The murder of John Innes Nisbet of 180 Heaton Road, Newcastle, on the Newcastle-Morpeth train on Friday 18 March 1910, gave rise to a highly contentious trial and verdict. Nisbet had been on his way to deliver the wages to a colliery near Widdrington and his body was discovered by William Charlton, foreman porter at Alnmouth station. The money, some £370 had been stolen. Five shots had been fired into the victim's head, but the two bullets recovered were, astonishingly, of different calibres. The truth behind this was even stranger. Only one gun had been used, but the killer had evidently made the smaller bullet fit the barrel by wrapping it in paper. The murder weapon was in fact never found.
A substantial reward was offered by the owners of Stobswood colliery, and John Alexander Dickman of 1 Lily Avenue, Jesmond, was identified as Nisbet's companion on his last journey. Dickman was certainly in dire financial straits, but he only had £17 with him when he was arrested, and the proceeds of the robbery were never discovered, and certainly never connected with Dickman. The money-bag had been found stuffed down an air-shaft at the Isabella Pit, between Stannington and Morpeth.
Dickman was found guilty at the Newcastle Summer assizes in July 1910, but crowds demonstrated in the streets of the city for his reprieve. Placards read: 'Dickman is the victim of circumstantial evidence'. Petitions with thousands of signatures were sent to the Home Secretary. 'Reprieve fever' spread to London too and leaflets were everywhere:

'Must Dickman be Hanged Tomorrow?
NO! NO! NO!
 
Wire Home Secretary at once
and wash your Hands of
Complicity in the
LEGAL CRIME!'

The campaign failed and Dickman was hanged in Newcastle Prison on 10 August 1910.