A Preston Chronicle newspaper headline in 1866 of 'Thievery, Knavery &
Harlotry in Preston' described a town struggling with crime and its
consequences. Justice had been swift from the days of horse thieves and
highwaymen, when the gloom of the gallows or transportation brought fear
to the less fortunate who lived among poverty and pestilence. Some would
earn notoriety for their dreadful deeds, while others received pity for
their plight. In Preston Murders and Misdemeanours, local author Keith
Johnson brings together a collection of tales from the court archives to
chronicle the events that occupied the courts and brought criminals to
justice. Judges and justices, coroners and court clerks, barristers and
briefs all played their part in a time when justice was swift and often
delivered harshly with unflinching retribution. The poacher, the
pickpocket, the prostitute and the pilfering thief were all punished for
their crimes - whether petty or paramount. Keith Johnson tells of those
who were murdered, poisoned, mistreated or cheated. He reveals the
killers, thieves, swindlers and fraudsters who faced the glare of the
courtroom and felt the long arm of the law. This journey through the
justice system in this Lancashire city exposes the harsh realities of
life and the curiosities of the past that are both compelling and
thought-provoking.