John Charles Parr - murder outside the police station!

19 year old John Parr had been engaged to 19 year old Sarah Willott, but having found him out in lies, she broke off the relationship in the summer of 1900. He had claimed to be a French Polisher by trade, but in fact did not have a job. She also found out that he had served a prison term for theft. This was not the sort of man she wanted to be married to.

On the evening of Monday the 27th of August 1900 Sarah and her friends Emily Samson and Kate Burgess went to the Forrester’s Music Hall in London. Parr followed them there and caused a scene so the girls left and were walking down Bethnal Green Road when Parr again accosted them. He asked Sarah to take him back but she refused. She threatened to walk over to Bethnal Green police station. Parr told her to do so. Inside the police station Sgt. George Crow heard shots and came out at 10.10 p.m., finding Parr still holding the gun and exclaiming “I have done it, I have done it.”

Sarah was taken into the police station but died three or four minutes afterwards. Parr was arrested and charged with her murder by Insp. William Page. He was remanded to Holloway Prison which was still a male prison at this time. Here he was examined by the medical officer, Dr. James Scott, who found him to be of low intellect but fit to plead.

He was tried at the Old Bailey before the Recorder, Mr. Justice Bucknill, on the 13th of September 1900. Emily Samson testified that Parr had approached Sarah and she said "What do you intend to do?" Parr told her "I intend to have you, and no one else". She replied, "I don't want you, all I want is an honest, hard-working fellow, not one who robs others". She then turned round to go up the Police-station steps and that was when she was shot in the right temple with a small five shot revolver.
Given the eye witness testimony of the girls and the arresting officer, the only available defence was insanity. The jury did not accept that but did recommend him to mercy on account of his age. He told the court that he intended to shoot himself but the revolver jammed. He had a suicide note in his pocket when searched. Here is a drawing of Parr, most probably made by a court artist during his trial. Newspapers could not print photographs in 1900.

As the murder was committed with a gun, mercy was not forthcoming and Parr was hanged at Newgate prison at 8.00 a.m. on Tuesday the 2nd of October 1900 by James Billington assisted by William Billington.

He slept “lightly” the night before and had a 'moderate' breakfast. The drop was 8ft. 6in. and death was reported to have been “instantaneous”. The crowd outside Newgate was mainly composed of women. Parr’s case got very little publicity.

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