Thomas Williams (1877-1896)

Around midnight of 17 July 1869, Thomas Williams returned home from a heavy night of drinking in Tiger Bay. The apprentice pilot had left the Rothesay Castle pub on Bute Street where he had been drinking hard for 3 days. He found 2 men in his path and as he tried to push his way past them in a dark alleyway. Blows were exchanged and one of the assailants brandished a knife, opening up Thomas' abdomen. Thomas fell to the ground and even though he was close to the ship hospital he surcame to his wound.

The culprits were identified as two Italian sailor, Gallono and Pietro Gastro from the ship "The Santos Chireco". However one witness stated that neither were the killer as there was a third person present, that had not be apprehended. Despite the intervention of the Italian Consul, and the relatively poor quality of English spoken by the accused, both were tried at the Glamorgan Assizes.