John Stephenson Bainbridge

John Stephenson Bainbridge murdered Edward Frederick Herdman 75 by battering him and cutting his throat at 47 Salisbury Place, Bishop Auckland on 31 December 1934.

John Bainbridge, a soldier,  was friends with the daughter of Edward Herdman. She stated that she and John Bainbridge left her father in the house at 7.55pm noting that the clock was 10 minutes fast. Edward Herdman was supposed to be murdered between 7.50 and 9.50pm. The judge noted that if that were true and the clock were not fast then John Bainbridge was innocent. The case was known as the Ten Minute Alibi.

Edward Herdman was found dead at his home at 47 Salisbury Place about 10pm on New Years Eve with his head battered and his throat cut. Close by was a broken brass poker covered in blood and on his lapel an open penknife. It was Edward Herdman's penknife that he had used for years. The walls, ceiling and furniture was besplattered with blood. The back of his hands were beaten to a pulp indicating that he had used them to protect his head as he was being beaten. On the table, partly underneath his body was a wallet containing £40 which had not been taken.

John Bainbridge met his girlfriend later at the hotel where she worked at 10pm after which they went to a party where they were until the early hours. The girlfriend said that she did not see any blood on his clothes that night.