The Alleged Manslaughter at Kenninghall Workhouse.
Friday’s Journal was published the report of the death of an aged pauper in Kenninghall Workhouse, named Mickleburgh, as was alleged, from the violence of another inmate named John Revell Burrows, who acted as sick ward attendant. It will be remembered, that the deceased was, in 1851, convicted of the murder of his servant girl, and the capital sentence being commuted, he served a term of penal servitude at Milbank. After this he went to reside at Shelfanger. The case has excited unusual interest in consequence of the deceased’s past history. Our local correspondent writes as follows: -
The peace and quietness of Kenninghall Workhouse has again been disturbed. A little over a year ago a most deliberate murder was committed there, and on Thursday a man aged 78, named John Mickleburgh, died under very suspicious circumstances. On or about the 19th of last month the deceased, who was a very feeble man, was badly beaten by John Revell Burrows, another inmate, who acted as sick ward attendant. The poor aged people who are also in the sick ward appear to have been afraid of Burrows, for no information was given to the Master at the time. In fact, Mr. Cole only found it out by accident. Dr Wilson examined Mickleburgh on the 22nd ultimo, and made the following entry to his medical report book: - “My attention was called to John Mickleburgh, who had complained of pain about the chest. On examination I found an extensive and severe bruise over the front of the chest. It seems most improbable that such a bruise in that position was self-inflicted, but rather bears out the statement that he was hit by the male attendant Burrows. He also has some bronchitis which is independent of the injury. (Sjgned). J. H. WILSON.” Men have been continually sitting up with Mickleburgh since his assault. The body of -the deceased bears a very nasty mark in the centre of the chest, and has the appearance of having been severely pressed against, or that his ribs have been fractured. The man Burrows is a thick-set man of a very pugnacious appearance. It is a strange coincidence that the affair took place in the very room in which Baker was murdered last February twelvemonth. Burrows was arrested by P.C. Davis on Thursday evening, and conveyed to Harling lock-up.
The following further particulars have been gathered in addition to those already published, with reference. to episodes in the deceased’s past life. Mickleburgh, at the time of the murder of which he was convicted, had three daughters, all of whom are now living. After he received his reprieve he was sent to penal servitude for 21 years, which time he served at Milbank. After he was liberated he at once returned to Thrandeston in order to see his wife, who, he found, had again married to Mr. Edgar Nunn, a farmer at Thrandeston, and who is now more generally known as Mickleburgh Nunn. A curious point in reference to this case is that deceased went to live. at Shelfanger, in Norfolk, the native village of the girl Baker, whom he murdered, and till nine months ago he lived at Shelfanger and Winfarthing, where he tried to get an honest living by doing odd jobs, especially helping carpenters, which was his general occupation, when he was removed to Kenninghall Union. Deceased had received out-door relief from the Union for twelve months previous to his removal, but becoming very weak and infirm in health, the Guardians thought it best that he should be taken care of in the House. Deceased was not allowed to enter Suffolk without special permission from the Home Secretary, and this he obtained on three or four occasions. Mrs. Nunn died last year at Thrandeston. Many of the inhabitants of Eye can well remember seeing Mickleburgh brought to Eye and locked up in a cell at the top of the Town Hall, and one says that he was in the very room and saw the murder committed. He says he also saw Mickleburgh buy the knife from one of the stalls at the fair.
Referring back to the Journal files at the time of the former tragedy, the following, which was published on August 9th, 1851, may be of interest at the sad close of the unhappy man’s career: -
“For some years past there has lived in that village a man named John Mickleburgh, the father of three children. The victim who has fallen by his hand is Mary Baker, his servant girl. Mickleburgh is now 41. Mary Baker was 21 years of age. Aided by an industrious wife, who is very kindly spoken of by her neighbours, Mickleburgh carried on the business of a small farmer. He is represented to have farmed about fifty acres of land, of twenty-seven of which he was sole owner, besides being the possessor of several cottages at Thrandeston and Shelfanger. About two years since Mary Baker entered his service, but for some cause or other not transpired she left her place. She afterwards returned, however and continued with Mrs. Mickleburgh as maid of all work up to the period of her tragical end. Her relatives resided principally at Shelfanger.”
We now proceed to give a short narrative of the principal facts, premising that the particulars of every circumstance connected with the murder will-be found detailed in the subsequent report of the magisterial investigation. The fair of Thrandeston this year was held on Thursday, 31st, July, and Friday, 1st August. On the evening of the former day Mary Baker obtained permission of her mistress to visit the fair, with strict instructions to be home by half-past nine. She was joined by her sister and several of her relations and friends. Between seven and eight o’clock, accompanied by William Bootman, a bricklayer, she entered a booth kept by a person named Easto, upon Thrandeston-green. Mickleburgh, who was present, treated some of the parties with wine. Observing Mary Baker in company with William Bootman, Mickleburgh took umbrage, and upon leaving -the booth was heard to utter the word ‘Revenge.’ Mary Baker and William Bootman, upon leaving Eusto’s booth, proceeded to the cottage of Charles Barrett, a labourer on the Eastern Union Railway. This cottage is situated at a considerable distance from Thrandeston-green, and its occupier is allowed to sell beer during the fair. In the principal room about 40 persons were assembled. Mary Baker took a seat near the clock, where she remained in the company of William Bootman and her friends. In walking up to Mary Baker, a few angry words; passed. It does not clearly appear, whether Mickleburgh was in a state of intoxication or not. He then went- into the backhouse, from which he returned almost immediately afterwards, and with a large knife fashioned like a stiletto, which he had purchased in the fair, he stabbed the. woman in the left side. Feeling the wound to be mortal, she immediately said, ‘Oh! I’m dead; I'm dead!’ In the confusion and terror that prevailed, Mickleburgh was seized and disarmed, when he made use of a variety of expressions denoting that he had carried out his plan of ‘revenge,’ so far, and stating that ‘if he had accomplished it to perfection he would stand a glass of wine,’ and using other expressions in bravado. The wounded woman was conveyed in a state of insensibility upstairs. Mr. Miller, surgeon, Eye, was soon in attendance, together with the Rev. T. L. French, by whom the greatest kindness was shown towards the sufferer. On the following morning Mary Baker’s deposition was taken, and in the afternoon, at half-past four, she died. In the course of the day Mickleburgh underwent an examination before the Magistrates, and was ordered to be conveyed to Ipswich gaol. On his road thither Superintendent Jukes stopped at the White Horse, Stoke. Upon conveying Mickleburgh into a room some knives were seen upon the table, when he endeavoured to get possession of one, probably with a view to commit suicide. The attempt, however, was frustrated by Jukes, who conveyed his prisoner safely to his destination.
Such is a brief outline of this horrible transaction. The man appears to have acted altogether under the feeling of jealousy and revenge. That he had a morbid passion for Mary Baker - to call it love would he a libel upon the term - their remains no doubt whatever, as during his incarceration in the Eye Station House he frequently designated her as “a magnificent woman, the Queen of Thrandeston.”
