Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in Sheffield by Geoffrey Howse

Author:Geoffrey Howse
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Bisac code 1: TRU000000: TRUE CRIME / General
ISBN: eBook ISBN: 9781783037599
Publisher: Wharncliffe
Published: 2009-05-20T16:00:00+00:00

The Halls’ home in Shelf Street, which stood at the corner of Leadmill, with its door in Shelf Street and its living room and bedroom windows facing on to Leadmill Road. James Hall is seen pursuing his daughter, Selina, with a hatchet, with which he attempts to strike her. Selina fends the blow off with her umbrella, while her finacee, Richard Duckenfield comes to her assistance. Illustrated Police News

The policeman entered the house and, on going into the living room, a gruesome sight confronted him. The fireplace was in the centre of the wall facing the door with a recess at each side. In the recess between the fireplace and the window lay the body of Mary Ann Hall. She was laying almost at full length with her face uppermost and her head slightly twisted towards the wall. The head had practically been cleft in two, the whole of the right side caved in and brain tissue was protruding from her wounds. Her upper body was a mass of gore and the paintwork, wallpaper and furniture was bespattered with blood. On satisfying himself that the woman was dead, Constable Crowe left the house and returned to Leadmill Road, where Hall was still in the clutches of Duckenfield and the other men.

Hall was taken to Highfields Police Station in London Road. He seemed unconcerned when he was arrested and during his removal to the police station he said very little. He was clearly under the influence of alcohol and during the journey said: ‘I hope I have done the ——.’ On arrival at the police station, he was asked his name in Inspector Bradbury’s presence, he did not hesitate to give it, and added: ‘I did it myself, and intended to do it.’ The hatchet, which was smeared with blood, was also taken to the police station. When Hall was searched he was found to have a purse containing 10s. 10½d. in his possession. Inspector Bradbury then went to Shelf Street with Constable Crowe and some other officers. The police surgeon for the division, Mr William Dale James, was sent for and he arrived from his London Road residence and pronounced Mary Ann Hall dead.

James Hall was subsequently removed to the Central Police Offices, to await his appearance before the stipendiary magistrate on Monday morning. On Monday 29 March, James Hall appeared before Mr Edward Welby, at Sheffield Town Hall. The Chief Constable, Mr Jackson said:

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