Fearful Conspiracy.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 241, 1 July 1876, Page 5

Fearful Conspiracy.

EXTRAORDINARY CHARGE OF CONSPIRING TO MURDER. William Kimpton Vance, aged twenty-four, described as a medical student, 59, Eustonroad, and Helen Snee, aged thirty, a. married woman, living at 48, Crovvndale-road, Camdentown, were charged on warrants before Mr. Vaughau at Bow-street, on April 21, with conspiring together to murder some person at present unknown. In opening the case Mr. Poland, who prosecuted on behalf of the Treasury, said that on the 23rd February last a letter came to the post-office in the Junction-road, Kentish town. This letter was addressed to “M.G.” No one called for it, and it remained there till the end of March, when it was returned to the General Post-office, St. Martin’s-le-Grand. There in the Dead Letter Office it was opened in the usual course, and the clerk who read it thought it his duty to briug it under the notice of his superiors. Owing to the peculiar nature of its contents the letter was afterwards sent to the Commissioners of Police. The letter in question ran as follows: “ Eustun-road, N.W., Wednesday.

“ My dear Sir, —It occurs to me I may not have very clearly explained my suggested modus operandi. One thinks of many things pertinent after closing the letter for post. Referring to your note of the 20th, I must say there is risk of discovery with whatever mode of death. For the registrar requires notice of * Cause of death ’ from medical attendant. Should this not be forthcoming an inquest; and in all cases of sudden death an inquest. If a person die under unnatural or suspicious conditions and the matter hushed up and no inquest, this implies the distinct connivance of friends. But you desire to have your friend or friends ignorant of any premeditated design and no doctor called in attendance. Under these circumstances there must ensue a coroner’s inquiry. My plan is this. Sudden death allowed, or apparently suspicious death acknowledged. Still a favorable verdict may be returned which in no way can invalidate a will made antecedent to death probably many weeks. The peculiarity of my suggestion is, that although the actual cause of death is found out, and that a narcotic, yet the verdict will be the most lenient —viz., ‘ by misadventure,’ or, as it is phrased sometimes

more specifically, ‘ The deceased was in the habit of taking chloral, and died from an overdose incautiously administered by himself.’ I can arrange details to ‘ square ’ with this, and submit them to you at our meeting or on paper. If you like, chloral might be administered to a dog or cat, or you might try yourself an ordinary dose, and be thereby cognisant of the bona fides of the agent. Upon mature consideration I know of no more feasible method. The cases of the poisoners Pritchard and Palmer, both doctors, were ingenious, yet they were detected. They lived before these chloral times. As an anatomist and medical jurist, I altogether frown on any attempt to excite arterial rupture, &c., and am willing to adduce reasons. I write this letter at 53 Brady-street, Bethnal-green, E., where I am, since yesterday, doing full duty for Surgeon Mainwarimg. We hare a surgery here, and I have access to the drugs, bottles, and labels, &c. I return to Euston-road to-night, and will have a supply of the drug. If you adopt my theory we might arrange to meet; and then take leave of the subject. You carl select your own fit time. I would desire this for several reasons—(a) to get rid of the affair; have it off my mind, which is natural and human ; (5) I am expected to be summoned to Liverpool any of these days to meet my brother-in-law, returning in a sailing vessel from San Francisco ; (c) a cousin of mine, en route for Hamburg, is coming to 59, Eustonroad, to stay a few days, and if I be not in Liverpool next Tuesday I want to be at his service. Expecting a reply, believe me, sir, in confidence, yours, “W. K. V.” He (Mr. Poland) thought no one could read that letter and doubt that the writer of it had been applied to by some person to supply a poison in order to destroy life ; and that life was to be destroyed in such a way that there should be no coroner’s inquest, and that any will made by the person so destroyed should not be invalidated. The matter was placed in the hands of Chief-Inspector Clark, of Scotland-yard, who, assisted by Sergeants Butcher and Manton, made the necessary inquiries. He first went to the address in the letter, 53, Brady-street, and there found a Mr. Mainwaring, a surgeon. That gentleman was shown the letter, and said that a person of the name of William Kimpton Yance had been in his employ at the time the letter was written. He also identified the handwriting as that of the person who had been in his employ. That person was of course the prisoner. Having thus discovered one of the parties, the next thing to be done was to find out to whom this letter was addressed. This was discovered in the following way. The letter had been returned to the General Post-office in March, and shortly after, on the 30th, a letter was received by the authorities there, signed “W. Quarll,” stating that some letters marked “M.G.” or “A.W.” had been sent from the post-office at Kentishtown, the writer not having been able to call for them, and asking that they might be returned there as soon as possible. The answer to that letter was sent to “W. Quarll,” and it was said that no letters marked as stated had been sent back. On April 4, then, a second letter came asking again for the letters. This was signed “ William Quarll,” and stated that the writer had heard that one of the letters so returned to the General Office was “ very important.” That letter was not answered, the first answer having no doubt crossed it. The police authorities watched the postoffice in Kentishtown, where the letter addressed to W. Quarll had been sent; and on the Ist April the female prisoner was seen to go there. She asked for letters, but received none then. She was watched when she left the office, and her home was traced to 48, Crowndale-road, Camdentown. On the sth April she again called, and this time received the Postmaster-General’s answer. The police found out where she was lodging, that her name was Snee, and that her husband was travelling abroad. On the 6th April she went to the post-office in Eversholt-street, Camdentown, and obtained a post-office order for W. K. Vance, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, for £2 2s. She asked for it in the name of Quarll, 20, Denbigh-street, Pimlico. There is no such person as Quarll known at that address, nor is she known there. These facts being obtained, the warrants were taken out and the prisoner .arrested. The conversation that passed is detailed in Inspector Clark’s evidence. A letter was handed by the male prisoner to Clark. It runs as follows :

“ 20—2—76. “Dear Sir, —I make no question you could be of service to me. The question is, will you ? The solatium I offer is £IOO ;. the conditions these : —I am tired of my life. I can do a great deal of good to a person I am interested in by leaving the world just now, and one way or another I am resolved to do so, but if possible I should prefer not to wound the feelings of the person who will gain most by my death by allowing it to be supposed voluntary. Besides,

the most merciful verdict of a coroner’s jury would be sufficient to invalidate my will. Now, although I have some acquaintance with medicine and chemistry, I know of no drug or combination of drugs which would do this for me without risk of discovery. It is possible you may. It is not absolutely essential that the supposed means should be painless or even very quick in their results. If some artery could be hurt with any plausible appearance of accident, assistance summoned too late, &c. I am willing to allow time for experiments, have no objection to a personal interview. I will give any assurance of bona Jides that may be thought necessary. I only request that this communication be considered strictly private. —Yours faithfully, M. G. Address to these initials at the P. 0., Junction-road, Kentishtown, N.W.” It appears that the female prisoner put an advertisement in a daily newspaper, addressed to medical men, asking for assistance. The male prisoner answered this, and the above is her answer to him. It is clear she wished to

destroy life—whether her own or some else’s will be subject for further inquiry, but from i her letter offering the £IOO it is certain that

at the very leaM she is guilty of wishing to make away with her own life, and from his letter giving the advice she required it is just as clear that for the purposes of gain the prisoner at the bar assisted her and procured her the drug she desired. He received £2 2s. from her in a post-office order as pait of his reward. When the woman was arrested she admitted having received some drug in a paper and some stuff in a bottle from Vance, but said she had not had the courage to take them as they smelt so horrible. He (Mr. Poland) thought that after hearing the evidence in the case his Worship would certainly be of opinion that more time ought to be allowed the police to make further inquiries ifito these very suspicious circumstances, and to discover if possible the real truth in this matter. Mr. Poland then called — Inspector Jeorge Clark, who said he was a chief inspector of the detective department, Scotland Yard. He received three warrants from the court. Two for the arrest of Vance and one for the arrest of the other prisoner, Snee. He first went to No. 59, .Euston-road, where he saw the defendant, William Kimpton Vance. This was about four o’clock. Witness told him he was an inspector of police, and held a warrant for his arrest. The warrants were read to him. He said, “ Quite right. I have been in communication with a person of that name. I am a medical student, and I did not intend to murder anybody or harm anybody.” They went upstairs to the top of the house, to the prisoner’s room. Witness said he intended searching the room for letters. Prisoner opened a box with a key he took fiom his pocket, and handed a letter to witness, dated February 20, 1876, and signed “M G,” and said, “This is the only letter I have left. There was a large box in the room containing a quantity of drugs in papers and bottles, which witness took possession of. Prisoner was taken to the station, where he gave his full name, “William Kimpton Vance.’’ Sergeants Butcher and Manton were _ with witness. Prisoner was taken to the station by Manton. Witness went with Butcher to 48, Croxvndaleroad. They got there about six o’clock. The female prisoner opened the street door. She answered to the name of Mrs. Snee. Witness told her he wanted to speak to her. She said, “ You had better come upstairs to my room ” In the room witness said he was an inspector of police, and held a warrant for her arrest. It was read to her. She said, “ I have’nt harmed anyone. I did not intend to harm anyone, or to commit any murder. She said she intended it (the dra gs) for herself. Witness said he would see what letters she had got. She said, “ You will not find any, as I have destroyed them all ; even the blottingpaper. I only intended to have had the drugs in readiness, as I have been so very ill and weak that I might have used them in case I was ill again.” (Witness was not quite sure whether she said “ drugs,” but she alluded to them.) She continued : “ The powder I received smelt so horrible I could not use it. 1 sent it back the same day I sent the P.O. order. The other in the bottle I poured away and broke the bottle. The £2 2s. I intended for the trouble I had given the person, whom I had never seen ; and I was not going to proceed any farther in the matter. . He answered an advertisement I put in the Daily Telegraph. She said no more, but repeated that several times. She said she had been very lonely since her husband left her, and if it had not been for her sister-in-law she did not know what she would have done. . Witness found a diary and other writing, similar to that of the letter signed “ M.G-,” Witness found a Da%hj Telegraph of February 18, 1876, containing the advertisement, “ To medical, men in. need of money, or students well up in chemistry and anatomy. —A gentleman engaged in an interesting experiment is willing to. give liberal remuneration for professional assistance. Q. W., Post-office, Junction-road, ICentishtown, N.W.” Witness also produced the letter which caused the first suspicion and inquiries in this matter. Witness also produced the other letters in connection with this case. The prisoner Snee told witness during the latter part of the search that she had periodical severe pains. . . n Mr. John Gordon Mainwarmg, surgeon, 49, Brady-street, Bethnal-Green, said he knew the prisoner Vance. He first knew him in the latter part of August last year, and engaged him to act as his substitute when he was obliged to leave home. He lived in the house, and remained there at first about ten days. He was afterwards with witness about a week as assistant. On February 23 last he was with witness. The letter produced was, to the best of witness’ judgment, in prisoner’s handwriting. While he was with witness he did his work very satisfactorily, and he had received very good testimonials with him. Miss Mary Jane Haines, of the post-office, Junction-road, proved that the prisoner Snee had called for letters at the office on several occasions. The letters she asked for were either addressed “ M.G.” or “ W. Quarll. On different occasions letters addressed M!.G. were given her, but none with names except one from the General Post-office. Witness also proved the sending back of the letter that remained at that office about a month to the General Post-office. Mr. Poland said that was as far as he could go that day, and he asked, therefore, for a remand. This was agreed to. The prisoner Snee, who is a very quiet, ladylike woman, asked to be admitted to bail. Mr. Vaughan said he did not know whether he ought to take bail in such a case. After some consideration, however, he agreed to take two sureties in £3OO each if she could find them, twenty-foxxr hours’ notice of bail to be given to the prosecution. On April 29 the prisoners were again brought before the magistrate for further examination. Mr. Poland said that since the last hearing a gentleman in a brougham called at a post-office at 149 Kentishtown-road, and asked for some letters addressed “M. V.” There were three letters «( v.” referred to the M. Vance, and so the Secretary of State’s warrant was obtained to have them opened. They were opened and

px'oved to be of great importance in this case. Mr. Poland then read them as follows: — “ "Envelope addressed ‘ To be called for, M. 149, Kentishtown-road Post-office, N. April 9. Dear Sir, —I cannot thank you enough for the admirable way in which you have managed everything. My niece knows nothing of your being a medical man. I have given hex' to understand you are something of a virtuoso, and that the box contained impressions from antique seals, also that I owe you a great deal of money. I am inclined .to think that the chloral will be perfectly, satisfactory. I should like to know if there is. any likelihood of its strength evaporating, especially in the corked bottle. It is possible that this may get somewhat wasted with sniffing and experimenting, and that a further supply, may be necessary, but I will try not. Supposing I do not give the dog his ? A portion of it diluted would, I suppose, do for me in every sense of the term ! Is a portion equal to six teaspoonfuls of the labelled bottle quite certain in its effect ? If you can assure me of this I shall not want any other medicine., except, perhaps, a drop or two of prussic acid in a tiny phial in case of failure with the dog ; but that I can let you know. I think I had better get a little oil of peppermint at an ordinary chemist’s. Tell me what quantity will suffice. I shall be in the City early to-morrow, and will post your fee whole, after drawing it out. I do not think there is any danger, and you will xvaut it for your holiday, perhaps. Don’t forget the bill. I can trust my niece to see it paid, but you may have to wait six months after the event. . This lovely Aveather has given me great desire to see one particular spot of the country in the North for the last tiixxe. I think I shall start on Tuesday afternoon, and give myself a Aveek’s holiday. This may defei’ the event till Easter Tuesday or Wednesday, but cannot make much difference to you. Tell me in your, next if the Euston-road address is good for six months. Yours most faithfully, War. Quarll. —In \yhat way is alcohol a poison ? I hax r e sometimes met Avith the following passage :—‘Arsenic Avill not destroy life so quickly as alcohol, for the former has to decompose the structure of the stomach, whereas alcohol directly assails the principle of life in the nervous system. “39, Euston-road> N.W., 12—4—76. —Dear Six - , —I notified to P. 0., K.T. Ed. (149) that I received youi - letter Monday. But I feared to reply to the old place lest you thought of changing your address. I hope this may not cause xxnpleasant delay. The prussic acid is quite ready for post, and as foi - the essence of peppermint you will find some oi - three or four drops suffice to flavoi - and neuti’alise odour. Alcohol kills like chloral —both are narcotic, they induce sleep and stimulate apoplexy. Sometimes apoplectic folks lying in the street Ave take for dead di - unk. My full name is William Kimpton Vance. Let my address remain 59, Euston-road, N.W. If you keep the solxxtions corked carefully they evaporate little. The dog’s portion would do for yoxx, the full half of it is sure to be effectual. Your OAvn solution is diluted, and doubly so, for having foxxnd that the fluid rushed about in the bottle (filled more than half) and made a noise, Avhen the pocket (foi - your niece) shaken, I filled up the bottle Avith Avater. Let the label remain, but (should you use your solution) take two good tablespoons. It might be a good plan, having abstracted your dose, before swallowing to pour in some clear water, but not to the extent of filling, for if the. solution Avere found very sti'ong and undiluted suspicion Avere aroused. You understand you may employ eithei - bottle. If the smaller, abstract a full half, and then pour in a little water ; if the larger - , abstract two tablespoonfuls, and then pour in a little water. Whichever bottle you rise, throAV the other away, and let the bottle you employ be left on the mantlepiece or table, not hai’d by the bed. Let no specimen of my AVi'iting, save that i - elating to debt be found ; and let all around yoxx i-e-------main in usual condition, to imply absence of design. This entire affair is to shoxv prima facie accident.” “ April 13th, 1876. —Dear Sir, —The vile Aveather on Monday and a sharp attack of rheumatism prevented my visit to the city,- or to “K.T.” until this morning. I foxxnd your card. Please reply to, and returning last letter also (this) to ‘ M. V., 149, K. T. road.’ I have deferred my Aveek’s visit to my native place until the Aveather is moi’e propitious. The remittance only aAvaits yoxxr further advice. Do you Avish it sent to Euston-road ? I miss your letters much. Can’t yoxx tell me about the alcohol, and draxv out the bill I spoke to you about ? —Yours faithfully, William Quarll.” “Thursday, 12.30 o’clock noon.—Yours received. I Avill go Avith this to Kentishtoxvnroad, 149, and drop it in immediately. I am anxious to have remittance to-day. Bank holiday to-morroxv. Can you send by some trusty person to me at this address ? You might Avire if you think proper. . I should so like the money directly, I shall write again and enclose bill, and send the prussic acid.—Very truly, VV. K. V.'” “ Will be called for. Envelope addressed * M.V., Post office, 149 ICentishtoAvn-road, 59, 13.4.76.’—My dear sir,—l had expected you Avould have received with the card written Monday my little letter penned last evening. This last, as the foi - mer, simply explains delay on my part. You did not renew address, so I feared to risk any more letters, left at a postoffice ‘ to be called for,’ after the history of the first batch. You Avill agree this is a natural scruple. I thought I had given you to understand that my address remains as noAV. If better, I can make my address care of Dr. Fxxller, OsAvestry, Co. Salop, near Dxxblin. For I only came to England five years ago, and only came to town six months back. If any hubbub Avere excited about my.age it Avould be unpleasant if I made oxxt a bill dated five yeai’s back, and if it turned out I bxit lately came to England, and that I m so young in the profession. Why not let it stand so ? the £7O is a loan from me to you.. The sum lent, say in 1874, when I .xvas in Oswestry, or 1875, when I Avas in Guernsey.

You might in .your Avill, and the body of it, direct the loan of £/Q to be retxxrned Avithoxxt interest as soon as exeexxtors have paid immediate debts to Avithin six months. I might hold in your own Avriting a promissoi - y note and a letter alluding to the transaction, and among your papei - s a letter of mine might appear shoAving evidence of. a loan. I fancy this plan is better than the bill. A £7O medical bill Avould imply attendance on a long and tedious illness, of which there Avould be no evidence, and no evidence certainly to connect me Avith you as attendant. I presume you mean a medical bill. If you mean a tradei - ’s account —Avell, I have never had any trade association. But I might appear as a private lender. Will you. think over this, and say what yoxx consider advisable? I might hold a receipt of payment of some £lO of the assumed loan. The loan might stand at £IOO, of which £3O have been paid, and of which the remaining £7O is to be paid Avith all other various claims. As you defer holiday (and I regi'et the unpropitious Aveather, and yoxxr consequent rheumatism), there is space to communicate on this matter. On receipt of yours this morning I forthwith replied, and enclosed your last two letters. I asked you to oblige by i - emitting your favor as soon as convenient. Indeed, I should have been off again to-day but for the delay in this matter. I i - etui - ned from the Black Oounti’y on Wednesday morning, to be on the spot, and give the affair earnest considei - ation. I shall be off as soon as I again hear fi - om yoxx. Kindly return all entire, and believe me very sincerely, W. K. V.”

Envelope endorsed ‘ M.V., 149 P. 0., Ken-tishtoxvn-road. Lettei - , 59 Euston-road, N.W. Sabbath. My dear sir, —When yoxx go to 149 for yoxxr letters (if you have not gone already) yoxx Avill find I hax r e been diligent in explanation since receiving your last, Avhich assured me of your address. I hope you are satisfied Avith my reply. I trxxst your attack of rheumatism is fully passed over, and that you can uoav enjoy a holiday. I Ixave spent only a fraction of a holiday. I had an agreeable evening in the Black Country on Txxesday, but returned to town principally at the instance of our mutual affair. I could hardly enjoy a trip Avith this matter hanging over me. I had hoped for a letter Saturday. I suppose there Avill be no delivery to-morroAV (Monday) morning. But surely I shall have an answer by early Tuesday morning. I think the £SO note carefully addressed to 59 is quite safe. W"e can trxxst to the theory of probabilities. If you reply Tuesday early, I might get off to. Wales Tuesday afternoon. I of course will furnish you Avith my address thei-e, and be happy still to ansxvei - any letters for you. I expect to be absent six or seven days, then. to return to this pi'ivate hotel, where I remain. It seems to me, should yoxx desire to change place of letter receiving, there is the poste restante at the General Post-office and at Chai’ing Ci’oss. Yon could have an assumed name on the envelope I send yoxi, giving name and place, and where from expected, you are immediately handed a letter. I have the prussic acid packet i - eady, and will send it immediately on receipt of your next. What a pleasing change the xveathei - has assumed. Believe me my dear sir, very cordially, W.K.V.” _ , J After reading these letter’s, Mr. Poland sard there Avas also a nexvspaper sent to the same address, and the postmaster at Kentishtownroad would be called, and he Avoxrld prove that the gentleman Avho called for the letters was Mr. Payne, the solicitor for the prisoner Snee. Fortunately, as already stated, they Avere not ffiven up, but xvere opened for the purposes of this case. It Avas proposed to complete the formal evidence on the principal parts of the case, and then to ask for a further remand, the charge seeming, as it did xxpon the last occasion, one of conspiring to take the life of some person unknown. After some further con - oborative evidence, a further remand Avas asked for. Application Avas made for bail for Snee. Mr. Vaughan said that upon the last occasion, not having looked at the case from both sides, he at first agreed to accept bail, but befoi’e the day was out he felt he had done Avrong, so when the bail Avas presented he refused to accept it. The case had been strengthened by these fresh letters, and it was certain that the prisoner’s object was to take life, xvhether her oavu or anothei - ’s is not known. That being so he did not consider it Avas a case in Avhich bail should be taken. The prisoners Avere again remanded.