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Authors: Nicola; Sly
Tags: Dorset Murders
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followed by evidence from the master-at-arms of the Boscawen, Robert Franklin.
Franklin told the court that Salter, a native of West Ealing, London, had celebrated his sixteenth birthday the day before his death. He had joined the Boscawen on 16 September 1891 and was âwell conductedâ, as indeed was Wise.
Wise was sixteen-and-a-half years old at the time of Salterâs death and had seven months service. During that time he had tried to commit suicide by swallowing oxalic acid. On 23 July 1891, he had boasted to his crewmates that, before joining the ship, he had strangled a young boy at Croydon and buried him behind the Roman Catholic school. When it was suggested that he was delusional, he had assured people that he wished he could think so, but sadly he knew it to be true. It was never established whether Wiseâs story was actually true or merely a figment of his fevered imagination. What was established, however, was that Wise was a very troubled young man.
Witnesses described him as being âeccentricâ ever since he was a child of eight years old, and his father and several other relatives had died in lunatic asylums. Although he had now changed his account of the events surrounding the death of Salter to say that the young sailorâs death had been an accident, Wise had assured everyone prior to his trial that he had no personal grudge against his victim but had just seized the opportunity to kill him. There had been no scuffling or fighting, just one swift push. Wise had also said that he did not dislike being in the Navy but that he would just as soon be out of this world that in it.
The jury retired only briefly before returning with their verdict, finding John Wise guilty of the wilful murder of Lawrence Salter but stating that he was insane at the time of the killing. Ironically, for a boy who, by his own account, had committed murder specifically so that he might be hanged, Mr Justice Wills directed that Wise should be detained as a criminal lunatic in Dorchester Prison âuntil her Majestyâs pleasure should be known.â
9
âTHIS IS ALL THROUGH MEN GOING TO MY HOUSE WHILE IâM AWAYâ
Isle of Portland, 1902
F rank Burden was one of three brothers, originally from Gutch Common, Semley. Although Frank was close to his parents and his brothers, Ernest and Walter â so close that the boys were known locally as âthe tripletsâ â he had realised early on in life that the family farm was not large enough to support all of them comfortably. Hence, as soon as he was of age, Frank had prudently moved away from the area, first working as a carter for the biscuit-makers Huntley & Palmer at Reading, then taking up horticulture. He had lived a parsimonious life, carefully saving his money for the day when he would marry.
On 15 April 1899, his dreams came true when, at thirty-one years old, he married Emily Green. It was a strange union. Twenty-year-old Emily was a tall, rather beautiful young woman, while her husband was a thickset but small, almost dwarfish man, with a spinal deformity that twisted his back making him seem even smaller. He had un-shapely features and a sallow complexion, with an abnormally large nose, beneath which grew a luxuriant, black moustache. Nevertheless, in spite of his physical ugliness, he was a mild-mannered and good-natured man and his radiant bride seemed genuinely happy to be marrying him.
Only one thing threatened to mar the joy of the wedding celebrations. As Frankâs brother Ernest came to congratulate his brother and wish him luck, he couldnât help but notice that Frank seemed strangely downhearted. When Ernest questioned him, Frank admitted that his sadness came from knowing that his marriage would never be blessed with children. When Ernest told him that he couldnât possibly know that, Frank assured him that he knew for a fact that he was unable to father a child. Emily had not been told, said Frank,
Franklin told the court that Salter, a native of West Ealing, London, had celebrated his sixteenth birthday the day before his death. He had joined the Boscawen on 16 September 1891 and was âwell conductedâ, as indeed was Wise.
Wise was sixteen-and-a-half years old at the time of Salterâs death and had seven months service. During that time he had tried to commit suicide by swallowing oxalic acid. On 23 July 1891, he had boasted to his crewmates that, before joining the ship, he had strangled a young boy at Croydon and buried him behind the Roman Catholic school. When it was suggested that he was delusional, he had assured people that he wished he could think so, but sadly he knew it to be true. It was never established whether Wiseâs story was actually true or merely a figment of his fevered imagination. What was established, however, was that Wise was a very troubled young man.
Witnesses described him as being âeccentricâ ever since he was a child of eight years old, and his father and several other relatives had died in lunatic asylums. Although he had now changed his account of the events surrounding the death of Salter to say that the young sailorâs death had been an accident, Wise had assured everyone prior to his trial that he had no personal grudge against his victim but had just seized the opportunity to kill him. There had been no scuffling or fighting, just one swift push. Wise had also said that he did not dislike being in the Navy but that he would just as soon be out of this world that in it.
The jury retired only briefly before returning with their verdict, finding John Wise guilty of the wilful murder of Lawrence Salter but stating that he was insane at the time of the killing. Ironically, for a boy who, by his own account, had committed murder specifically so that he might be hanged, Mr Justice Wills directed that Wise should be detained as a criminal lunatic in Dorchester Prison âuntil her Majestyâs pleasure should be known.â
9
âTHIS IS ALL THROUGH MEN GOING TO MY HOUSE WHILE IâM AWAYâ
Isle of Portland, 1902
F rank Burden was one of three brothers, originally from Gutch Common, Semley. Although Frank was close to his parents and his brothers, Ernest and Walter â so close that the boys were known locally as âthe tripletsâ â he had realised early on in life that the family farm was not large enough to support all of them comfortably. Hence, as soon as he was of age, Frank had prudently moved away from the area, first working as a carter for the biscuit-makers Huntley & Palmer at Reading, then taking up horticulture. He had lived a parsimonious life, carefully saving his money for the day when he would marry.
On 15 April 1899, his dreams came true when, at thirty-one years old, he married Emily Green. It was a strange union. Twenty-year-old Emily was a tall, rather beautiful young woman, while her husband was a thickset but small, almost dwarfish man, with a spinal deformity that twisted his back making him seem even smaller. He had un-shapely features and a sallow complexion, with an abnormally large nose, beneath which grew a luxuriant, black moustache. Nevertheless, in spite of his physical ugliness, he was a mild-mannered and good-natured man and his radiant bride seemed genuinely happy to be marrying him.
Only one thing threatened to mar the joy of the wedding celebrations. As Frankâs brother Ernest came to congratulate his brother and wish him luck, he couldnât help but notice that Frank seemed strangely downhearted. When Ernest questioned him, Frank admitted that his sadness came from knowing that his marriage would never be blessed with children. When Ernest told him that he couldnât possibly know that, Frank assured him that he knew for a fact that he was unable to father a child. Emily had not been told, said Frank,
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