The Green Van Murder

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 8 (Supplement)

The Green Van Murder

FEW murder trials Have disclosed more remarkable stories than did the trial of George Brain, 2 7-year-old van driver, of Richmond, London, found guilty and sentenced to death a few weeks ago for the killing in brutal circumstances of Mrs. Rose Atkins. The crime became known as the Green Van Murder of Wimbledon." It began with the discovery of the body of an unknown woman in the secluded Winiblqdon thoroughfare known as "Lovers' Lane." One leg had been run over by a car, and her face was badly disfigured. At first sight it seemed that the victim had been hit by a fast-moving vehicle, which did not scop after the accident. But Divisional Detective-Inspector John Henry, examining the wounds on the woman's face, said: "This is no accident. It's murder." This opinion was backed by Superintendent John Sands, and "the murder squad"' of Scotland Yard was mobilised. Chief-Inspector Cherrill, with scientific apparatus, tested the wheel marks on the woman's leg. "They are the marks," he reported, "of an 8 h.p. tyre, and there are onlytwo makes of small cars, using tyre's with this particular tread." In 12 hours the body had been identified as that of Mrs. Rose Atkins, a woman of the "unfortunate class." Almost simultaneously the detectives heard that a small green van had been seen at the spot where the body was found. Thereafter, nearly two days passed without development, except the pursuit of false clues.

Then a blood-stained van was found. Its colour was green; ard the tread of the tyres corresponded with the marks on the woman's body. Pathological tests were made. The bloodstains belonged to the same group as the blood of Rose Atkins. The real sensation, however, was the discovery that George Brain, driver of the green van, had disappeared. He had last been seen burning some unknown material in the firm's garage the previous day. In searching for a motive, the police first inclined to the theory that the crime was one of sordid passion. Later, liowever, they decided that Brain, desperate for money, and knowing that 'Wimbledon Rose," as Rose Atkins was sometimes called, often' carried a fair amount of cash in a secret pocket of her fur collar, had attacked the woman with intent to rob her. But Brain's luck was doubly out that night. Not only did he take the woman's life, but all he found in her possession was 4/. His position then was desperate. He was practically penniless and a murderer. So he decided to go "on the run," and found a natural hiding-place on the outskirts of Sheerness, where he remained in successful concealment until hunger drove him into the open and to recognition and arrest. Betrayed None Of His Feelings Brain's trial in the famous No. 1 Court of the OUI Bailey lasted only two flays. Brain, neatly dressed in grey, with his mass of dark, wavy hair carcfullv brushed, betrayed nothing of his emotions. Leaning forward in his chair, lie listened intently to the evidence, glancing from counsel to witness, .and from judge to the jury as questions were asked and answered. Even when the jury filed back after a quarter of an hour's absence, and the foreman pronounced the fatal word "Guilty," Brain still preserved his impassivity. There was perhaps a slight heightening of colour in his rather florid face, but that was all. When asked if he had anything to say, hisjips framed a negative answer, but no sound escaped them. When Mr. Justice Wrotteslev donned the black cap and pronounced the death sentence, he remained quietly erect. Beyond an almost imperceptible twitching of the face muscles, he still wave no sign. ° When the news was broken to Brain's parents outside the Court, the mother broke down for the first time and wept . bitterly. r

Enigma to all his friends in the last. few months* <tt tvpfdom. (ieor«ie Bi**iin was something of a problem to police and warders alike since the day of his arrest. Right up to the last day of the Old Bailey trial he was hopeful of acquittal and supremely confident of a manslaughter verdict at the worst. He joked with his custodians and laughingly taunted them that they were "on the losing side." In letters from gaol to some of hie friends he displayed the game curious spirit. "The morning runs across Wimbledon Common ' he wrote, "give me an appetite for breakfast; the once-a-week visit to the pictures breaks the monotony!" Extraordinary Fascination Too much superfluous flesh and invariable indifference to his personal appearance made Brain anything but an ideal ladies man." It is the fact, however, that he possessed an extraordinary fas cination for the opposite sex, and prettv young girls and even married women deliberately sought his friendship. It was this curious fascination, coupled with bad luck on the greyhound tracks, which, indirectly, led him into the crime for which he has now boon oondemned to die. Although he spent practically nothing of his wages on his girl friends, Brain in recent months, embezzled the firm's money for their entertainment, and then went dog racing to try to make good the growing deficiencies. With marriage only a matter of davs ahead, and knowing full well that hi* dishonesty could not be concealed much longer, "he yet contrived to show a smilff ce *,° workmates and friends. Doubtless they wondered though where he found the necessary cash for his greyhound betting. By the night of the murder, July 13 Brain s employers were pretty well convinced of his- systematic embezzlement Vet on the morning after the crime the man was back at work as gay and lighthearted as ever, and even made a poor sort of joke about the tragedy in Lovers Lane." J In a cottage In the little Surrey vil-thono-ht- mostly alone with her thoughts and her memories, Miss Cissie Clara Gadd, sweetheart of George Brain and expectant mother of his child, prayed constantly for his reprieve. Openlv she protested her unchanging love * and having spent her last pennv 'in hf 6 defence, declared she was rea<h- to sacri n t V^ n A Pr en ?ajrement ring, "if that wil help George in his trouble." Miss v.adrl, 23 years of age, and a younger sister, Joan,.are orphans. JOUAgei J

"The world, I suppose, will call me just another foolish woman; foolish because I remain in love with a man convicted of murder," said Miss Gadd to a reporter. "That may be. I cannot help it. George Brain is still everything , in the world to me. "\ou see, I have memories of five vears of affection and kindness from a man whom I never knew to lose his temper or hurt a living tiling. I cannot believe that the George of my memories destroyed the life of that unfortunate young woman.. To me lfe will always he the jolly, spirited boy who was niy sweetheart, whom children and animals loved, who was a good son to his parents, and who would go out of his way to help others in trouble. "He never once gave me any cause for jealousy, and. as far as I could judge, he never liad anything to do with other women. I thought I knew him so well in this respect that before he was found I swore it was impossible for him to have been mixed up with the dead woman. The truth came as something of a shock and it hurt just then. George and I had started saving a little for- our home, and not long ago I ga\ e him some money to buy a bedroom suite. He was going to get it at wholesale price, he told me. I have since learned that he never bought the suite, but apparently used the monev because he was in trouble. I was very, very happy with him, and always looked forward to our marriage. Nobody could have wished for a better man—so affectionate and kind; and not once out of temper. We never even had a tiff, George simplv refused to quarrel. He was gentleness itself; t-o gentle that he never laid a heavy hand on his dog. Children round about our home loved him. He played with them as though he himself was a small bov ag- '