Cambridgeshire Murders Read Online Free PDF

business fell into debt. When the initial charges against him were dropped his incarceration continued on the grounds of bankruptcy. In total, Bellingham was in prison for almost six years.
    Released in 1808, by the following year he had found his way back to England. With feelings of bitterness at his abandonment by the British government, he wrote many letters attempting to claim compensation for his ordeal. One reply came from Spencer Perceval’s office, informing him that his claim was baseless.
    During February 1812 he took lodgings in New Millman Street, London, and in March sent the following letter to the police magistrates of Bow Street:
    T O T HEIR W ORSHIPS THE P OLICE M AGISTRATES
    OF THE P UBLIC O FFICE IN B OW S TREET
    Sirs,
    I much regret its being my lot to have to apply to your worships under most peculiar and novel circumstances. For the particulars of the case I refer to the enclosed letter of Mr. Secretary Ryder, the notification from Mr. Perceval, and my petition to Parliament, together with the printed papers herewith. The affair requires no further remark than that I consider his Majesty’s Government to have completely endeavored to close the door of justice, in declining to have, or even to permit, my grievances to be brought before Parliament for redress, which privilege is the birthright of every individual. The purport of the present is, therefore, once more to solicit his Majesty’s Ministers, through your medium, to let what is right and proper be done in my instance, which is all I require. Should this reasonable request be finally denied, I shall then feel justified in executing justice myself – in which case I shall be ready to argue the merits of so reluctant a measure with his Majesty’s Attorney-General, wherever and whenever I may be called upon so to do. In the hopes of averting so abhorrent but compulsive an alternative I have the honour to be, sirs, your very humble and obedient servant,
    J OHN B ELLINGHAM
    No. 9 N EW M ILLMAN S TREET ,
    March 23, 1812
    This letter was communicated to Members of Parliament, but no action was taken. Having again applied to the Treasury for assistance, to no avail, Bellingham decided that revenge was his only option and methodically set about becoming acquainted with the House and its members. He bought a pair of pistols and ammunition and became a frequent visitor to parliament. On 20 April he visited a tailor and asked him to alter his overcoat to accommodate a 9in inside breast pocket.
    At 5.15 p.m. on 11 May 1812 Prime Minister Perceval and some aides entered the lobby entrance to the House of Commons. Bellingham had been sitting by the fire waiting: he crossed towards Perceval and pulled a pistol from his coat pocket, fired a single round into the Prime Minister and calmly returned to his seat.
    One of Perceval’s companions, Lord Osborne, rushed forward to catch the Prime Minister, and with assistance from the other ministers carried him into the Speaker’s Rooms. It was immediately obvious however that nothing could be done.
    The exits were closed and someone shouted out ‘Where’s the murderer?’, to which Bellingham replied, ‘I am the unfortunate man’.
    Asked why he had shot Perceval, Bellingham replied, ‘Want of redress, and denial of justice’. One of the witnesses to the shooting, the solicitor Henry Burgess, approached Bellingham and asked, ‘You have another pistol?’ Bellingham replied in the affirmative. ‘Is it loaded?’ Burgess asked. Again Bellingham replied ‘Yes.’ Burgess searched Bellingham and retrieved a second small pistol.
    At about 5.30 p.m. Dr William Lynn arrived from Great George Street, Westminster. He stated that:
    His [Perceval’s] body was partly off the table; his shirt and white waistcoat were bloody; and on examining the body, I found a wound of the skin about over the fourth rib on the left side near the breastbone. The wound had