Henry William Young

Henry William Young was a one legged shoemaker who was sentenced to death at Dorset Assizes by Mr Justice Denman on 28 April for the murder of Percival John Ings, his wife's one month old illegitimate child. Young and his wife lived together at Poole and after she gave birth to the child he showed no affection towards it, even though his wife told him he was the father. On 8 February, the doctor was summoned when the child began to suffer from a stomach upset, and remained in the physician's care for the next four days until he deemed that the illness was past. The next day, Young was left alone with the child and when his wife returned home he informed her that the baby had suffered a relapse and died. The doctor was called and issued a death certificate without further examination. Later that night, Young was heard to boast that he had tried to poison the child by administering caustic soda and water. The doctor was informed and a post mortem revealed that the cause of death was strangulation and severe chest injuries. He made a full confession in which he claimed his wife had been unfaithful and that he wasn't the father of the child. Despite strong attempts to secure a reprieve, Young was hanged by Berry on May 16 1887 in Dorchester at the age of twenty seven.