THIS week the Mail has taken a step back in time after two residents brought in an extract from a book titled A place to remember: Busselton 1850 -1914.
The extract included an almanack from 1856 with some interesting information and history about the region during that time.
Included in the extract was a story about John and Bridget Hurford, who were the first couple to be married in Vasse by a catholic priest in 1851.
Ms Hurford also went on to become the first woman hanged in WA for the murder of her husband, who in the extract was found dead in his bed under suspicious circumstances.
A newspaper article from the time reported the couple lived in Vasse but Mr Hurford had purchased another home closer to Busselton with the intention to move there because of the unhappy state of affairs with his wife.
Mr Hurford wanted to sell his Vasse property where Ms Hurford lived with three of her children from a previous marriage.
He had told many people that he wanted to leave his wife and would not give her anything, not even a farthing, because of the poor way she had treated him.
Other witness accounts stated that Ms Hurford was a violent woman and that Mr Hurford would often sleep at his friend George Jones’ home for protection from his wife.
The violence was so bad it was reported that Ms Hurford had tried to force a dishcloth into the mouth of her husband and kicked out two of his front teeth when he fell down.
So what happened? Ms Hurford had talked Enoch Dodd into murdering her husband and loaded him up with liquor before he committed the crime.
The pair had forged a will knowing that Mr Hurford had planned on leaving his wife without a home or any money.
On the morning after the murder, Mr Jones was called to the home and called police after he noticed red marks on Mr Hurford’s throat.
A doctor was also called to the home and declared that Mr Hurdford had died of natural causes, but as the story unfolded, it was revealed the doctor was not actually a doctor.
Mr Dodd later confessed about the murder to Mr Dixon who worked for Ms Hurford.
It was not long before stories began circulating the small town and the trio were arrested and tried for the murder of Mr Hurford.
Ms Hurford and Mr Dodd were both sentenced to death for the murder and on October 15, 1855, Ms Hurford became the first woman in WA to be hanged.
Mr Dixon was sentenced to life imprisonment for his role after the fact and sent to Tasmania to spend the remainder of his days.
