|
Kill Total: |
1 |
Kill place: |
P |
|
Kill date: |
October 1868 |
Victim(s): |
David Baldey |
|
Date of Birth: |
1847 |
Marital Status: |
Single |
|
AKA: |
Martin Brown |
Occupation: |
|
Martin Henry Vinall who
was also known as Martin Brown. He was convicted at Lewes
Assizes for the murder of an elderly man, David Baldey. On
9th October 1868,
David Baldey had made
the journey into Kingston to collect wages that were owed
to him and his two sons. When he failed to return home a
search was carried out. The following morning his body was
discovered in Lewes. He had been badly beaten as well as
shot. He had been robbed of all his money and this
included the wages he had collected that day.
Martin Vinall had been a lodger with Martin Brown up until
August and he became a prime suspect. He tried to evade
arrest by joining the Royal Artillery, but was soon
apprehended. He confessed that he had been responsible for
the murder but stated that he had not meant Baldey any
harm and that he was in fact not the intended victim. He
said that he had intended to rob a wealthy shepherd called
Tupper, whom he had hoped to ambush and rob, and he had
killed Baldey by mistake. He offered this information
almost as an excuse as if once the authorities realised he
had made a mistake they might let him off.
They were not swayed by
his confession and he was sentenced to death. The sentence
was later carried out by William Calcraft on the 19th
January 1869. at Lewes jail.
