PC James Gordon was found dead in his bed on the morning of November 13, 1893, after being beaten with an iron bar during a henhouse raid in St Helens. The 26-year-old officer had stumbled upon three miners attempting to steal chickens from the foundry of John Forster and Co. at around 11.15pm the previous night.
The Incident
PC Gordon and his partner PC John Whalley discovered John Carney, 19; John Leahy, 22; and Frank Riley, 32, all unemployed colliers affected by the 1893 miners' strike, inside the henhouse. A struggle ensued, during which Leahy struck PC Gordon with an iron bar. Despite a severe head wound, PC Gordon downplayed his injuries and returned to his lodging on Westfield Street.
Inquest and Trial
At the inquest on November 16, 1893, a jury of 15 local tradesmen viewed PC Gordon's body. PC Whalley testified that Riley knocked his lamp out and struck Gordon, while Carney kicked Gordon with clogs. A post-mortem revealed death from "failure of the heart, brought about by shock to the nervous system caused by the blows." The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder.
At Liverpool Assizes in March 1894, all three were found guilty of murder. Mr Justice Day condemned their actions, stating the constables had been "indulgent to the prisoners, for had they used their staves earlier, then their comrade would not have lost his life." He sentenced them to death, but the sentences were commuted to 15 years' penal servitude in May 1894.
Legacy
In 2013, a new gravestone was unveiled at St Helens cemetery, 120 years after PC Gordon's death, attended by around 100 people including police officers. His funeral in 1893 had been well-attended, with wreaths from various organizations and a large crowd of spectators.
