CURIOSITIES OF CRIME.

NZ Truth, Issue 98, 4 May 1907, Page 7

CURIOSITIES OF CRIME.

THE CASE 0F JOAN PERRY AND HER SONS.

A Double Mystery.

One of the most remarkable traged-| ies which ever came before the ju- j dicial tribunals m Great Britain m ancient or modern times occurred m the country of Gloucester, m the 3'car of iB6O. One of the great' landed families m that shire was the Campdens, and the representative of that house, THE VISCOUNTESS CAMP-DEN, owned the greater part of the country round. Her ladyship employed as her steward, or bailiff, or factor, for any of these was the official called', one William Harrison, an old and faithful servant, 70 years of age, 50 of which he had passed m the service of the Campdens. Amongst his- other duties on the estate Harrison collected' the rents of the tenants. • • • On August 16 ; 1660, HarriW had to collect rents owing by some of the Campden tenants at Charingworth, distant from his own house about two miles. He set out m the morning on foot, the day passed, the evening arrived, and Harrison had- not returned. Mrs Harrison became uneasy ; her husband was a man of extremely ' regular habits, v and never stayed out late. ' In those far-off days there were no rural police, the roads were dark, and highway roblberies frequent, Mrs Harrison was alarmed ; her husband was carrying, perhaps, a large sum of money, on a lonesome road, and, possibly TRAVERSED BY FOOTPADS. Her uneasiness became so great that she summoned her serving man, John Perry, and ordered him to take the road to Gha-ri-ngworth to "meet the master." Perry turned to comply with the order. Mrs. Harrison's alarm turned to consternation as the night wore on, and neither, master nor man returned. In the end she appears to have made up her mind that her husband had been detained at Charingworth, and would lodge at an inn for the night. Still she \ms uneasy, and at daylight ,on the. morning of the C-th, she sent her son Edward, m quest of his father. • • * * Edward Haruison set off on the Charingworth-road, and soon met John Perry, who declared that his master was not- to ■be found. Edfrard made Perry turn back ; at Ebrington, a village between Campden and Charingworth, they called at the house of one Daniell, who knew the Harrisons weii, and here they came upon the FIRST TRACE OF A TRAGEDY. \Daniell said that Harrison had called on the previdus evening, and told him that he was on his Way home, Dan- 1 icll aSked him to stay for the night, bftt he refused and seemed m great ftaste to get home. It was clear then ■that the steward had started for home, but then on leaving the bouse6*'Daniell he might have turned b&ok. Edward and Perry walked another half-mile and found themselves at Paxford. Here they could obtain no information about the missing man,

| though he was well known personally, j to everyone there. The searchers returned.. Presently they met a villager ; he had not seen Harrison, but he had seen a poor woman on her way to 'gletevn m some of the recently reaped fields. This woman had found m the road, a hat, a comb, and a. band. The woman was found, and she produced from a spot m the hod-go the hat, band and comb. They were the property of the missing man, and had blood upon them. A few nence induced the Woman to leave her gleaning* and to point out the place Where the hat, etc., were found. The spot was at a point whei'e the road had been cut through a furze brakesuch a place m which a ROBBER WOULD LIE IN WAIT, and hide any evidence oj his crime. • « • Harrison junior and Perry searched the bushes for traces of a struggle, for traces of blood, for a corpse, m fact. No clue or trace could be discovered. Meanwhile the gleaner had fled m horror and fear to spread the news, and before long every man, woman, and childj, m Campden were on the spot, searching for something they could not ftnd. No shadow or trace rewarded their search. William Harrison had disappeared as completely as if the earth had opened' and swallowed him, every house Within a large radius was visited, nothinK remained to tell the fate of the old steward of the 1 Campdens. Mrs Harrison fully made up her mind that she would neVer more see ' h<er husband. He had, she firmly foe- ' lieved, tieen fouly robbed and murdered. But by whom? In less than 24 hours suspicion fell on John Perry. What was he fdoiang between the hours of 9 o'clock on the evening of the 16th and the early Jiovcs m the morning., of the I'7'th. Ac or ding to Daniell's story Perry shou i have met his master much aittout the tiane that Harrison would arrive at Uie hedge of the furze brake. EDWARD HARRISON ARRESTED PERRY that very •■night, and next day ■ had him up before a justice of the Peace. 'Phis magistrate— a country squireasked Perry to account for his movements on the night m question, and the suspicions of Mrs Harrison and. Edward were not lessened by the story he toM. * • • ! Perry said :— "I started down Campdenfield, towards CharingWorijh. It Was pitch dark, and I felt afraid to go on. After I had walked a land's length, I met William Read, and told ,tern my errand and that I. was afeawl. I said I would go back and fetch young master's horse* and asked Read to go back with me to the I gate. He did so. I stayed still awhile. Then one Pearoe came by., and as he was 'going across the fields, I walked with him about a bow's shoot, 'but I felt afeard and again returned. Pearce came back with me. to the gate. I crept, into the hen-

roost to sleep, but -could not sleep. I heard the great clock strike twelve. I then arose and set out for Oharingworth. But by-and-bye a great mist fell so that I lost my way. and I orept under a hedge ami slept thufe all night. On the morrow at sunrise I rose up and went towards Charingjworth, to the HOUSE OF EDWARD PLAISTERER. a tenant of my lady's. He told me that master had been with him the afternoon before, and had received of him three and twenty pounds, but stayed not long with him. Then I Went to William Courtis, who said the master had been at his house the day before, but stayed not long. Then I returned homewards, it being about 5 of the clock, and met my young master." "A mighty lame tale, John Perry," said the Justice. "Tell me, further why, if thy heart failed the? and thou wast afraid to Walk alone to Oharingworth at 9 o'clock, and then at 10 o'clock thou didst pluck up courage to start at midnight?" "The moon rose at midnight" was Perry's explanation. • • • Read and Pearce. and Plaisterer and Courtis .were called, and they all corroborated the "lame, tale," yet the alibi was not complete, Read and Pearce were not certain of the time they met Perry. The greatest gap was between 9.30 p.m.,, when Pearce patted with Perry at the gate, and 4 a.m. when Perry knocked ,at Plaisterer's door. The tale was not so lame as before, still it so halted [ that the Justice orcleted the constables to (hold their prisoner for further inquiry. ;) ;j. | • * >tU * From the 18th to the!>24th August John Perry remained m custody, part of the' time at an inn, the remainder m the common gaol. The Justice saw him from time to time, but John Perry stuck to his "lame tale." To his numerous gaolers Perry was more communicative. To one of them he accused ! A "TINKER OF MURDERING HARRISON. To others toe asserted that his master had been killed and robbed by the servant of a gentleman m the neighborhood. To another he declared that his master had been murdered and his body hidden m a rick of beans. ** ' * On August 24, Perry had been so worked upon that he offered, if he were brought before the Justice^ to give time information as to his master's fate. He was immediately taken to the Magistrate, and told one of the most extraordinary stories the mind' of man could conceive. He Said that Harrison had ibeen murdered but not by him. "By whom?" was the nekt question. Slowly and With great deliberation John. Perry made answer, "My mother and my brother, Richard did murder mv master*" .The. Justice was astounded. The 'fact' was sufficiently shooking, but for a son to accuse a mother and his brother of the crime of murder, made all shitd* defc. "I fear," saM the Justice "thou.' aft gliilty 'of thy master's death." Perry replied^ "I $peak nothing but the 1 truth: If I Was to die this minute, I would still say so." "Them," sard the' Justice, "tell us how it was done." Perry then told bis story. Ever since he went into the " steward's service, Ms -brother-! Riohand had been at him TO ROBJHS MASTER. , j When hie would not Richard had saihl that if he (Jolm) would let him (Riohartf) know when the steward went to collect rents, a way Would be found to rob the old man. On the morning of the 16th he chanced to meet his brother, and told him that Mr. Harrison had that day gone to Chari>n£worth t o collect money", and that it, would be easy to commit the robbery that night. When he (JohnO was sent out to meet his master, he saw his brother (Richard) posting along the road, on crime intent, and they two Went together. When tbeyi had gone a little /ttuy, they came upon their mother, Joan Perry, near a garden of Lady Oampden's called. Coriygree. This garden had a wall round it, and the gate was locked ; but some people on the estate had a key. They saW some one enter the Coinygree. Perry said that must be his master taking a short cut home : he (John-) had also a key which he handed to his brother* and then went for a walk m the fields. When he returned he found his master struggling i on the ground, Richard kneel'- 1 kig over him, and his mother standing by. John pleaded with Richard FOR THE OLD MAN'S LIFE, but without avail. He produced a j narrow tape, twisted it tight, and strangled the poor old man. After taking from the murdered maiimmm taking; -from the pocket of the murdered man a bag of money, which the mother took possession of, the brothel's carried the bddy to a great sink hard by and threw it m. As for the hat, band, and comb, John' said that he carried them to the high road near the furze brake, and threw them where the woman found them. The murder had not take*n long to accomplish, and John had returned, he said, close to the house at Campden m time to meet Reid and Pearce and so establish his former alibi. ■ • • Upon the confession and accusation search was made m the sink, but no corpse found. Joan and Richard were arrested, hut they stoutly denied their guilt. John as stoutly persisted m the, accusation, and all three were kept m custody. • • • The Perrys did not enjoy a very creditable reputation. JOAN WAS A REPUTE© WITCH, and the charge of witchcraft was then a very serious one. Apart from John's statement there was no evidence of the crime. Richard and his mother were examined on August 25. Next day the parson of the parish tried by preaching and exhortation to extract a confession. Richard Perry was married, and had two children. '» As the trio were taken to church to hear the parson, the children ran up to their father and took him by the hand to walk with him. No sooner had they touched him than THEIR NOSES BEGAN TO BLEED, a sure sign of guilt to the superstitious. Up to that moment John alone was considered RU'llty, but now there ootiM be no doubt of Richard's guilt.

And if Richard were guilty, .the mother also was blood-stained.

The mother and her spns were token to Gloucester for trial at September Assizes.- A difficulty arose- The Judge, Sir Christopher Turner, refused to put them on trial for murder until the body was found,.. In this -he followed the rule lad down by Sir Mart/hew Hale. "I Would never convict any person of murder or manslaughter unless the fact were proved to he done* (that is, unless some one saw it 'done) "or at least the body found dead." That the body of Mr Harrison had not been found, was not tbe fault of the villagers. They dragged tbe great sink near the mill where J-ahoi Perry said that the, body had been thrown ; they drained all the ponds ; they searched every stack and rick where a BODY MIGHT BE CONCEALED. They : turned over every stone of the ruins of an old castle ; m fact, so thoroughly did they search that when they found nothing they darkly hinted that Joan food spirited away the body. Justice Turner would doubtless fcave turned the trio loose, "but John held stoutly to his statement, and the Judge remanded them for further inquiry. • • • All that autumn and winter Joan and her sons lay m Gloucester Gaol, huddled m one small cell, fed on offal, for they had no money to fee gaolers. After a while John was separated from his mother ' and brother; because lie made complaint of an at Itempt to poison him. Froni September" to April the -three remained m gaol, and at the Spring Assizes were brought before Sir Robert Hyde;. All three pleaded not guilty. Witnesses proved the confession and the accusation made fry John. The hat, comb, and bloody 'band were produced. Several villagers testified how /the children's noses bled when they touched their father. Other evidence there was none. s John, now went back, on his story. He said that he must have fc-een mad when he told it, and that it was quite untrue. Richard and' his mother asseverated m the most solefmm way that they knew nothing of the murder. In those days counsel was. mot allowed to appear for prisoners. The Judge summed up, all three were found guilty. AND SENTENCED TO DEATH. A few days later the gallows were erected on Broadway Hill, m sight of the scene of the murder. One after another the murderers mounted the ladder,' a rope was adjusted, and the ladder wa!s pulled away. Joan was batoged first, for it was hoped, that on the death of the witch,' her baleful influence withdrawn, her sons would - CONFESS THEIR GUILT. After Joan, Richard mounted the lad-> der, "I am innocent," he said, "as God. is my judge, I do beseech him" j —pointing to John— "for the satis- i faction Of the whole world ■ and ' his own conscience to declare truly what lie knows concerning me.". John was silent. When it came to John's titrn, the clergymen begged of him to make- a dean breast of it. John turned to the crowd and said, "t am not obliged to confess to you." A minute or two afterwards, just before, the ladder was pullec^ away, foe. spok© again, "I know 'nothing of my master's death ; nor what has 'become of him ; some day you may posgibly hear," and John Perry died Uncon-^ fesaed and unrepentant. The sequel showed that lie, had nothing to conr fess and nothing' to repent. • •■ # .■ - : • * ■ ■ ■ The Perrys were dead and buried for. twio and>a half-years when there walked into the village of Campden ati old man, . broken -with toil and travel-staittefl. He walked quietly through the village street to the house where how reigned Edward Harrison, Who had been appointed stetyaid ihl»g father's nlace. The old man knocked at the door :i a Servant opined it, and seeing the Old man, fled sorea/miwg. Others of the 'household, came and all stood 'aghast. The old man was NONE OTHER THAN WILLIAM HARRISON, for whose murder three persons had been' hawged. When surprise a nd congratulations had been got ov©r the old man told his story .—On the Thursday afternoon he was returning from Charingworth, having collected very little money. It being harvest -time, the tenants were engaged m the fields. He waited for : some qt them to come m, and that detained him. As he walked homewards lie met <\ horseman, whom he was afraid would ride him' down, so he struck the horse's, hose with his cane. The horseman brought out his sword and ran it faito Harrison's side, while he, with his cane, made what defence he could. Another fellow 'jumped from the bushes and mn his sword into tile stow-a-M's thigh, and yet a third man appeared. They laid hold of Harrison and dragged him into the hedge ; be expected they would have robbed him and left him there, but they did neither. They did not touch his money. Instead, he was mounted behind one of them, his arms .drawn around the middle, of the man, and his bands fastened" together^ After journeying some hours they halted near a hayrick, which stood near a stone pit. Then they took his money and tumbled bimt into the pit. There he lay for an hour, when they ordered him { out ; then they filled bis pockets with | a great quantity of money, and again ' mounted him m the same manner as before. All Friday they rode on, he becoming weak from his wounds, the pocketsfitl of money bruising him very much. At sltnset the" oame to a lone house upon a keath, hard by a great thicket of pushes, where they set him down almost dead. At this house there lived a woman, who, seeing that he could neither stand nor speak, asked if they had "BROUGHT A DEAD MAN." They replied, "No ; it is a friend we > are carrying to a surgeon." She an-» swered, "If you do not make haste your friend will be dead." At this house Harrison was treated with kind-l ness. Early on Saturday morning the kidnappers resumed their journey, their victim riding as before. A day's travel brought them to a small village, where they rested for the night, and apjain the prisoner was treated kindly. On Sunday morning '/icy all set out again, sund m the afternoon rode into Deal. Harrison was rowed m a boat to a ship, T\«here his wounds were dressed. On the, ship WERE MANY OTHER PRISONERS, who had no idea what their fate was' to be. After, six weeks at sea they

encountered three Turkish ships, to one of, which the prisoners were transfered ; they were put into the dark hold and sailed they knew not whither. They eventually arrived at Smyrna, where the captives were sold, Harrison being purchased by an aged pbysiciaiu who treated him wfell. After 21 irnontibs the physician fell ill, and being about to die, told Harrison to shift for himself. Harrison took the hint, made his way to the seaside, and found a ship bound for Portugal. The; master refused to take him, 'but two of the crew agreed to smuggle him on ibioawl if he were content to play the part of a stowaway for the voyage. At Lisbon he found a countryman who paid his passage to Dover, whence he speedily made his way home. It was suggested that the son Edwand was prior to his capture, want-i ing the stewardship, but tbero was no evidence to justify the charge. Two things were, however, clear. John Perry was cither mad or a murderer, and Joan and Richard 'should never have been convicted.