Police Chief Looks Back

April 15th, 1913...the shrill ringing of the telephone bell shattered the afternoon peace of Blyth Police Station.an excited voice came over the phone to the officer who answered the call..."Murder! Three dead.Sun Inn.come quickly."
Superintendent James Tough, then in charge of the police at Blyth, jumped on his motorcycle and made for the Sun Inn, Bedlington, and the next few hours proved to be the most memorable in his police career of 47 years.
Mr Tough did not have to do any protracted thinking when asked to name the most notable case of the many thousands he had handled in his long experience of police work. "The Bedlington Murder," he said.
The scene would live with him for the rest of his life, and ever in the memories of the people of Bedlington, when on that spring day John Vickers Amos, 35 year old innkeeper, calmly smoked a cigarette just after shooting own a police sergeant, a constable and a woman.
This is Superintendent Tough's version of the tragedy of April 15th, 1913.
Mr J. Wood Irons, licence holder and owner of the Sun Inn, went to the inn that afternoon to inform Amos, a native of Choppington that he (Irons) had arranged for a Mr Grice to take over the tenancy as there had been a shortfall in takings over a short period.
"Get out before I get my gun!" said Amos. Mr Irons immediately left the inn and, realising that Amos was in deadly earnest, reported the matter to the police at Bedlington Police Station.
Constable George Mussell went to the inn and a few minutes later the sound of a gun-shot startled the neighbourhood. People gathered outside the inn and Sergeant Andrew Barton, who was on duty only ten yards away, hurried to the scene.
One of the most popular members of the local police force and an officer who had been decorated for gallantry, when the Iva Mactavish, of Glasgow
Had sank off the coast of Amble with a cargo of lime for Aberdeen in 1909, sergeant Barton hesitatingly walked to the inn while three civilians went round to the back.
The civilians were confronted with a terrifying sight. Amos stood at the back door gun in hand. "Git!" he snarled at the men. One of the men who knew him asked: "You wouldn't shoot me John?" "Git" was the only response he got from Amos.
Then from an upstairs window, the head and shoulders of a woman appeared. It was Mrs Grice, wife of the prospective new tenant. "Save me, hinnies!" she appealed as Amos levelled the rifle at her and she withdrew from the window.
Meanwhile hearing a noise inside the inn, Amos went in and a few seconds later another shot rang out and the thud of a falling body told the horrified crowd that the innkeeper's gun had claimed a second victim.
A few minutes later yet another shot was heard.then silence.a terrible silence to the terrified assembly of more than 200 people outside the inn.
Then the crowd surged back as Amos, with smouldering gun in hand, sauntered through the front door. There was nothing in his appearance to suggest what had been happening. Cooly he surveyed the crowd and then warned them that it meant death to anybody who came too near.
"I have still got two cartridges. One for that . (meaning Irons).and I am keeping one for myself," he said.
For several minutes Amos stood with rifle in hand looking at the people among whom were many he knew well. Then he put the rifle on the ground, took a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and calmly smoked.
The chug-chug of a motor cycle was heard approaching and as it appeared Amos picked up his gun, turned and walked into the inn. Just as Superintendent Tough arrived two shots rang out from the back of the inn.
"He has committed suicide," whispered people in the crowd.
Superintendent Tough and other police who had arrived boldly walked into the inn. The crowd waited. Any moment they expected to hear another shot.
The superintendent and his men came upon ghastly sights as, with drawn revolvers, they searched the premises.
In the passage they found the body of Constable Mussell, and a few yards away, the huddled figure of Sergeant Barton. In the cellar below they found Mrs Grice with the side of her face blown away. She was alive but died of her injuries a few minutes later.
A thorough search of the inn failed to discover Amos, and Superintendent Tough, realising that he had made his escape, organised a search party of police armed with revolvers, and civilians, some of whom were armed with rifles and shot-guns, and others with sticks.
It was nearing dusk and the search party had almost given up hope of finding the wanted man that day when one of the searchers, Joseph Potter, who was armed with a rifle, saw something move in the culvert.
"Come out!" he ordered as he levelled his rifle. There was no response and Potter was ordered to fire by the police. There was a yell and Amos, with blood streaming from his head, came out of the culvert.
Within a couple of minutes he was surrounded by police and civilians and was led away to Bedlington Police Station.
Amos was taken to a local hospital where it was found that his wound was not serious. After having it dressed he was taken to the police station, where he was formerly charged with the triple murder.
At the police court proceedings Amos was committed for trial at Newcastle Summer Assizes and the case for the Crown was prepared by Superintendent Tough.
There was no doubt about the verdict. Amos was sentenced to death. Amos faced the hangman on Tuesday, July 22nd, 1913. He took his stand on the fatal trapdoor, without any hesitation at all, and never spoke as the final preparations were speedily made. The executioner then stepped quickly aside and drew the bolt and the body of Amos disappeared into the pit below, Amos met his death bravely.