The Murder Record

As many of you know… I started a PODCAST, The Murder Record - and ran that (with old episodes here) for a year and a half before taking a bit of a break.

We all LOVE true-crime and I just can’t seem to put it down — so I am taking the Podcast and putting a bit of a spin on things with The Murder Record Thursdays - to mix things up. But, don’t hesitate to click the button below and let me know if you LIKE or DISLIKE. YOU matter to me and I want to ensure I am putting great content out that you WANT to read!

Let’s DIVE in… (the video is above - so you can always WATCH if you wish!)

A BRUTAL WIFE-MURDER

Our story was originally published in the Toledo Weekly Blade, Toledo, Ohio on November 9th, 1882.

The fate of a Young Wife who had Left her Husband Because of his Cruelty

Special to the Blade.

Clyde, Ohio - November 4, 1882

John Radford, living between Clyde and Bellevue, shot his wife this afternoon. (Nov 4) She had left him about two weeks ago, on account of cruel treatment, and had gone home to her father’s house. He went there this afternoon and broke down two doors, dragged her out into the yard and shot her twice, once in the wrist and once in the head, killing her instantly.

She leaves three small children.

He started west, but was overtaken and lodged in Fremont jail. He will probably get clear on the insanity dodge.

After reading this… the next story continues…

Bellevue, Ohio - November 4, 1882

This town was thrown into most intense excitement this afternoon about 3:30 by the announcement that there had been a murder committed in our midst. Your correspondent proceeded immediately to the scene, and there a sight met his eyes that he wished never to se again. On the ground, a few feet from a door of the house, lay the beautiful form of Annie, wife of John Radford, with a bullet hole through her right wrist and another through the right temple, from which the blood was oozing in a clotted mass.

The coroner arrived at the same time, and learning that there had been witnesses to the sad affair deemed an inquest unnecessary, and her lifeless form was borne into the house that she had left but a few minutes before in the prime of health.

Owing to the cruel and unnatural treatment of the husband of the murdered woman, she was compelled to leave him about four weeks ago and was staying with her parents, who lived nearly opposite their old home. She had recently applied for a divorce, but previous to that time had had an injunction placed on the property to prohibit his disposing of any of it. This morning the murderer, John Radford, went to Fremont, and while there had the papers served on him notifying him of these facts. He returned on the noon train and proceeded to go home. From there he crossed over to where his wife was stopping, knocked on the door, and not gaining admission, began kicking in the panels, and at this his wife came out. He grabbed her by the arm, knocked her down, placed the revolver at her head, and as she threw up her right arm it received the first shot. He then, placing the revolver so close to her right temple that it burned her skin, fired the fatal shot. He was seen to get up and coolly walk out of the gate, stopping to look back a second as if to make sure of his work. Then before going further he picked the two empty shells out of the revolver, placing it in his pocket, and ran across a field until he struck the railroad track and then started west.

The news by this time so aroused the people that they by the hundreds, accompanied by the officers, started in pursuit of the fugitive.

Jerry Korner, the Constable, overtook him about four miles west and demanded his surrender. He complied gracefully, and said, “Take me to Fremont quick.” Upon getting into the buggy previous to starting, Radford said, “Is she dead?” Being answered in the affirmative, he then replied, “I thought so, I gave her two good ones and I am glad of it.” He was taken to Fremont and now lies in the County Jail to await his trial. The murdered woman leaves two beautiful little girls, aged seven and three, to mourn the loss of their mother.

And the story continues…

Fremont, Ohio - November 5, 1882

Your correspondent called at the jail this afternoon to see John Radford, the man who murdered his wife at Bellevue yesterday afternoon. He was walking around with his hat on smoking a cigar, and appeared calm. He asked for a Sunday Leader, and being handed one he sat down and read the account of the murder. He remarked to another prisoner that they “gave it a hell of a head.” When asked if he had anything to say about it, he said there was not a bit of truth to it. “My name is Radford, but there must be another John Radford.” He asked to keep the paper and your correspondent left. He has been very reticent, and would give no satisfactory answer to questions. Everything was quiet around the jail last night.

So, if you know me …. you know I NEED to know more about WHAT happened to John Radford…

Don’t worry - I have more to this story for you:

From The Weekly Jeffersonian - Th, 23 Nov 1882

(Page 3)

BOUND OVER

John Radford, who murdered his wife at Bellevue last week, was on Thursday taken before Squire Tyler at Fremont for a preliminary examination. Several witnesses for the prosecution were examined, the defendant waved his defense, and was bound to answer to a charge of murder in the first degree. It is expected that the defense will be temporary insanity. The prosecuting attorney, Kinney, will be assisted by John L. Lemon, of Clyde, and Col. J. R. Bartlett. Radford for his attorneys, T.R. Strong, and Judge Finnefock.

But… I have more…

The Verdict…

From The Clyde Enterprise - Th, 7 Jun 1883

(Page 2)

The Radford Verdict

Late Thursday afternoon last the jury in the case of Radford, the Bellevue wife-slayer, came into Court with a verdict of GUILTY OF MURDER in the FIRST DEGREE.

They had been out forty-six hours in all, having been once sent back after coming in for the purpose of reporting a disagreement. It is understood that on the first ballot ten of the jury voted for the verdict finally rendered, and two for murder in the second degree only; and further, that on a second ballot taken five minutes later, the vote stood eleven to one. That one jury man stood out until the whole number came in to report a disagreement and sought to be discharged; when Judge Wickham, learning the situation of things, inquired out the doubting man, and asked if there were any points of law, any question as to the admissibility of testimony, or anything else on which the Court could enlighten him, that stood in the way of his making up his mind. The juryman said there was not, and the twelve were sent back for further consultation.

A few hours later they returned the unanimous verdict stated above, and on a pol of the jury each man confirmed it as his verdict.

How any other was possible under the evidence, no ordinary mind can comprehend. That John Radford had murder in his heart when he went to the house of his wife’s parents is beyond any sort of doubt. He probably meant to kill both his wife and her father, possibly the latter only; in either event the murderous intent was there, and had the father been at home the chances are that Radford’s well-loaded pistol would have scored two victims instead of one. The killing was cold-blooded, designed and brutal. Radford had not even intoxication, in itself a crime, to plead in false extenuation of his greater crime; for he was not drunk. All the evidence showed this; he himself admitted it. The truth in a nutshell is this: John Radford had lived ten years with a lovely, amiable woman, whom he had married and then systematically ill-treated and abused. His own conjugal infidelity was not brought out in evidence at the trial, but it was notorious both at Bellevue and Clyde. After ten years of patient endurance, his wife could submit no longer, took her children and went to the home of her father, seeking through the Courts divorce from the man who had violated every duty of a husband, and alimony for the support of herself and children.

Incensed at this, he resolved to compel her to return to him, withdraw the legal action she had taken, or, if she refused, to kill both her and the father whom he believed to have been her adviser.

The latter was not a home, but Radford did find his wife, dragged her by force down stairs, poured out a torrent of abuse upon her as he did so, threw her outdoors and then deliberately fired two shots into her body, threatening her mother and sister with a similar fate if they should attempt to interfere.

No more cowardly, brutal act of murder can be conceived of, nor one perpetrated with more fiendish deliberation. Not a single mitigating circumstance appears in the transaction, from beginning to end.

Radford’s counsel have filed a motion for a new trial, which is to be argued June 15th, and which it is at least safe to hope may be overruled. If so, they will doubtless then attempt to secure the same end through a bill of exceptions to a higher Court. This out to fail also. By the statues of Ohio not less than one hundred days must intervene between the time of pronouncing a capital sentence and its execution. The voice of the people of Sandusky county, which in this instance may be truly said to be the voice of strict justice, demands that as soon as the obstructive preliminaries, which his counsel ought to be ashamed of, shall be gotten out of the way, these hundred days of life be measured out to John Radford, and that at their expiration he expiate his awful act upon the gallows. There should be no waiting even for the traditional hangman’s day to come round. Any other day is just as good as Friday for putting adulterous wife-slayers out of the way; and if the limitation should happen to expire on a Sunday, let the gallows bear its fruit as early as possible Monday morning. For if gallows punishment is to obtain in Ohio at all, no more deserving subject was ever brought to its ignominy than John Radford.

Well… this author has no issue mincing words -eh!

And Finally…

From The Clyde Enterprise - Th 11 Oct 1883

Page 3

The McPherson Guards of Clyde, Capt. M. B. Lemmon, went to Fremont this morning, in obedience to the order of Sheriff Pohlman to be on duty at the EXECUTION of John Radford to-morrow.

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Join me tomorrow as we WORK through the RADFORD family tree!

(Family Friday)

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