then the towel was tied around her mouth while she was unconscious It's unknown if he did intend to kill Annie or to silence her in case she woke up.

The room had also seemed to have been ransacked. It was found that the killer had possibly stolen a dark leather purse with a clamp and a gold ring Annie was wearing that night/morning was gone. Annies ring was described as 9-carat gold with three gems, a turquoise gem in the middle with two pearls on either side of it. 

The man last seen with Annie was around 25-years-old. He was described as being fair, with a medium height. He was wearing a black felt hat, brown cutaway coat, he seemed to have a respectable appearance.

According to Wikipedia, this murder was never solved.

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

The Times 9 March 1884

The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, Western Countries and South Wales Advertiser 15 March 1884

The Preston Chronicle and Lancashire Advertiser 22 March 1884

STRANGE HISTORY: Agnes Bowker Gave Birth to a Cat

 

157 years before the case of Mary Toft was the case of Agnes Bowker. A 27-year-old woman claimed to have given birth to a cat.

In 1568 Agnes Bowker got pregnant which was looked down upon at the time. At the time she was a 27-year-old house servant that worked in Leicestershire, England. On Jan. 17, 1569, Agnes went into labor and gave birth to the supposed cat.

A midwife Elizabeth Harrison talked of a being that would visit Agnes. It would come in the likeness of a bear, or dog, or even sometimes a man. Before Agnes gave birth she told Elizabeth of a Dutch woman she walked by in the countryside who had told her she would give birth to a mooncalf (A monstrous creature).

There were several women present at the birth, but most claimed to have seen nothing. One witness Margret Roos claimed to have been pricked by the beat while it was still in the womb. The women were sent to go get essentials for the birth and came back the monster was laying on the ground and they believed Agnes gave birth to it.

A midwife Elizabeth Harrison talked of a being that would visit Agnes. It would come in the likeness of a bear, or dog, or even sometimes a man.

Local men were suspicious of the supposed birth. The cat has dissected it and found hay and bacon inside. It was known Agnes had tried to borrow a cat and neighbors ended up disappearing. It was not something that was carried by Agnes, but a cat that was killed and skinned.

The tale was spread around and eventually Anthony Anderson, the Archdeacon's Commissary, decided to investigate it. The courts suspected that infanticide may have been committed. But it's possible it was investigated out of curiosity and may have possibly done it to stop the story from spreading any further.

It's unknown what her motives for claiming she gave birth to a cat. It's thought that maybe she wanted to be seen as a victim as her stories for how she got pregnant portrayed her. At the time it was seen as it may have been shameful for her to have become a mother before a wife.

Agness was also examined and told tales of her pregnancy. It's unknown whatever happen to her own baby as it was known she was in fact pregnant.

She told several stories about what had happened to it. She claimed a schoolmaster seduced her and gave her epilepsy. She said that he told her the only way to be cured is to give birth. She claimed the schoolmaster sent the demon that Elizabeth Harrison claimed she saw. So Agnes slept with it and got pregnant.

She first claims that she gave birth and the baby was being nursed at Guisborough. There was another that she gave birth before Christmas and the child was stillborn and buried in Little Bowden. She would then claim she didn't know what had happened when she gave birth other than the midwife saying it was a monster she gave birth to. It's possible she may have committed infanticide and that's why the story of her giving birth to a monster came to be.

SOURCES:
Tudor Society
Historic Mysteries
Mysterious Universe 
Neatorama

MISSING: Glenn Miller

 

On March 1, 1904 Alton Glenn Miller, later known as Glenn Miller, was born in Iowa. His mother would pass on her love of music onto him. Growing up Glenn moved to several states in 1906 they moved to Nebraska, and then in 1917 they moved to Grant City, Missouri. In Missouri Glenn and his older brother Dean joined the community band. He played Trombone for them.

In 1918 they again moved, but to Fort Morgan, Colorado. He was a part of the football team, but did not give up on music. His passion for a new type of music called dance band music, even caused him and some fellow classmates to start their own band.

His passion for the music was so big in 1921 instead of staying for his graduation he wet to Wyoming to play in a band. His mother had to accept his diploma on his part. The principal even commented that she worked harder on it than Glenn did.

Glenn made the decision to become a professional musician. He had even signed a contract with a band called the Senators Stampedes. He had attempted to stay in college even was a part of the Boulder Orchestra, but it only lasted two years. He then went onto the Tommy Watkins Orchestra.

Glenn had played for several bands from Los Angeles to New York, and 1937 he finally decided to create his own band. It had failed, but he did not give up his dreams. He tried again in the March of 1939 and this time he gained recognition. By the fall of 1939 the band was known nation wide. They even played for the movies Sun Valley Serenade in 1941 and Orchestra Wives in 1942.

In 1942 Glenn thought it was best to serve in the military and support the troops. He was not drafted due to his older age and so he volunteered, but was initially rejected. After writing to the Army's Brigadier General Charles Young on August 12, 1942 he was accepted. He was hired to help bring more life to the military band and modernize them.

The last concert his civilian band played was on September 27, 1942. It was a sad occasion for the whole band. Their last song was supposed to be their theme song Moonlight Serenade. They could not finish it all the way.

Glenn became part of the Army Specialty Corps and conducted a 50 member Army Air Force Band. His goal was to bring some modernization to the military band. He wanted the troops to feel a touch at home with their music.

Like in his civilian life Glenn's Military Band was a hit. Some even claim that this was the best band he was a part of. The band gave over 800 performances many were for the troops, and some were broadcasts. They even played for the troops overseas

On December  15, 1944, Glenn boarded a single-engine C-64 plane from the UK to Paris. He was going to prepare the band to play. But Glenn never made it to France. It's believed that his plane crashed into the English Channel.

Glenn was a 40-year-old male. There aren't any other statistics for him. 

Sources:
Glenn Miller
Doe Network
War Time Entertainment in WWII
USO

Strange History: Case of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B Cumpston

 In early December of 1873, a couple Mrs. Martha Ann and Thomas B. Cumpston experienced a strange occurrence at the Victoria Hotel in Bristol, England. They were staying at Clifton but wanted to proceed to Weston-super-mare in the morning.

They never expected to experience something terrifying that night.

When they settled down around midnight they began hearing strange noises. They let the landlady know and reassured them that it was nothing and not to worry about it.

About 4 in the morning they heard noises again. When they spoke the words they said echoed back to them.  Thomas seemed to more affected by the noises than Martha. The floor felt like it was giving away and then bed opened up beneath them and they fell in a pit. They believed that they were in a den of rogues and thieves and were in fear of their lives.

Thomas fired his revolver at the ceiling when Martha asked him to. To scare off whoever was there.  They were so terrified for their lives they jumped from the window that was twelve feet from the ground. Martha had stated she didn't even remember how they were able to out the window. The two rushed to the railway station finding somewhere away from the room.

The couple was charged with disorderly conduct and firing a firearm. When they spoke in front of the magistrate the charges were dropped. The way they spoke made it seem like they both believed what they were saying. The Magistrate believed that the young couple was suffering from a shared hallucination.

SOURCES:
Cool Interesting Stuff
Scary Carries
Phantoms and Monsters 
Strange Company
The Bradford  Observer 
The Morning Post
Birmingham Daily Post
The Times

UNIDENTIFIED: November 6, 1930 Hardingstone, England John Doe

 

In November 1930, 35-year-old Alfred Rouse met a man outside of a London, England pub. The man would tell him a down-and-out and a hard-luck story, he was looking for work and mentioned he had no family. Alfred would then bring the unknown man to a pub for drinks. He would drink lemonade as he pays for the unknown man's drinks.

Alfred for a while thought of faking his own death for a while. He was fed up with his life and was expecting children from his mistresses. He wanted to start life over again and realized that the man would not be missed and took the opportunity. He would search out for the man on the 2nd or 3rd of November and would find him. Alfred would tell the man that he was going to Leicester on Wednesday and would give the unknown man a lift there. He would make an appointment to meet the man to meet on November 5th at 8 p.m.

On the 5th he would meet the man outside of the pub. The two men would ride in Alfred's Morris Minor. On the drive, the two would talk a lot, and the man would drink the whisky Alfred gave him. When they got to Hardingstone the man would be half dozing due to the whisky. He would grip the man's throat with his right hand and pushed his head against the back of the seat. The man did not resist and just gurgled. 

Around 1 a.m. on November 6th Alfred would then go and loosen the feeding pipe between the petrol tank and the carburetor. He would take the petrol can from the boot and poured it on both the victim and the vehicle before placing it back in the rear of the car and grab his attaché case Standing from a distance he would catch the vehicle on fire. The man was unconscious and burned alive.

His intention was to walk to Northampton and travel to Scottland by train to start his new life. But when he was walking away from the vehicle he would pass two young men. The men noticed the smoke and said something about it. In response, Alfred responded with "It looks like someone's having a bonfire up there." Alfred would then abandon his plan and return home as the men had seen him and he believed that no one would think it was him who was dead. He would then report the vehicle stolen.

The victim was badly burned in the vehicle. He would not be identified. Alfred would be soon arrested for the murder. He would be insistent during the trial that the car was caught on fire due to John Doe's Cigar. That John Doe had been asked to fill the petrol and he must have accidentally lit the car on fire. The Jury would find him guilty and he would be sentenced to hang. 

It wasn't until a few days before his execution on 10 March 1931 that Alfred admitted to the murder. He would write to the Daily Sketch of the events that happened. Alfred would refuse to help the police find the man's identity. He would though give some descriptions of him. He did not know the man's name as he had no reason to ask.

John Doe was between 33 and 40-years-old. He was 5'6" to 5'8". The autopsy revealed that he had worked in an extremely dusty place throughout his lfe. The following descriptions are from Alfred. The man was respectfully dressed in a light-colored overcoat and had an overall appearance of a clerk. He had a slight brogue and had a sporting or boxing tattoo on his right forearm. At the time he was wearing police boots and had told Alfred that London police had given them to him. He had also carried a sports diary. 

In 2012 DNA was taken from the John Doe, but this has not led to an identification yet. 

SOURCES:

Unidentified Wiki

Wikipedia

BBC

INFANTICIDE: August 26, 1952 Dunblane, Scotland

 On August 26, 1952, a newborn baby was found Thornhill to Callander Rd in Dunblane, Scotland. She was found lying among pieces of newspaper, garbage, and potato peelings. The baby was found alive and was murdered. Someone had shove portions of newspaper down her throat. It's believed that someone may have taken the child there in a garbage pail, probably by car, and disposed of the previous night.

SOURCES:

Unsolved Murders UK

Mary Cacknall Wright Murders Her Newborn

Before 06 August 1873 20-year-old Mary Cracknall Wright had given birth to a baby. She was the daughter of the landlord of the Queen's Head Inn. She had slit the throat of her newborn twice and hid the body between the mattress and bed in her room in Bradwell, England. When asked she admitted to killing the child and that she had also planned to kill herself by slicing her own throat. A corners jury returned with a verdict of Willful murder.

SOURCES:
The Huddersfield Chronicle and West Yorkshire Advertiser 06 August 1873
The Huddersfield Chronicle and West Yorkshire Advertiser 09 August 1873

The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, Western Countries and South Wales Advertiser 09 August 1873

The Royal Cornwall Gazette, Falmouth Packet, and General Advertiser 09 August 1873

The Royal Cornwall Gazette, Falmouth Packet, and General Advertiser  16 August 1873

Murder of Harriet Baker

At one point Harriet Baker and George Jones lived together but were separated by 27 July 1877. On the night of July 27th, Harriet went to George's home in Burslem, England.  A neighbor had also been dining with the two. Two were having an argument about a letter. During the absent neighbor, George claimed Harriet had struck him and response he had stabbed her with a knife.

He was charged with manslaughter and life in prison.

SOURCES:
Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland (01 August 1877)

Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland (14 Nov 1877)

Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland (09 November 1877)

Murders of Freda Burnell and Florence Little

Freda Burnell                         Florence Little

On the morning of  5 Feb. 1921 around 9 a.m. 8-year-old Freda Burnell went to buy poultry grit and spice at Mortimer's Corn Store on Somerset Street in Abertillery, Wales. She would arrive at the store where 15-year-old Harold Jones was working. He would be the last person to see Freda alive.

He would somehow get the girl to the chicken run shed belonging to Harold's employer. This was where he would attack and kill the girl. He would tie up her elbows behind her back, and ankles together. She would have been gagged, and he would attempt to sexually assault her. He would hit her in the head with an ax handle and strangled her with a cord.

Later Freda's father would go and search for the girl, but she could not be found. He would go to the shop and ask if she had been there. Harold would tell him that she had been there, but was only there for 10 minutes and said that she was going to ask her father if loose poultry grit was okay. By 3 p.m. police were informed of the girl's disappearance. For 6 hours they searched for her, but could not find her. At 10:20 to 10:30 Harold kept others from the shed and went to it on his own.

Freda's body would be found at 7:30 the next morning. She was concealed in a bag still bound with the cord still wrapped around her neck. It was noted that traces of corn Chaff was found on her body. The police would look at the shed that Jones and his employers only had access to. Inside the shed, the ax handle used to beat her and her handkerchief was found hidden among sacking.

Harold would soon be arrested and tried for Freda's murder on 21 June. He would remain calm at trial even during his testimony for his own defense withstanding rigorous cross-examination. His employer Hebert Mortrimer would provide an alibi insisting that his son and Harold were working in the store before they were sent to deliver a sack of potatoes to a customer around 10 a.m. His father would also testify that Harold did not leave the home that night and leave Freda's body where it was found. His testimony was corroborated by his wife's and it was noted that he exhibited good behavior with young girls.

Evidence showing that Freda was likely killed by Harold. He had contradicted himself on several occasions in the initial inquest. Despite this after the jury deliberated for 5 hours and he would be acquitted for Freda's murder.

There were numerous supporters for Harold at the time. Many believed that a 15-year-old could not kill and sexually assault a young child. After a private reunion with his parents, they would be escorted to a local restaurant to eat. At the service, Harold would state "I thank you all. I do not hold a grudge against the people of Abertillery for the horrendous ordeal I have been put through." One of those who would greet him would be George Little a neighbor who would say "Well done, lad. We knew you didn't do it."

This would be a statement he would soon regret.

On8 July and 17 days after Harold was acquitted he noticed 11-year-old Florence Little and her sister Flossie outside his home on 10 Darran Rd. Harold would ask the young girl into his home to help him run an errand. She would go inside the home and be attacked. He would instantly partially strangle the girl and dragged her to the kitchen. He would beat her in the head and temple with a plank of wooded before suspending her head and neck over the sick where he grabbed her by the hair and slit her throat with his father's pocket knife.

He would wrap Florence's head with a grey army shirt and concealed her partially dressed body in the attic. He washed all the blood he could find and then proceed to take a bath. Florence's mother would come to the Jones home in search of her. Harold would tell her that she was there at his front door, but had run off. 

At 11:15 p.m. police were notified of Florence's disappearance which led to the house to house searches, and woodland and mountains were searched. There were hundreds of volunteers including Harold Jones. 

Police would still suspect the boy of this killing. When asked he repeated the lies he told Mrs. Little. With his father's consent, the police searched the home at 8:30 a.m. and Harold would sneak out of the home knowing she would be found. 

Police found that the trapdoor for the attic and a table nearby was blood-stained and had evidence of an attempt of being cleaned. They searched the attic and found the little girl's body outstretched on the rafters. An extended search of the home led to the blood-stained knife, a small egg-saucepan filled with blood and water, a blood-stained plank 19 inches long beneath the boiler.

When Phillip Jones was informed of the girl's murder he left the home to perform a citizen's arrest on his son. The two would then go back to Darran rd where Harold was placed under arrest.When the public heard of Harold's arrest for a second murdered girl around 500 people case to the local police station requesting that he be let free.

This was when Superintendent Lewis would address the crowd. "I have found the body of a child in the attic of Harold Jones, foully murdered, and I have arrested Harold Jones. I think this is all I can tell you and it would help us if you disperse and go to your homes." 

On 11 Julyinquest into Florence Little's murder began. On 23 July the jury took 30 minutes to find Harold guilty of murder. During this inquest, Harold was adamant about being innocent. While waiting for his trial in November though on 17 September he made a statement about the motive for the crimes. He said it was " a desire to kill" that led to the deaths. 

On 1 November 1921, he was tried in front of  Mr. Justice  Bray. The trial only last one hour and was ordered to be detained at His Majestys Pleasure. Harold was under 16 at the time and couldn't be subjected to any capital punishment. He would state that he also killed Freda because of his "desire to kill".

The grocery store was relocated and the Mortimer's moved. He felt guilt and may people were blaming him for giving a false alibi and it helped allow Harold to be able to kill  Florence. 

Harold would get out of prison on 6 December 1941. He would go and join the Merchant Navy. By 1948 he would then reside in Fulham, London, England under the name Harry Stevens.  He would then go on and have a family and go by Harry. He would get bone cancer and die on 2 Jan. 1971 in London, England. At the time he was going by Harry Jones and before he died he would tell his wife to put Harold Jones on his death certificate. 

Both Freda and Florence were buried in Brynithel Cemetary. Over the decades their graves would fall into disrepair. In 2017 a local author Neil Milkins helped raise £4,000 to help restore the graves and in 2018 they were able to do that. Family members of the girls appreciated that the graves were restored.

Mugshot of Harold Jones on 14 November 1921

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Murderpedia

South Wales Argus 4 August 2018

Find a Grave (Florence)

INFANTICIDE: June 30, London, England Baby Doe

On June 30, 1904, the body of a newborn baby boy was found in London, England. He had died due to suffocation caused by duct tape being wrapped around his neck. There is little information in this case. 

SOURCES:

London Metropolitan Archives City of London Coroners Court Page 110

Unsolved Murders

Murder of Duncan

 

In the 1980s a body of a man was found during building work at the Lanes Shopping Center in Carlisle, England. It appeared that he had been murdered as his head showed evidence of damage by a weapon that caused a small entry wound and large exit, and he had several facial injuries. It's impossible to know who had killed and dumped this man in a well as it had happened 1,700 years before in the 3rd Century A.D. 

The man was called Duncan by excavators. It's believed that this was an unlawful killing and hiding of the body.  At the time of his death, it was against the law for anybody to buried inside city limits. The dead had to buried outside of the city and if caught the family of the deceased would be paying a heft fine. 

It's unknown now if this man's murder had been known or solved. This case will always remain a mystery

SOURCES:

Unsolved Murders

BBC News 24 January 2004

BBC News 26 May 2004

Free Republic 26 May 2004

Murder of Daniel Awety and the Death Curse of Thomas Busby's chair

 

Picture of Thomas Busby's chair thanks to unsolved mysteries.

The favorite chair of Thomas Busby has an eerie and terrifying past. For over 300 years this chair has been a sight for many, but misfortune for those who actually sit in it. It has even developed the name the chair of death. And it all started in 1702 with a man named Thomas Busby.

Thomas Busby was a man who would take any chance to drink. It was well known in the community about Busby's favorite pass time. This barfly was not a rare sight in his favorite pub. The only thing that would be rare as if he wasn't sitting in his favorite chair. Busby was not a man to be messed with as he was a thief with a bad temper. If someone said anything he didn't like a fight would ensue.

Busby's father-in-law was Daniel Awety a successful coin forger. The two were partners in petty crime.  Daniel Awety decided after earning a lot of money through his "business" to splurge out and buy a farm near Kirby Wiske. He had renamed it, Danotty Hall, after himself of course.

One summer day in 1702 Awety and Busby had a meeting that ended in a heated argument. Busby went back and found his father-in-law sitting in his favorite seat. Busby demanded Awety to get out of his chair and a fight broke out.

In response, Awety told Busby he was going to take his daughter back to Danotty Hall with him. Later that night Busby went to Danotty Hall and killed Awety with a hammer and placed his body in the woods.

Awety's remains were soon found and the authorities found Busby in his favorite chair. Busby went to trial and was found guilty his punishment was hanging and Busby was granted one last request. He was able to take one last drink in his chair.

"Death will come swiftly to whomsoever sits in my chair." Was Busby's last words before he hung. Surprisingly enough his words rung true.

A chimney sweep sat in Busby's chair and he was unfortunately fell off a roof and had died. This was the first time the chair had been used in decades and this unnamed chimney sweep was the first noted victim. He was not the only one. People were always dared to sit in the chair, but most refused. Some lost their lives doing so.

Some of the most noticeable was when in WWII the place became a hot spot for Members of the Air Force. Few were not afraid to sit in the chair and it was noticeable that those few did not make it home. In 1967 a couple of RAF  sat in the chair and later that night hit a tree head on in their car and died. A lot of daredevils from all around wanted to see the chair. The landlord his it in the basement in hope no one would get hurt.

That didn't help because a roofer sat on the chair to rest and his death soon came after. A cleaning lady who stumbled over the chair had died and even more had died. In the 1970's the chair was donated to the Thrisk Museum where it now resides six feet off the ground so that no one will ever die from it again.

SOURCES:
Historic Mysteries
Unsolved Mysteries Wiki
Thirsk Museum
Profiling the Unexplained
Real Unexplained Mysteries
Unexplainable

Murder of Hannah Brown

Hannah Brown lived in an apartment owned by Elizabeth Corney. She said that Hannah was a good tenant and lived there until December. Hannah told her landlord that she was going to get married on Christmas.

Hannah said her future husband wanted her to get pocket money from selling her things as where she was going they would have enough stuff. On December 24th a man came to her apartment and placed her trunks in a hackney-coach. She told Elizabeth that she wasn't going to hand over the keys yet because she had something still there and would be there Monday to pick it up.

 She never told anyone who he was, Except for a friend, Hannah Davis, someone supposed to participate in the wedding. They had dinner that her home All they got was the name Greenacre from Hannah and him. He promised to bring her to America to his property in Hudson Bay.

James Greenacre came to the friend's home on Christmas. They were all ready for the wedding. He asked her if she had seen Hannah. They stated no. He told her the wedding was off as he didn't want to pull them both into poverty after finding out Hannah had no property. He refused to come into the house and thanked them for the dinner they were invited to on December 22nd.

He then told her brother's mistress the same thing. He said that Hannah lied about having money and made him go into debt. She tried to get him to talk to Hannah's brother, but he refused. He was in a hurry to leave.

Hannah never arrived that Monday. Instead, a boy came with the key and told Elizabeth that a man had given him the key to give to her.  When she went in there was only a birdcage. The rent at the apartment was done weekly and was paid on Tuesdays.

On December 28, 1836, A man found Hannah's torso in a bag on Edgware Road in London, England. It was 20 yards from Pineapple Gate behind a flagstone, there was a cord that closed the mouth of the bag.  Inside the bag were bloody rags and a torn child's frock.

On Jan. 6, 1837 Hannah's head was found in a canal near Stepney. Her face seemed to have been mangled. Her legs were then found in Camberwell. She was left unidentified for 10 weeks. Her brother and wife then went to go see the face of the murdered woman. Fearing it was Hannah.

The face was mangled, but they were able to recognize her. There also other things that pointed to her identification. There was a bite mark from a dog that had bitten her on the leg, and her ear had been torn at some point.

Investigators found that the to be husband was James Greenacre. He was in bed with another woman when the police came. He rented a room and the woman and a child rented the other room in the home. Hannah's things were found in the home. He initially denied that he knew her, but soon admitted he did.  He told the Investigator that he was lucky he got him that night as he was leaving the next day.

He said he found that Hannah was trying to buy some silk nightgowns in his name. On Christmas-Eve she came to his home and seemed to be drinking with some coachmen. She asked for some Rum and tea and he obliged as they drank together.

He then brought up the silk gowns and that she misrepresented herself. She retaliated and told him they were declined and that he was lying about his worth. She was rocking her chair back and forth during this conversation and he put his foot against her chair. She fell backward.

Her head his a chunk of wood and he claimed it had killed her. He tried to shake her awake, but it failed. He then dismembered the body and pretended to look for her to tell her the wedding was off.

The autopsy showed that she was dismembered shortly after death. That the injury to the eye may have been first and then the blow to the back of the head. He told the woman he was living with that Hannah had left all of her things in the home. He gave the things to her and had no idea of the murder as she was out of the home at the time.

James Greenacre was found guilty of the crime.

SOURCES:
History By The Yard
The Champion and Weekly Herald
The Leeds Intelligencer and Yorkshire General Advertiser

INFANTICIDE: November 14, 1920 Wakefield/Woolley, England Baby Doe

On the afternoon of November 14, 1920, a farm laborer saw a green taxi-cab coming from the direction of Wakefield to Woolley, England. He said that the driver was wearing a uniform and that the nearside was a woman. He hadn't realized what the people in the taxi had done.

Another witness stated that while walking down Mill Lane towards Barnsley Rd. they saw the taxi pass the end of the lane. He saw someone closing a door and continued driving. It's believed that they tossed something out. What was left by the road was a pillow slip with a dead newborn baby girl inside.

The girl had been born alive but may have died due to inattention at birth. It's likely that the baby was abandoned like this to hide the fact the mother was even pregnant.

SOURCES:
Unsolved Murders

Murders of Phoebe Hogg and her daughter Phoebe Hogg

Wax sculpture of Mary Pearcey

In 1890 Mary Eleanor (Wheeler) Pearcey was hung for killing her lover's wife and baby in North London, England. More is known about Mary than Phoebe and baby Phoebe due to a mysterious ad she placed in the newspaper.

 At the time of the murders, she was 24 years old and was described as 5'6" and had a 'lovely russet of hair and fine blue eyes," she was also described as having a normal build and shapely hands. She wasn't the prettiest of women but had no problem attracting men.

In her late teens, she was in a relationship with a carpenter named John Charles Pearcey. She took his name though they weren't married. She continued to use it even after their relationship was over, Mary never really had to work as she associated herself with better off men. She had several admirers who paid for things for her including her rented room.

Mary suffered from depression and would drink heavily. She only had her mother and sisters as her only living relatives. She had other suitors and in addition to Charles Creighton who paid for her room, she fell for Frank Hoggs. He was a furniture remover and impressed Mary with his printed cards.

She would put a light in her window to let Frank know she was free and he would let himself in with his copy of a key. Frank and Mary were somewhat together but had affairs with other people. Frank had gotten another girl pregnant and was to marry her. Mary was slightly upset but asked if they could still have an affair and she'll treat his soon to be wife as a friend. They agreed to this.

Phoebe Styles thus married Frank Hogg in November of 1888. At the time she was three months pregnant and gave birth to their daughter Pheobe in the summer of 1889. The affair between Frank and Mary continued like planned.

On October 24, 1890, Mary allegedly asked young Willie Holmes to run an errand for her. She asked him to deliver a note to Phoebe Hoggs for a penny. He delivered the note and inside it was Mary inviting Pheobe over for tea.

Around 4 p.m. Charlotte Priddington, a neighbor of Mary heard the sound of breaking glass coming from Mary's. Worried she called over the fence asking if Mary was alright. She got no response. Sometime between 4 and 7 a neighbor saw Mary walking with a baby pram with a heavy object inside it.

At 7.p.m A man was returning back home from work. He found Phoebe's body was found lying on a pavement in Crossfield Road. Her head was wrapped in a cardigan which he removed and saw her bloodstained face.

Phoebe's skull had been fractured and her throat had been slit. Her throat had been nearly decapitated from the slit. There were bruises on her head and arms showing she was trying to defend herself. It was found she was murdered elsewhere and left there. She wasn't identified at the time and her baby wasn't with her.

The next morning a constable found a bloody pram in Hamilton Terrace a mile away from Phoebe. The body of baby Phoebe was found the next day. She had been suffocated to death. It was unknown whether or not it was intentional. She was either killed during or after the murder of her mother. She could have possibly been killed in the pram from her mother's body being placed upon her.

Frank had sent his sister Clara to go ask Mary if they had seen Phoebe and the baby. Mary denied seeing her and went with Clara to see if the bodies in the morgue were Phoebe and the baby. Mary's behavior became strange at the morgue. It was like Mary was trying to prevent Clara from identifying them. Clara went and identified them.

When Frank heard the news that they were dead he admitted to having an affair with Mary. Police went to her home on Priory St. and found the kitchen bloodstained and the windows were broken. It was obvious that this was a crime scene. A rug with bloodstains was attempted to be cleaned with paraffin. as a bloodstained poker and knife had also been found. When asked about it Mary responded with "Killing mice, killing mice, killing mice." Police searched the house with her there and she played popular songs on her piano.

Mary was arrested, and when Mary was searched there were bloodstains on her clothes, scratched on her hands and two wedding rings. One of which was Phoebe's.

While waiting in police court awaiting the committal hearing Mary started to talk to Sarah Sawhill, a woman looking after her. She told her that Phoebe did come over for tea. Phoebe had said something that offended Mary and they argued. Mary went silent as soon as she realized she was incriminating herself.

Mary had entered a plea of not guilty. She was hanged on December 23, 1890. It was noted that Mary seemed to have been calm and accepted her fate. Upon learning her fate she requested an ad to be placed in the newspaper.

"MECP Last wish of MEW. Have not betrayed. MEW"

She would not elaborate what the message had meant, but it could be assumed that MEW was referencing to herself. As her birth name was Mary Eleanor Wheeler. That would mean MECP may also be a person, but who the message was for and what it meant is unknown.

Some believe that she was possibly a Jack the Ripper suspect for the brutal way Mary had slit Pheobe's throat and ditched her in a public place. Some believe Jack The Ripper had killed in private. This though contradicts the information of the crimes which took place at the place the bodies were found.

SOURCES:
Casebook
Historic Mysteries
Capital Punishment UK
Find a Grave

Murder of Mary Stark

On 17 October 1801, Sarah Pafquin came home about 8 that night. She lived on the second floor of a Clements Lane, London, England apartment. Mary Stark and her husband 32-year-old Richard lived on the third floor.  Mary and Sarah visited several times that night. It was about midnight when Richard came home and Sarah was lying on top of the bed with their child sleeping. Before going upstairs he asked Sarah for candlelight.

This was when Sarah heard the mother and child start to scream. This was a common occurrence in the residence. He would beat Mary. On this night she went upstairs to try to get him to stop beating Mary. The door was shut and she could hear Mary beg him to not beat her and Richard swearing at her. He opened the door for Sarah and she came into the room. He continued to beat Mary. He told Sarah it was because Mary had pawned his breeches.

She got Mary to come downstairs with her to her room. Richard followed them down and once they got to the room Richard went inside to and hit Mary in the head knocking her down. Sarah told him to stop beating Mary and not to do it in her home and he asked her to turn her out of her home then. He continued to beat Mary.

Sarah helped Mary up and she was trembling and Sarah asked him to bring her up to their room. Instead, he took a hand full of Mary's hair and dragged her out to the hallway where he bashed her head on the floor. Somehow Mary made it upstairs and Sarah and Richard followed. Mary collapsed on the bed hard. Sarah covered her up and told Richard to not beat her anymore. She said she didn't hear anymore beating after that.

The next morning Sarah saw Richard leave for work. She went upstairs to check on Mary but did not get a response. Sarah thought that Mary had been asleep. Mary Terry who lived in the room under Mary stated that she heard everything that night.

She went upstairs after around 10 in the morning on Sunday after the beating to check on Mary. She found Mary was laying on her left side and her child was trying to drink milk from her breast. Mary was already dead at this point.

During the trial, they tried to make it seem as if Sarah and Mary were drunk, but Mary Terry stated that neither was drinking that night as she had also seen them a few times through the night before the beating. Richard was found guilty at trial and was set to hand on 2 November. He was also hung with James Legg who had killed his roommate William Lamb. The two hung for an hour before being cut down.

SOURCES:
The Caledonian Mercury
The Caledonian Mercury (Execution)
Capital Punishment UK
The Derby Mercury

Murder of Emily and William Cockin

26-year-old George Cockin and his wife separated In September 1878. It wasn't said why the two separated, but it could be because his wife was an alcoholic at the time. The residents at the place they l lodged with Mrs. Hubbarks on Philidelphia Street in Bristol, England did not like her. She had been stealing curtains and linen from their landlord to sell for alcohol. When she left George was living with his five-year-old daughter Emily and 3-year-old son William. By October they had been living there for 5 months.

It was known that his wife would try to see the children while George was not home. He never saw her, but knew she was going to try to take the children away from him.  On October 13, 1878, the children's mother came to the home again. This time she brought toys with her for the children. He told someone else lodging there that to tell her she was unwelcomed and to go back to the man she was with.

The next morning on October 14 George went out and bought a frock and boots for his son. He did not go to work this day and seemed to be going in and out of the house constantly. He seemed sober for most of the day though. He then went out with the children for dinner. They arrived back home about a quarter to 5. He was witnessed holding his children's hands saying; "Come on Emmy and Willie; come with dada upstairs."

Another witness said that the children had seemed upset before going up. They had heard George take off his boots and then told the children to go to bed.

They then followed their father upstairs. William had come downstairs several times within 10 minutes and Emily came down each time to get her brother. About 5 or so minutes later George came downstairs crying. He did not have his boots or coat on anymore. He was also bleeding from his neck as he had tried to slice it. He said, "Mrs. Fowler do go up; I have killed my children."

Mrs. Fowler scared for the children rushed upstairs to find the children. Emily was lying on the floor of the landing and William was lying on the bed. Both of them had their throats slit, but were still alive. The room was said to be covered in blood.

The two children were carried to the infirmary. It was said that William's wounds were worse, but Emily was close to death. So they tried to work on Emily first, but she died within minutes. They then worked on William, but unfortunately, he also died 30 minutes later from his wound.

Witnesses claimed that George never mistreated his children. That he seemed to actually take great care of them. They noticed that he was sober most part of the day and seemed to be sober when he went upstairs with the children. He was drunk when he came back downstairs though.

His family was interviewed and asked if there was a history of mental illness in the family. His brother responded with a yes. They had several family members who were put in an asylum including a brother named William who died in one in 1869. A servant of his sister stated that she had once witnessed him 6 years before putting his head in a boiler hole saying he wanted to destroy himself and he was miserable.  He did have a history of acting strange.

He pled guilty for his daughter Emily's murder, but pleaded not guilty for William. His defense didn't claim that he didn't murder the children, but did so in a fit of insanity due to intoxication. The jury found him not guilty on that ground.

SOURCES:
The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, Western Countries and South Wales Advertiser (Oct. 15)

The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, Western Countries and South Wales Advertiser (Nov. 9)

The Lancaster Gazette 

Murder of William Lamb

By 02 October 1801 73-year-old James Legg, and Mary and William Lamb shared an apartment at the Royal Chelsea Apartments in London, England. On the morning of 02 October, Mary Lamb woke up around 7 a.m. James Legg was already up and pacing the common room angry and swearing to himself. As a response to his behavior, Mary asked James "What's the matter?" He didn't take that kindly and responded with threatening to turn her out of the room if she said another word.

She went back to check on William and he was sleeping like she thought. He started to get up and then James rushed into the room and forced a pistol into William's hands. William responded with "What is this for?" and threw the pistol into the common room. William then began to get dressed.

This was when James shot William through the side. Another resident of the hospital, John Forester, came to the room after hearing the gunshot. He saw that William was dead and said that James came out of his bedchambers and said "I had done it" twice. John then took the pistol from James. He noticed it was discharged. He had also noted another pistol (the one William threw) was laying broken by the chest of drawers in the common room.

Another resident, Charles Coates, came into the room. He stated that James was also saying along the lines that he was the person or man who did it. He asked why he had killed him James responded with "I gave him a pistol to fight like a man but he threw it down and I fired." Charles stated he was so little agitated and it seemed as if he was joking with him. Charles then stated that he got agitated again and said: "I am satisfied with it."

On the stand, James claimed that he and William quarreled and he insulted James. He said that at one point he had two pistols and the two planned to end their quarreling. He asked William to chose his pistol and when William pulled it out his hand and this angered James and so he fired.

Friends of James claimed that he was deranged. They tried to prove he was insane at the time of the murder, but it wasn't proof enough for the case. He was calm and collective throughout the trial. James was found guilty and ordered to hang on 02 November 1801.

James was hanged on 02 November along with Richard Stark. James kept a soldier like appearance. The two men hung for an hour before being cut down.

SOURCES:
Capital Punishment UK
Aberdeen Journal, and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland

The Bury and Norwich Post

The Exeter Flying Post or, Trewman's Plymouth and Cornish Advertiser

The Caledonian Mercury

The Caledonian Mercury (Execution)