True Life Tuesday: The Red Barn Murder

This is one of the oldest stories know to man. A man decides to get rid of the woman who is ruining his life by murdering her. Then the country is taken by storm by the trial of the murderer.

This is the story of Maria Marten who was murdered by her lover William Corder. The events took place in Polstead, Suffolk, England. Marten and Corder met in March of 1826 when she was 24 and he was 22. She had two children out of wedlock but one died in infancy. Her child who died was actually fathered by Corder's brother Thomas. Corder was seen as a bit of a fraudster and a ladies man.

Corder wanted to keep their relationship a secret but Marten gave birth to his child in 1827. However, the child did die and eventually there were rumors that it was murdered. Eventually Corder came to marten and suggested that they elope to Ipswich. He stated that they needed to get out of town because Marten had a warrant for her arrest for having bastard children. While this turned out not to be true it is unsure if the was intentionally lying or if he was mistaken.  He suggested that they meet at the local landmark - the red barn.

Corder came to get Marten on May 18. 1827. He returned without her a few days later stating that because of the anger of his family and friends she was staying in hiding. Eventually, due to pressure to bring Marten back, he left town. He sent letters to her family stating that everything was fine and they were loving on the Isle of Wright. However, her step-mother stated she did not believe this and she started to have dreams that she was murdered and buried in the red barn. She eventually convinced her husband to go dig up one of the grain storage bins and he discovered his daughter's body on April 19, 1828. Corder's green handkerchief was tied around her neck. 

A manhunt for Corder ensued. He was located in a London boarding house with his new wife, Mary Moore. He met her through a lonely hearts ad that he placed in a local newspaper. He was returned to Polstead where his murder trial began on August 7, 1828. There was a huge public interest in the trial and admission to the courthouse was through ticket only. The prosecution claimed that Corder did not want to marry Marten but she had knowledge of his criminal activities. Corder claimed that he left the barn after they argued and then heard a shot. He returned to the barn where he found Marten on the ground with a pistol laying next to her. The jury deliberated for only 35 minutes and found him guilty. The judge sentenced him to hang. He eventually admitted that he shot her but he claimed that it was an accident. 

He was hung in front of a massive crowd on August 11, 1828. His body was left hanging for an hour and he was then moved to the courtroom where his abdomen was split open. A crowd passed through to view his remains. The next day an autopsy and some experiments on his corpse were performed in front of a group of students and doctors from Cambridge University. His skeleton was used as a teaching aid at West Suffolk Hospital until 2004 when the remains were cremated. 

The case became a past of English lore. The barn was stripped by people scavaging for souvenirs. The case also inspired many songs, plays, radio shows and movies. Even Charles Dickens wrote about the case for his magazine All the Year Round.