Chronicles of Newgate, Vol. 2: From the eighteenth century to its demolitionGriffiths, Arthur
History
Chronicles of Newgate, Vol. 2: From the eighteenth century to its demolition
Griffiths, Arthur
Criminals -- Great Britain; Newgate (Prison : London, England); Prisons -- England; Punishment -- Great Britain
The discovery of the murdered man immediately followed. The
neighbourhood was alarmed, the police sent for, and a close inquiry
forthwith commenced. That Lord William Russell had committed suicide
was at once declared impossible. It was also clearly proved that
no forcible entry had been made into the house; the fresh marks of
violence upon the door had evidently been made inside, and not from
outside; moreover, the instruments, poker and chisel, by which they
had no doubt been effected, were found in the butler's pantry, used
by Courvoisier. The researches of the police soon laid bare other
suspicious facts. The bundle found in the dining-room contained, with
clothes, various small articles of plate and jewelry which a thief
would probably have put into his pocket. Upstairs in the bed-room a
_rouleaux_ box for sovereigns had been broken open, also the jewel-box
and note-case, from the latter of which was abstracted a ten-pound note
known to have been in the possession of the deceased. His lordship's
watch was gone. Further suspicion was caused by the position of a book
and a wax candle by the bedside. The latter was so placed that it would
throw no light on the book, which was a "Life of Sir Samuel Romilly."
The intention of the real murderer to shift the crime to burglars was
evident although futile, and the police, feeling convinced that the
crime had been committed by some inmate of the house, took Courvoisier
into custody, and placed the two female servants under surveillance.
The valet's strange demeanour had attracted attention from the first.
He had hung over the body in a state of dreadful agitation, answering
no questions, and taking no part in the proceedings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account