Philip Cross
Encyclopedia
Philip Cross from shandy hallDripsey
, County Cork
, Ireland
was a physician convicted and hanged for the murder
of his wife after an affair with his children's governess. The case was known in the late 19th Century as "the Coachford Poisoning Case" for the locale of the incident, Coachford being the road his house was on.
Cross was a retired army surgeon with the rank of Major. He resided at Shandy Hall, with his wife Laura and six children. Aside from hunting and fishing he rarely socialized (his wife was quite popular). Laura hired a 20 year old governess
Effie Skinner (who had worked at a friend's home) in 1886 to look after their children. Cross had a disparaging view of most females, and Laura did not think of anything being stirred up by Ms Skinner. But soon afterwards Doctor Cross began showing too much of an interest in the governess. Eventually he actually seized and kissed her. Effie was upset by this, but due to her liking the children remained in the household. Since she did not speak to Laura about the incident Cross thought she accepted his feelings for her. Eventually Laura noticed his attentions to Effie and confronted her husband. Laura insisted Effie had to leave the household and Cross agreed. Cross convinced Effie that Laura had an unreasonable view of her and she should leave the household. Effie believed Cross and moved to Dublin. A correspondence began between the two using assumed names. Gradually Effie actually did fall into love with Cross. He visited her in Dublin, and they lived there as husband and wife. According to Leonard Parry (p. 33), Cross wanted to end his marriage with Laura but not damage his social position by a messy divorce.
With a short time of this incident Laura became ill with stomach cramps, recently suffering vomiting and diarrhoea and thirst. Cross diagnosed typhoid (though Laura said to one friend, "Phil tells me that I have a disease of the heart.") and gave her medication for it. Cross acted as though he was deeply concerned about Laura's health. However he did not call in any other doctor until the end, when he called in a cousin, Dr. Godfrey of broomhill dripsey. Her condition had deteriorated and she died on 2 June 1887. Cross signed her death certificate (something of a rarity in Victorian murder cases involving physicians). This was followed by a speedy funeral. All this speed did not sit well with the local population, even though Cross explained that as typhoid was the supposed death of death the speed of the burial was to prevent any contagion.
Fifteen days after the funeral Cross married Effie at St. James's Church on Piccadilly
in London. He tried to keep this secret, but it was already known when he returned to Shandy Hall. The police acted because of the trail of suspicious circumstances from the time Effie
entered the household. Laura's body was exhumed and found to contain high levels of arsenic
and strychnine but no traces of typhoid, and as a result Dr. Cross was arrested and tried for her murder at the Munster
Assizes
before Mr. Justice Murphy. Cross was defended by Craigie Atkinson, who came up with a defense that since the defendant had served in the far east, and was acquainted with many barely known subtler poisons, why would he use arsenic (which is the first poison the police would think of). The prosecution demolished this theory by suggesting that while he was a brilliant man normally, as a criminal Dr. Cross behaved like a fool. Motive was shown as was the fact that the Doctor had purchased arsenic recently (and had his sister destroy the bottles he used when treating Laura). Cross was found guilty quickly by the jury. Mr. Justice Murphy (in pronouncing sentence of death) said that the crime was one of the most cruel and bloodthirsty of the century (Parry, p. 35). Ironically, when the murder was uncovered Effie refused to have anything further to do with the Doctor.
Philip Cross was sentenced to be hanged in Cork Jail on January 10, 1888. By the time it came for his execution his hair had turned white. The hangman was James Berry
. The execution was not one of Berry's most successful ones because of a problem regarding the proud criminal involved. For most of his life Cross had been a well born gentleman, and his friends in the area of Cork were from the aristocracy and upper classes. In fact the governor of the prison did not attend the execution because of his feelings about Cross (he sent a deputy to represent him). Berry found that these friends were at the execution to give Cross some emotional support in his last moments. Cross, grateful for their attendance wanted to stand at attention with respect to them, facing as he died. Berry, however, traditionally faced his subjects at executions towards the wall. But each time Berry turned Cross to the wall, the Doctor would turn around and face his friends again. When Berry protested Cross did not reply but just continued doing what he wanted. Finally an official ordered Berry to stop this silliness and allow Cross to die facing his friend, reminding the executioner that a) Cross was a respected soldier, and b) the turning back and forth might twist the rope and cause an accident (Berry had had several bad executions where the criminals were badly injured before they died or strangled to death). Berry did as he was told, and Cross died. Berry would later say that Dr. Philip Cross was the bravest man he ever executed.
Berry was not happy when he officiated at executions in Ireland because of the dangerous hostility of the Irish to him as an English born hangman.
He had been threatened at least once. After being paid for his work he returned to his home in Bradford
, England
. Subsequently he received word to return to Cork because he was needed at an inquest hearing before a coroner's jury on the execution. Berry did not return, but the inquest eventually was completed.
Dripsey
Dripsey is a village in County Cork on the R618 regional road. It is situated on a tributary of the River Lee, the Dripsey River. It is in the Catholic parish of Inniscarra. Other areas in this parish are Berrings, Cloghroe, Tower and Mathey...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
was a physician convicted and hanged for the murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
of his wife after an affair with his children's governess. The case was known in the late 19th Century as "the Coachford Poisoning Case" for the locale of the incident, Coachford being the road his house was on.
Cross was a retired army surgeon with the rank of Major. He resided at Shandy Hall, with his wife Laura and six children. Aside from hunting and fishing he rarely socialized (his wife was quite popular). Laura hired a 20 year old governess
Governess
A governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
Effie Skinner (who had worked at a friend's home) in 1886 to look after their children. Cross had a disparaging view of most females, and Laura did not think of anything being stirred up by Ms Skinner. But soon afterwards Doctor Cross began showing too much of an interest in the governess. Eventually he actually seized and kissed her. Effie was upset by this, but due to her liking the children remained in the household. Since she did not speak to Laura about the incident Cross thought she accepted his feelings for her. Eventually Laura noticed his attentions to Effie and confronted her husband. Laura insisted Effie had to leave the household and Cross agreed. Cross convinced Effie that Laura had an unreasonable view of her and she should leave the household. Effie believed Cross and moved to Dublin. A correspondence began between the two using assumed names. Gradually Effie actually did fall into love with Cross. He visited her in Dublin, and they lived there as husband and wife. According to Leonard Parry (p. 33), Cross wanted to end his marriage with Laura but not damage his social position by a messy divorce.
With a short time of this incident Laura became ill with stomach cramps, recently suffering vomiting and diarrhoea and thirst. Cross diagnosed typhoid (though Laura said to one friend, "Phil tells me that I have a disease of the heart.") and gave her medication for it. Cross acted as though he was deeply concerned about Laura's health. However he did not call in any other doctor until the end, when he called in a cousin, Dr. Godfrey of broomhill dripsey. Her condition had deteriorated and she died on 2 June 1887. Cross signed her death certificate (something of a rarity in Victorian murder cases involving physicians). This was followed by a speedy funeral. All this speed did not sit well with the local population, even though Cross explained that as typhoid was the supposed death of death the speed of the burial was to prevent any contagion.
Fifteen days after the funeral Cross married Effie at St. James's Church on Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
in London. He tried to keep this secret, but it was already known when he returned to Shandy Hall. The police acted because of the trail of suspicious circumstances from the time Effie
entered the household. Laura's body was exhumed and found to contain high levels of arsenic
Arsenic
Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
and strychnine but no traces of typhoid, and as a result Dr. Cross was arrested and tried for her murder at the Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
Assizes
Assizes
Assize or Assizes may refer to:Assize or Assizes may refer to:Assize or Assizes may refer to::;in common law countries :::*assizes , an obsolete judicial inquest...
before Mr. Justice Murphy. Cross was defended by Craigie Atkinson, who came up with a defense that since the defendant had served in the far east, and was acquainted with many barely known subtler poisons, why would he use arsenic (which is the first poison the police would think of). The prosecution demolished this theory by suggesting that while he was a brilliant man normally, as a criminal Dr. Cross behaved like a fool. Motive was shown as was the fact that the Doctor had purchased arsenic recently (and had his sister destroy the bottles he used when treating Laura). Cross was found guilty quickly by the jury. Mr. Justice Murphy (in pronouncing sentence of death) said that the crime was one of the most cruel and bloodthirsty of the century (Parry, p. 35). Ironically, when the murder was uncovered Effie refused to have anything further to do with the Doctor.
Philip Cross was sentenced to be hanged in Cork Jail on January 10, 1888. By the time it came for his execution his hair had turned white. The hangman was James Berry
James Berry (hangman)
James Berry was an English executioner from 1884 until 1891. Berry was born in Heckmondwike in Yorkshire, where his father worked as a wool-stapler. His most important contribution to the science of hanging was his refinement of the long drop method developed by William Marwood, whom Berry knew...
. The execution was not one of Berry's most successful ones because of a problem regarding the proud criminal involved. For most of his life Cross had been a well born gentleman, and his friends in the area of Cork were from the aristocracy and upper classes. In fact the governor of the prison did not attend the execution because of his feelings about Cross (he sent a deputy to represent him). Berry found that these friends were at the execution to give Cross some emotional support in his last moments. Cross, grateful for their attendance wanted to stand at attention with respect to them, facing as he died. Berry, however, traditionally faced his subjects at executions towards the wall. But each time Berry turned Cross to the wall, the Doctor would turn around and face his friends again. When Berry protested Cross did not reply but just continued doing what he wanted. Finally an official ordered Berry to stop this silliness and allow Cross to die facing his friend, reminding the executioner that a) Cross was a respected soldier, and b) the turning back and forth might twist the rope and cause an accident (Berry had had several bad executions where the criminals were badly injured before they died or strangled to death). Berry did as he was told, and Cross died. Berry would later say that Dr. Philip Cross was the bravest man he ever executed.
Berry was not happy when he officiated at executions in Ireland because of the dangerous hostility of the Irish to him as an English born hangman.
He had been threatened at least once. After being paid for his work he returned to his home in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Subsequently he received word to return to Cork because he was needed at an inquest hearing before a coroner's jury on the execution. Berry did not return, but the inquest eventually was completed.