The Hampstead Murders – Part six
THE SISTER'S EVIDENCE
Martha Styles, who said she lived at Egbam and was a dressmaker, knew Mrs. Pearsey, but never visited her. She saw her in February last. The deceased was sister to witness. She last saw deceased on Thursday, at ten minutes past six in the evening, at the North London Finchely-road station. Witness was going home. She went with her sister to Albion-road where her niece lived, and going there the deceased produced a letter, and said, "I have received a note from Mrs. Pearsey," and she seemed very much surprised, because she had had nothing to do with Mrs. Pearsey since the previous February. The note was upon a piece of white paper and there was writing on it in pencil.
Did you copy the letter? — No, sir.
Tell us all about it. — There was no date and no address but "Mrs. F. Hogg." Then there was a word underneath, but I do not remember what it was. Inside, on the piece of paper — the letter did not come by post — my sister said a boy gave it to her — the words were; "Dearest,– Come round this afternoon and bring—-" I do not remember whether the word was "your" or "our little darling. Do not fail."
Was there any signature? — None.
How do you know it was from Mrs. Pearsey? — I have seen Mrs. Pearsey write. She wrote me down her address. This was in February.
Why did you conclude the letter was from Mrs. Pearsey? — Because about three weeks ago a boy brought my sister a note in the same manner. The boy gave her the note at the door. There was no signature to that note, but in it my sister was asked to go out and see someone who wrote it at a given place — a public-house, I think. When my sister got there Mrs. Pearsey crossed the road and spoke to her and asked her to go on an excursion with her to some seaside place. My sister told me this her own self.
The Coroner: When did she tell you this? — Witness: This was about a fortnight ago.
Do you know where the public-house was? — No; I have forgotten the name.
Anything more? — My sister was to go round and tell Mrs. Pearsey, as she did not decide then whether she would go or not.
Anything else? — My sister went and told her she would not go.
Anything more? – Yes; my sister said, strangely, with regard to her conversation with Mrs. Pearsey, "It was an empty house she was to go and look over with Mrs. Pearsey."
Where? — At the seaside.
How long was the visit to last? — It was only to be a day's excursion.
Did she say where to? — I think it was Southend, and she was to leave the baby in London with Mrs. Pearsey's nurse.
Who is Mrs. Pearsey's nurse? — I don't know.
Did your sister tell you she had consulted her husband as to the first letter?
No; he was not at home at the time.
Did she say she had any conversation with him as to the proposed trip to the seaside? — No.
What was done with the second letter? — I put it in the fire.
Why? — My sister told me to do so. She said, "I have only kept it for you to read, and now that you have read it I don't want it. Put it in the fire."
Did she say whether she was going round or not? — Oh, she said she certainly would not go.
What was it she said? — She said, "If she waits for me to go down she will wait a very long time."
Did your sister make any further observation to you with regard to the proposed visit to Southend? — Yes.
Have you told this to anyone before your sister's death? — Yes, my brother.
When? — Last Tuesday.
Now tell me what it was she said, using as nearly as you can her own words? — She said, "If I had gone to Southend no one would have thought of looking for me down there in an empty house."
She said that about a fortnight ago? — Yes.
Did she offer any further explanation of that expression? — No.
What did your sister understand? — She had suspicions of Mrs. Pearsey.
But why? Do you know anything more about their relations? We have hear something about some letters which Mrs. Hogg received about eight months ago. Was Mrs. Pearsey the medium for letters received at her house? — I don't think so.
Do you know why she should entertain suspicion? Had there been any unpleasantness? — Yes, when she left last February.
Now, tell us what occurred last February. Was she taken ill? — Yes.
Who was nursing her then? — Mrs. Pearsey.
Did you visit her? — I went up to see her one Sunday. From a letter which I received from another sister telling me of my sister's (Mrs. Hogg's) illness, I went down to see her. I found her very ill indeed. She appeared to be in very great pain, more so after taking her medicine. Her husband gave her the medicine.
She was attended by a medical man, was she not? They told me they had one in, but I never saw him. I afterwards went with her to my elder sister's.
Was there any unfriendly feeling between her relations and her husband? — Scarcely unpleasant feeling.
Perhaps the idea of her going away was that she would be better looked after among her relatives? We thought she would get more nourishment.
You had no suspicion of foul play? — Not then. It occurred to me after.
There was no suspicion at the time? — No.
Of course, her husband was away all day at business, and the only person left was Mrs. Pearsey? — No, he was not at work all the time. He was lounging about home part of the time.
Perhaps there were some considerations why she should leave the house? — Simply she did not have enough. She said she did not.
Did she quite recover? — She has never been so well since her illness last February.
When did you last see your sister? — Last Thursday.
Why did you go to Finchley-road station? What was the object of it? — I was going down to Richmond; my sister saw me off. My sister never complained of bad treatment — not exactly — but she was not happy. She told Clara Hogg that her life had been a perfect misery to her since Mrs. Pearsey entered the house. My sister told me she saw Mrs. Pearsey once when she called at her house to see someone, but they scarcely spoke. My sister had no feeling of jealously whatever with regard to Mrs. Pearsey. I scarcely believe that my sister received letter which she kept back from her husband. She only had letters from members of her own family.
THE NIECE'S STORY
Elizabeth Styles was the next witness. She said: –I am a nursemaid living at Albion-road, London, but my home is at Folkestone. The deceased, Mrs. Hogg, was my aunt, and I was very intimate with her. I have received no letters from her. I used to write her until her husband forbade me the house. I had no quarrel with Mr. Hogg until February. I went to see how she was getting on, and found her sweeping the floor when I thought her quite unfit to do so. I took the broom from her and told her to sit down. I also told Mr. Hogg that I thought he was not treating my aunt properly.
Had she complained to you of his treatment? — Yes.
Had anything occurred to make things unpleasant? — Yes; things were very unpleasant. When I saw she was so ill I communicated with the last witness. During the time she was in her own home in February Mrs. Pearsey attended her.
Did you make any remark? — Yes; I thought she was not being properly attended.
Was Mrs. Pearsey a paid attendant? — I do not know. I remember writing a letter to the last witness stating that I thought my aunt was not being treated properly.
Why was that? — She had told me her husband was not treating her properly.
Had she any suspicion about Mrs. Pearsey? — Yes; she had her suspicions that her husband visited Mrs. Pearsey.
Did she tell you that? — Yes, sir.
THE CARDIGAN JACKET OWNED.
John Charles Pearsey, carpenter and joiner, living in High-street, Camden-town, deposed: I am a single man. I have known the person called Mrs. Pearsey since 1885. Her real name is Miss Eleanor Wheeler.
What is her age?– I should say that she was 18 or 19 when I first knew her. I know none of her friends and relatives.
Is it correct that you lived with her?– Yes.
Since when have you discontinued your visits?– Just over two years.
Have not you seen her during that time?– Yes; but I have not lived with her.
The witness was here shown the cardigan jacket which had covered the deceased woman's head and he said, "That belonged to me. I identify it by the pockets. For lighting stoves, I carry a box of matches, and this jacket was burnt by me."
Did you leave that in the possession of Mrs. Pearsey?– Yes, four years ago. Mrs. Pearsey had no means of her own; she told me that a gentleman was providing for her.
Did she ever speak about Mrs. Hogg?– Yes, she told me, some time ago, that Mrs. Hogg was a kind friend, and that they had been friends for a long time.
When did you see Mrs. Pearsey last?– I saw her last on Thursday morning. I had aoccasion to pass through the street and she (Mrs. Pearsey) was at the gate. I asked her why the blinds were drawn and she said she had a brother dead, 14 years of age, and that she was very much upset and worried, and did not know what she should do with herself; and she was making up mourning to go to the funeral on on Tuesday next. I have not found out whether her statement was correct.
Whe was it Mrs. Pearsey said Mrs. Hogg was a kind friend?– About three years ago. I have seen Mrs. Hogg once. I know her by the photograph I have seen of her. She was then introduced to me as a young friend. During the time I was living with Miss Wheeler she used to visit at Hogg's shop. Hogg was a small provisions dealer.
Then you knew she visited there?– Yes, and I also had my suspcions. When I first saw Mrs. Hogg, Miss Wheller said, "That is the lady who is going to marry Mr. Hogg." I recognise the thick gold ring produced as the one miss Wheeler wore on her finger. The other ring, the common one, is one which she used to wear. I purchased neither of them. She told me that a gentleman friend who used to visit her gave her one of the rings. A geltman used to visit her on Fridays.
The coroner said there had been a suspicion that some mysterious individual had been connected with the matter. If that person would like to come forward he would be very happy to hear him. It might be to his advantage and clear up any doubt.
THE INDEPENDENT GENTLEMAN
Charles Crichton, called by the police, said he was of independent means, and resided at Northfleet, Kent. He had known Mrs. Pearsey about three years. The last time he saw her was on Monday the 20th Oct, at her own house.
Detective-inspector Miller here handed in a letter.
Mr. Crichton said he received that letter from Mrs. Pearsey on Friday morning (the day of the murder).
The coroner perused the letter privately, and then remarked to the witness, "This is simply a letter personal to yourself. There is nothing in it."
The Witness: "It is simply one of many such."
The coroner remarked that the letter appeared to have been written on the 23rd Oct., and referred to the witness's help. It also stated that she was "going up to Prince of Wales-road" after finishing the letter.
Mr. Crichton continuing, said that he knew her as Mrs. Pearsey, and she represented herself to him as married. He had seen a photograph of Mr. Hogg and his wife in a book she had. The were represented to him as friends of hers. He knew nothing at all about the matter. He could account for his movements every day from Monday, the 20th October, till the present time, and his brother was present to corroborate him.
Detective-inspector Banister said there had never been any reason to suspect Mr. Cricthon.
MRS. PEARSEY'S ACCOUNT
"I have not told a lie. Mrs. Hogg did come here at six o'clock, and asked me to lend her two shillings and to mind the child. I told her I could not lend her the money as I had none, and I could not mind the child as I was going out. I told Clara Hogg about it, and she advised me to say nothing about it, as it would be such a disgrace if people though her husband kept her short of money." Afterwards the prisoner said," I do not enjoy very good health. On Thursday night when I came home my nose bled violently."
FELLOW LODGERS AT PRIORY-STREET
Sarah Butler, wife of a labourer occupying the second floor of 2, Priory-street, gave evidence, as also did her husband, of the presence of a bassinette perambulator in the passage of that house last Friday evening, when Mrs. Pearsey cautioned them not to knock against it in the dark. Mrs. Butler said she had seen the perambulator there twice before when Mrs. Hogg had called. Mrs. Pearsey had always told her that Mrs. Hogg was her sister-in-law and that Mr. Hogg was Mr. Pearsey.
OTHER WITNESSES
Mrs. Edwin Hogg (sister-in-law of the deceased) recollects that Mrs. Styles had complained at the time (of Mrs. Hogg's illness) of the way in which her sister had been cared for. The deceased was so suspicious that on one occasion she refused to touch a custard which she had taken her, fearing that someone had tampered with it. On the other hand, she had a dread of doctors, and on the Sunday before she left for Mill-hill positively declined to see a medical man.
THE CORONER SUMS UP
The coroner stated that the evidence in the case was circumstantial, and it was for the jury to say whether there was any reasonable doubt in their minds that the woman Pearsey did not kill Mrs. Hogg. Had a prima-facie case been made out against her which would justify her being sent for trial?
It was clear beyond doubt that Pearsey had a strong attachment for the deceased's husband, and it might be that she wished to get the wife out of the way so that Hogg and she might enjoy more unrestrained intercourse, or perhaps she entertained the hope of becoming the second Mrs. Hogg. In the case of the child, the evidence was not so strong as in that of the mother but it seemed plain that it was with the mother at Pearsey's rooms on Friday evening.
The jury, after a very few moments' deliberation returned a verdict of "Wilful murder against Mary Eleanor Wheeler, otherwise Mrs. Pearsey," both in the case of the deceased woman and her child.
