Further reading for the murder of Mary Gough:

Till Death Do Us Part: The true story of misguided love, marriage, death and deception.

18th century Dublin, Ireland. A man named Billy Davis was had been born without legs but was able to live his life by making his way around in a large iron bowl, he held in place on his body with two leather straps over his large, broad shoulders.

Billy became such a well known sight around Stonybatter (a neighborhood of Dublin) not just for the iron bowl, but also because of his large arms that were thick with muscle and the envy of many a prizefighter. He also sported long thick black hair and a face known to have been handsome and drew the attraction of ladies.

Billy’s one and only way to make a living was in the business of begging, with his disability and good looks he was able to make a good living, especially from the women who pitied him and yet were a sucker for his good looks. However, Billy had a penchant for gambling and drinking, and was spending his money way faster then he was making it. So he had to find other ways to get his hands on money.

One dark winters night, a woman was walking along a desolate road Billy unstrapped himself from his bowl and hid in the dark shadows of a bush. As the woman got closer, Billy let out a noise that got her attention. When she bent down and started searching the bush for whatever may has let out the noise, Billy’s giant hands grabbed the woman causing her to faint from fright. Billy then grabbed all of her jewelry and her purse and took off.

It was easy pickings for Billy, since nobody would suspect a cripple to be able to carry out the robberies. But as he continued to commit the crimes they began to get more violent and murderous. One night as Billy tired to rob a servant girl, she fought back. During the struggle, Billy strangled the girl in what became known as The Grangegorman Lane Murder. This murder resulted in Dublin’s first organized police force.

One night two ladies were on their way back home after an evening out at the theater, they as well heard strange noises coming from a bush. Billy sitting in wait, didn’t notice that there were two woman and reached out and grabbed one as they came close. As she put up a fight, the other woman that Billy had failed to notice, pulled out a hat pin and jammed in right in Billy’s eye.

The women took off, leaving Billy rolling on the ground in agony with the hat pin stuck in his eye. The women were able to find an officer on foot patrol, who ran to the scene they had just left.

Billy was arrested at that point, and convicted to a life of hard labor and sent to Green Street jail. He spent the res of his life breaking stones.

followed by a husband strangles wife story

Mary Gough was married to Colin Whelan for six months when her body was found at the bottom of the stairs in their home in Dublin. It was found that she had been strangled and Colin was charged with his wife’s murder.

But how did he do it? and what was his motive?

Episode 123

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