But for her five children, 38-year-old Caroline Fletcher told her sister, she would leave her drunken husband who beat her.
When Joseph Fletcher, 40, again returned drunk to his home in Bostock Street, Liverpool, on the night of SEPTEMBER 2nd, 1911, and then went out for more drink, his wife locked him out. Hearing the key turn in the door behind him, he demanded to be readmitted. When his 17-year-old daughter Catherine let him in, he went to the parlour where his wife had locked herself in. He promptly broke down the door and tried to strangle her.
She broke away, but he caught her moments later and battered her to death with a chair, also forcing one of its legs into her mouth. Then he went out, found a policeman and told him Caroline had fallen down the stairs. But Catherine and her 15-year-old brother told the police what had actually happened.
Tried for his wifes murder, Fletcher was convicted and sentenced to death. His execution followed on December 15th, 1911.