Martin Henry Vinall

Martin Henry Vinall who was 22 years old was also known as Martin Brown.  He was convicted at Lewes Assizes for the  murder of an elderly man by the name of David Baldey.  On 9th  October 1868, David Baldey had made the journey into Kingston to collect wages that were owed to himself and his two sons. When he failed to return home a search was carried out the following  morning and his body was discovered in Lewes. He had been badly beaten as well as shot.  He had been robbed of all his money and this included the wages he had collected that day. Martin Vinall had been a lodger with Martin Brown up until August and he became a prime suspect. He tried to evade arrest by joining the Royal Artillery, but was soon apprehended. He confessed that he had been responsible for the murder but stated that he had not meant Baldey any harm and that he was in fact not the intended victim.  He stated that he had intended to rob a wealthy shepherd called Tupper, whom he had hoped to ambush and rob, and he had killed Baldey by mistake.  He offered this information almost as an excuse as if once the authorities realised he had made a mistake they might let him off.  They were not swayed by his confession and he was sentenced to death.  The sentence was later carried out by Calcraft on the 19th January 1869.