Thomas Fury a visiting ship's cook, murdered one of Sunderland's most notorious prostitutes 31 year old Maria Fitzsimmons, by stabbing her ten times. As his victim was a prostitute it was easy for Fury to evade capture. Thirteen years later Thomas Fury, known now as Thomas Cort was arrested and charged with unrelated crimes of robbery and attempted murder. He was sentenced to 15 years in Pentonville , where conditions were very harsh, Fury Cort determined to play the ultimate gamble - own up to the murder of Maria Fitzsimmons, 13 years earlier.
At the last moment he pleaded 'not guilty', in hopes of gaining sympathy from the jury. He was sentenced to hang for his night out in Sunderland. His last days were spent writing and reading as his executioner drank ale in the local ale house. On the 16th May 1882 following breakfast of tea, toast and jam, Thomas Fury was hanged. He was refused any last words on the scaffold.
