Constable Thomas KING (46)

20 Dec 1898
Inverness-shire Constabulary

PC King died as he attempted to arrest a male on warrant. As he entered a dwelling in search of the man he was shot at point blank range.

About 0800 on Tuesday 20 December 1898 Constable Thomas King of Inverness-shire Constabulary bade farewell to his family and left his home in Nethy Bridge to execute a warrant in respect of failure to pay a 5 shilling fine for poaching.

The subject of the warrant was a well-known local poacher with a history of violence so PC King called upon his neighbour, PC McNiven from Boat of Garten for assistance before heading to his suspected location.

A short time later they arrived at the home of one Marjory ‘Black May’ MacPherson, and her daughter Christine Grant at Milton of Tulloch, where they enquired as to the whereabouts of the wanted man. Reports suggest the poacher may have had an ‘interest’ in Christine and regularly spent the night there.

Black May told them he had in fact been there but had gone to collect firewood in the woods behind the dwelling. From contemporary reports, the home was little more than a hovel, a kitchen and bedroom separated by a short hallway, no fireplace and a leaking roof. The sleeping arrangements were, by all accounts, particularly disreputable.

As the officers withdrew to consider their next move PC McNiven spotted Black May slip out and make off into the woods. They quickly decided that he would follow her while PC King remained in case the poacher returned, or Christine left to warn him.

PC McNiven was able to follow May for a little while but eventually lost sight of her as the undergrowth obscured her path. Returning by the same route he was suddenly confronted by the poacher, who levelled his rifle at the constable and told him that he would shoot him if he took another step.

PC McNiven seems to have used the unarmed constable’s best weapon and talked his way out of the situation, although he was unable to convince the man to surrender. He was however able to return to join PC King, whilst the poacher melted back into the undergrowth.

Reports vary as to what happened next, but it would appear that the constables made enquiries around the area, asking local people if they had seen their man and checking likely locations. They may also have maintained a periodic ‘watch’ on the dwelling in case he returned.

It is known that the local postman met the constables nearby about 16:00 hrs. He was able to tell them he had shortly before seen the accused heading back to Milton of Tulloch. It appears the fugitive had waited until it was almost dark to return, thinking himself safe from discovery.

PC’s King and McNiven approached once more and King called out to the poacher, identifying himself and asking him to come out. When this was met with refusal the officers made entry, PC King into the kitchen and PC McNiven the bedroom, both of which were unlit.

PC McNiven encountered the poacher’s dog in the dark room and drew his baton as the animal sprang up growling. Almost immediately a shot rang out and McNiven thought he had been fired upon. On realising he had not, he went is search of PC King and found him unconscious on the floor.

In the confusion the accused had made good his escape, with the dog!

The postman and a grocer who was making deliveries in the area saw him make off, dropping his rifle nearby. Both men went to the assistance of the officers and helped remove PC King to a nearby house. He had been shot in the chest at close range and died instantly. The Grocer then took PC McNiven to Nethy Bridge where he sent for a Doctor and telegraphed the authorities at Inverness.

Needless to say, a full scale manhunt ensued with officers engaged in an exhaustive search for the wanted man, in ‘a most wild and isolated district’. It must be remembered that this was conducted in the darkest days of a highland winter, tough conditions even today.

There were a few sightings, and many theories as to where he might be. When his dog returned to Milton of Tulloch alone, there was a theory he might have drowned himself in the Spey.

As it transpired, a few days later - on the day of PC King’s funeral – Deputy Chief Constable Chisholm, Sgt Fraser (Kingussie) and PC McBeth (Inverness) were searching near Abernethy after a reported sighting of the accused, when they located him hiding under a pile of straw in a barn at Tomachrocher (Hangman’s Knoll) and apprehended him.

The accused was transported to Inverness by railway, and upon arrival was escorted to the prison by a contingent of Inverness Burgh Police through a large crowd.

Constable King was buried in Abernethy churchyard later that day and his funeral was attended by a large contingent of fellow officers and members of the community.

The poacher was subsequently tried for murder at Inverness castle. His defence made much of the encounter taking place in the dark, putting forward the notion that PC King was shot when the gun went off by accident as the poacher tried to escape; ‘Who in their right mind would for the sake of a 5 shilling fine deliberately shoot another man?’

His sanity was also called into question but, after deliberating for all of 19 minutes, the jury returned a verdict of culpable homicide for which he was sentenced to 15 years penal servitude.

PC Thomas King was 46 years of age and had 15 years police service. He was a married man with seven children, ranging in age from 16 to 3 years old.

His name is engraved on the Scottish Police Memorial and will never be forgotten.

---