Edgware road murder

Edgware-Road Tragedy. - Apprehension, Attempted Suicide, and Confession of the Murderer. - Yesterday, at 12 o'clock, James Greenacre, and Sarah Gale, were brought up in custody of inspector Feltham, of the T. division, and placed at the bar before Messrs. Rawlinson, Shutt, and Lord Montford, at the Marylebone police-office, charged with the wilful murder of Hannah Brown, the name of the unfortunate female, whose mutilated body it will be remembered, was some time since found near the Pine Apple toll-bar, in the Edgware-road.

The male prisoner is about 45 years of age, of the middle stature, and wore a brown great coat. His countenance is rather rugged, but nothing in it indicative of ferocity. He is a cabinet-maker by trade, and of rather respectable appearance on the whole. He was evidently labouring under great pain, from his having made a desperate attempt to commit suicide in one of the cells of the station-house at Paddington-green, at an early hour the same morning. The female prisoner is also a decent-looking person, about the same age.

The first witness called, was Samuel Pegler, who deposed - I am a constable of the S division, No. 104. On the 28th of December last, I received information, that the trunk of a female was lying near the Pine Apple toll bar, in the Edgware-road. I instantly repaired to the spot, and found a sack in the pathway, near some flagstones. On opening it, I discovered the body of a female, destitute of legs, thighs, and head. Near the sack, were lying an old child's frock, and some rags. The sack and contents were conveyed to the station-house, and upon a minute examination, I found a quantity of fine mahogany shavings in the sack, which, together with the rags, were stained with blood.

A coroner's inquest was subsequently held on the body, and a verdict of wilful murder, against some person or persons unknown, was returned. [The sack and other articles were here produced.] This morning, about six o'clock, I learned that a man had been taken into custody on suspicion of the murder, and I accordingly repaired to No. 1, St. Alban's-street, Lambeth, accompanied by Mr. Inspector Feltham. The prisoners had been taken into custody in this house, and on inquiry of the landlord, we found, that the female had occupied the back, and the man the front parlour. On searching the former, I found, among other things, on the female prisoner's bed, an infant's frock, which I here produce, and which I compared with the one found near the body on the Edgware-road, and have every reason to believe, they were both made by the same hands, and of the same stuff.

Elizabeth Corney, the wife of John Corney, shoemaker, 46, Union-street, Middlesex Hospital, sworn; I knew a person of the name of Hannah Brown. About a year and a half ago, she came to lodge with me. She got her living by washing, and had a mangle. The day before Christmas last, a man, resembling the prisoner, came and took her away, for the purpose of marrying her, as I understood.

Mr. Rawlinson: Can you swear to the prisoner? - Witness: No, but I believe him to be the man. Did she dispose of her furniture previous to leaving? - Yes; she sold her mangle and other things. And in a conversation which I had with her, she told me, that her intended husband had plenty of furniture of his own, and that she (Mrs. Brown) was to have the produce of her own furniture for pocket money. The man alluded to, brought a coach for her, and assisted in putting her trunks into it. Before she drove off, I asked her for the keys of her apartment (the kitchen). She replied, that on the Tuesday following, she would call and bring the keys, together with the week's rent, which would then be due, which I believe she would have done, had she been permitted, but she went away, and I saw no more of her. The reason she assigned for not giving up the keys, was, that she had some furniture in the room which was not her own. Some time afterwards, the keys were brought to me by a boy, who said he had received them from a man. I then unlocked the kitchen door, but found nothing in the room but a birdcage. The week's rent I never received.

Have you seen the head? - I went to Paddington workhouse, and examined it on Friday. I have no doubt of its being the head of Mrs. Brown; the hair, teeth, and eyes, are an exact resemblance, but from its mutilated state, I cannot swear to it positively.

Hannah Davies, the wife of Mr. Evan Davies, cabinet-maker, and upholsterer, Bartholomew-close, West Smithfield, was next examined: I knew Hannah Brown for five years. She formerly lived servant in the same family, with my husband's sister. She was in the habit of calling frequently at my house. The last time I saw her was on the 22nd of December last, and she then informed me that she was about to be married to the male prisoner. We conversed the matter over, and it was then arranged, that the wedding was to take place on the Christmas day following; that my daughter was to act as bride's-maid, and that my husband was to give the bride away. It was also arranged, that after the wedding, the parties were to dine together at my house. The prisoner came in the evening, and expressed his approbation of the proposed arrangement. In the course of the conversation, Mrs. Brown said, she was going with her husband to settle at Hudson's Bay, in America. They went away about ten o'clock that night.

Mr.Rawlinson:- In what church were they to be married? —Witness: In St. Giles's, and I and my husband were to meet them there at 10 o'clock on the morning of Christmas-day; but on Christmas eve, the prisoner came by himself, and asked if I had seen Mrs. Brown? I told him no. He then stated, that he had closely investigated her affairs, and found, that she had deceived him with regard to her property, and that, therefore, the match was for the present, broken off, as, he observed, it would not do to plunge headlong into poverty. This conversation passed at the door, and he went away much agitated. It was about 10 o'clock when this happened. Neither the prisoner nor Mrs. Brown ever came afterwards, a circumstance which excited my surprise greatly.

Was there anything particular about Mrs. Brown? - Yes; she had a slit in one of her ears, which had been fresh pierced above it, and there was, I believe, a mark on her leg, occasioned by the bite of a dog.

Mr. Feltham here said, that these marks exactly corresponded with those on the murdered woman.

Mr. Rawlinson (to the witness): How old was she? - Witness: About 45. Her hair was light brown, intermixed with gray.

George Feltham was next sworn: I am one of the inspectors of the T division. In consequence of information which I received, I applied here for a warrant on Saturday, against the male prisoner; and in the evening, I proceeded to Carpenter's-buildings, Lambeth, for the purpose of executing it, but found the prisoner had left. On the following (Sunday) evening I proceeded again in search of him, and after much difficulty found that he was lodging at No. 1, St. Alban's-street, in the same neighbourhood. I went there about 10 o'clock, accompanied by a constable of the L division. The landlord of the house answered the door, and said, that the prisoner lodged in the front parlour, but that he was gone to bed. I knocked at the parlour door, calling him by name. I said, ""Greenacre." He said, " Yes." I said, "I want to speak to you." He said, "Who are you ?" I replied, "Never mind that, I want to say something to you." I then heard him get out of bed, and at the same time he said, "Wait till I get the tinder-box." I heard him rumbling about, and I then opened the door, which was only on the latch, and went in. The room was in darkness. I said, "I'm an inspector of police, and hold a warrant for your apprehension on suspicion of having murdered Hannah Brown." He was in his shirt. A light was shortly brought by the landlord, and I then read the warrant to him. I then asked him, if he knew Hannah Brown. He replied, "I know no such person." "I asked him, if he was never asked in church to a woman of that name ?" He replied, "I don't know, you have no right to ask me the question. You had better be cautious what you say, as I shall mention your questions elsewhere ?" On turning my eye round, I perceived the female prisoner in bed, and in the act of concealing something under the clothes, which turned out to be the watch I here produce. I then said to her, "Get up, for you also must go along with me." She said, "I have a child in the adjoining room, and that must go also." The male prisoner was in the act of drawing on his trousers, when I searched the pockets, and found this small watch and leather purse, the latter of which contained a sovereign. I also found, in other parts of his dress, a bunch of keys, a pair of silver spectacles, and several letters, none of which, however, threw any light upon the affair. I also found several duplicates for silk dresses, veils, &c.

Mrs. Davies was recalled, and stated that, to her knowledge, Mrs. Brown had two silk gowns and two veils. She could not, however, identify the watches or any of the articles produced, Mrs. Brown had a watch.

Mr. Feltham, in continuation, said, he sent for a coach and conveyed them all to the station-house of Paddington-green. This morning, at an early hour, a strange noise was heard in the cell in which the male prisoner was confined, and a constable repairing thither, he found him hanging by a handkerchief. He was cut down, and life restored with much difficulty. Soon after this, he went with Pegler to the prisoner's lodgings, and brought away the child's clothes as already related.

There were four boxes in the prisoner's room, corded up, and upon the first entry the prisoner exclaimed, "It's a good job you're come I should soon have been off to America." The prisoner also told him that the female prisoner lodged in the back room, and that she had been in the habit of sleeping with him.

Mr. Davies again stepped forward, and identified one of the keys as the same which he had given to Mrs. Brown some months since.

The evidence being concluded - Mr. Rawliuson, addressing the prisoner Greenacre, said: I am going to remand you for the present, have you anything you wish to say?

Prisoner: A great many falsehoods have been stated about me. 1 will now state the facts. It is true that I was to have been married to Mrs. Brown, and there are circumstances about it which may cost me my life, but this female, by my side, is in no way implicated in the affair. When I courted Mrs. Brown, she told me she could, at any time, command from 300l. to 400l., and I told her I was possessed of property to some amount, which was not the case, so that there was duplicity on both sides. On Christmas-eve, Mrs. Brown came to my lodgings in Carpenter's buildings. She was the worse for liquor. We had tea together about eight o'clock, and Mrs. Brown sent out for some rum, which she drank in her tea, which made her worse. 1 thought this a favourable opportunity to press her regarding her property, when she confessed she had none. I expressed my displeasure at being deceived, when she made a laugh of the matter, and said I was as bad as she was, as I had deceived her as regarded my property. She then began to sneer and laugh, at the same time rocking herself backwards and forwards in her chair, when I gave it a kick, and she fell backwards in it to the floor. Her head came with great violence against a clump of wood behind her, which I had just been using. This alarmed me very much. I took her by the hand, and lifted her up, and found, to my astonishment, that she was no more. I concluded, that I should be set down for a murderer.  I was greatly excited, and came at length to the resolution not to call any one in, but to dispose of the body in the manner which has been so fully before the public, thinking it would be the safest and most prudent plan. - (At this relation, a thrill of horror ran through the office, and it was some time before silence could be obtained.) -No other person but myself witnessed the scene I have related, or had any knowledge of the disposal of the body. Some days afterwards, when I had put away the body, I invited this woman by my side, with whom I had formerly lived, to come back to me, which she did, and we were apprehended together, but she knows nothing of the death of Mrs. Brown, or the disposal of the body, limbs, &c. Upon making inquiry, I found out that though we were never married, Mrs. Brown, who bore but an indifferent character, had attempted to obtain a silk gown in my name at Mr. Smith's, a tally shop, in Longacre.

The prisoner, in speaking, put his hand to his throat, and evidently appeared in much pain.

The female prisoner was then asked, if she had anything to say?

She replied, that she was entirely innocent of any participation in the affair, and that the watch found in her possession was her own.

The prisoners were then both remanded.

The examination lasted nearly five hours, and excited the most intense interest.

The trial of the two prisoners, Greenacre and Gale, came on at the Central Criminal Court on the 12th of April; when, on the above evidence, they were both found guilty of murder. The woman's sentence was commuted to transportation for life. Greenacre, to the last, persisted in his first statement of the accidental nature of Hannah Brown's death; but he admitted, in a subsequent conversation, that the statement he had previously made to the magistrate at Marylebone-office was not correct, as far as related to the manner in which the deceased had met her death; he having then ascribed it to a kick which he gave the chair on which she was sitting at the time. He then went on to state, that after Mrs. Brown and he had arrived at his house in Carpenter's-place on Christmas eve, they had tea together; after which, and while the deceased was washing up the tea-things, he questioned her with regard to the property which she had represented to him she possessed. She admitted, that she had deceived him in that respect, and appeared to make a laugh of it, upon which he was very much exasperated, and taking up a piece of wood used as a rolling-pin, but which was originally a roller for silk, in the heat of the moment he brandished it in his hand, and with it struck her a sort of swinging side blow on the right eye, and she immediately fell to the ground.

Finding her insensible, and believing her to be dead, he left the house, and did not return for an hour after, when life appeared to be wholly gone, and then he formed the resolution, which he immediately put into effect, of severing the head from the trunk, and the limbs also, and disposing of them in the places where they were subsequently found. On being asked how he accounted for the fact that the neighbours in the two adjoining houses heard nothing of the altercation between him and the deceased, or the noise occasioned by her fall, he replied, "that the houses on either side were perfectly still at the time, and he judged, that being Christmas-eve, the inmates had gone to market, and he was strengthened in that supposition by hearing some children cry, as if they had been left alone." He was then questioned as to the absence of any trace of blood on the floor, as a considerable quantity must have flowed in cutting up the body.

He replied, that such was the fact, but he procured a piece of flannel, and having soaked it up, threw the flannel into the privy, and then washed out the remaining stains.