John Appleton (Jail)

John Appleton was convicted of the murder of William Ledger and sentenced to death but reprieved.

He and another man murdered him 22 years earlier at Pity Me in Durham.

John Appleton confessed to the murder on 28 March 1905. He was drunk when he made the confession and later recanted saying that he had only read about it in a newspaper.

He was sentenced to death but the sentence was later commuted to life.

William Ledger had been seeking work when he was attacked, robbed and then thrown into a small roadside stream.

His body was found several days later.

John Appleton’s confession read:

'In May 1882, accompanied with one Harry Earnshaw, now deceased, he having died about seven years since, I left Great Yarmouth by boat, believed to be the East Anglian, for Newcastle to seek for work.

We had been there about three or four days and failed to get work.

On one of the outside roads we met a man about 3pm.

Thinking he had some money, we hit him with some sticks we were carrying, knocking him down and putting him into the dyke.

We searched his pockets, and found a silver watch and chain and some peppermint sweets, which we took. The watch we put into a drain nearby. The chain we pledged in Newcastle for five shillings, and tore up the ticket.

We went on the road to Jedburgh, and obtained work there with a farmer. We stayed there about two months.

After leaving there about three days we returned, and broke into the team man's house, stealing about thirty shillings, for which we were afterwards apprehended at Edinburgh.

We were committed for trial, and sentenced at Jedburgh to six months' hard labour.

Whilst working for the farmer we saw a notice on a gate post with reference to a man or men wanted for the murder of a man at Newcastle, which we took no heed of.

After serving my sentence I came to Great Yarmouth, leaving Earnshaw on the road.

I saw him in Yarmouth about seven weeks afterwards, and asked him how he was, but made no reference to what had occurred.

I have not seen him since, but heard about seven years ago that he had died.

I have made no confession of the murder until now, which is a full and true statement.

For some time past this has worried me, and yesterday, 28th inst I got drunk for the purpose of giving myself up with the intention of making this confession'.

After the judge passed sentence of death on John Appleton he said that he was glad to know that for many years, at any rate, John Appleton had led a very respectable life, stating that he gave him full credit for that, perhaps more than he deserved.