Marital murder left Paisley gripped

Paisley folk were left stunned by a brutal murder that took place in the town in February 1924.

John Gallacher, a 29-year-old Paisley riveter, was charged with killing his wife, Margaret McNaught, at her mother’s house at 16 Incle Street.

Gallacher had slit 28-year-old Margaret’s throat while she was holding their 17-month old son, Thomas.

The couple had married four years beforehand and moved in with Margaret’s mother at her one room and kitchen in Incle Street.

However, after constant quarrelling, the couple had moved to their own cramped room in Wallace Street, in the north end of town, where the arguing continued.

With Gallacher idle and having no job prospects, Margaret and her sons, aged three and 17 months, moved back in with her mother.

Just before Christmas 1923, Gallacher found employment and began paying a small amount of maintenance to help look after the children.

On the first Saturday in February 1924, shortly after 6pm, he paid his usual visit to the house in Incle Street to hand over his payment and left on good terms.

But he returned at 9.30pm and asked to speak to Margaret.

Gallacher then pushed past his mother-in-law and headed for the kitchen.

He forced his way into the bedroom, where Margaret had been preparing her youngest for bed, and sat down on a chair.

Gallacher asked his wife to move back in with him. She said no but promised that, if he were to get a house, she would.

She then asked him to leave and come back the next day when he was sober.

Gallacher then attacked Margaret, who staggered forward with blood coming from her neck and sank to the floor with the child in her arms.

Margaret managed to struggle to a neighbour’s house, where she collapsed in the lobby. An ambulance was called but she died a short time later.

A blood-stained razor was found on the kitchen floor and Gallacher, who had fled Paisley, was picked up in Johnstone the following morning and charged with murder.

Next Saturday, discover the outcome of Gallacher’s trial – one of the most sensational ever to take place in Scotland.