On the Sunday evening of 8 October 1848 the inhabitants of Hunslet were thrown into a state of great excitement and horror when the body of a 16 year old girl, Esther Inman was found horribly murdered.
The deceased lived with her step father, one Thomas Watson in Varley’s Yard, Hunslet. She had been murdered by her sweetheart, one Thomas Malkin who was aged 17 and an operative glass manufacturer, but who for the past twelve months had been employed as a wood turner at Holdsworth’s flax mill and living in Merry Fold, Hunslet Moor End, nearly opposite the Sun Inn.
The unfortunate girl had for some cause or other declined Malkin’s company and on the night in question, and being instigated by motives of jealously or revenge, he went to the garden gate leading to the Watson house where he observed a girl named Mary Ann Smith coming out. Malkin asked her to return and asked Esther Inman to come out for a minute or two because he wanted to talk to her.
Unhappily for Esther the poor girl complied with his request and while conversing together he plunged a dagger twice in to her breast and causing instant death to her.
The dagger was made of a piece of cast steel, six inches in length and half an inch in breadth and fixed on a turned boxwood handle. The blade was of one thickness throughout but filed to a sharp edge on each side and at the point.
Malkin absconded but was soon apprehended and was committed to York on a charge of wilful murder. He was tried before Mr Baron Platt on 21 December 1848 and pleaded not guilty in a firm tone of voice. Mr Hall, Mr Hill, and Mr Wheelhouse appeared for the prosecution; Mr Overend and Mr Johnstone defended the prisoner.
After a patient trial Malkin was found guilty, but was recommended to mercy on account of his extreme youth. He was then asked if he had anything to say why sentence of death should not be passed on him.
He replied:
“My Lord Judge, and gentlemen of the jury, I can truly say that I am perfectly innocent of this crime. It seems to be rather difficult for me to have nothing found on me – no blood or anything of this kind. I can’t really, I can’t talk for myself, but I am perfectly innocent of the crime. I never had thoughts of doing what I call ‘my lover, Esther Inman,’ any injury, never in my life, I always intended and strived to do the best I could for her, and I never thought any ill of her. I cannot say anything more, My Lord Judge”
The sentence of death was then passed upon the prisoner, without hope of mercy.
On the following day he made a confession of his guilt to the Rev Thomas Sutton, the Prison Chaplain, to the effect that he was the cause of the death of his lover, and that he had contemplated the murder sometime previously.
He declared he was actuated by a feeling which, had he seen any other man talking to her; it would have induced him to murder them both, and then take his own life.
On 6 January 1849 he was publicly hanged at York Castle for his awful crime.
Image: The area around Varley’s Yard, Hunslet, from a map of 1905
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