The Reverend John Selby Watson – otherwise known as the Stockwell Murderer – died in Parkhurst Prison on 6th July 1884.
The Stockwell murderer was a highly educated man. Watson was a clegyman, author, translator and headmaster of Stockwell Grammar School.
However, on 8th October 1871, the reverend – then in his 60s – was found unconcious by his servant Ellen Pyne, having attempted suicide by swallowing prussic acid. A note was found, addressed to his doctor, stating:
“I have killed my wife in a fit of rage to which she provoked me”.
Selby’s wife Anne was found in an empty locked room. Her husband had beaten her so badly with the butt of a pistol that her brains were said to resemble jelly.
Prior to reading the note, the servant had noticed red stains on the carpet of the house. Selby had explained this away by claiming to have spilt some port.
Selby had also placed an order with a carpenter for a large wooden box, intended – it was believed – to dispose of the body.
At his trial, Selby pleaded insanity. However, the superintendant of a local lunatic asylum gave evidence that – in his opinion – the defendant was perfectly sane.
Throughout the trial, Selby appeared to show no remorse whatsoever.
The judge – a Mr Justice Byles – opposed this plea strongly in his summing-up. After an hour-and-a-half’s deliberation, the jury found him guilty of murder but recommended that mercy be shown because of his age and previous good character.
Justice Byles sentenced him to death.
Strangely, the judge then changed his mind and told the Home Secretary that:
“This is not a case in which the sentence should be carried out.”
The Home Secretary commuted the sentence to life imprisonment.
We can speculate that had Selby been of lower social standing, he would have been hanged. The judicial system made a controversial finding of ‘temporary’ insanity to prevent the unedifying spectacle of a clergyman of the Church of England swinging from the gallows.
Due to no obvious signs of madness, the reverend was sent to Parkhurst prison, here on the Isle of Wight, rather than Broadmoor Hospital for the Criminally Insane.
A few days before his death, Selby had been found with blood on his whiskers after falling out of a hammock. He then became seriously ill with erysipelas, caused by a cut to his ear.
Selby died in Parkhurst prison at the age of 80. He was buried in Mountjoy Cemetery in Newport.
The cost of his funeral was a paid for by one of his ex-pupils, who was his only mourner.
Very interesting article, thank you.