Night Watchman Wilfred Gerrior

Wilfred Gerrior

Night Watchman Gerrior and Night Supervisor Amlaw were beaten to death at the State Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, by an inmate known to be the most vicious of all the other inmates. He was admitted to Bridgewater Hospital in 1914 after he was transferred from the state prison where he was serving a 10 year sentence for breaking, entering, and larceny. He broke a post from the foot of his bed, shaped it into a bat and laid in wait.

Watchman Gerrior was making his rounds when he encountered the inmate standing in the open doorway of his cell. No one could ever figure out how he unlocked his cell door. He used the bat to beat Watchman Gerrior to death. He then walked down a corridor, met Supervisor Amlaw, and beat him to death the same way. He then used keys he took to liberate four inmates from their cells. As they walked towards an exit they met several guards who sounded the alarm, overpowered them, and returned them to their cells.

A criminally insane inmate who kills can not be held responsible for his actions. He died at Bridgewater Hospital in 1943.

Watchman Gerrior was survived by his wife, daughter, and three sons.