The first ever telephoned death-threat was made on April 23rd 1902, from Ethan Bitherwick-Showes to his school-friend Parker Johns, when Bitherwick-Showes discovered that Johns had framed him for the theft of their boarding schools ceremonial rain-hat, during their third year at MacWortie’s School for Young Gentlemen. When his fiancee let the secret slip, Bitherwick-Showes immediately telephoned Johns, screaming, “I swear Sir, that I shall beat you to death with a mahogany lavatory seat!”
An unrepentant Bitherwick-Showes, pictured in 1905, attending a civil prosecution brought about due to his 'persistent and obsessive nagging and prattling' of Parker Johns. He was found guilty, and fined 3/6. Photo by Paul Stevenson.
©2009 James Mathurin
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