George Perry

George Perry was convicted of the murder of his sister-in-law 48-year-old Emma Perry and sentenced to death. He cut her throat at 3 Spencer Street, Burslem on 26 December 1922. George Perry was described as being a cycle maker, however, it appeared that he had been employed for many years at pottery works at Burslem and around the district. He had been a single man. He had lodged from time to time for many years with his brother and his wife, Emma Perry at 3 Spencer Street, and had been there since July 1922. On the morning of 26 December 1922, George Perry's brother and Emma Perry visited a public house, and there, with another couple, had several drinks of beer, rum and whisky. About 1am they adjourned to 3 Spencer Street, where they found George Perry, who fetched 3½ pints of beer which were consumed by the party. The other couple then went away. George Perry, his brother and Emma Perry were all under the influence of drink, but appeared to be on friendly terms. About 3pm George Perry's brother went upstairs to lie down, leaving George Perry and Emma Perry downstairs in the kitchen. When George Perry's brother came downstairs about 4pm, George Perry had disappeared, and Emma Perry was sitting, apparently asleep in a rocking chair. However, he then discovered that she had a deep gash in the neck and the front of her dress was covered with blood. Her throat had been cut with a razor that was found lying on the table. Shortly after, between 4pm and 5pm, George Perry threw himself into a canal, however he was fished out by a boatman with a boathook and taken to 93 Reid street, Burslem, where another of his brothers lived. xxx1xxx A niece of Emma Perry was there in the house and George Perry said to her: xxxqxxx Go to your Aunt Emma. I put a razor across her throat. Go and see if she is dead. xxxqxxx The niece replied: xxxqxxx Don't talk silly. xxxqxxx However, George Perry said: xxxqxxx It is true. You will see your uncle George in the hole before 8 o'clock tonight. Some morning you will see me hanging on the scaffold before 8 o'clock. xxxqxxx When a police constable arrived, George Perry said to him: xxxqxxx Jack, I have cut her throat. She has been on to me all the week. I tried to drown myself but the bloody boatie pulled me out with his hook. I did it and did not know what I had done until it was done. xxxqxxx He later said to the inspector who charged him: xxxqxxx I have had as much to do with her as my brother. I went to my doctor this morning and had a certificate, but happened to lose it. She started on me and him as well. xxxqxxx The next day when he was formerly charged, he said: xxxqxxx I have had a dog's life this week end and her husband knows it. When I left them she could not leave me alone and had me back. She was drunk at the time. Her and him as well. I have been under the doctor for five months. xxxqxxx The razor that George Perry used had belonged to him. It was usually kept behind a picture, but he may have had it in his pocket. However, it was thought that in either case, that he must have deliberately produced it and attacked Emma Perry whilst she was sitting in the rocking chair, possibly while she was asleep. It was noted that there was apparently no evidence of a struggle. It was stated that George Perry was no doubt fuddled with drink, but that it was clear that he knew quite well what he had done. The motive for the murder wasn't known, however, it appeared from what he had said that it seemed he had been having immoral relations with his sister-in-law, although his brother in evidence disclaimed any knowledge of that. The defence at the trial was partly an attempt to get the verdict reduced to manslaughter on the ground of drunkenness, and partly a plea that George Perry was insane, based mainly on his family history. It seemed that a brother of his had committed suicide and that another brother had died in an asylum, where he had been detained for six years. There had also been an uncle that had committed suicide. However, it was noted that family history in such cases could never be regarded as sufficient evidence of insanity in a prisoner who had shown no signs of insanity himself, and the doctor described George Perry as well-behaved and quite rational, and said that there was no evidence of insanity in him at all. He was convicted of murder at the Stafford Assizes on 22 February 1923 with no recommendation to mercy, and his appeal was dismissed. He was executed at Manchester on 28 March 1923. Spencer Street has since been demolished, but was once off Lucas Street, and ran between Port Vale Street and what is today Flamborough Grove. Perry was lodging with his brother Edwin and his wife Emma at Burslem. On Boxing Day, 1922, the three had been drinking heavily at home with some friends. Shortly before midnight, the friends left and Edwin went to bed leaving his wife and brother alone downstairs. The next morning she was found dead on the kitchen floor with her throat cut. Perry was arrested later that morning after making a failed bid to drown himself in a nearby canal. Convicted at Stafford Assizes before Mr Justice Shearman on 22nd February, and hanged by John Ellis. The sentence was carried out on the 28th March 1923 in Manchester. Perry was fifty at the time of his death.