m m m m m...... ., BiVv'3''' "■ < Hi 1 PAGES FROM HISTORY The unsolved murder which


shook sleepy Bashall Eaves Shooting of farmer James Dawson on his way home


from inn became one of country’s most puzzling cases by Sheila Nixon


It baffled top detectives drafted in to solve the crime and gripped the


ONE of the country's most puzzling murder mysteries this century occurred in sleepy Bashall Eaves more than 60 years ago.


attention of the nation. The story surrounding the shoot­


ing of farmer James Dawson, of Bashall Hall Farm, had all the ingredients of an Agatha Christie mystery.


described, at his inquest, as a quiet man with no enemies. Yet someone lay in wait for him one dark evening in March, as he walked home from the Edisford Bridge Inn, and shot him in the back


The 46-year-old farmer was


with a home made bullet from an unknown device. Cr im in o lo ­


v j o l l - i m m n F a r m e r weii ,TiUIU’3 - d i f i l J » a wound.


liaves & « « * lu s


V^io.


Mr lVawsoit, farmer, m


blatomon l a t t e


1.1 at v c i iu iv i-S B ; lV O i,, j |


reporter Ml ^ f «* T"1" . m


gave to u


> rcsub'.cl at TaUiots-


ti o ,} Advertujur niul


0 £ th o t e ;; v “ ilv , “vsu.ri«i« trugj '


was lho facts v e i led oy | t iB / ' ‘‘'M iX by l .1 V. !)«««••>•ri-turn'iwg homo


I t w a s ih uU a u o w h ic h b r » n °h c s


\»m« .... . „lui \V!lh H om o , Sweombs to Shot in Back ie 8-a®®-


bonus on L.iUowlug


llay »Hf$nu, Xiliickbun1


t o - t h e -U n c t i o n ul


gists have always believed th a t others in


i twist to the story was that the bachelor walked on home after the inci­ dent, ate a hearty supper, went to bed and did not complain about his injury until the following morning. He asked his widowed sister,


the area could have supplied a name and a motive, but they remained silent. A surprising


^ In my view, and in the views of all


other members of th e family a t the time, Jim Dawson knew who had shot him 7


' Mrs Elizabeth A. Lee, to look at his back and she discovered a gap­ ing wound in his shoulder. The bul­ let had lodged in his armpit and he


BasluxU m a d e a und


1VUV *» —


report his injury when he first arrived home tic in with a desire to shield the culprit? And why should he want to do I this? Had he been involved in a


died three days later. Could Mr Dawson's failure to


er and Times: "I hope this letter has exploded the wild theory directed against an innocent man who is unable to clear his own name from


the grave." On March 22nd, Mr Dawson died in a Black-


burn nursing home, after giving a state­ ment to the police about the incident. He said: "At about 7 p.m. on Sunday, March 18th, I left home for a walk, going straight to the Ed isford Bridge Inn, getting there about 7-15 p.m. and I r e m a i n e d there until about 9 p.m., when I left to


come home. "I was perfectly sober. I came out


secret relationship? It was said at the inquest that


the fatal bullet could have been fired from a catapult or an out- of-date cane gun, but it could not have come from the usual type of rifle or pistol. The police said they made extensive inquiries in the area, but were unable to


of the inn alone. While I was in the inn, I did not have a wrong word with anyone. The company was quite agreeable. When walking up the road home I did not see anyone walking. When I got to about 150 yards from the bottom of the narrow lane, two motor cars came from the direction of Bashall Eaves, and I, by the lights of these, noticed a man standing opposite the bottom of the narrow lane by Brieryforth Gate. This man was only in my view for a short time, and I cannot give a description of him. After the car had passed I did not see the man again. "I turned up the narrow lane, and


E a g r e s - T r a SHOOTING MYSTERY STILL UNSOLVED. ‘ WAS THE BULLET SHOT FROM A CATAPULT ?


lUttUEST VERDICT: DEATH FROM BULLET WOUND; . MO \)ftVIBl£NCE AS TO F1RBNG.'


remains mibulieil and an open ic rd iu t was returned ou Monday a t tho resumed inquest


Tho Bashiill Eaves shouting mystery,


,n tiio victim, Mr. J n‘n0Y Dftiv&oii (4b), armor, of Jiuslmli JLnU I1 arm, Clitlioiur, 7


The inquest had llu-ico been adjourned by ho Blackburn Coroner (Mr. 'I . H. Ihomp- nn) a t tlio request ot tho \ \u s t Ruling Police win) have investigated . l ie annir. ,’ho wound was inflicted on .Sunday night, darch is ili, and Mr. Dawson died e t a ilarkliurn Nursing Homo 011' j, 1 liursuay,:


ilnrcli 22nd.


henry was advanced Iliat, the bullet_might lave 1 been discharged by a catapult and hiiieriiitendeiit Elliott, bl SoLtle, m whoso libLiict, tho shooting ucunrral, described xporiincuts made by tho police with various vnes ol’ weapon. For tho iirst I imo lho tatciucnt"hindo by Mr. Dawson on tlm iiioiiir ng after the shunting wns disclosed. Liiiet' lupiriiitemlent IV. Blacker, head of tbo Vest Riding 0.1.1)., was present, and Mr. I \ Lee, of Blackburn, represented tlio


in the course of tho resumed inquest a , ' . .


Jury of the three adjournments, observing luit tlio tliroo mouths winch had elapsed inco tlui 'inquest was first opened had been iicnt in elfurls to ascertain how flio 0 ceased got H10 bullet wound. According


datives. At -the outset, tho Coroner reminded tliq


Im light of a passing ear lm saw a man ainliiig in a- gateway , a t tho end of tho


lr . 'Dawson spent one Buiulny night at, llio '.dibford Bridge Hold, leaving .about 5-0 .111. anil walking home. On lus w a j , by


' tin! evidence) which would: bi> suhnutLed,


arrow hum by. which lie approached I s mm*. After ho lmd goim nnolhor •iuli In, J d t a blow on Ins hack, as though whebudy had thrown ae.stono a t lii.m. htiU'dil i t was a lark and never bothered


■„,uV it. Mr. Dawsun went on home, had -mi n-i.ni-. in hell..----IVhen—lii


• .imncr


locate a single cane gun. Twice since the crime, televi­


sion whodunit documentaries have tried to penetrate the cloak of silence, but their efforts to point the finger correctly appear to have been wide of the


mark. The victim's family believed


s u p p iT , ■ * s t - tho r ' D in in g , pain an<* i; i at- ! M


" £ c “ f e S r ris®


what 1 . 1


b n c o t e i e p h -—- - nvrivod, dre^sod the M r D aw s o n ’s TenV?'jJ


!R„”^ > 4 » ^ n.rr iK ai.liv umler tlw


bedside yesterday .inu


a S X -r a y esammutmn. )bs revealed


n ntoved ( lu in L ..aiqtivcs — , Mr. Dawson p


auk tills was eventually nn opet ho passed


50IUC" - * «J


\ ut;u. " m^n d " p o o ls o v e r a b o o n s o a ro b e i i ;_ i» trn r . nf,


noliro oll'f®^ Coupon, yeatcr-


wide area W#,i mn


hopeful of chu nk y \ Kniott himself c 'E n i 0 t q e n t .“ " M a n y


a _ tew olituis


,:;gii§| ’:;j . i i a i p i


days, b u t Supt-; ^ " ^ ineiit to make ans m-.j- have been madejn


interviewed. dlfovts


and ln’Act‘c'‘ShboiU’lAOod lias l e a v e s


Oliliieroe anu - r e s id e n t AP been


.b A i c d o s i n g


tlm'is onh'U a ed t» ^ iuystery^_________ unravel


- to^assist tho police, m th eu


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when I had got up about 25 yards from the Clitheroe Road I heard a click, and immediately after I felt a blow on my shoulder as though I had been hit with a stone, but I thought nothing about it. In fact, I did not look round. I thought it was a joke, never realising I had been shot, as I did not hear the report of gun. I reached home about 9-20 p.m., had a good supper and went to bed about 9-40 p.m. "I did not say anything to anyone


that Mr Dawson knew the identity of his assailant and took the secret to his grave. In 1979, a nephew of the victim, who lived at Bashall Hall at the time of the shooting, broke a 45-year silence over the case1 to refute suggestions in a Yorkshire Television pro­ gramme that a family friend had fired the shot uninten­ tionally. The claim was that the bullet had been meant for another man. The nephew, who at the


time asked us not to give his name, wrote to the Advertis-


at home about the blow on my shoulder as I felt no ill effects from the blow, except that it felt a bit sore. I never thought it was bleeding. "After I had been in,bed about


of detectives, led by Chief Superin­ tendent W. Blacker, head of West Riding CID, could have extra time to come up with new evidence - but there were no new clues and the jury returned an open verdict. Police surgeon Dr Gilbert Bailey


Clitheroe-roatl T heard a click,, and. immcdU aiely X .


though J had been h i t with. .1 *<•<»»*-. thought .nothing about it. An Uut , A 1


1 felt a blow on uover .realizing I Imd hueu bhot, not look round. I thought j,^ ami went to bed about D-W p.m. A <l‘“ ^


not hoar, tho report of a Ku l’ J . homo about 0-til)


T i f t t "f f t


say anything lo anyone s*bJ.|V,l‘“t, ‘j ' t-ffJ.lts blow on my slumldoi .is A f .1 .. j,jt from' tho blow, except limb it cme . 1 never thought i t "US uuviini^


Alter I had been in bed about l " ” wf1' 11?.,,1


found Unit my .right an« ,W'V r.qt ticit Vt pained so when 1 moved, and 1 ,lL'V f ' a i.,..,„ biredin". 1 their realized that


1 ‘ I


had seen standing a t BrierytorUi g a k ^ respnii’-iblo for tho wound. . I dul n»l U 1 < th a t tlio wound was serious, as i t had Mopped bleeding, so t did not arouse any


shot,, and I thought tin) man


of tlio household. . Didn’ t Know Ho Had. Boon Shot..,


mo when 1 moved. In lael, 1 .could.not t o t oM ed. Aho.lL 7-40 n.m. I called any


“ I did not get to sleep, again, it


sister Lily and asked her to look a t my hack. Sim did so saying ‘ V


you tell us last night !-- A repl ed, ■ 1 did i t ‘


know I must luivo been shot. My &r'iir ‘plumed lor Dr. Cooper mid ho came about lll-ll a.m.


iiml informed the police. At l-O lM 11- J . went to JJIaeklmm to


51 1W.


h ick 0 ini said tha t arrim n "i l . ”


might have rhino tl.is as-A.do not know that unvniio has a gnulgo against me.


Vi


J’roston Now-road. ,1. 1 ........ .


cannot


there was a bullet suggest


Aio X - rn jtu mj in m>


IIU advised- me to 1h> X ) ; .vuI ^


in reply to tin, Coroner, P.C- Hjieulon


anvono who ,


said th a t the ilislaure I loui ’ ’K,1*'1‘itonfc^501) t„ Mr. Dawson’s 1101111" would bo about mm


B a s h a S S E a v e s M y s t e r y JJrusoSvedL .


told the hearing that it would bo possible to walk 500 yards from the scene of the alleged shooting to Bashall Hall, with a bullet wound, and that it would also be possible for a person not to realise that he had been shot. The doctor based his con­ clusion on his own wartime experi­ ence when wounded. The inquest heard that Mr Daw­


about two hours I found that my right arm was stiff and pained. So when I moved, I felt that it had been bleeding. I then realised that I had been shot and I thought the man I had seen standing at Brieryforth gate was responsible for the wound. I did not think it was serious, as it had stopped bleeding." Mr Dawson died on March 22nd,


Week s Intensive Investigation! by West Riding Force.


t t


son visited a Blackburn doctor with his wound, but went home after refusing to have the bullet removed immediately as recommended by the medic. He was later admitted to a nursing home, but by then the wound had turned septic and an operation to remove the bullet failed to save his life. "In my view and in the views of


1934, and the inquest was postponed until June 29th, so that a crack team


I, . InAoiisivo inquirios have boon I being .pursued,. ■ But' ieal progross.


.


all other members of the family at the time, Jim Dawson knew who had shot him," said the nephew, who broke his silence in 1979. "This view was also shared by the police."


ssM “ Tliero I,


|iurt]ior aiield.” Tlioso


investigation in tlio


No Clue and No '■■■M “ Wo luivo no cluo and ivo ard no i i


d otive.” wo oiuuioL claim


- -i'0 lias boon no doyolopmout, despite noigliliourlhiood


and


^’beso Stiitoments made-to till “ Advertiser and i ’inio.j” reporter at various timuc-


idiirmg tlio week by Chief Suimrintondont HI a ok or, head oi Iho WesL I>i(|jI1/r o i J j


hemamed last night a correct account of the position in tlio investigation of the


!\i'l‘ IrsT|15T nlM S i v?f.W<% '2&


in mmH tBC


]|U: St?/


M*-r


FARMER Mr James Dawson walked the 500 yards from the scene of the silent shooting to Bashall Hall Farm (above)


u


$ H n * ‘T S 1 r wf l,u Homo


|for the


J. aim. ^o.«‘V.‘^.alh at a, iAlaolcb.ini Nursing ‘ , 1 huisdny followed an oporntiou removal ol « bullet lrom hfs siclo.


-arm, Story of tho Attack. ■&S £ $ £ lli'lsVu


- d tJio ijttal .-ititek ho morning aitor


sJMin Jtour or so fotel. Joavitig


IV1


around lJa.shall Tc fh e iv


strange circumstances c have •focussed' the a tten tio n of'


s-feAg0..■ u‘l,0Aiuislanee.s of this ountry


- , , ..


11s v/onfc, Jto went. - —*V I '••••, . 1


JJiei'o


i th ; Irionds at tho Kdisford -khout nine o’olopk


• 9 undJ,y week to spend L CELEBRATE A HEW LOOK


taels ijrsL told by i\D‘ tho occurrence


upon tho wn. cole lias


own. Nothing th a t ' hJferod the story Dawson


As was (juiet countryside


Si°!y ° 1 sllot ihisliall 10avos farmer of -^ashall JL„ll


and by .Superintendent Klliott, J|: Settle' ksjnp4


“’*• i~ * * & $ $ * { ' wwwgswwflw


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