Kassia St Clair

You have this defence barrister who's called Sir Fitzroy Kelly, and his first words to the jury in defence of his client are apple pips.

And he argues that the crime was committed on New Year's Day, or she died rather on New Year's Day in the way that he presented it.

And he argued that she'd eaten loads of apples over the festive period.

So many apples that she'd essentially overdosed on the naturally occurring prussic acid in apple pips.

But this could not be taken seriously.

And

It's said that he kind of, because of this kind of slightly ridiculous defense, he kind of earned the nickname of Apple Pip Kelly later on in his career.

So he is sentenced to death.

And on this occasion, you know, there is no Quaker organization coming to his defense.

And he is executed in front of a crowd of 10,000 people.

So newspapers at this time are really enjoying a boom.

It's a really sort of exciting time for newspapers.

And one of the things that really shifts newspapers are kind of, you know, then as now, are big, juicy papers.

crimes.

They absolutely love a crime.

They love a murder.

If it bleeds, it leads.

And this was one of those stories that really captured people's imaginations.

And it's perfect for the age.

You've got this atrocious murder, which always sells newspapers.