News of the Times - Unlocking the vaults of historical crime

The Shocking Case of James Tucker Who Brought a Gun to His Own Arrest


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The Shocking Case of James Tucker Who Brought a Gun to His Own Arrest
News of the Times | Episode 530 |1854

London, 1854. A disgraced salesman. A loaded pistol. A police station.

In this astonishing News of the Times episode, we follow the jaw-dropping case of James Tucker—a travelling conman who arrived at the station to answer charges of embezzlement… and instead opened fire.

What follows is one of the most brazen attempted murders in Victorian history, featuring:
A courtroom showdown with life and death on the table
A master betrayed by the very man he tried to reform
Bullet moulds, Spanish knives, and a pistol fired inside a police station
A sentence so severe it amounted to social erasure

But that’s not all. We also travel to 1893 Edinburgh, where a 20-year-old commercial traveller insists he legally married a 70-year-old widow (now in an asylum). Was it love—or something more sinister?

⚖️ Two shocking stories. One darkly compelling episode.

💥 Perfect for fans of Victorian crime, moral ambiguity, and the occasional rogue moustache.

👤 Narrated by Robin Coles 

📅 New episodes: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 

📚 Related cases from the archive: 
•1850 & 1890: Two Cases of Killer Catherines |  EP280
https://youtu.be/T4QzfoGk6DU
1775 & 1851: Stories of Murdered Mistresses |  EP310
https://youtu.be/DDXmfejiVOo
1851: THE TOLLESBURY MURDER |  EP320
https://youtu.be/zAyZBTR87fE
1851: The Disturbing Case of Mary Emily Cage |  EP390
https://youtu.be/jvM8alfWztY
1851 & 1875: Cases of Double Black Widows |  EP464
https://youtu.be/k9YYxpoQ9Go

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🕯 About the Channel  
We’re an independent team of historical researchers and narrators specialising in 18th to early 20th century British true crime. Each episode is based entirely on archival material — from coroners’ inquests to forgotten newspaper columns.  

If you like your true crime thoughtful, atmospheric

 Hear about our ad-free archive on Patreon – 650+ episodes and counting! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

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News of the Times - Unlocking the vaults of historical crimeBy Robin Coles

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