John Henry Savage

John Henry Savage was convicted of the murder of 42-year-old Jemima Grierson and sentenced to death. He cut her throat at 25 Bridge Street, Leith on 14 March 1923. A neighbour said that about 1.30am on 14 March 1923 that she was attracted by cries to the house at 25 Bridge Street and when she went in she found Jemima Grierson in a serious condition in the kitchen, bleeding profusely from a cut across her throat and a gash on her head. Jemima Grierson was taken with all speed to Leith Hospital, but before the ambulance arrived at the institution she had passed away. John Savage was arrested a few hours later in Cable's Wynd, Great Junction Street. John Savage had been addicted to methylated spirit drinking and was described as being of no fixed abode. It was reported that John Savage had called at Jemima Grierson's house very late on 13 March 1923 and that a young boy of 18 had answered the door, and upon being told by John Savage that he desired to see Jemima Grierson, he let him in. Then, after gaining admittance, he told the boy to leave the house as he wished to speak to Jemima Grierson in private. Later, in the early hours of 14 March 1923, Jemima Grierson went rushing next door to her neighbour, stating that she had a visitor that refused to leave and asked her to get him out of her house. She said that Jemima Grierson said: xxxqxxx That brute is here again. xxxqxxx And that she asked: xxxqxxx What brute? xxxqxxx And that Jemima Grierson said: xxxqxxx Savage. xxxqxxx The neighbour went over with Jemima Grierson and they appealed to John Savage to leave, but he resolutely refused to do so. She said that Jemima Grierson went out into the street to look for a constable, but couldn't find one. She said that Jemima Grierson told John Savage that she wanted him to leave as she wanted to go to bed. The neighbour said that John Savage had been sitting quite calmly on a sofa and said that he would go after he had had a smoke. She said that he was sitting forward on the sofa when Jemima Grierson came in and apparently not taking much notice of what was being said. The neighbour hadn't been fully dressed at the time and so she went back to her own house to put on more clothes, but when she returned the door to Jemima Grierson's house was slammed in her face and then bolted from the inside. A minute or two later the neighbour heard Jemima Grierson shouting for help and she, along with her 17-year-old daughter, tried to get in, but were unsuccessful. However, the door was then suddenly thrown open and John Savage rushed out onto the stairway. The neighbour then immediately tackled him and asked him what he had been doing, however, he flourished a razor in her face and threatened her, and then made off down the stair into the street. Upon then entering Jemima Grierson's house she was horrified to find her suffering from severe cuts to her throat and head. After the police were called out, a search of the district was made and John Savage was arrested later at about 7am. The murder created a great deal of excitement in the vicinity, and by 9am crowds of women and children were standing in Bridge Street, which was situated near the docks. It was said that the house in which the murder took place was one in a block of tenements where mostly poor people stayed. It was heard that a little later, a son of Jemima Grierson, aged 5, was found having been hiding underneath the bedclothes, and very much frightened by what had taken place. Jemima Grierson was also known as Wilhelmina Nicolson. She was also known in the district as Minnie Nicholson or Tillet. At the trial it was heard that Jemima Grierson had not lived with her husband since 1914, but with another man and that John Savage had visited their house earlier to ask the man if he would take him in as a lodger, however, he refused him, and John Savage said he would make it dear for him. On the night of the murder, the man, who was an engineman, had gone out to work at 10pm, after which John Savage went to his house. John Savage's defence was one of insanity due to his peculiar temperament and his addiction to methylated spirit drinking. However, a doctor that examined him said that there was nothing in the evidence to suggest that he suffered even from temporary insanity. John Savage appeared at the Edinburgh High Court on Monday 21 May 1923 and convicted and sentenced to death. He was executed at Calton, Edinburgh on 11 June 1923.