An event took place which excited an extraordinary sensation of surprise and alarm in the public mind, and continued for several months, until the offender was brought to justice, to form the subject of discussion and interest.
Mr Thomas Briggs, chief clerk in the bank of Messrs. Robarts and Co., of Lombard-street, was murderously assailed, plundered, and thrown out of the train. The unfortunate gentleman was upwards of sixty years of age. He was a fine, tall, hale man, and resided at No. 5, Clapton-square, near Hackney Church. On the afternoon of the 9th, about three o'clock, he left the bank for the day, and proceeded to his niece's residence in Nelson-square, Peckham, where he dined. There he remained until half-past eight o'clock, and was seen into an omnibus in the Old Kent-road by the husband of his niece, a Mr. Buckham, and he then appeared in his usual good health and spirits. Before parting with his relative, he intimated that he should proceed to the City, and then take the train from Fenchurch street station for Hackney. He was almost a daily traveller on the line, and was well known to the railway servants. From the time of his getting into the omnibus in the Old Kent-road until his body was discovered on the line of the North London Railway, between Old Ford-bridge and Hackney-wick station, nothing more was known of his movements.
The outrage was discovered about a quarter or twenty minutes past ten o'clock on the same evening. On the arrival at Hackney of the 9.45 train from Fenchurch-street station, a gentleman called the attention of the guard to the state of a compartment of a first-class carriage, No. 69, in the train. He had opened the door with the intention of getting in, and had placed his hand on one of the cushions, which he found to be covered with blood. The guard on looking in found such to be the fact. Not only the cushions, but the floor, sides, and windows were besmeared with blood; in some places there was quite a pool. He also found inside the carriage a gentleman's hat, a walking-stick, and a small leathern bag. The guard at once took charge of the articles and locked the door.
Almost at the same moment that this discovery was made, the driver and stoker of an engine which had been working the Hackney-wick and Stratford traffic were returning from the Wick station to the Bow locomotive works of the North London Railway, and as they were approaching the railway-bridge over Ducket's canal, by the side of the Mitford Arms Tavern, which parts the Tower Hamlets Volunteer parade-ground in Victoria-park, they saw something lying on the six-foot way, the space between the up and down line. The stoker, Brinckley, got down and went back along the line with a lamp, and on coming up to the spot, discovered it to be the body of a gentleman, saturated with blood and apparently dead. The stoker instantly hailed the driver, and ran down the embankment into the Mitford Arms public-house. Several persons in the house, with the landlord, at once returned with the stoker up to the line, and steps were immediately taken to remove the unfortunate gentleman to the adjacent tavern, but in doing so the men who were assisting in the melancholy task nearly lost their lives by a passing down-train. When the body was taken to the tavern and laid on a couch, suspicions were at once aroused, for the head seemed to have been battered in by some sharp instrument. The clothes were covered with blood, and the broken link or hook of a watch-chain hung to a button-hole of his waistcoat. The watch and the other part of the chain not being found led to the supposition that there had been foul play. The landlord immediately gave information to the police, and sent for medical assistance. The surgeons at once proceeded to examine the wounded gentleman. He was quite insensible. On the left side of the head, just over the ear, which was torn away, was found a deep wound; the skull was fractured and the bone driven in. On the base of the skull there were four or five lacerated wounds; there were more blows on other parts of the head, and the medical gentlemen expressed their surprise that the unfortunate sufferer should be alive. Stimulants were applied with a view of restoring consciousness, but to no purpose. In the breast-coat pocket of the wounded man was found a bundle of letters addressed “T. Briggs, Esq., Messrs. Robarts and Co.'s, Lombard-street.” A messenger was immediately despatched to the bank to learn where the gentleman named in the address lived. In his trowsers pocket was found 4l. 10s. in gold and silver, and a silver snuff-box in his coat pocket. The police inspector at once despatched an officer to the address given by the people at the bank - No. 5, Clapton-square, Hackney - who broke the melancholy intelligence to the son of the unfortunate gentleman. Mr. Briggs, jun., with some other members of the family and Mr. Toulmin, the family doctor, proceeded to the Mitford Arms Tavern, and at once put an end to all doubt as to who the unfortunate sufferer was. The medical gentlemen remained in attendance nearly the whole night, and in the course of the morning the sufferer was removed in a litter from the tavern to Clapton-square.
Through Mr. Briggs, jun., the police ascertained that when his father left home on Saturday morning he wore a gold watch with an Albert chain, and a gold eyeglass attached to a hair guard. On examining the waistcoat it was seen that a watch had been torn from the waistcoat pocket, and the chain had been broken short off the link or hook, which still held to the waistcoat pocket. The gold glasses were also missing, and subsequently Mr. Briggs, jun., identified the stick and bag which were found in the compartment as those belonging to his father.
The police having obtained some description of the watch and gold glasses and forwarded it by route to all the police-stations in the metropolis, with the facts of the outrage, they proceeded to examine minutely the carriage in which the murder was committed. The carriage had three first-class compartments. On opening the door of the compartment, the interior was found to be besmeared in all directions with blood, with clotted pools on the cushions and on the floor. There was ample evidence of a deadly struggle having taken place. The unfortunate man, it will be remembered, was found in the six-foot way. On inspecting the outside of the carriage, which would be the off-side of a train going to Camden, the body of the carriage was seen to be besmeared with blood, as if it had been spurted on as the train flew by. The window was down, and on the brass handles was the mark of a bloody hand, leading to a belief that the door had been opened to throw the body out on to the line, and then closed. On the step beneath the door was found a portion of the hair guard attached to the missing gold glasses, and on the floor of the compartment was discovered one of the broken links of the watch-chain.
It is certain that Mr. Briggs must have been lying on the the line at least twenty minutes before he was discovered. The train in which he was left Bow at two minutes past ten, and in another two or three minutes the deed must have been perpetrated, for the train was due at the next station, Hackney-wick, five minutes after leaving Bow. An up-train passed the spot about ten minutes afterwards, and saw nothing.
About twelve o'clock the next night Mr. Briggs expired.
A very important clue to the discovery of the author of the crime was afforded by the hat left in the carriage, which was at once perceived by the son of deceased to be not that of his father. It bore the name of the maker - Mr. Walker, of Crawford-street, Marylebone - and was stained with blood. Another important fact was shortly afterwards brought to light. The chain belonging to the late Mr. Briggs was traced to a silversmith - Mr. Death, of Cheapside - where it had been exchanged for another one the day before by a man having the appearance of a foreigner.
The post-mortem examination of the body was made the next day. From the size and shape of the wounds on the head they appeared to have been inflicted by a life-preserver, and the deep incised wound over the ear might have been caused by the two-edged dagger with which many of those instruments are provided. The blow on the ear was a most severe one, dividing the lobe and crushing it fearfully. The stab above the ear must have entered the base of the brain at least three inches. The other wounds were also most severe, and the medical men in attendance expressed their surprise that the deceased lived so long after the infliction of such injuries. Bills were posted all over the metropolis offering a reward of 100l. for the discovery of the murderer on the part of the Government, and a further reward of 100l. from the deceased gentleman's late employers, Messrs. Robarts and Co. The railway company also offered a reward.
On the 18th, a cabman named Jonathan Matthews, of Earl street, Lisson-grove, attended at the Harrow police-station and made a statement, which he subsequently repeated to the magistrate at Bow-street. He said, for some months past Franz Müller, a native of Cologne, lodged at his house, but had left it some days ago. Nine months before, Müller paid his addresses to his (Matthews's) sister, and he gave her his photograph. But subsequently their attachment was brought to a close by his jealous temper. Some days before he left, he gave his (Matthews's) daughter a small card paper-box used by jewellers. In the box were the name and address of Mr. Death, jeweller, 55, Cheapside. Matthews and a policeman went to Mr. Death, who recognized the box as one of those which he used, and the photograph as that of the person who had exchanged the gold chain, identified as having belonged to the deceased. Matthews further said that in November last Müller admired a hat which witness wore, and which he had bought from a Mr. Walker, of Crawford-street, hatter. Witness, at his request, bought a hat for him at Mr. Walker's. (Matthews identified this hat as being the hat found in the railway carriage after the murder.) On the Monday after the murder he came to his (Matthews's) house, and showed his (Matthews's) wife a gold chain, for which he said he paid 31. 10s., and he fixed it on his watch. He also exhibited a ring, which was similar to that described by Mr. Death. He then said a cart had passed near his foot and sprained his ankle. He added, “I am going to Canada, be sure you see Jonathan (meaning witness), and tell him not to go out to-morrow till I come,” but witness never saw him since. After this communication, witness and two officers went to 16, Park-terrace, Old Ford, Bow, occupied by Mr. Blyth, a warehouseman in the City, where Müller lodged after he left witness's house, and the officers questioned a German lodger named Goodwin, who said that Müller came home on the night of the murder at eleven o'clock, and appeared very much confused. Mr. Blyth, the landlord, gave Inspector Steer a letter from Müller, posted at Worthing on the 16th instant, which the pilot of the ship “Victoria” had brought. That letter was addressed to Goodwin, bidding him farewell, and saying that he (Müller) would never see England's shores again.
Upon receiving the information given by Matthews, Inspector Tanner obtained a warrant for the apprehension of Müller, and on the next day he, Sergeant Clarke, Mr. Death, and the cabman, started from Euston-square to Liverpool, for New York. They sailed from Liverpool in the “City of Manchester” steamer. It was expected that this vessel would arrive at New York four days before the “Victoria'.”
Apprehension of Franz Müller at New York.
The “Victoria,” on board which Müller, the suspected murderer of Mr. Briggs, had taken passage to America, reached New York on the 24th. Müller was at once identified and arrested, and was brought the following day before the City Marshal. He denied the charge, stating he could prove he was not the murderer, and was remanded until the next day, when the usual investigation under the Extradition Treaty was opened.
Inspectors Kerrissey and Tanner, and Mr. Death, the jeweller, were examined, and evidence was given of the finding in a box belonging to the prisoner of the hat and watch stated to be those of Mr. Briggs.
Commissioner Newton then delivered his decision, stating that under the circumstances he was constrained to grant a certificate and commit the prisoner.
Müller shortly afterwards was taken on board the “Etna,” under the charge of Inspector Tanner, and was brought back to England.
Arrival of Müller at Liverpool.
The “Etna” arrived in the Mersey with Müller on board. She was met by the steam tug “Fury,” from Birkenhead, having on board one of the Liverpool detectives. At half-past ten o'clock Müller was landed at the south end of the Prince's Pier, and was at once conveyed in a cab to the detective office. Police-officers were seated in the vehicle with him, and others followed in other cabs. The excitement in the town from the time the “Etna" came in sight was very great, and it increased as he was being landed and conveyed to the police-office.
Müller himself appeared very unconcerned. No incidents of public interest occurred during his passage back across the Atlantic. He had said nothing about the murder, and none of the passengers on board the “Etna” were allowed to speak to him on the subject. He was shortly afterwards sent on by railway to London. On the arrival of the train at Euston-square, a large crowd had assembled, and great curiosity and interest to see the prisoner was exhibited. On the 19th, he was taken before the sitting magistrate at Bow street, and the evidence connecting him with the charge was gone into at length. (The facts stated will more properly find a place in the report of the trial".)
The depositions being completed, the prisoner, when asked what he had to say in defence, replied, “I have nothing to say now,” uttering the word “now" with marked emphasis.
He was then committed for trial, and on appearing amongst the crowd outside the court, was assailed with groans and yells. A coroner's jury, which had been summoned to inquire into the cause of the death of Mr. Briggs, and which had carried on the investigation by several adjournments until after the return of the prisoner from America, having now heard the complete evidence on the case, brought in a verdict of “Wilful Murder against Franz Müller.”
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