Age: 31
Sex: male
Crime: murder
Date Of Execution: 16 Dec 1902
Crime Location: Middletone Moor, Spennymoor
Execution Place: Durham
Method: hanging
Executioner: William Billington
Source: http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/
Samuel Thomas Walton was convicted of the murder of his wife Isabella Walton 49, his daughter Esther Jane Walton 11m and Mother-in-Law Isabella Young 53. He was sentenced to death.
After he cut his throat.
They had been married for 9 years but had lived separately for most of that. However, they later tried to start over but eventually Samuel Walton threw his wife and child out of the house and they went to her mother's house.
Whilst there she decided to get a separation order and was granted custody of Esther Walton and a maintenance order of 10/- a week.
Before the first payment was due Samuel Walton sold all his possessions and moved out and bought a revolver and some cartridges.
He then went to his mother-in-law's house and told her that he had come to pay the first 10/- but would need a receipt. As Isabella Young went off to get some writing paper he shot her dead. He then shot his wife and child. Isabella Walton had been shot 3 times but managed to escape the house, however, she soon died.
see Exeter and Plymouth Gazette - Wednesday 17 September 1902
see Nottingham Evening Post - Thursday 18 September 1902
see Cheltenham Chronicle - Saturday 20 September 1902
see Dundee Courier - Monday 22 September 1902
see Leeds Mercury - Wednesday 17 September 1902