George William Howe

George William Howe was convicted of the murder of John Kirby Pickup and sentenced to death.

John Pickup had been the manager of a Burnley brickworks where George Howe worked until shortly before Christmas 1897 when he was dismissed.

George Howe blamed John Pickup and later attacked him on 31 December 1897 beside a level crossing at Habergham Eves, beating him about the head with a stick.

John Pickup died later in hospital.

Prior to 31 December 1897, George Howe had been engaged at the brick and tile works of Messrs Brooks and Pickup at Towneley in Lancashire, being what was known as a clay runner. The role of clay runner was such that, with another man with whom had both entered into a contract with the brickworks, he would run, upon little trams or carriages along the line, bricks, until they approached the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. they would put the bricks into the trucks and the trucks were then conveyed along the line, loaded one’s going one way, and empty ones the other.

Over them in that business was John Pickup, who was described as the manager at the top of the bank, and over John Pickup was the general manager of the works.

Matters were said to have gone on smoothly for 12 months, during which nothing seems to happen, however, it appeared that some time prior to 27 November 1897 John Pickup and the general manager appeared to have some complaint in reference to the way in which George Howe performed his duties and they conveyed their complaint to George Howe's business partner on 22 November 1897 who then informed George Howe that he had been instructed to replace him with a fresh man as he was not giving the satisfaction they expected.

It was said that that upset George Howe very much, to such an extent that he observed:

The result was that he left his employment and ceased to work for Messrs Brooks and Pickup, and from 27 November 1897 he harboured the deepest feelings of revenge against John Pickup who he believed had been at the bottom of his discharge.

Later on 2 December 1897, George Howe saw a man that the brickworks and said to him:

It was though then that George Howe saw John Pickup, as he came back shortly after and said to the same man:

The next day George Howe said to another man:

George Howe however seemed to have begun work again on 10 December 1897 at Reedley Colliery which was two or three miles away from where John Pickup was allegedly originally attacked.

It was heard that the duties of John Pickup at Messrs Brooks and Pickup, included inspecting, every morning at 7am, the jinney line. Before the wagons were started he had to come along the line and see that everything was in readiness, it being noted that no one else had any right to go along the line in the line and that in the ordinary course of matters nobody else would be there, the only person that would be expected there being John Pickup.

It was noted that that fact was known to George Howe, and that it was a quiet place where no one would be likely to hear anything and a place where nobody would probably be. It was added that it was also a place that a man could easily carry out his vile purpose if he were so minded and that all that was known to George Howe.

It was stated that on one side of the jinny line was a high wall and on the other an old building, and therefore, a person attacked and a person attacking, would be concealed from view to any person that might happen to be passing, the attacker being almost free from any interference or molestation.

As such, it was heard that on 31 December 1897 that John Pickup, in the ordinary course of his duties, went along the line, and that when he got to the point almost opposite to the first wagon that he had been attacked. It was further heard that at that spot there was blood that led off in the direction he had gone after being attacked he had, seemingly knowing that the wagons would start very shortly, then crawled up the embankment and then got over the wall and then gone down the rough pathway and finally to Townley Station, which was at the bottom of the hill where he was then found by a man who then sent for a doctor.

John Pickup was described as clearly being in a serious condition and an attempt was made to take his depositions, but all to no purpose and he died soon after.

Soon after the murder George Howe went to a police station and gave himself up. He said:

When he was asked what for, he said:

When he was asked when that took place, he said:

When he was asked how it occurred, he said:

When the spot mentioned was examined, a stick with the knob broken off was found, in addition to a signalman's lamp in a more or less battered condition.

It was also found that George Howe's clothing was smeared with blood and that there was a bloodstain and hair on his clogs.

When John Pickup's body was examined, it was found that he had fearful wounds to his head and submitted that George Howe had knocked him down and then kicked him in the head and face.

At the trial, it was noted that George Howe had clearly intended to cause grievous bodily harm, but also observed that the attack had not been carried out in hot blood or the heat of the moment following a quarrel or dispute, and that in fact George Howe had clearly been sleeping and then got up with the intent of doing John Pickup to death.

George Howe denied that he had intended to kill John Pickup.

However, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

He was executed at Strangeways Gaol, Manchester on Tuesday 22 February 1898.