Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1888-06-02 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDY AT  DIJELHAM.  A POLICE SUPERINTENDENT SHOT  DEAD.  SUICIDE OF THE MURDERER.  The accustomed quietude of the ancient city of Durham was suddenly disturbed on Thursday morning by the perpetration of a terrible tragedy in Silver-street. It appears that, about a quarter to eleven, Superintendent Joseph Scott, of the Durham County Constabulary, stationed at Jarrow, was escorting a prisoner through the town to the gaol. When he got to a narrow part of Silverstreet, directly opposite the Red Lion Hotel, • man was observed to level a gun, which he was carrying in a cloth eerie, at the Superintendent. The man fired before he could be preveuted, and the charge lodged in the back of the Superintendent, who fell to the ground. Before anything could be done towards die. arming or capturing the perpetrator of the deed he took a revolver from his pocket and deliberately shot himself through the head. TI:10 prisoner who was with the Superintendent was haudicuffed, and he was thus unable to I render any Resistance, but he stood by the prostrate body of the Superintendent. A large crowd assembled, and the dead body of the Superintendent was carried to the Red Lien Hotel, and subsequently to the county police barracks. The murderer, who was then not quite dead, was carried to the Castle Inn, where he died in • few minutes. The murderer turned out to be Benjamin Wright, an ex-police sergeant, who was formerly under Superintendent Scott at Jarrow, but was discharged from the force about six months ago. He seems to have planned his deed, for he was seen walking past Sunderland Bridge this morning in the direction of Durham with a gnu in his hand. The supposition, I therefore, is that he intented, through I malice and to take the life-of ti; Superintendent, evidently knowing when he v cuid visit Durham. The affair caused the greatest consternatiowin the city, and large numbers of police were promptly called both from the city I and county force to the scene. The deepest regret was caused on all sides at the untimely death of the Superintendent, who was, many years ago, an inspector at Darlington. lie was thirty-five years of ace, and married. His brother is Superintendent Scott, of Castle Eden. The murderer, Wright, will be well remembered by many of our readers both at Stockton and Darlington. He was a sergeant in the police at Stockton between 1877 and 1880, during which time lie frequeutly figured conspicuo ,sly in the reports of the cases tried at the Petty Sessions. At the end of 1880 he was removed to Hebburn-on-Tvee, which formed part of the division of which Superintendent Scott had charge. He remained at fiebburn till some twelve months ago, when he was reduced in rank on account of misconduct. The sequel of his degradation was his removal to Darlington under Superintendent Rogers, and in August last he was dismissed from the force. The sad news fell with a fearful shock upon everyone who read it, and on all sides I there were sincere expressions of regret and sympathy for the victim of the madman's act. At Jarrow, more particularly, the greatest coinm,seration was expressed, and amongst the membcre of the force there were signs of widespread grief; indeed, several of the constables, when spoken to or asked the latest news, completely broke down. The first message con' veying the painful news was received at the Police Court just at the close of the day'a business, where the greatest consternation was caused. The news at first seemed incredible. Inspector Harrison, upon whom the news came like a thunderbolt, was deeply moved by the sad fate of his old superior. Eventually he had the painful duty of conveying the terrible intelligence to the family of the deceased. There is an extraordinary coincidence connected with this lamentable affair. Many will remember a tragedy almost similar to the crime of Thursday in its details. On Friday, May 18, 1868, a murder of a police officer by a fellow constable, and subsequent suicide of the murderer, took place at Sherburn, a village about two miles eait of Durham. Both officers were members of the Durham Coenty Constabulary, as in the present instance, and the person who committed the murder was David Paton, stationed at Sherburn, I and his victim was John Cruickshanks, an officer stationed at Pittington. The reason assigned for the crime also bore a striking resemblance to the tragedy of Thursday, .and was attributed to a grudge entertained on the part of Paton because Cruickshanks had reported him to the Chief Constable as being guilty of dereliction of duty.-and bad been the means of bringing about his subsequent dismissal from the force. The murder was committed tit broad daylight, in view of a number of persous, and the weapon used was a Colt's revolver. Paton, it is crated, as soon as he saw that he bad accomplished his deadly object. turned round and, a:ter walkicg ; a few yarus, put tho pistol to his own head and ! shot himself.; The manlier in which Paton took his own life, as well as that of his brother officer, showed calmness and deliberation. It is a somewhat curious coincidence that Paton, after shooting himself through the head, lingered about an hour afterwards. Paton'S appointment ; in the police force, too, was cancelled, on the evidence of Cruickshauks, by the present Chief Constable of the county (Colonel White). In the present case Mr Percival Scott, oldest  brother of tffe deceased Superintendent, and who for a period of a quarter of a century has been Superintendent of the Castle Eden Division, was walking down from the Station at Durham onThursday morning with Superintendent Bell, of Stockton, just about half a minute in the rear of his brother, who had arrived by train from Newcastle. On approaching the scene of the tragedy they both noticed the crowd, and on learning what had happened, but yet ignorant of the fact that his brother was tho victim, he went and loosed at the body of the assassin, who was ex• paring in the hotel yard. He at once recognised the face as one with which he was familiar. but he could not recollect where be had, seen it. He was afterwards told that it was a policeman who bad been shot, and on enquiring what sort of • constable, beard such information that, his heart sinking within him, he could come to no other condo:7.lcm than that the victim was his own brother. Immediately afterwards, to his great grief, he found that his surmise was only too true.