William Clarke was a stone-mason at Mytholmroyd.
In the afternoon of 8th August 1889, William and his brother, Thomas, went to the Dog & Partridge, Heptonstall.
They were joined by Sally Hollinrake – aka Sally a' th' Dog – and Sally Clegg – aka Sally i' the Garret – and Nellie Fearby and Emily Clark.
Later, Thomas left and William went upstairs with 3 of the women. After 2 hours, William came down for a meal and then went back upstairs. He was last seen at 10:30 pm.
At 11:30 pm, he was found badly injured in the street, and died the following morning.
Before he died, William told his brother that he had felt someone going through his pockets before he was knocked gormless by a blow in the stomach.
Another witness heard William cry out:
Oh Sally, tha shouldn't ha' done that
A few days later, Sally Hollinrake handed Clarke's watch to the police, saying that he had asked her to keep it safe for him.
The Inquest at the Bull, Hebden Bridge, which lasted 2 days, returned a verdict that William
died from injuries received from a fall, but that there is no evidence to show how such a fall came about
There were public riots against the verdict, as Clarke would have had to cross the bedroom where the landlord's family were and then to climb a staircase to reach the attic and throw himself to death
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