Knife crime is nothing new: on 1st March 1862, William Wadden, from Winford – who was described as ‘a miserable old man’ – stabbed 29-year-old James White to death in a quarrel over a girl.
The fight between the 2 men was over a good-looking girl called Jane Smith, a single woman who lived at Apse Heath with her mother and 5-year-old son.
William Wadden – a widower – had planned to marry Jane. He had called at Jane’s house to find James White inside. Jane tried to prevent James from going outside, but he chose to face Wadden.
The 2 men hurled abuse at each other. When Jane ventured outside the house, she found James White on top of Wadden and neither of them moving.
A passer-by pulled White off Wadden but found the young man unable to stand, so he rested him against a bank. James White had been stabbed in the chest. It took 15 minutes for the murder victim to die. Wadden then ran away.
2 days later, an inquest was held at The Stag Inn in Lake. This was hardly the most suitable venue, as the room in which it was held could hardly hold the witnesses and jury.
When asked to give evidence, Jane Smith fainted. However, she later claimed that Wadden always had something offensive to say about James White, including that he would stick the length of his knife into him.
The knife in question had a 10 ½ inch blade and was believed to have been the murder weapon.
William Wadden was found guilty of wilful murder.
And then what? Was he hanged?
Probably two weeks Community Service!
Lake looks like a nice quiet village in that photo. Wow.
Gosh, never realised that white people used to stab people all that time ago.
How interesting, also the previous article regarding Lady Baring. Thank you IslandEcho, more please.
Shame the Stag has fallen to ruin, Sound’s like it’s History would be worth hearing about, Including the Late Gerry White.RIP and James White
I hope he gets the sentence he deserves!
Awaiting a free space in prison still I expect, as now filled to bursting with the worlds criminals as well as a few of our own.