Town Officer Thomas CORSTORPHIN (40)

19 Jan 1844
Burntisland Burgh

Town Officer Corstorphin died after being stabbed in the chest whilst attempting to execute an arrest warrant on a mentally deranged man who had been threatening members of the public.

On 18 January 1844 a warrant was granted at Burtisland Burgh in Fife, for the apprehension of a male who was, by all accounts, suffering from a progressive breakdown in his mental health.

His father said it was due to a previous head injury when he was ‘struck upon the head by a winch on board of a Leith trader’ and urged that he be incarcerated for his own safety. He had recently returned from Berwick where ‘he became melancholy, believing his neighbours had been sending smoke down his chimney and had removed his bible’.

The man had become increasingly violent of late and had been wandering around the Burgh, threatening people with a knife. He was under the delusion that he had been left a large sum of money by some unnamed benefactor. He believed that the townspeople had stolen his money and were using a large telescope to monitor his every move and even ‘see into the thoughts of his heart’.

Procurator Fiscal, William Davey and Town Officer William Reekie attended at the man’s home in an attempt to serve the warrant, but on entering the house saw him sitting on a chair with one of his children on his lap. They tried to persuade him to come along but ’he took a shoemakers knife from his left breast pocket and threatened to put it into the first man that touched him’.

Concerned for their own safety and that of the child, although he had never previously shown any aggression to any of his family, they retreated to consider their options.

On 19th January 1844 Mr Davey and four officers returned to the address to execute the warrant, once and for all. They soon found that the man was out and was thought to be in the area of the East Links.

They split up to better search the area and one group eventually found him, near to Lochie House, and informed him he was to be arrested. Enquiring as to whether they had a warrant, he suddenly charged at the group, slashing and stabbing with his knife. The officers used their police batons, and anything else they could lay their hands on, to try to protect themselves from his furious assault.

At this point Officer Thomas Corstorphin, who was nearby, came running to their assistance causing the accused to make off. The officers were able to quickly corner their man, however he struck out repeatedly with the knife as they tried to subdue him.

At this juncture, one of his wild blows struck Officer Corstorphin in his chest, puncturing his heart and actually cutting through the warrant which he was carrying in his breast pocket. Officer Corstorphin called out and collapsed, he lost consciousness in seconds and died almost immediately.

Another of the officers was able to parry the accused’s next blow and struck him on the head with his baton, knocking off his hat. Running off towards the town and up the High Street with the officers in pursuit, the male was able to make it back to his own home, locking himself inside with his wife and four children.

Contemporary reports suggest the ‘whole town’ was gathered by this time, ’…shouting for vengeance upon the murderer and agonising with terror for the fate of his wife and children’.

After evacuating the family through a kitchen window, the officers were able to force the door and gain entry as the accused stood at the top of the stairs with his knife ready.

The officers had by this time secured pitchforks with which to defend themselves and keep the male at a distance. It was said they used the blunt end, even under such provocation.

As others tried to gain access through the roof at the rear, the noise spooked the accused who charged downstairs into the midst of the officers. A lucky blow with the ‘dull end’ of a pitchfork and a hefty whack with a kitchen stool seems to have taken the fight out of him sufficiently for the accused to be subdued and taken into custody. He was later transported to Kirkcaldy before being transferred to the county jail in Cupar.

On 2 May 1844 the accused appeared at the ‘Spring Circuit Court’ at Perth on a charge of Murder.

The jury were in no doubt about his culpability but found him to be insane at the time of the crime. He was subsequently ordered to be detained in a secure asylum for the protection of the public.

Officer Thomas Corstorphin was about 40 years of age and had served as Town Officer in Burntisland for about four years. He was unmarried and a native of St.Andrews, ‘highly respected as an active officer and a sober, steady, and most respectable man’.

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

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