Published on | General
In 1813, a seemingly unremarkable piece of torn newspaper changed the course of forensic history. Edward Culshaw, travelling from Liverpool, was shot through the head with a horse pistol, robbed of his money and watch, and left for dead. His killer, Thoms, might have escaped justice had it not been for a crucial piece of physical evidence, one of the first times forensic science played a role in a conviction.
During Culshaw’s autopsy, investigators found a pistol wad a piece of crumpled paper used to pack gunpowder lodged in his wound. Astonishingly, it matched a torn song sheet found in Thoms’ pocket. This seemingly insignificant detail became the key to proving his guilt. Thoms was arrested that evening, found guilty at the Lancaster assizes, and executed the next day.
This case marked one of the earliest recorded uses of physical evidence to secure a conviction, paving the way for modern forensic techniques. Over the next two centuries, forensic science evolved, from early ballistics analysis in the 1830s to fingerprinting, toxicology, and DNA profiling. Today, cutting-edge technology continues to revolutionise criminal investigations, but it all began with a simple scrap of paper and the relentless pursuit of justice.
Learn more with our History of Forensics Talk on 10th April