William Seaman - and a triple hanging at Newgate.

William Seaman - and a triple hanging at Newgate.

46 year old William Seaman was a career burglar who was out of prison on parole.  Between the ages of 18 and 46, he had spent no less than 28 years incarcerated.  

In the early hours of Saturday the 4th of April 1896 he decided to break into a house at 31 Turner Street, Commercial Road in Whitechapel, owned by a retired umbrella manufacturer, Jonathan Levy.  He thought the house was empty, but rang the doorbell to make sure. 

 To his surprise the door was opened by Sarah Ann Gale, Mr. Levy’s housekeeper.  He forced his way in and battered Sarah before cutting her throat.  He then ransacked the house, taking various items of jewellery which were identified later by Sarah’s sister, Alice Weiderman.  Unfortunately Mr. Levy interrupted the burglary and was also battered and had his throat cut.

A neighbour heard the commotion and called the police.  Seaman tried to get out of the house by making a hole in a bedroom ceiling and escaping over the roof.  PC Henry Richardson saw a man on the roof and was one of the officers to give chase. Seaman fell from the roof, sustaining serious injuries.  Seaman was arrested at about 1.30 pm. on the Saturday and taken to hospital under police guard.  Inside the house constables Atkinson and Hammond discovered the two bodies.  

Seaman was tried at the Old Bailey on the 18th of May 1896, before the Recorder of London.  Seaman offered no defence and was convicted of the murder of Jonathan Levy.  Sarah Gale’s case was not proceeded with.  This was normal practice where a conviction and death sentence had already been achieved in one case.

On Tuesday the 9th of June 1896 there was initially going to be a quadruple hanging at Newgate.  The culprits were Henry Fowler, Albert Milsom, William Seaman and Amelia Dyer, the Reading baby-farmer.  However it was decided to hang her the following day, leaving just the three men to hang at 9.00 a.m. on the Tuesday.  The gallows was housed in a permanent shed at Newgate and two extra iron bands and chains were added to the beam for this hanging.

At 8.45 am. the bell of St. Sepulchre’s church began to toll and a large number of people had gathered in the Old Bailey to see the black flag hoisted.  

John Billington was assisted by William Wilkinson, (who later changed his name to Warbrick).  Robert Wade had also been appointed to assist but never turned up. He contacted Newgate, "but at the last moment the he telegraphed that he was unable attend".

In view of the enmity that had grown up between Milsom and Fowler it was decided to place Seaman between them on the trap doors.  Due to Seaman’s injuries to his arm and shoulder, sustained in the fall, Billington had some difficulty pinioning him. 

 When asked if he had anything to say by the under-sheriff, Seaman replied “No sir, I have nothing to say.” It is claimed that on finding himself between Milsom and Fowler, Seaman said “Well this is the first time in my life I've ever been a bloody peacemaker.”

Seaman was given a drop of 6’ 9” for his 138 lbs. body weight.  

Death in all three cases was reported to have been “instantaneous” by Dr. Scott the medical officer of Newgate in his evidence to the formal inquest at 11 a.m.  before Mr. S. F. Langham, the Coroner for the City of London. The noose used is/was on display at Scotland Yard’s Black Museum.