Phoebe McWain Campbell (c. 1847 – 20 June 1872) was a Canadian woman who was

hanged Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging in ...

for the murder of her husband. Campbell had alleged that on the morning of July 15, 1871, in Thorndale,

Middlesex County, Ontario Middlesex County (2016 population 71,551)Sum of the eight municipalities in Middlesex County from is a primarily rural county in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Landlocked, the county is bordered by Huron and Perth counties on the north, Oxford Co ...

, two black-faced men broke into George and Phoebe's

log cabin A log cabin is a small log house, especially a less finished or less architecturally sophisticated structure. Log cabins have an ancient history in Europe, and in America are often associated with first generation home building by settlers. Eur ...

home and brutally hacked George to death with an

axe An axe ( sometimes ax in American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, to harvest timber, as a weapon, and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has many for ...

because he refused to hand over some money. They had attempted to use a gun which misfired. During the investigation, six local men were arrested, including Thomas Coyle, who was George's farmhand. Doubt about Phoebe's innocence arose rapidly as she was seen talking with Coyle; she also seemed to have done nothing to help save her husband as he was being murdered and seemed very unemotional following George's funeral. A

coroner A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into Manner of death, the manner or cause of death, and to investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within th ...

autopsy An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any di ...

showed that George was murdered by Phoebe and Coyle. "I don't care. I'm innocent and I don't care", Phoebe stated. She then accused Coyle of the murder, then quickly changed her mind and accused her

cousin Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, " ...

. Phoebe's murder

trial In law, a trial is a coming together of Party (law), parties to a :wikt:dispute, dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence (law), evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to Adjudication, adjudicate claims or d ...

began on 1 April 1872, with much public interest. Phoebe accused George of having an

affair An affair is a sexual relationship, romantic friendship, or passionate attachment in which at least one of its participants has a formal or informal commitment to a third person who may neither agree to such relationship nor even be aware of i ...

with her cousin's wife. During the trial, the crown prosecutor produced a letter which stated, "I never shall say you done any such thing again—if I have to die for it." When asked why she changed her

testimony In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. Etymology The words "testimony" and "testify" both derive from the Latin word ''testis'', referring to the notion of a disinterested third-party witness. La ...

, she claimed the ghost of her late husband visited her and declared her and Coyle innocent. The crown prosecutor responded, "You can hardly expect anyone to believe such nonsense!" After the trial, the

jury A jury is a sworn body of people (jurors) convened to hear evidence and render an impartiality, impartial verdict (a Question of fact, finding of fact on a question) officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a sentence (law), penalty o ...

took just one hour to reach a guilty verdict. Phoebe then sobbed as the judge sentenced her to

hanging Hanging is the suspension of a person by a noose or ligature around the neck.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. Hanging as method of execution is unknown, as method of suicide from 1325. The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' states that hanging i ...

. She later confessed that she and Coyle murdered George so they could marry. Coyle went to trial for his crime but was

acquitted In common law jurisdictions, an acquittal certifies that the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as criminal law is concerned. The finality of an acquittal is dependent on the jurisdiction. In some countries, such as the ...

. He later moved to England. She was hanged on 20 June at the age of 25 and was again said to be emotionless as she was about to be hanged, holding a

lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...

handkerchief A handkerchief (; also called a hankie or, historically, a handkercher or a ) is a form of a kerchief or bandanna, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric which can be carried in the pocket or handbag for personal hygiene purposes such as wi ...

in her hand until after she died. The story received so much public attention that

postcard A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare. There are novelty exceptions, such as wood ...

s depicting the

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definit ...

were made, which were bought by many.

General references

* *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, George 1871 in Ontario 1871 murders in North America Axe murder Deaths by person in Canada July 1871 events Mariticides People murdered in Ontario