CHARING CROSS MURDER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1930, Page 3 (Supplement)

CHARING CROSS MURDER.

GRIM STRUGGLE IN BROKER'S OFFICE. MAJOR WHO DENIED DYING ASSAILANT—MYSTERY SOLVED BY THE WOMAN IN THE CASE—LONG LOVE VENDETTA SEALED BY DEATHVEILED WOMAN COMPELLED TO UNVEIL AT INQUEST.

One Saturday in July, 1861, the newspapers of London, including the "Times" which gave eleven columns, printed a story with such headings as: "Murderous Affray in a Bill-broker's Office"; "Dreadful Murder in Charing Cross Office," and so forth. The key to the mystery seemed at first entirely missing. In those days there was a bridge where the present railway station stands at Charing Cross. Thi3 was Hungerford Market Bridge, now the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol. This bridge spanned the Hungerford Market. The largest street was Northumberland Street, at present called Northumberland Avenue. It was connected to Craven Street by a small passage which may still be seen. Practically all the houses in Northumberland Street were occupied as offices, either by brokers or money lenders. In this block of houses there was Number 10. On the third floor a gentleman named Roberts carried on the business of a billbroker and moneylender. Above him was the office occupied by Preston-Lumb, an engineer, who knew Roberts well. Nor was he surprised when he heard the crack ot pistol sh'ot3. He murmured, "Crazyfool. That's old Roberts on the job again!" It was well known to the other occupants of the offices that Roberts used to fire pistols every morning. He said he was learning how to fire accurately. On this particular occasion, however, a peculiar noise a few momenta later attracted the attention of Preston-Lumb. A dull, heavy, muffled sound. Like a powerful blow delivered on a mattress. The engineer decided to investigate. When he sought Roberts' office he found all the doors locked. He thought he had _ been hood■yinked, and went back to his own office again. A gentleman named Clay had business with Roberts, and called that morning. He had been standing in the backyard of the building when he heard the shots. He waa very startled a few minutes later when the window of the third floor at the back was flung up- A gentleman, streaming with gore and in tattered garments, stood out on the sill. If he jumped, as he appeared anxious to do, it would have been instant death. The forty feet leap would certainly have landed him on the tall iron railings 'Vith sharp points guarding the cellar area. "For God's sake don't leap!" shouted Clay. "Make haste!" shouted the blood-stained man, who had a pair of tongs in his hand. "Murder has been done." The police were called. Soon many facts were being poured into detectives' ears. Mary Lines, a dressmaker who lived opposite Number 16, said she heard the shots fired. Not surprised, for reasons stated, but when she heard tlie thumping noise and angry voices, she realised men were fighting. A few minutes later she saw a man ail covered with blood leap into the yard.. He passed through the small door" which gave him access through the passage leading to Craven Street. "He Tried To Murder Me!" Thoee watchers who had gathered outside No. 16 during these disturbing events saw a hatless man appear. He was incoherent, staggering to and _ fro. When kindly persons suDported him and gave him cordials, he gasped out: "The skunk! He tried to murder me!" "Who attacked you?" waa asked m chorus. "Did he escape?" Xhe gentleman gave a hollow laugh, and said: "No! I have given the villain enough to go on with." While conversation was progressing, Preston-Lumb and a man named Ransom, who was familiar with Roberts, made their way to the door leading to the offices in No. 16. On the threshold was Roberts, jun., son of the broker. _ Wringing his hands and weeping bitterly, the young man said: "Oh, my my father has been cruelly murdered." Preston-Lumb and his companion now went to the gentleman outside. He was fainting from loss of blood, and examination showed it was a miracle he was alive. He was supported to Charing Cross HosBeing nut to bed, the surgeons examined his wounds. "Am I wounded?" he asked. On being told he was most terribly hurt, and that they must give him morphia, he said: "I want to know if Grey is here. Have they brought the scoundrel here. Inspector McKenzie and other officers were given charge of the mystery. When the wounded man was better, the Inspector sat by his bedside and interrogated him with a few questions. 'What is your name, sir?' "Murray. Late officer m the 10th Hussars. William Henry Charles Murray. "How did you meet this man you say was named Grey?" _ . . - , "I was on business this morning in tne City. Desired to go to the West End, and ss was my custom, travelled to Hungerford Bridge by the penny steamer, i got on: at Hungerford wharf. While walking through tha Market I saw_ a gentleman looking at me. He came rapidly to me and said: is your name Major . "He said: 1 have an office in Northumberland Street. Will you come with me. I agreed, and went at once." "Why did you go with him? . . The major went on to say he imagined the gentleman had some proposition or speculation to offer. He entered the office and saw behind where he was sitting was a large apartment divi<2>sd by two tolaing doors which were open. So far as a glance showed him, the back apartment was stuffed full of old-fashioned furniture ot the stvle of the Third Empire of France. He then said he felt a chill feeling on his neck andr immediately a jjisto . - fired twice. The first shot deprived him ot all power of movement, and he sank to the floor unable to move or utter a wor . second shot lacerated his brain. It jave immediate relief, and he became c the blood was again in circulation i±e heard the man go into the back room. "Perhaps." continued the ma^thought I was dead. I had, , - ' noticed there was a heavy P air c ° 3 , the grate close to my hand, y- 0 ~, came back I sprang up and seized the tongs and Etruck him a heavy bio "For a moment he was stunned. began a life and death struggle. H a heavy decanter and split mv sku P • I raised him in my arms and j®® outside against the window. But the , i r j prevented my object, which was him in the street. Is he dead. A Shocking Discovery. How Grey, whose real name was Roberts, was discovered, wa JL, .^ ey Preston-Lumb and Ransom, they had forced their way into the offi financier they had started bac'b o " Every article in the office and a " , was smashed to pieces Gore bespattered the ceiling, walls, and floor. Th had been smashed open and every p P was stained with blood. r. Passine into the back room the figure of a man in crouching attitude was seen near the sofa. He was quite dea . - head smashed to a pulp. The _son i er L fied the bodv as that of his father, added: "I believe for some reasons ot ius own lie sometimes called himself by n;:me of Grey." ,- Flic inspector asked him sternly why father called himself by a false name. "Mr 'ins are sealed-" replied the son. 1 '1 liereupc.l McKenzie said. " They nius_ be oppupd when von attend the inques . He was asked if"his father was entangled with women, and said most certainly nos. The inquest opened and was adjourned thai the major might attend. The e el the major was positive there was no wojnan in her husband's life, and was i " : i-nant. , . "■ '•en at iast there came a slenoer_ clut tl;., s hed a great light upon the affair.

A tiny piece of blotting paper was found on a pile 01 rubbish. It was possible to decipher on it the words, " Mrs Murray. Elm Lodge, Hampstead Heath." The major's wife said, after cautious inquiries, she had never heard of any Mrs. Murray living at this address. Detectives visited the house, and there saw a handsome young woman. She was asked if she was the wife of Major William Murray, and replied, " Yes, I am Mrs. William Murray." She could not produce a marriage certificate, and thereupon she was detained and taken to Holloway gaol. The adjourned inquest attracted such a throng was held in the great board room of the Charing Cross Hospital. The major was wheeled in on a stretcher. William Campbell Sligh, Q.C., was briefed for the dead man's son, and Charles Humphries for the major. The son said he remembered the woman called " Mrs. Murray" often calling at the office. He had posted letters to her at Tottenham and Hampstead. In the witness-bos: the woman lowered her veil by order of the Coroner. She said her real name was Annie Maria Moody. She was twenty-six years of age. She went on to say eight years before she accidentally met the gallant major. He was very kind to her, and she passed beneath his protection. Afterwards he established her at Elm Lodge and gave her a good allowance. Moneylender's Wiles. Three years before she had an infant son. At this time the major had heavy financial losses. She did not like to ask him for money. In conversation with a money lender she had heard of Roberts, and went to his office to raise fifteen pounds. She was given a bill at three months for twenty pounds. Prom that moment the licentious money lender never ceased to try to drag her down and become his mistress. When she was at dinner with the major in the West End, or walking with him, he hovered near. This persecution undermined her health. She dared not tell the major, as he was very touchy on points of faithfulness. She knew he would break with her at once. Major Murray fully admitted his association with Miss Moody. He spoke many words concerning her sweet and loving nature, and he never suspected for one moment she had any entanglement with Roberts, or be would instantly have severed it. "Why did you not shout for help?" demanded Sligh from the major. "If you had been in my predicament, or should be," said the major, " let me give you a bit of advice. Save your breath to save your life," and the remark was received with gales of laughter. The Coroner's summing up was long and wearisome. The gist was the jury should realise that the dead man first attacked the_ major. He was acting in self-defence against a. man with murderous intent. Any individual might be attacked by an armed burglar in the night. In "selfdefence he might shoot that intruder. That was not murder, but justifiable homicide, as had been proved before many judges. Roberts provoked his own end. If he had not been disarmed and killed the major would have lost his life. The verdict was Roberts was killed in an affray with Major Murray, who was defending his own life. Upon this there was a great flood of applause, and the major and other figures in the drama had a great difficulty in making their way through the throne outside. Cheer upon cheer arose, until the surging mass was entirely out of order. Major Murray survived the amazing sensation for forty-six years. He died at the age of eighty-nine, a venerable old gentleman. No one would have thought to see the old man in his later days, when he was wheeled about the Heath in a bath chair, he had figured in the Northumberland Street affray.