The Story of a Family Hanged for Murder but was the Victim Really Dead?

[@WellINever]

Surprise a loved one with Historic Mail this Christmas. Go to historicmail.com/WELLINEVER and check out with the code WELLINEVER to get 10% off. Thanks to Historic Mail for sponsoring this video!

[@Natasha6090]

Oooh I love history might have to check them out

[@fone9665]

My ears perked up when I listened to you talking about the historical letters, especially when you were covering a case only 20 minutes from our home, in Stratford-upon-Avon. Imagine my surprise when you said that they cost something in dollars, and covered stuff like the Cold War. Not quite the gift I need, or would be relevant, for my Dad, on his 89th birthday. Oh well, back to the search. I'll pay more attention to your sponsors, in future, just waiting for the American football card collectibles, so apt to your channel 🤔 😂💖

[@philipscanlon5496]

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[@python27au]

Sounds like the servant might have been coerced into confessing and tried to save himself by incriminating his family.

[@murphychurch8251]

Seems likely that they also used a little bit of torture.

[@jediping]

My thought as well. I also don’t believe the kidnapping story. Reeks of Sherri Papini, who faked her own kidnapping but was just hanging out with her side piece.

[@jordiguerrero217]

There was another case like this in Spain in the beginning of XX century. Check en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_of_Cuenca Just google it and you'll see what happened with. There's was also a movie about this case and even the movie was released a few years later of Franco's death, it was marred with problems for the director and crew who were judged for the movie. Note: The movie is not recommended for the faint at heart. Sorry for my English. And thanks to Paul for these stories and the way you explain it. I've become an addicted to this channel

[@rabbit0664]

That's what I was thinking myself. He didn't really have much of a choice.

[@deniseleplatt1616]

I certainly hope that village felt quilty for the rest of their lives. Thank you Paul for another wonderful and knowledgeable video

[@tycro]

What is quilty?

[@deniseleplatt1616]

@@tycro That they had done something wrong. They killed innocent people

[@tycro]

@@deniseleplatt1616 so is quilty a term used?

[@LoneSheWolf09]

@@tycrono doubt it’s a typo

[@deniseleplatt1616]

@@tycro Yes, if you feel bad about something you did, then you feel quilty

[@elizabethmulgrew7873]

This sad story is why many states in the US require, or they used to, an identified body before proceeding with a trial!

[@Dingomush]

I really like your style of storytelling and especially the type of stories that you choose. Everything is elegantly written and illustrated where, it can be. Your hosting is superb and the work you put into the program shows. You should be proud of such a marvelous channel. Good show, my man, and thank you for such good results!

[@LowejaDogs]

Yes Paul is the best story teller I have ever heard and he does put a lot of work into his videos.

[@klackon1]

Ha! I know both Chipping Campden and Charingworth very well, living only a few miles away, but unaware of this piece of history. Ebrington is actually pronounced "Yerberton", by the locals. Thank you for another interesting video.

[@murphychurch8251]

Ah, yeah, sweet English pronounciation. 😂

[@FigaroHey]

Probably best when your audience is international to use a less local pronunciation so people can find it on a map.

[@1966Heath]

I swear, Mr Brodie is easily the best host on this entire platform.

[@grmpEqweer]

It does seem odd that someone that old got press-ganged. That is how ships got crews at times-men were abducted off the street, and often were forced to crew a merchant ship for a few years before they could get free.

[@two_tier_gary_rumain]

He wasn't pressganged. He was taken as a slave to the Ottoman koranimals. An entirely different thing. They were often raiding coastal towns and villages. But this story sounds implausible. They wouldn't operate inland and they wouldn't take just one person.

[@leesills7800]

That is true, however, most often it was young, healthy men capable of hard physical labor

[@cw4608]

Press ganged - kidnapped and forced into slavery doing a dangerous job. The profits of your labor going into the pockets of high ranking citizens. The same stuffed shirts who looked down their noses at the very sorts that worked to put the dirty money into their coffers to begin with. Horrible.

[@oneoflokis]

​@garyrumainI9808 I find ALL of it plausible, except indeed for the fact that he was kidnapped so far inland..

[@MrsWilberforce2]

People still make false confessions/accusations to this day, and since torture was routinely used back then, that would also be a very good reason for a false story. I'm sure the servant was just saying whatever he thought would get him out of jail and out of trouble. As to where Harrison had been who knows? My 1st thought was that he himself had stolen the rent money and went off to have a good spree, then returned home after he spent it all, wild tale and all.

[@user-gu1jk4qn6b]

"Well, I never!" was something my grandmother used to say, quite frequently, along with "great day in the morning!", when she was really taken aback. Then, there was "bless his heart", which had a different meaning, than the turn of phrase, today. When used by her, it was quite literal. I think, or at least hope, she would like the fact that her great-granddaughter is called "Betsy", since she used "heavens to Betsy" as an exclamation of surprise, at least several times daily. I very much appreciate the amount of effort that goes into your productions, and wish you a Merry Christmas, and look forward to more of your content, during the upcoming New Year.

[@lakeireland]

“Bless [his/her/their] heart” can still have a positive meaning in today’s world. It all depends on context and subject matter :)

[@JootjeJ]

Why would anyone pressgang a guy that old, especially in the days when that was pretty much heading to ancient? Thank you for yet another really interesting topuc.

[@thurayya8905]

Very odd, all the way around. Stopped to rest under a hen house? Sounds as though some alcohol may have been involved. Good to see you out and about in a lovely landscape. Happy holidays to you!✨️🎄✨️

[@darlenejohnson2662]

I love listening to your story telling. I had an English teacher in highschool. She would read the classics with the same enthusiasm! It makes my day. I have it in at work.

[@FiGee1368]

Compliments of the Season Paul. Another great one. That village should have felt VERY guilty, but I doubt very much they did. Age old question about the pros and cons of the death penalty right there!

[@02bher1]

Best of the Season's greetings Paul; no one tells a story like you. Thank you kindly; from Canada.❣

[@jbos5107]

I have to say you've got the most unique sponsor I've ever seen or heard of. I'm old enough to remember letters and I've written and received quite a few. I wish I had managed to save some of them but it was not to be. Still what an interesting sponsor for an interesting channel!

[@user-cj6yw5fu4l]

Thanks Paul,for a story well told,a horrible miscarriage of justice, is an understatement

[@oneoflokis]

Yes. AND I DO believe that it was THIS case, that made it so that you couldn't have a murder prosecution without a body, for another few hundred years.

[@user-cj6yw5fu4l]

@@oneoflokis 👍

[@SirKenchalot]

It seems quite unlikely that people traffickers (as we call them now) would be operating so far in land and would abduct a relatively older man.

[@AyeliaGDoren]

You're not wrong, but it's possible they were out and either hadn't picked up anyone or picked him up in addition to other people because he was easy pickings. Or with them being slavers they probably weren't above robbery and decided to to make a little more money off him.

[@simbi8797]

Isn't the most plausible explanation for a man's disappearance (with money) an escape from an unhappy marriage? When things don't work out, he returns with a wild story. His wife's reaction to his reappearance seems telling. No idea why someone would not only confess to a crime they had not committed, but then doom their own family. As he said: maybe insanity.

[@David-ud9ju]

@@simbi8797 Yeah, no one's really commenting on the fact his wife became depressed and killed herself when he returned. One would assume that the natural reponse would be happiness.

[@SweetChicagoGator]

Absconding Justice for the testimony of a Nutty son ! 3 innocent souls, how horrific is that ! 💔

[@kellydalstok8900]

Perhaps he was threatened while he was it prison. He was still young after all.

[@ferrisulf]

The videography of this was top notch! What an interesting story. The wife's fate reminds me of the short story: The Story of an Hour.

[@audiooddities9982]

Paul waking through the trees makes him look like he's about to drop the hottest rap album of 1735..

[@agerven]

What a wonderful, yet also horrifying story. And a mystery remains as well. Thank you so much for your investigations on this and the beautiful storytelling in a very well-preserved section of old Brittain.

[@regencywoman7243]

Love that you had such a fun sponsor for this video. And I always enjoy your videos. I don't comment often (I think this is my first comment actually), but your channel is my favorite resource for historic true crime. Thanks for everything you do! ♥

[@gigiwilson9124]

What a fantastic enthralling episode thanks again Paul

[@Mudhooks]

A great story!! I wondered if perhaps the servant was forced into a confession. However, why involve his mother and brother? Why even confess? While press gangs existed, (I just listened to a podcast that covered press gangs… a very sordid and lucrative business the pressers, the pub-owners, and the ship-captains!!) but to have been spirited away so far at his age seems very far-fetched!! An aside… Where did you film this? Lovely Yews!! The podcast was “The Dollop”. It’s hilarious.

[@andrewcarter7503]

There's also the almost lost art of story telling. But it won't be lost whilst you are around. There's lots on TV which comes nowhere near your style and presentation. Well done, Sir!

[@timeforcoffee485]

And yet another wonderful tale to tell. You are a master raconteur, thank you and seasons greetings.

[@jujumulligan43]

I enjoy these stories very much. It's especially entertaining with your fabulous accent. I love it! Thank you 😊!

[@jujumulligan43]

And I almost forgot. You always are dressed so smartly and distinguished.!!

[@hereticpariah6_66]

These are always so very interesting! Could listen to this cat for hours.

[@beverleyarnold7204]

You are perfect as host of this programme. Love all the shows. Thank you 👍

[@kimberlypatton205]

You really left us all”hanging” with this one ,Paul!

[@mariamerrill5875]

I absolutely love this channel the tales it tells is fascinating. Can’t wait for the next one

[@eatiegourmet1015]

Stories from the 17th century could easily be made-up. Not accusing Mr Brodie of anything as sordid as that, but there could easily be channels devoted to "histories" that really aren't. Sort of like "Weekly World News does KZbin".

[@julierobinson3633]

I think the crucial question would be - just as it would be today - what happened to the money? He had collected a large sum of money, did these men who kidnapped him 'take it'?

[@hound3000]

I wonder why John condemned his own mother and brother if he knew that victim was not dead. Betrayed? Paid? You're right, Paul. We will never know the truth.

[@brendanashe5882]

Good to see you back

[@addie_is_me]

How do you even find some of these stories? You people are amazing! Thank you WIN team!

[@fay-amieaspen6046]

Thanks Paul, a brilliant video XXXX.

[@lindastansfield460]

Thank you for another great video! And I love your choice of attire, So Dapper 😊

[@riverranger8226]

One of my favorite channels. Keep it up WIN crew!

[@jpendowski7503]

Beautiful setting and your excellent presentation make even these unfortunate tales worth my time. Thank you and Merry Christmas Paul. 🎄💜

[@markjames6669]

Fantastic video !

[@simoneclift3155]

Thank you for another brilliant story time. Your voice is blissful to listen to. 😊

[@BotsWeekendCovers]

Wow what a story!!!! You really are a great storyteller sir!!!!!

[@kanefarmer6505]

😂 can imagine him recounting this far fetched tale and the villagers are just in disbelief that someone had the audacity to lie like that

[@M-_-O]

Well I’ve never been this early to your posting time. Also, it comes right after a hard day’s work. Thanks again for another intriguing tale. Great quality upgrade to your location shooting equipment as well :)

[@turkeysandtiaras2623]

Another fantastic episode Paul❤

[@nettejakobs2501]

Another awesome story told in the way only you can do 😊 Greetings from Denmark

[@othername1000]

Surprised to see that Historic Mail does not have offer for sale fountain pens and other historic writing instruments. Their website’s first picture features a fountain pen and paper. The second seems to feature an item that might be an inkwell. And paper.

[@sholtodepuma]

You can find stockists of fine pens and high quality calligraphy supplies

[@othername1000]

@@sholtodepuma Yes, I can.

[@charlottesavage5966]

@sholtodepuma yeah but it seems like a missed opportunity to not have it is I think what OP meant lol, to not have like a "tier 2" set or something that has a nice pen or stuff when their whole thing is letters

[@StephanieElizabethMann]

A sad tale. I'm amazed at the story of the not so dead victim of murder. Yes, what was the motivation behind accusing he mother and brother of murder? I wonder if there was some ill will and the accusing brother expecting to get rid of his brother and mother got caught in the net he thought he'd escape. If so, perhaps, he was rightly hung for the murder by proxy of his coaccused.

[@Ishbikes]

Or put yourself in his shoes. “I know I didn’t murder the bastard, so it had to be youse.”

[@oscatt]

I always love your stories. And I hope you can tell us not only sad and mystery stories but also funny and silly stories with history background. I love the history side of your stories.

[@elainethomas9737]

I always enjoy your historical stories. British history is always interesting 👍

[@johncox2865]

You’re getting better 🤪 Very entertaining!

[@Flamsterette]

Thank you for the upload, Paul. I'll have to watch this after the hockey game. (I'm Canadian)

[@andrewwarmington]

I studied this as part of my thesis research. A couple of things can be said with certainty: 1) John Perry was mentally fragile if not insane and 2) Harrison's story was untrue. While slavers occasionally raided England, they took people from the coastal areas and certainly didn't strike inland to places like Chipping Camden to take an elderly man. There are loads of other palpably absurd details in his story, as told to the local JP, Thomas Overbury. Whilst this did happen at the time of the Restoration of Charles II, there would be no reason why a steward to a lady from a Royalist family in Gloucestershire would need to lie low. Odds are Harrison went to London or maybe Bristol, but why is a mystery.

[@Back-handedLuck-ul7ms]

Just wondering what your thesis was. Mine was something totally unrelated to this video, but again...I am interested?

[@rodeastell3615]

Excellent as always.

[@AnnaAnna-uc2ff]

Thank you very much.

[@thebooknitter]

It isvery strange to condemn also your family members to death 💀 and tike later the deceased comes back very strange indeed

[@TheWillow1979]

Love this channel keep up the great professional work mate.

[@jc5445]

I love Great Britain. All the towns sound like part of Middle Earth.

[@edralphy]

Good story! Thanks Paul. Glad I’m in this era! I hope you had a good respite! 😊

[@NanaBren]

Hello Paul, my dear friend. Thank you for the story today. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas holiday! 👼🏻🎅🏻🤶🏻⛄️☃️

[@c.argelfraster1291]

Another intriguing story! You are a spellbinder, Paul, I could listen to you all day. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season (and a Happy Christmas, if you celebrate)!

[@dianawoods4772]

I really enjoy your videos thankyou.

[@billfletcher9118]

Thanks Paul. cheers from Australia!

[@laurametheny1008]

Thank you sir! I guess there's evidence enough for longer and more thorough investigations of crimes etc. I think we've gone a bit too far in the other direction tho lol. Thank you sir! This was ABSOLUTELY a case of "Well I Never.." Wonder if his wife hated him enough to orchestrate that fiasco? Maybe he was a wife beater. Of course you are right. We will likely never know. I hope you and your loved ones have a joyous and safe Christmas. I sure wish I could visit the UK and Ireland. Especially at this time of year🙏🏼🎄🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇲

[@isabeldickstein3655]

I just ordered Historic mail for myself so fast! I love your channel!

[@horrorfan1455]

Very interesting case well done Paul 👏 wishing you happy holidays

[@jaehaspels9607]

False confessions happen a lot these days. Some police are lazy and just really go after the first good suspect they find. People confess crazy things when they've been questioned for hours and hours. Here is advice on how to deal w/ police in America. Only give 1 statement and if they ask you any more questions, either tell them to refer to the person who took your statement or consult a lawyer. Never submit to interrogation at the police station. You don't have to. Instead, give your statement by appointment at your own residence or a hotel room where you're free to use the restroom, get a drink, etc any time you want and you can dismiss them when you want. Always consult a lawyer first before giving fingerprints, DNA or doing a lie detector test.

[@stevenschnepp576]

*Especially* if you're innocent.

[@V4Dad]

My theory is the thieves were hired by the wife to kill her husband so she could continue her affair with the servant. But the thieves took pity on the old man and abducted him instead, selling him into slavery. The servant probably thought he could save his own neck by implicating his brother. I wonder if the wife really did take her own life.

[@oneoflokis]

That's a pretty intersection idea.. Obviously something going on with that wife!

[@LowejaDogs]

Good grief, Well I Never. That is one incredible story and a very sad one to. Would have really liked to know as you what the real story was but as you said, we will never know. Such a shame life was lost by your own family member with a lie. So many questions and no answers. Great storytelling tho.

[@dianelopes8199]

that was a lovely grave yard, and a great story

[@christinedelman887]

WOW what an amazing story! You always come up with fantastic ones that really keep me interested!

[@allanriches9381]

A very strange, but intriguing story. Well I Never.

[@debbieanne7962]

Is this the case which ceased the charge of murder in England if there was no body? Law wasn’t changed for a couple of hundred years

[@_jdragon_5492]

Paul is moving his hands so much I feel like he's doing a magic trick but I enjoy

[@C4RYB34R]

How did I miss this? Thank you!

[@katep23]

Fascinating, as always. Thank you. Btw, where did you film this ep? Looks like Gloucestershire maybe?

[@wtconroe879]

Enjoyed your retelling of the case, Paul.

[@lorifromtemeculaca426]

Ye gads!!! Great story telling & historic sponsorship as well, wow!

[@jezwix4195]

merry Christmas Paul, hope you have a good one! thanks for the great content this year, good work fella!

[@Charlotte66666]

How awful. Thank you for another wonderful video Paul 😊🎅

[@l1277]

Assuming the brother and mother really did steal money the previous year, perhaps John Perry assumed they had killed Harrison for the money he had on him. Having time in prison, he probably ruminated on things that had happened around the time of Harrison's disappearance; maybe his mother bought something she wouldn't normally get, maybe his brother had made an offhand comment about killing someone.

[@AyeliaGDoren]

This makes sense. False confession are common enough he may have convinced himself that they did it based on the mother stealing, etc...and confessed to try and save himself. Really just a sorry situation all around.

[@Ishbikes]

“I know I didn’t murder the bastard, so it had to be youse.” That’s just the reality

[@marygrummer9189]

Weird story! But very interesting 😊

[@meghanolsonllaneza6539]

Holy F. That’s insane. So sad but insane !!! 🤯🤯🤯

[@Kari.F.]

Reading the "headline" and going whaaat-now?! I have to hear this right now, break time or not.

[@markstothard630]

I reckon Red would've loved that hat...thrown as a frisbee at the park of course.

[@mariaferreras4369]

You are a great storyteller. Fantastic accent.

[@m.f.richardson1602]

Always interesting Thank you

[@leahprice1141]

You do a great job…. Thank you

[@rolfsinkgraven]

Well luckily justice has improved...... a bit eh. Great story again Sir thnx.

[@donnadunlop7853]

Thankyou Paul 🖤

[@keiththorpe9571]

This reminds me of something I once heard a judge had said when confronted by evidence which exonerated a man on Death Row: "Under American law, innocence of a crime is not a bar to upholding a legal sentence passed on a defendant by a jury." Essentially, the judge was saying that despite the fact that the condemned prisoner was innocent of the crime for which he was about to get The Hot Shot, that was not enough to stop the execution of his sentence. Now, fortunately this judge was the only dissenting jurist among the five appellate judges empaneled to hear the case, the other four ruling that the man sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit should be released post-haste and without delay. Only in America can you find that kind of "legal reasoning." To whit; "Better that ten innocent men die than for one guilty man to go free."

[@Hilde_Norway]

Great story,butt horrible.i feel for them.i liked this channel.stumbled over it by chance.sending regards from me in Norway

[@facelesscarmy101]

God these videos are so interesting and well-made. Great stories, great script, great research. Brilliant channel.

[@nigelramkissoonraja6916]

Season's greetings 🎄❤️💛💚

[@TheKulu42]

I recently came across your channel. I enjoy your narrations and your accounts about cases I have never heard about until now. As for Harrison's disappearance, maybe he manufactured the evidence of his robbery and death, and then took the rent money and some funds he had skimmed to start a new life elsewhere, but that didn't work out, so he came back.

[@danaMccabe-dagmarK]

Thanks!

[@WellINever]

Thank you so much!

[@lorrainedalgleish7616]

Sounds like Mr Harrison was having a bit of an S&M / Grindr fantasy there : roughed up in the woods by a group of brutes, held hostage by pirates ( who tended to his wounds), then sold as a slave to an exotic doctor. And all at 70 years of age. I bet his wife had a lot to put up with. I wonder where he really was all that time ??

[@AAMARTCLUB]

Agree! Probably decided to abscond with his young fancy and ran out of ‘steam’ and cash after a year and came home with a fantastic tale.

[@lorrainedalgleish7616]

​@@AAMARTCLUB Mr Harrison : You'll never believe this..... Mrs H. : You'd better believe it.

[@patsysmith540]

Thank you so much.

[@taniaelliott4078]

Was he tortured or beaten? That would explain a false confession/accusation and recantation of it on the gallows, when his fate was already sealed and no more torture could be inflicted by the authorities.