William Horsely Wardell

William Horsley Wardell was convicted of the murder of 60-year-old Elizabeth Reaney and sentenced to death.

He beat her to death with a coal hammer at 23 Sunderland Road, Manningham, Bradford  on 22 February 1924 and stole her money. The court heard that there was no doubt that he had deceived Elizabeth Reaney into believing that he was going to marry her, and then murdered her in the hope of obtaining her money.

The general timeline of the case is:

• 22 February 1924: Elizabeth Reaney murdered at 23 Sunderland Road.
• 23 February 1924: Removal men arrive at 23 Sunderland Road, and find note on door and go away. Later in the day the estate agent called and found Elizabeth Reaney dead.
• 26 February 1924: William Wardell goes for a shave.
• 27 February 1924: Description of Elizabeth Reaney's lover published in newspapers and hairdresser goes to the police. Friends of William Wardell from the Peel Hotel notice the similarity in the description and pressure him to go to the Town Hall to prove his innocence.
• 27 February 1924: William Wardell hands himself in to the police in order to clear his name after a friend tells him the police are looking for him.
• 28 February 1924: William Wardell charged with murder.
• 27 March 1924: Inquest returned a verdict of murder against William Wardell.
• 10 May 1924: William Wardell convicted of murder and sentenced to death.
• 18 June 1924: William Wardell executed at Leeds.

Elizabeth Reaney had lived alone at 23 Sunderland Road in Manningham. She had been deserted by her husband around 1900 when he went off to Australia but and when he died he left her a considerable sum of money in his will, which amounted to about £700 or £800, which she received in instalments between February 1922 and January 1924. She also used to take in lodgers at her house, which she owned and had paid £300 for, which was stated to have been exclusive of the money she had received in her husbands will. However, she agreed to sell her house at the end of 1923 for £390, the sale being completed on 18 February 1924, and vacant possession to be given on 23 February 1924, the day after her murder. It was noted that she had been given a cheque for the £500 which had been cashed, but that no trace of that money could be found. However, the police did find £529 in £1 notes in her house, which was said constituted the money left to her in her husbands will after his death.