Elijah Pountney

Elijah Pountney was convicted of the murder of his 47-year-old wife Alice Gertrude Pountney and sentenced to death. He cut her throat at The Pheasant Inn in Broad Street, Bilston on 16 April 1922. Elijah Pountney had been the landlord of The Pheasant Inn as well as a labourer. After murdering his wife he ran from the inn towards Bradley and was next seen in the canal near Bankfield Road, Bradley a mile away where he had attempted to commit suicide by jumping in. They had married in 1899. Elijah Pountney was described as having a good character and had held the licence for The Pheasant Inn since 1906 without any complaint being made against him. About twelve months before the murder, Elijah Pountney was said to have met with an accident when a mass of cinders fell on his head. He was not detained at hospital, but it was said that he was off work for about seven weeks and that since the accident he had been unduly affected by any drink that he had taken. It was certain none the less that Elijah Pountney had since been very constantly drunk and there were frequent quarrels between him and his wife, who was described as having been a sober, hard-working woman. Since about nine months before the murder, a man had come to lodge with them at The Pheasant Inn and Elijah Pountney became jealous of him. However, it was said that there was no reason for his jealousy. However, on 3 March 1922 Elijah Pountney went to the police station and asked the police to help him get rid of his lodger. When the police asked him why he didn't put him out himself, he replied that the lodger was too big and that his wife encouraged him. He added: xxxqxxx If he is there much longer, I'm sure to do her in. I'm sure to kill her. xxxqxxx The sergeant said: xxxqxxx Don't talk like that. xxxqxxx However, as Elijah Pountney went out of the charge room he said: xxxqxxx You will see I will find you a job. xxxqxxx However, the police didn't treat the matter very seriously and thought that it would blow over. A bricklayer who had been lodging at The Pheasant Inn for the last six months said that he had heard Elijah Pountney threaten his wife. He said in the second week that he was there, he saw Elijah Pountney knock his wife down with a blow to the face and heard him say: xxxqxxx That is not all I will have. I will do you in before the night is out. xxxqxxx The bricklayer said that they were constantly quarrelling. Later, on Sunday 16 April 1922, at 2pm Elijah Pountney and his wife Alice Pountney were in the kitchen. Alice Pountney had been peeling potatoes when Elijah Pountney, who up until then had been serving customers in the bar, went up to her and said something in her ear. Their son was also in the room and Alice Pountney said: xxxqxxx What in front of my son. xxxqxxx Elijah Pountney then said: xxxqxxx I will say it in front of my son. xxxqxxx He then left the kitchen and returned two minutes later followed by another man. Alice Pountney said to the man: xxxqxxx He has accused me I'm going to have a baby. If he doesn't know, who should? xxxqxxx He said that she then pointed a knife that she had in her hand at Elijah Pountney and said: xxxqxxx If it were not for that lad I would. xxxqxxx It was noted that the man said that he thought that Alice Pountney had been threatening Elijah Pountney with the knife, but it was noted that it could well have been that she meant that if it were not for their son that she would go off with another man. Elijah Pountney then pushed Alice Pountney towards the man and said: xxxqxxx Kiss her it might be the last time. xxxqxxx However, the man then said: xxxqxxx If that is it then I am going home. xxxqxxx Elijah Pountney then said: xxxqxxx Dont take offence I dont mean anything. xxxqxxx Elijah Pountney then left the kitchen again. However, he returned two minutes later and went up to his wife as though he was going to kiss her and cut her throat with a razor. Alice Pountney then staggered and was helped onto the veranda by her son and then died. Elijah Pountney then wipe the blood off of his hands onto some paper and left the inn. The man, who had still been there, said that Elijah Pountney went to his wife and said: xxxqxxx Come here. xxxqxxx And cut her throat. When the police found Elijah Pountney in Bilston after having been pulled from the canal he was unconscious and receiving artificial respiration. When he was charged with murder he said: xxxqxxx That is correct. I had cause for it. xxxqxxx He added that he thought his wife was pregnant and the autopsy would show it. When he was charged he said: xxxqxxx They had been up before me eating oysters and drinking stout, and when I got up there was no breakfast and I was told to go and get my own. There is a lodger in the house, I heard her and him arranging to go away together and if she is not in trouble the post mortem will prove it. xxxqxxx It was noted that Elijah Pountney had certainly been under the influence of drink at the time of the murder, but it was stated that he could not have been very drunk as he appeared to have known what was going on and had been serving customers as usual right up to that moment. When the lodger was questioned, he denied having had any relations with Alice Pountney and as far as the police were concerned there were no grounds for Elijah Pountney's jealousy. Elijah Pountney was convicted at the Staffordshire Assizes with no recommendation to mercy and sentenced to death. He appealed, in which he elaborated on the case against his wife as well as pleading provocation and mental instability. However, a doctor stated that there were no signs that Elijah Pountney had been insane. Whilst it was noted that Elijah Pountney had believed that he had received provocation, it was stated that there was certainly no grounds for a defence of provocation in law that could reduce the charge to manslaughter. Further, it was noted that Elijah Pountney had announced his intention as early as 3 March 1922 to put an end to her life and further that he had previously repeatedly assaulted her. Her brother, who had also lived in the house initially, when called for the defence, said: xxxqxxx There could not be a more loving husband than what he was. xxxqxxx However, in cross-examination, he admitted that he had seen Elijah Pountney earlier in the year take a running kick at Alice Pountney and that he had remonstrated with him by saying: xxxqxxx You may use her as a punching ball but you must not use her as a football. xxxqxxx He also admitted that he had seen Alice Pountney black and blue all over her body and that he had advised her to get a separation order from Elijah Pountney on account of his cruelty. The police report to the Home Secretary concluded by stating that Elijah Pountney's suspicions with regard to Alice Pountney was probably due to his drinking habits and that there was no doubt as to his sanity and that he was not so drunk as to have not known what he was doing, and that they saw no reason for interference in the case. Elijah Pountney was executed at Birmingham on 11 August 1922. Forty eight year old Poutney and his wife, Gertrude, had a public house at Bilston in the West Midlands. While she ran the pub during the day, he worked in the local steel mill. In 1921, he was accidentally struck on the head with a bag of coal and from then he became bad tempered and suffered headaches. He also became convinced that his wife was having an affair with a man named McCann. In April of 1922, she announced that she was pregnant and Poutney told his wife that he suspected McCann was the father. They began quarrelling until he slit her throat. Sentenced to death at Staffordshire Assizes by Mr Justice Shearman on 7th July and hanged by John Ellis and Robert Baxter in Birmingham onthe 11th August 1922.