The Peasenhall Murder Case: Second Trial
- ISBN-10
- ISBN-13
- 9798583471225
- Pages
- 144
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2020-12-18
- Publisher
- Independently Published
- Author
- James Allen
Description
Rose Harsent a servant working at Providence house, was murdered sometime during the stormy night of the 31st May 1902. Her father found the body on entering the house to deliver her weekly linen. Rose was stretched out on the floor of the kitchen in a pool of blood. It appeared that she had been brutally attacked and there were signs of her body having been burnt. Shortly after the discovery Mr. James Crisp arrived on the scene and went for help and it was not long before the local doctor arrived followed by the village Police Constable.Dr. Lay examined the body and tried to determine the time of her death. He also put part of a broken medicine bottle in his pocket for safeguarding. P.C. Nunn went to search Rose's room and he came across a bundle of indecent letters as well as two from the Sibton Methodist preacher, William Gardiner. There was also an unsigned letter arranging for a meeting with Rose at the house at midnight on the 31st May. It was clear that the death of this poor girl was not an accident and that she had been murdered.The idea of suicide or accident was not conceivable and the police started to investigate. William Gardiner was the prime suspect. He worked as a foreman at the Smyth Drills works in Peasenhall. He lived in the village with his wife and children. He had an important position in the community as a preacher at Sibton Chapel. The previous year there had been a scandal accusing Gardiner of having immoral relations with Rose Harsent. He denied these accusations and the enquiry at Sibton Methodist Chapel exonerated him. Nevertheless, William Gardiner was arrested for the murder of Rose Harsent.The first trial took place in November at Ipswich and lasted four days. Mr. Henry Dickens led the prosecution with Mr. Ernest Wild for the defence and Mr. Justice Grantham presided. The jury could not come to a unanimous decision and prisoner was detained for a second trial in January 1903. It has been widely reported that eleven jurors felt that Gardiner was guilty but one juror explained that he had heard nothing to convince him of Gardiner's guilt. This man undoubtably saved William Gardiner from the gallows.
