Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in Southampton Read online

  On Sunday, 11 April, Dr William A Richards conducted a post-mortem on the dead man. He reported that there were three separate wounds on the head, suggesting three blows. Two of these were on the top of the head and one on the temple. None of these had caused any serious injury but would have stunned the man. There was a single wound in the throat, caused by a very sharp instrument and this had been the direct cause of death. The knife found on the dead man bore no traces of blood so had not been used in the attack.

  Dr Richards was also able to give the opinion that the throat wound had been caused whilst the man was lying on the ground. The suggestion was that the three blows had rendered him unconscious or at least dazed him and then the cut to the throat had been inflicted whilst he was helpless.

  Reports of the crime and a description of the man led Henry Parker to come forward on 12 April to identify the body as that of his son, James. He told officers that James had turned eighteen last December and he had last seen his son on 25 March when he had said that he was going to join the crew of the Nellie, docked at Greenwich. This led officers to interview the ship’s master, Frederick Roberts, who told them of the friendship with Brown and the fact that the two men had left Southampton together, intending to travel back to London. It was now time to interview that companion whose full name was actually Albert Edward Brown.

  It wasn’t long before Brown was traced to his home in Deptford. Sergeant William Morgan called at the house at 12.15am on 11 April and asked him about Parker. Brown readily admitted that they had started walking back to London together but close to Winchester they had parted company. They had met a man and a woman who fell into conversation with them and they had said that they were on their way to London and would take Parker with them. Brown had then shaken hands with Parker and said goodbye. This failed to explain why Parker had decided to travel alone and, not satisfied with the explanation, Sergeant Morgan took Brown to the police station for further questioning.

  Arrested and charged with murder, Brown appeared before Mister Justice Day at Winchester on 10 May. During the two day trial, Brown was defended by Mr W Lopes whilst the case for the prosecution was led by Mr Charles Matthews who was assisted by Mr W Box.

  Further evidence of the friendly relationship that had existed between Brown and James Parker was given by Southampton dock workers who had helped unload the Nellie.

  Charles Tuffin had gone on board the ship on Saturday, 3 April. He had returned on the 7th and on that date had heard Brown and Parker say that they intended to walk to London. Indeed, Brown had said that he would look after Parker and see him all the way into the capital.

  John Lawrence had been another seaman who had helped unload and after the two men had been paid off, he helped both Brown and Parker to pack their bags. At one stage he had seen Brown pack two razors in his large bag. This had taken place at around 10.00am, on 7 April.

  The master of the Nellie, Mr Roberts, had seen much of the two men on the voyage from Greenwich. He confirmed the friendly relationship that had existed between them. However, he was able to add that he knew that Brown had amongst his possessions a hammer, a chisel, a gimlet and a large sheath knife. He also confirmed that there were only four men on the ship during the voyage.

  The fourth man had been David Owens, the ship’s mate. He too knew that Brown had the hammer, chisel, gimlet and knife and during the journey, Brown had mentioned to him that he had plenty of razors. He also confirmed that Brown was trying to borrow money once they had docked in Southampton. Brown had asked him for a loan of sixpence or, if he couldn’t manage that, fourpence, to pay for his trip back to London. Owens refused to lend him any money.

  Witnesses had already come forward to confirm that the two men started the journey to London together but now other testimony showed that from 8 April onwards, Brown was on his own.

  Benjamin Smith and Richard Mott had set out together, from Winchester, at around 4.00am on 8 April. Close to Barton Hill they saw a man standing alone at the gate to a field which had two hayricks. By then it was 4.45am and the man they had seen was Brown.

  Frederick Shergold, a carman, left his home at 5.00am. At 5.20am he passed a man heading in the opposite direction. He had since positively identified that man as Brown and confirmed that he was alone.

  Another witness who had seen Brown was Joseph Glaespool, a milk-seller, who left his home in Winchester at 5.10am on 8 April. He had seen Brown close to Warner’s Lodge and noticed that he had something in his left hand, which he was brushing down with his right. It looked like a brown coat or mackintosh and as Glaespool drew nearer, Brown stuffed the garment into his bag. The two men exchanged a cheery ‘Good Morning’ and Brown then asked if he was on the right road for the railway station.

  By 5.45am, Brown had arrived at Winchester railway station for he was seen by Charles Bartlett, the foreman porter. Another porter, William Brothers, also saw Brown who asked him which was the train to Woking. A third railway employee, Harry Roe saw Brown again at 7.23am when he asked if a train standing at the platform was for Woking. Brothers confirmed that it was and advised Brown to jump on.

  It could be proved that Brown had travelled by train as far as Woking for Arthur Cox, the booking clerk at Winchester, had been asked by Brown how far he could go for three shillings and six pence. Cox told him that that amount of money would take him to Woking and Brown then purchased a ticket.

  Eventually, Brown had arrived at his father-in-law’s house in Greenwich. Charles Edward Delatouche testified that Brown had arrived at around 8.30pm on 8 April. Brown said he had walked some thirty miles and was very tired. Soon afterwards, Brown’s wife had come in and asked him for some money. Brown had jokingly said that he hadn’t got any but then handed over ten shillings in silver.

  Charles’ wife, Sarah Ann, confirmed this story but also added that Brown had spoken several times about a mate of his who he had walked home with. He said he had felt sorry for him as he had been very sick whilst they were at sea.

  Having heard all the evidence, the jury had little difficulty in returning a guilty verdict and Brown was duly sentenced to death. He was then sent to Winchester prison to await his fate. It was whilst Brown was in the condemned cell that he made a full confession to the crime.

  On 13 May, Brown made a statement saying that by the time he left Southampton he only had just over ten shillings in cash upon him and he knew that he would have even less when he got home. It clearly wasn’t enough to hand over to his wife so he decided that he would rob his friend, somewhere along the road.

  The weather was very bad but the two men decided that they would try to get at least some sleep in the field. Brown decided that this would be a good place to steal Parker’s money and his intention was to knock him out using the hammer he had in his bag, take the cash and then be on his way.

  It was about 4.00am and Parker said he wanted to move to the other side of the hayrick as water was dripping off, onto his head. Brown took the opportunity to take out the hammer but he thought better of his plan and was about to put it away again when something came over him. He lashed out at Parker, striking him on the head but the blow did not stun him and he began to cry out. So loud were his screams that Brown had to hit him twice more. Then, afraid that the noise would attract someone’s attention, Brown took out one of his razors and cut Parker’s throat. Once Parker was dead, Brown helped himself to four shillings and six pence in silver, two half-pennies and a bronze farthing.

  Having taken the money, Brown then took off his oilskin and put it inside his bag. He placed the razor and the hammer underneath a hedge close to the gate and headed off for Winchester. He confirmed his railway journey to Woking and then hitched a ride on a cart to London Bridge before going on to Deptford. He ended by saying that there had been no intention to kill Parker and he had not known what had come over him.

  On 25 May, a final attempt was made to save Brown’s life. Mr Joseph Bell, a gentleman who knew the family well, forwarded evidence that as a
child, Brown had fallen from a third storey window and badly injured himself. He had suffered a bad head injury and there was a suggestion that he had never been in his right mind since that time. Examples of his bizarre behaviour were given including that whilst at sea, he had been known to strip himself naked and sleep on deck underneath the sails.

  None of this served to save Brown. After the jury had been out for just over an hour, they returned to announce that Brown was guilty. As a result, on 31 May, he was hanged at Winchester alongside James Whelan who had killed George Richardson, on board a ship at sea and thrown his body overboard. It was reported that whilst he stood on the trap, waiting to be launched into eternity, Brown had cried out: ‘Lord Jesus, have mercy on my soul.

  High Street, Southampton as it looked at the time Constable Camerford saw Albert Brown walking with James Parker, the man he would murder later that same day.

  Moments after this, Jonathan Bedford also drove past the two men, heading up Barton Hill. He too remembered the yellow oilskin and the large bundle thrown over one shoulder.

  Henry Piper was a farm labourer and on Friday, 9 April, he was sent to fetch a horse-drill. He walked to a farm owned by Mr W R Simonds and was told that the drill was in a field. Going to the location, Piper found the drill but the shafts appeared to be missing. He noticed that there was a good deal of straw scattered around, possibly due to the awful weather they had had of late, and thought that the shafts might be hidden underneath. However, as Piper drew nearer to one of the hayricks, he could see that there was something underneath the straw, which certainly was not the missing shafts. Piper walked closer still and then, some two yards or so from one of the ricks, Piper saw a man’s arm and head poking out beneath the straw.

  Piper immediately reported his find to Alfred Taylor a farmer and blacksmith. He in turn passed the information on to Constable Joseph Gladwell but it was perhaps 5.30pm before the officer, in the company of Constable William Smith, arrived at the field, to find that there were several small boys standing by the gate, not wanting to miss anything that transpired in the field.

  The two policemen made a careful search of the body and the surrounding area. Constable Gladwell found two handkerchiefs, a scarf, a pair of gloves and a knife. Some five yards from the body lay a cap, also partly hidden beneath some straw. The young man, whoever he was, lay on his back and there was a good deal of blood around his head. It looked like he had been battered before his throat had been cut. When that search was widened somewhat, a razor and a hammer were found hidden underneath a hedge in the lane nearby.

  On Sunday, 11 April, Dr William A Richards conducted a post-mortem on the dead man. He reported that there were three separate wounds on the head, suggesting three blows. Two of these were on the top of the head and one on the temple. None of these had caused any serious injury but would have stunned the man. There was a single wound in the throat, caused by a very sharp instrument and this had been the direct cause of death. The knife found on the dead man bore no traces of blood so had not been used in the attack.

  Dr Richards was also able to give the opinion that the throat wound had been caused whilst the man was lying on the ground. The suggestion was that the three blows had rendered him unconscious or at least dazed him and then the cut to the throat had been inflicted whilst he was helpless.

  Reports of the crime and a description of the man led Henry Parker to come forward on 12 April to identify the body as that of his son, James. He told officers that James had turned eighteen last December and he had last seen his son on 25 March when he had said that he was going to join the crew of the Nellie, docked at Greenwich. This led officers to interview the ship’s master, Frederick Roberts, who told them of the friendship with Brown and the fact that the two men had left Southampton together, intending to travel back to London. It was now time to interview that companion whose full name was actually Albert Edward Brown.

  It wasn’t long before Brown was traced to his home in Deptford. Sergeant William Morgan called at the house at 12.15am on 11 April and asked him about Parker. Brown readily admitted that they had started walking back to London together but close to Winchester they had parted company. They had met a man and a woman who fell into conversation with them and they had said that they were on their way to London and would take Parker with them. Brown had then shaken hands with Parker and said goodbye. This failed to explain why Parker had decided to travel alone and, not satisfied with the explanation, Sergeant Morgan took Brown to the police station for further questioning.

  Arrested and charged with murder, Brown appeared before Mister Justice Day at Winchester on 10 May. During the two day trial, Brown was defended by Mr W Lopes whilst the case for the prosecution was led by Mr Charles Matthews who was assisted by Mr W Box.

  Further evidence of the friendly relationship that had existed between Brown and James Parker was given by Southampton dock workers who had helped unload the Nellie.

  Charles Tuffin had gone on board the ship on Saturday, 3 April. He had returned on the 7th and on that date had heard Brown and Parker say that they intended to walk to London. Indeed, Brown had said that he would look after Parker and see him all the way into the capital.

  John Lawrence had been another seaman who had helped unload and after the two men had been paid off, he helped both Brown and Parker to pack their bags. At one stage he had seen Brown pack two razors in his large bag. This had taken place at around 10.00am, on 7 April.

  The master of the Nellie, Mr Roberts, had seen much of the two men on the voyage from Greenwich. He confirmed the friendly relationship that had existed between them. However, he was able to add that he knew that Brown had amongst his possessions a hammer, a chisel, a gimlet and a large sheath knife. He also confirmed that there were only four men on the ship during the voyage.

  The fourth man had been David Owens, the ship’s mate. He too knew that Brown had the hammer, chisel, gimlet and knife and during the journey, Brown had mentioned to him that he had plenty of razors. He also confirmed that Brown was trying to borrow money once they had docked in Southampton. Brown had asked him for a loan of sixpence or, if he couldn’t manage that, fourpence, to pay for his trip back to London. Owens refused to lend him any money.

  Witnesses had already come forward to confirm that the two men started the journey to London together but now other testimony showed that from 8 April onwards, Brown was on his own.

  Benjamin Smith and Richard Mott had set out together, from Winchester, at around 4.00am on 8 April. Close to Barton Hill they saw a man standing alone at the gate to a field which had two hayricks. By then it was 4.45am and the man they had seen was Brown.

  Frederick Shergold, a carman, left his home at 5.00am. At 5.20am he passed a man heading in the opposite direction. He had since positively identified that man as Brown and confirmed that he was alone.

  Another witness who had seen Brown was Joseph Glaespool, a milk-seller, who left his home in Winchester at 5.10am on 8 April. He had seen Brown close to Warner’s Lodge and noticed that he had something in his left hand, which he was brushing down with his right. It looked like a brown coat or mackintosh and as Glaespool drew nearer, Brown stuffed the garment into his bag. The two men exchanged a cheery ‘Good Morning’ and Brown then asked if he was on the right road for the railway station.

  By 5.45am, Brown had arrived at Winchester railway station for he was seen by Charles Bartlett, the foreman porter. Another porter, William Brothers, also saw Brown who asked him which was the train to Woking. A third railway employee, Harry Roe saw Brown again at 7.23am when he asked if a train standing at the platform was for Woking. Brothers confirmed that it was and advised Brown to jump on.

  It could be proved that Brown had travelled by train as far as Woking for Arthur Cox, the booking clerk at Winchester, had been asked by Brown how far he could go for three shillings and six pence. Cox told him that that amount of money would take him to Woking and Brown then purchased a ticket.

  Eventually, Brow
n had arrived at his father-in-law’s house in Greenwich. Charles Edward Delatouche testified that Brown had arrived at around 8.30pm on 8 April. Brown said he had walked some thirty miles and was very tired. Soon afterwards, Brown’s wife had come in and asked him for some money. Brown had jokingly said that he hadn’t got any but then handed over ten shillings in silver.

  Charles’ wife, Sarah Ann, confirmed this story but also added that Brown had spoken several times about a mate of his who he had walked home with. He said he had felt sorry for him as he had been very sick whilst they were at sea.

  Having heard all the evidence, the jury had little difficulty in returning a guilty verdict and Brown was duly sentenced to death. He was then sent to Winchester prison to await his fate. It was whilst Brown was in the condemned cell that he made a full confession to the crime.

  On 13 May, Brown made a statement saying that by the time he left Southampton he only had just over ten shillings in cash upon him and he knew that he would have even less when he got home. It clearly wasn’t enough to hand over to his wife so he decided that he would rob his friend, somewhere along the road.

  The weather was very bad but the two men decided that they would try to get at least some sleep in the field. Brown decided that this would be a good place to steal Parker’s money and his intention was to knock him out using the hammer he had in his bag, take the cash and then be on his way.

  It was about 4.00am and Parker said he wanted to move to the other side of the hayrick as water was dripping off, onto his head. Brown took the opportunity to take out the hammer but he thought better of his plan and was about to put it away again when something came over him. He lashed out at Parker, striking him on the head but the blow did not stun him and he began to cry out. So loud were his screams that Brown had to hit him twice more. Then, afraid that the noise would attract someone’s attention, Brown took out one of his razors and cut Parker’s throat. Once Parker was dead, Brown helped himself to four shillings and six pence in silver, two half-pennies and a bronze farthing.