Rosilla Rider wasn’t too happy with conjugal life after she married William Rider in February, 1918. He beat her regularly, causing her to leave their home in Elborrow Street, Rugby, four times during the first few years of their marriage.

Each time, though, Rider persuaded Rosilla to return to him, promising that he would change.

But three years after their marriage Rosilla’s mother discovered that Rider had already had a wife when he married Rosilla, and that therefore he had committed bigamy. She sent another of her daughters, 15-year-old Winifred, to tell Rosilla what she had discovered.

Rider not only persuaded Rosilla to stay with him, pleading that his first marriage was all over and done with, but he also persuaded young Winifred to move into the house.

Within a few months Winifred was telling her mother that she was pregnant by her brother-in-law. When Rosilla heard this, she took off yet again, and this time Winifred went with her. Eventually they moved into their mother’s home in Harbury.

Just before 8 a.m. on September 7th, 1921, Rosilla’s mother was awakened by a cry from Rosilla: “Oh, Bill, don’t!” She sat up and saw Rider at the foot of the bed. He was pointing a 16-bore shotgun at Rosilla and before anything more was said he fired. Rosilla was killed immediately.

He was arrested an hour and a half later near a golf course on the road to Leamington. He could offer no explanation for the coldblooded murder, for which he was hanged on Tuesday, DECEMBER 19th, 1922.