Chronicles of Newgate, Vol. 2: From the eighteenth century to its demolitionGriffiths, Arthur
History
Chronicles of Newgate, Vol. 2: From the eighteenth century to its demolition
Griffiths, Arthur
Criminals -- Great Britain; Newgate (Prison : London, England); Prisons -- England; Punishment -- Great Britain
Greenacre, when tried at the Old Bailey, admitted that he had been
guilty of manslaughter. While conversing with Mrs. Brown, he declared
the unfortunate woman was rocking herself to and fro in a chair; as she
leaned back he put his foot against the chair, and so tilted it over.
Mrs. Brown fell with it, and Greenacre, to his horror, found that she
was dead. But the medical evidence was clear that the decapitation had
been effected during life, and the jury, after a short deliberation,
without hesitation brought in a verdict of wilful murder. The woman
Gale was also found guilty, but sentence of death was passed only
on Greenacre. The execution was, as usual, attended by an immense
concourse, and Greenacre died amidst the loudest execrations. Gale was
sentenced to penal servitude for life.
The gravest crimes continued at intervals to inspire the town with
horror, and concentrate public attention upon the gaol of Newgate,
and the murderers immured within its walls. Courvoisier's case
made a great stir. There was unusual atrocity in this murder of an
aged, infirm gentleman, a scion of the ducal house of Bedford, by
his confidential valet and personal attendant. Lord William Russell
lived alone in Norfolk Street, Park Lane. He was a widower, and
seventy-three years of age. One morning in May his lordship was found
dead in his bed with his throat cut. The fact of the murder was first
discovered by the housemaid, who, on going down early, was surprised
to find the dining-room in a state of utter confusion; the furniture
turned upside down, the drawers of the escritoire open and rifled, a
bundle lying on the floor, as though thieves had been interrupted in
the act. The housemaid summoned the cook, and both went to call the
valet, Courvoisier, who came from his room ready dressed, a suspicious
circumstance, as he was always late in the morning. The housemaid
suggested that they should see if his lordship was all right, and the
three went to his bed-room. While Courvoisier opened the shutters, the
housemaid, approaching the bed, saw that the pillow was saturated with
blood.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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