Lincolnshire Winter Assizes.
The Stickney Murder
SENTENCE OF DEATH.
Mr Bristowe and Mr Horace Smith appeared on behalf of the prosecution; Mr Lawrence defended the prisoner.
Mr Bristowe, at considerable length, detailed to the jury all the principal facts of the case, and the circumstances under which the murder was committed revealed a depth of moral depravity and social degradation we could fair hope has no parallel in the county of Lincoln.
It appeared that in the entire of the village of Stickney, a wall-sinker named Richard Biggadike, about 30 years of age, resided in a miserable hut, which served as a home for himself, his wife, three children, and two lodgers named George Ironmonger, fisherman, and Thomas Proctor, a rat-catcher, the former about 21, and the latter about 30 years of age. The cottage contained only one bedroom, and in it slept the whole of the party just enumerated, the two beds which accomodated them standing not more than 15 inches apart. It not infrequently happened that Biggadike , who rose early, quitted this room, and went off to his work before the lodgers left their bed. The result, as might naturally be expected from such a state of things, was an improper intimacy between Mrs Biggadike and one of the lodgers. This led to the husband becoming first suspicious, next jealous, and finally exasperated, when quarrels between him and his wife became fierce and very frequent. At length, alienated in her affections, and apparently as tired of her husbands presence as she was of his complaints, she seems to have conceived the idea of resorting to murder to get rid of both. How long she cherished the dark design before putting it into execution it is impossible to say � probably some considerable time, as evidence has arisen since the murder to prove that she had arsenic in her possession fully three or four months ago. Be this, however, as it may, Biggadike, who had returned from his daily toil in the perfect enjoyment of health only a few minutes before, was suddenly taken ill immediately after tea on Wednesday evening, the 30th of September, and in spite of medical aid, which was called in as soon as possible, he died, after enduring 11 hours� pain of the most agonising description, at six o�clock the following morning.
Voluminous evidence was then given, as before published in this journal.
Mr Bristowe reviewed the whole case in a calm and dispassionate manner, calling the particular attention of the jury to those parts of the evidence most damaging to the prisoner, and urging that the case for the prosecution had been most clearly and satisfactorily laid out.
Mr Lawrence then in a most eloquent address of nearly three quarters of an hours duration, appealed to the jury on behalf of the unhappy woman, urging apon their serious consideration every and the slightest point which could in any way tell in her favour.
His Lordship then summed up the whole case in a most careful and patient manner, which occupied about an hour. He said there could not be the slightest doubt in the minds of the jury, from the scientific and medical testimony, which had been adduced before them, that the deceased man, who was in the prime and vigour of manhood, had been suddenly cut off by the hand of death, such death being caused, unmistakably by arsenical poisoning. It was for the jury � to be satisfied by whom that poison was administered � whether by the deceased himself or whether by any other person; and that when they had satisfied themselves on that point, it would be their duty to say, according to the evidence laid before them, whether they were satisfied or not that it was the prisoner who had administered it. If they had any reasonable doubt of the prisoner�s guilt, he exhorted them to give her the benefit of such doubt; but if, however painful it may be, involving, as it did, a question of life or death to the unhappy prisoner, it would be their bounden duty to find her guilty of the awful offence with which she stood charged. After calling special attention to the different statements which the prisoner had made to the Governor of Spilsby House Of Correction, the Coroner, and Supt. Wright, His Lordship left the case entirely in the hands of the Jury, whom, he was pleased to observe, had paid the most earnest attention to the case throughout the day.
The jury, after a few minutes consultation, but without leaving the box, returned a verdict of GUILTY, accompanied by a recommendation to mercy, but upon the judge asking upon what grounds, the foreman of the jury seemed perplexed, and again consulted with his fellows for a short time, and then answered that the only grounds for such recommendation was that the evidence was entirely circumstantial.
The Clerk of the Assigns then asked the prisoner, who throughout the trial had presented an appearance of the most stolid indifference, what she had to say why sentence of death should not be passed upon her, but she made no reply, and then it was for the first time, that she exhibited the slightest emotion, and a few tears were observed to fall down her cheeks.
His lordship then put on the black cap, and amid the most solemn silence passed sentence of death on the unhappy woman. In addressing her, his Lordship said: Priscilla Biggadike, altho� the evidence against you is only circumstantial, yet more satisfactory, and conclusive evidence I never heard in my life. You must now prepare for your impending fate, by attending to the religious instruction you will receive, to which if you had given heed before, you would never have stood in your present unhappy position. The sentence of the court is that you will be taken to the place from whence you came, and thence to the place of execution, there to be hanged by the neck until you be dead, and may the Lord have mercy upon your soul! Your body to be buried within the precincts of the prison.
The prisoner then walked firmly away from the dock, the trial having lasted 7 hours.
Execution of Mrs Biggadike, The Stickney Murderess.
The particulars of this shocking case will be fresh in the recollection of our readers. The prisoner, her husband, three children and two lodgers (Thomas Proctor and George Ironmonger), lived together in a small two roomed cottage, all the parties sleeping in the same room.
During the last few months of his life the deceased frequently quarrelled with his wife, and openly accused her of conduct unbecoming a married woman. She was frequently heard by her neighbours to express a wish that her husband might be brought home dead. On the afternoon of 30th September Biggadike returned home from his work in his usual health. The wife, children, and lodgers had partaken of tea, and the husband sat down to his meal alone, and ate heartily of short cake and mutton. Ten minutes afterwards he was seized with violent vomiting and purging, and appeared to be in dreadful agony. After a night of intense suffering he died. A post mortem examination was made, which clearly showed that Biggadike had died from the effects of a large dose of arsenic......
