Lady Killers

The episode follows the case of Mary Pearcey, the woman who, in 1890, was found guilty of killing her lover’s wife and the couple’s infant child. It recounts how Pearcey was brought to trial and ultimately convicted for the double murder, highlighting the grim facts of the crime without venturing beyond what is recorded. Killing Mice presents this historical episode, concentrating solely on Pearcey’s conviction for the 1890 slaying of her paramour’s spouse and baby. The programme sticks to the known details – her guilt, the victims, and the year – and refrains from adding any further speculation or embellishment.

‘A Boy’s Best Friend’ tells the tale of Sidney Harry Fox, the man who found himself accused of killing his own mother back in 1929. The episode centres on the allegations levied against Fox, focusing on the circumstances surrounding the charge that he had murdered his mother that year. It presents the events leading up to the accusation, the legal scrutiny he faced, and the broader context of the 1929 case, all while staying within the confines of the known facts. In short, the programme offers a concise account of Fox’s prosecution for his mother’s murder. The narrative remains tightly focused on the singular charge of matricide, avoiding any speculation beyond the accusation itself.

Charlotte Bryant’s case is a stark example of capital punishment in action. She was convicted of murdering her husband by administering a weed‑killer as a poison, and the court sentenced her to death. The sentence was carried out by hanging, ending her life after the verdict. The whole affair revolved around the use of the herbicide to end her spouse’s life, which the jury accepted as proof of her guilt. Consequently, the execution was performed in the usual manner as prescribed by law of the time, with a rope and scaffold, bringing the legal process to its final, fatal conclusion.

In this episode we follow Madeleine Smith, a genteel unmarried woman living in Edinburgh during the 1800s, who finds herself charged with the murder of the man she loved. Though the community regards her as respectable, the accusation shocks the city, and the ensuing trial ends with the curious Scottish verdict of ‘not proven’, leaving the question of her guilt unresolved. The programme traces the events surrounding the alleged crime, the social pressures of the time, and the legal conclusion that stopped short of either convicting or acquitting her, and sparked ongoing debate among contemporaries about the adequacy of the verdict.

The programme “Suffer Little Children” recounts the case of Amelia Dyer, who was found guilty in 1896 of killing a number of children placed in her charge. It follows the events that led to her conviction, concentrating on the crimes she committed while looking after the youngsters. In this episode, the narrative centres solely on Dyer’s actions and the 1896 verdict that sealed her fate. The story is presented without any additional commentary, focusing entirely on the factual account of her murders and the legal outcome.

The episode tells the tale of Dr. Crippen, a physician who murders his own wife, Belle Elmore. Belle is portrayed as a nymphomaniac, and her husband’s drastic action is motivated by his devotion to a younger woman, Ethel Le Neve. Driven by love for Ethel, Crippen decides to end Belle’s life, believing this will free him to be with the woman he truly cares for. The story follows the grim decision and its consequences, focusing on the contrast between the troubled marriage and the passionate attachment to the younger lady. It presents a bleak portrait of a marriage unraveling under the weight of obsession, and it examines Crippen’s desperate attempt to escape his circumstances by eliminating his spouse.

Frederick Seddon stood before the court accused of taking the life of his lodger, Eliza Barrow. The prosecution alleged that he had killed her by administering a poisonous solution that he had prepared by soaking fly‑paper in a liquid, the resulting toxin being used to end her life. The hearing centred on whether the evidence could prove that the concoction derived from the fly‑paper was indeed the cause of Barrow’s death, and whether Seddon had intentionally administered it. Throughout the trial, the jury heard testimony concerning the relationship between the two tenants and the circumstances under which the lethal mixture was created and delivered.

The episode from the programme My Perfect Husband centres on the notorious case of George Joseph Smith, infamous as the “brides in the bath” murderer. It follows his criminal activities, detailing how he targeted newly‑wed women and carried out his crimes in a pattern that earned him that chilling nickname. By focusing solely on Smith’s actions, the story presents a concise account of his deeds without venturing into broader analysis or commentary, keeping the narrative tightly bound to the facts of his infamy.