British Executions

William Samuels

Age:

Sex: male

Crime: murder

Date Of Execution: 26 Jul 1886

Crime Location:

Execution Place: Shrewsbury

Method: unknown

Executioner: unknown

Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20070624062456/http://www.fred.net/jefalvey/execute.h

A grocer's assistant convicted on circumstantial evidence at Newton Assizes, North Wales, by Mr Justice Groves on 9th July, of the murder of William Mabbots at Welshpool. Mabbots died after drinking a glass of stout, which was later found to be laced with strychnine. Samuels was arrested on suspicion and admitted that he had offered Mabbots the drink but denied that he knew it was poisoned. He was hanged by James Berry after the jury took just twenty-five minutes to find him guilty of murder. He left a full written confession in the condemned cell. The execution was carried out on the 27th July 1886 in Shrewsbury.