William Crossley

William Crossley, sometimes known as William Sellers was a labourer in an iron foundry and lived in a large cottage at Burnley with fifty six year old Mary Ann Allen, and five other people. In September 1893, Mrs Allen's daughter came to live with them, and from then on Crossley became irritated. On 11th June, he and Mrs Allen had a disagreement and he was told to find fresh lodgings and that his dinner that night would be his last in the house. Later that afternoon, he was seen going down into the cellar and returning with something hidden inside his coat. He sat down for dinner in the evening, and when Mrs Allen went into the kitchen he followed and struck her with an axe. One tenant tried to disarm him while another called for the police. He was condemned to death by Mr Justice Bruce at Manchester Assizes on 12 June, and after leaving a full confession he was hanged in Manchester by James Billington on the 31st July 1894 aged just forty two.

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