St Paul’s Church in Spennymoor, 2003. The author
John Gould, a coke drawer, and his wife lived at Whitworth, Spennymoor. The couple had been together a number of years and seemed to have a happy relationship. In the same occupation as Gould and living nearby were William Wright and his wife. The two couples had a very close friendship but all that was to change on 24 February 1885.
A neighbour, Sarah Ellen Sammergill, was standing at her front door at about five thirty when she saw Wright enter Gould’s house. About five minutes later Wright staggered into the street covered in blood. Gould came after him and it appeared to Sarah that the pair of them began wrestling for possession of an iron poker. Gould was trying to hit Wright in the face and Wright was trying to stop him. Sarah ran up the street shouting ‘murder’. Wright staggered into a house in Craddock Street belonging to John Elliott. Elliott helped Wright to a chair and sent for the police. Gould came to the door and demanded that Elliott send Wright out so he could ‘finish him’. Elliott refused saying he had known the man for nine years and that he was inoffensive. Gould replied that if Elliott knew what he knew he would throw Wright out of his house. The police then arrived and arrested Gould.
Dr R S Anderson had been called to attend to the injured man. There were two wounds to his head and Wright was complaining of severe pain in his abdomen. The doctor had him moved to his son’s house in Viner Street where he administered a draught to ease the pain. When Dr Anderson saw his patient again the next day it was plain that he was much worse. The doctor told Wright there was nothing he could do for him and that he was dying. Wright then told the doctor that he wished to make a statement. Dr Anderson wrote the words as the dying man spoke them:
The individual wished to make his wife swear that I committed a rape upon her, which I can swear is not true. A week gone Saturday she said to my wife that she never knew a man but her own husband. I said that I had never interfered with her in any shape or form whatsoever. To get herself clear she said I had done so-and-so with her. Her husband never spoke to me about it and I never dreamt that he thought I would take advantage of her. He came on Sunday and was at our house again on Monday but never gave any hint. On Monday night when I went in I said to him ‘the door’s open, what’s up’ and he said ‘you b…… I’ll let you know what’s up’ then he brayed me with the poker. If God was to strike me down this minute I never interfered with her. I have no more to add.
An initial inquest was held at The North Eastern hotel in Spennymoor early in March. John Gould’s niece, Elizabeth Gibbon, was called to give evidence. She stated that at Shildon flower show the previous year she had seen Mrs Gould in the company of Wright while her uncle was at work. Elizabeth did not mention it to anyone. On 14 February she had gone to the Gould’s house and said that when she opened the door Mrs Gould was lying on the mat in the kitchen with Wright kneeling on the floor about to kiss her. Elizabeth eventually told her uncle a few days before he attacked Wright.
The jury brought in a verdict of wilful murder and Gould was committed to trial at Durham Assizes.
Mr Milvain defended Gould and stated that the crime was not premeditated. His niece had told Gould on 23 February that his wife was being unfaithful. On the following night when Wright came to the house Gould assumed he was there to repeat the assault and, under extreme feelings of jealousy and provocation, he had attacked Wright. The jury found Gould guilty of manslaughter. The judge, in summing up, said that Gould had been ill-used by his wife and had taken the law into his own hands. He felt there was no doubt that he had meant to take Wright’s life. A sentence of five years penal servitude was passed upon Gould.
This case is a prime example that a statement from one person alone, without further evidence, could sway the course of justice. It also shows that a hint of infidelity in a wife was not to be tolerated.
The North Eastern hotel in Spennymoor where the initial inquest on John Gould was held. The author