The Murder at Throapham
1st October, 1858
Sally Hare, aged 18 was a servant of Mr. Cuthbert, a farmer of Laughton-en-le-Morthen, Rotherham.
The murder was committed on 1st October, 1858 and John Taylor Whitworth was convicted of the murder of his sweetheart on 20th December 1858 after a trial held at York by Mr. Baron Watson.
The unfortunate young woman, Sally Hare, having died of the wounds inflicted upon her by her sweetheart, John Taylor Whitworth, while walking with him on Throapham Common on the night of the 1st October. An inquest was held on the body by Mr. Badger.
The principal evidence was the statement of the girl, made shortly before her death, which was as follows:
Statement by Sally Hare
"The prisoner and I have kept company for about three years. Last night the 30th of September, he came to see me. My mistress went to bed and left us up together in the kitchen. My master went to bed about 8 o'clock. The prisoner and I sat quietly together till about 1 o'clock, and no angry words passed between us. About 1 o'clock he left the house to start for home, and asked me to accompany him a short distance. It was a beautiful starlit night, and I consented. We left the house together and got as far as the little common. He then accused me of going with another young man, whose name he did not mention. We had some words about it, and he asked me to take poison. He said, 'If you will take some, I will take some too, and we can die together'. I said I would not. He said, 'If you don't, I will kill you' . I said, 'Though you do kill me, I won't take any' . Immediately on leaving the house, and before he accused me of infidelity, he had attempted to take improper liberties with me, and had made indecent proposals to me. I would not accede to his proposals, and he then accused me of going with another man. After I refused to take the poison he got hold of me, threw me on the ground, put his knee upon me, pulled out a knife, opened it, and cut my throat. Before he cut me I implored him not to kill me, but he put one hand on my mouth, and with the other cut my throat. I got the knife out of his hand, and managed to get up, but in the struggle I cut my hands and fingers very much. When I had got up he stabbed me in the throat with the knife, and I got hold of his hair, threw him backwards, and so managed to escape. When I was on the ground, and endeavouring to rise, he stamped upon my head with his foot two or three times. I ran home, bleeding all the way, and went straight to my mistress's bedroom. I said that Whitworth had tried to murder me. My mistress got up and endeavoured to stop the bleeding with some clothes, and I was put to bed, where I have been ever since."
The prisoner, who was in attendance during the inquiry, in custody of the police, had requested to see the body of the girl before going to the inquest, and, on being admitted to the room where she lay, he went up to her and kissed her three times, appearing to be very much affected. Nevertheless, after the evidence against him had been gone through, he made the following flimsy explanation of the poor girl's death:
Statement by John Taylor Whitworth
"The girl went out with me from the house, and we went together as far as we had often gone before, and then we stopped for a short time. She asked me when I was going with her to the feast at Tattershall Thorpe, and I said I thought there was no good me going there, and that she did not want me. She said if I did not care her, she did not care for me. I said we have not been long together, but I hope to be comfortable. We got to further words, and I told her I thought she went with another man. She said before she would tell me she would lose her life. I said I did not wish to go with anyone else while she went with me. I then asked her if she would go any further, and she said she would not. She said, 'We will part as we have always done before.' She then told me to sit down and she would sit on my knee. I sat down, with my feet in the hollow of the ground, and she sat on my knee. When she sat down she said, 'What have you got here?' I said 'It's my knife.' She asked me to let her look at it, and I asked her what for. She said she thought it was as much her knife as mine, and then she got the knife out of my hand and opened it. I said she should not open it, and that I should shut it again. I tried to get it out of her hand to shut it, and she said before I should have it she would try for her life. I tried to get the knife again, and it came through her fingers. She said, 'Bill, you have cut my fingers; and I said, ‘I’ll have my knife if it cuts your face off.' She then said, 'Then, you shall try for it.' So I tried to get it again, and she got hold of the hair of my head. I asked her what she meant, and she said if I would not let her go she would let me know what she meant. I said we had better part good friends, and that I should have my knife. She then got hold of my hair again, and pulled me down. I rolled her twice over and her head caught my feet. I said I should not stand that, and she said she would not give into me. I told her she had better be starting, and she struck at me with the knife in her hand. I tried to keep her off my face, and it went on my jacket sleeve. I tried to get the knife again, but she had fast hold of it, and she said she would not part with it. Rolling about together, the knife went in the side of her face, and I tried to get it out of her hand. She stuck to it fast, and threw me over again. She then said, 'Oh, Bill, the knife has run into my neck.' I said, 'I cannot help it; you should have let go of the knife, and let me go.' She said, 'Let's get up, and I will give you a kiss and let you go.' So we got up, and I said, 'Come, then, my lass, put your arms round my neck and I'll give you a kiss.' Then she came to me and said, 'Oh, Bill,' I said, 'What, my lass?' She said, 'My throat's cut.' I asked her what with, and she said, 'This knife here.' She said, 'I will give you a kiss for the last.' I said, 'Come, then,' and while I put my arms round her neck she struck the knife right at my throat, and said, 'Go to hell with you, Bill.' I then fell on my back, and she ran away. When I got up I saw no one, and made the best of my way home. I was taken to the lockup, and did not know what it was for till this morning, when they told me it was for cutting the throat of Sally Hare. I was taken to see her, and gave her three kisses, and was then brought away."
Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection
The jury returned a verdict of "Wilful murder" against Whitworth, who was accordingly committed on the coroner's warrant to take his trial at the ensuing York assizes.
John Taylor Whitworth, while at York Castle, admitted his guilt. He was visited in prison by his brother in law.
On the day of the execution a crowd of about 5,000 had assembled to witness the execution. The executioner was a man named Askern from Rotherham.
After the drop fell and life was over for the prisoner, the crowd soon dispersed and the prisoner was interred within the preincts of the Castle.
John Taylor Whitworth, aged 22 was assistant shepherd and farm servant to Mr. T. W. Machin at Gateford, about 5 miles from the home of Mr. Cuthbert at Laughton-en-le-Morthen.
About Laughton-en-le-Morthen
