THE TRIALS OF

CHARLES SHAW, aged 16, for Murdering JOHN OLDCROFT, aged 9.

RICHARD TOMLINSON, for Murdering MARY EVANS, his Sweetheart

MARY SMITH, for Drowning her Infant Child.

Who all Three received Sentence of Death, at the late Staffordshire Spring Assizes, and were Ordered for

EXECUTION

Last WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1834.

"Thou shall do no Murder!" Matthew, ch. xix. v. 18.

"Whoso shedeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed."

(Genesis, ch. ix. v. 6.)

THE trials took place on Monday, 17th March, 1834, at the Staffordshire Spring Assizes, before The Hon. Mr. Justice Patteson.

Charles Shaw,

A well-looking lad of 16, was charged with the Wilful Murder of John Oldcroft, aged 9, by fixing a cord round his neck. The only assignable motive of the prisoner for the commission of the offence was the acquisition of 1s. 6d. which the deceased possessed. The prisoner and the deceased were both in the service of Mr. Hawley, a potter. Both had been paid their wages at about six o'clock, on the 3d of August last. The deceased had due to him 1s. 4½d.; but, as he was a good lad, his master made it up 1s. 6d. In a few minutes after they were paid, the deceased and prisoner went away together, they were seen by various persons going towards the Etruria race-course. On their way they passed a boy named Robinson, who was bathing in the canal. He saw the prisoner dangling a piece of cord, and when afterwards the prisoner was reminded by Robinson that such was the case, he denied that he had any cord at all. The prisoner and deceased, after some little rough play with Robinson, then went on in the direction of Maccaroni-bridge, and they were seen playing with copper-money on a bank. The deceased not returning, his parents went in search of him, and proceeded to the house at which the prisoner lived, and the account he gave was, that he had left the deceased with gamblers, at the race-course. The parents continued their search without

success; but one of the peasantry having a wood-lark, which is a bird fond of some of the contents of a wasp's nest, he went in search of a wasp's nest, and found concealed under some willows the body of the deceased, with a cord round the neck, corresponding in appearance with that the prisoner carried. In consequence of suspicion the prisoner was taken up. There were several marks of blood on the prisoner's shirt, which had been covered with potter's clay, but it was found to be blood, he said his nose had bled, and he began rubbing his nose as if to make it bleed.

Witnesses were called to prove his insanity, and that the deceased died of drowning, and not of strangulation, the jury however returned a verdict of Guilty, and he was sentenced to be hung on the next Wednesday.

### COPY OF VERSES.

Oh! listen to a tale of woe, I now to you unfold,

Of the Murder of John Oldcroft, a boy of nine years old;

His body was found all in a ditch, it's true what I do say,

With a rope tied round his neck, his life was taken away.

This poor boy worked at a pottery, his living for to seek,

And all the wages that he earn't, was eighteen pence per week,

When his week's work was done, upon each Saturday night,

His wages to his mother gave, which gave him great delight.

Charles Shaw was a wicked lad, and only fourteen years old,

That he rob'd and murder'd this poor boy, makes the blood run cold,

The poor mother is tearing of her hair, the father distracted wild,

Crying, oh dear! oh dear! we are undone, we're lost our dearest child.

### Richard Tomlinson,

A rough-looking fellow, about 22 years old, was charged with the Wilful Murder of Mary Evans, at Ranton, on the 16th December last, by striking her on the head with a stone, and then striking her into a ditch. The prisoner at first pleaded Guilty, but, on advice, pleaded Not Guilty. It appeared, by his own Confession, that he and the deceased had a quarrel relative to some property, he had previously given her, which she said he afterwards secretly took away again. At length it was agreed to go to a Wise Man, named Light, at High Ercall, to learn who really did take them. She, on going thither, still kept accusing him, when, he told her, if she said so again, he would knock her down. She dared him; when he struck her. He then left her, and went to a beer-shop, where he acknowledged the murder. At the trial, witnesses were called to prove his insanity, but the Jury returned a Verdict of Guilty; and he was ordered to be executed on the following Wednesday.

### COPY OF VERSES.

Come Lovers all of every class, pray listen to me,

While I unfold the sad details of this black tragedy,

These sweethearts a quarrel had, which rose to th'highest pitch,

When he struck her on the head, and threw her in a ditch, So Young Men and Maidens all pray warning take in time,

By this misguided pair, who thus perish'd in their prime.

And all th'other their ownfolly, as plainly you can tell,

For, had they curb'd their passions, all would now have been well,

### Mary Smith,

Was convicted at the last assizes, for the Wilful Murder of her infant child, only twelve days old, by throwing it in the canal near Bloxwich. She was sentenced to be executed on the following Wednesday.

### COPY OF VERSES.

IT'S of a cruel mother's fate, I now to you unfold,

Who most cruelly slew her babe, when only twelve days old,

She drown'd her own dear offspring—oh, dreadful to relate!

But mark, good people, what miseries did her then await.

She was pla'd in a gloomy cell, all in a dismal jail,

Until her day of trial came, when her defence did fail.

The Judge then doom'd her, poor lost wretch! to die upon a tree.

A sad and deadful punishment, for this mother's cruelty,

G. Smeton, Printer, 74, Tooley Street.