The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-05-21 00:00:00

THE EXTRAORDINARY DOUBLE
MURDER AT CHELSEA.

On Saturday, William Miller was brought up at the West-
minster police-court, charged with feloniously killing and
slaying Ann Bose, and further with feloniously killing and
slaying the Rev. Elias Mullin, at 21, Wellington•square,
Chelsea The prisoner was unshackled as he was put in the
dock, and maintained an erect position and extraordinary
stolidity of countenance during the whole of the pro-
ceedings, which lasted EOM hours. The unparalleled
atrocity of the deed, only comparable to that of Green-
acre, attracted a vast assemblage, who most Inconveniently
crowded the court and its precinct..

The prisoner was brought from the House of Detention In
a cah, and about the same time the woman, Elizabeth
Green, who at the time was said to be implicated In the
affair, arrhred from Chelsea station. She was miserably
clad; bet Serleant Brooker, who discovered her, hating pro-
vided bar with suitable clothing, she was asked to Identify
the prisoner amongst several others, and although she eagerly
scanned all the others, studiously kept her eyes off the
prisoner, ami at length swooned.

It may be as well to recapltulite the ralltarkshle circum-
stances that led to the discovery ef the mardera, by giving
the evidence of Mrs. Harriet Middleton, and
riper, the carman, as taken before the, trates on
Friday

Mrs. liattlett Middleton, sehl : I am the wife of a coach-
man, and Living at Spines mews, Fulham-road. lam
a charwoman. I sew NIL Huelin at No. 15, Paultoleesquare
on Saturday lad, and he said he should want me to do weak,
as lie wished some one handy in the neighbourhood, and 1
raid would come. Ile wrote down my address. On Monday
'debt last, at halt-past twelve, there was a loud knock et My
door, and I opened the window and inquired who Was there.
A voice answered "Come down,' and I did IS, arid saw a
man, the primner,) who gave me the key of the home, and
told me to mind it, as the old gentleman he deceased) was
going out of town, and I Should hate to look alter the house.
understood hint to say that he wee Mr. limlin's nephew.
Ile said he WR3 going at font o'clock in the morning, and
would see me paid What Wes dire to me. I told him myself
or daughter Wohld he there in the morning. He then
went away. At eight o'clock in the morning a man
canto ;tete primmer) and asked for the key. I told Lim
a Plebes gentleman had given it to me the night Dame,
I'd %eel him I should be ready an soon as he was
there. I went in about a quarter to nine, and did some
work, and about an hour afterwards the prisoner mime to the
house, arid I let hint in. lie said the old man had gone to
the country. My daughter went upstairs to work, anti as I
found that the servant (the decemeell had left a pail and
other things about, and the room half done, I ordered my
daughter to finish It. I went home and left her to do this
by herself. I told her In stop until I came back, but she did
not, mil I went back. The prisoner came and said the place
ought not to be left. We all went out, and I went port of
the way home with the prisoner, and then returned, as he
had been drinking. lie went iota the book dieing-room,
and ordered me to fetch up a bottle of when from the kitchen.
lie then let to writing, and while o:us wan writing a lady
knocked at the door and asked for Mr. Hoehn ; I told her he
was not there, but tire ncphew was, and their I went
and told the prisoner. Ile saw the lady, and she asked
him if he received the rents front the tenants. Prisoner
said he could este:Ye the money and give a receipt. She
asked if she should call in half an hour to pay the money,
and he regretted her to dr, so. He gave her a glass of wine,
and she went away. I let her out. He Went away soon
after, and was gone about an hour, and came back in s cab
with a woman ; the cehman came in, and he gave the cab-
man half a tumbler of wine, and then he weld out again to
hid an address. 1 told the cabman to inquire of the neigh-
bours; he went away Jest before twelve, and did not return
that night. I sat up until half-past three. He left two
shillings for a cabman, and the cabman came at nine
o'clock mad wanted his money. I gave him the tine
shilling.; he wanted more, and I told him If he Came again
the prisoner would pay him. Out Wednesday night, at
ton o'clock, the prisener came with a "roman to the door,
and she came into the house to the beck dining-room. Hy
told me to fetch a bottle of wine, and I did so, arid in half
an hour Mr. Piper came. Ile is a van proprietor in Marl.
borough-road. Prisoner then said the things were going
into the country, as the old gentleman was out of town. AU
the things were to go away, Including the boxes in the
kitchen. He took the light, and Chewed my daughter where
they were. Mr. Piper wanted the cord to fasten the boxes,
and as I removed a box against the Wall he caPed out,
" What blood is that ?" The blood went on his coat. The
woman that came with the prisoner asked me the way
upstairs, and when I *hewed her she went directly. Mr.
Piper and the prises-let went upstairs, and I waited till
they came back with a policeman. They went downstairs,
and called me down. I saw a dead body in a hen; it was
that of the housekeeper, whom I knew as Anne. She once
brought me towels, stc., to clean the house in Wellington-
smare.

Henry Piper, sworn, said I ant a greengrocer, and also a
van proprietor. Last Wednesday night, at twenty minute.
past nine, the prisoner came into my shop anti asked if he
could Hive a machine or cart to move some luggage that
night. tk Id him he could, nlid he told me to send it to 13,
Paulton't.,plare. The goods were to be taken to the west
end of Ful owl. I bald him it was raining and late, and I
must be well paid. He said, " make your charge. Fll pay
yu." Be told me to be there in half-an-hour. I went
there, and the door was opened by Mrs. Middleton, the
charwoman. He said that some of the luggage, was upstairs
and aome down. He told me to come downstairs and
follow him. Fie went down to the kitchen, and asked the
charwoman to show alight; he Wanted some cord to bind
boxes; he found some on the dresser In the front room.
Ile said he would cord the box, but I said I could do it
better, and took the cord. I passed it round the centre of
the box, and I noticed that prisoner now wore spectacles,
which he hart not on when he came to the shop. Ne was
very much confused, and I said," Give me the cool, I'll
fasten the boxes." I corded the centre, and turned the box
on the end resting on one thigh to finish cording, anti as I
didso my hand felt wet. United at it and found there was
Mood on it. I put the box down directly, and when I knew
it was blood I said to the prisoner, "What does this mean ?"
There was a large pool of Mood on the place I had lilted the
box from. I said again, "What does this blood do here ?"
Ile never answered Me. I turned round and asked Mrs.
Middleton if she could give any explanation of the blood
lOW the floor and under the boxes she said she could not,
The prisoner then took off alight coat he was wearing, threw
it on the blood, and shifted it ahout with his foot till the
blood was wiped up. [The coat was produced, and handed
tip to tbe magistrate, covered with blood and nun! I I then put
the box down In a standing position, and said," I shan't have
anything to do with this?. I must know something more
about it" There was a young woman on the landing, and when
I said this and threw the box down, she ran upstairs and out
of the I- ruse. The prisoner passed between the box and the
wall, picked np the coat off the blood, and followed the
woman. l followed them too In the centre of the Main he
Moppet', and wthle the woman went on said to me, "Go
back and cord that box." I said I would not, and then he
stamped hie foot anti said impatiently a second time, " You,
carman, go and finish cording that box." I said, "No, I
shan't; I don't mean losing you yet ; I want to know more
about this." With that he left the house, and I walled toy his
side to the King's-road, when I met a constable whom I told
about the blood and the woman going away so hurriecly, and
told the constable Intake care of the prisoner, and not lose
him. We went back to the house, and I sent my man to
the station for more policemen, and meanwhile we three
walked up and down in front of the houites. All at "nee, as
we turned towards the river, the prisoner sprang off and ran
very feat towards the river. Ile threw his hat off as he went
sea also threw away the coat with the blood on it. I kept
tett yards behind Mtn, and shouted " Murder ?" and "Stop
thief!' and as he passed the old church and turned into
Lombard street, he slipped cif the pavement and fell down
into the road. I was oil him before he could rise. I collared
him and held him until the police came. I helped the police
to bring him hack to the house, anti came back with Sergeant
Large. I 'hewed the sergeant the box, and he got a poker
and broke it open. There was the dead body of • woman.
We sent for a doctor. I had not seen the prisoner before,
but heard that he had vans twice from the shop.
The prisoner, when asked it he had any questions to put,
said emphatically, "No."
During the examination the prisoner exhihited great
nervousness, at one time so palpable, especially when the
witness spoke as to the strangulation, that the magistrate
ordered him to be seated in the dock He is. muscular man
of unprepmsessing appearance, and was kept handcuffed
during the examination.

The 'Magistrate asked Inspector Tarlton what motive had
been assigned it any.
-

Mr. Tarltm mid none, but the love of money ; the prisoner
had only about iS on him when taken, and had frequeutly
spoken avariciously of the money the deemed man and
woman possessed.

The following la the evidence as given on Saturday :
James Smith sworn: I am a painter and glazier, and fre-
quently worked for the gentleman. I went to work at
Wellington-square a fortnight ago last Monday. I went on
Tuesday last to finish my contract, and could not get in.
The prisoner was there while I worked there; he was white-
washiug the first week I was there. I went to Mr. Ifonlin
for some money, and the housekeeper was there and told me
to come at nine on Saturday evening. I went round to draw
some money. Mr. Iluelin came round to the ',mare. On the
second Monday after the 2;th March Mr. lieulin said he was
Sorry he had found fault with me for going to do other work,
because h iwo. WV istled I had worked properly for him. Pri-
soner was there. Mr. Ileulin asked me would I have a sove-
reign or half sovereign to go on with. I said half a sovereign
was enough, .d he gro.- me In. to get some beer with too
in a few minute.. When he went Into the house the prisoner
mid to me at the door, "Ain't lie got a lump of it f " I said,
"Yea.' Ile raid, .• It would not be amine to get him up or
down, and put his light out, and go to America with it."
Prisoner saw hie money as he gave me the gold. A day at? er
Mr. ilentin gave me another Is., hut prisoner did not see It ;
ors. Ross sold me I wanted a new brush, and asked the
price; [said, 1. ; and sne gave mein from a lot of sovereigns.
Prisoner said, "Shut got a lump of it; " and laid he would
like to have it.

Prisoner, in aloud voice Now Smith, you are contradict-
ing your own self on every word; what you have spoken is a
falsehood altogether.
Smith : I have not, It's all true, and you know it.
Elisabeth Green the prisoner's companion tn the cab at the
house mi the night of the discovery of the body in the box,
was called, hut the police stoted she was still in hysterics.
Detective Immecter James Pay, Scotland-yard, proved that
, he went on Thursday night last to 26, Seymour-place, Fulham-
road, where the prisoner used, and found some papers, title
. deeds referring to Mr Heulin's property, and a bunch of
keys, one of which fitted the rev, gentleman's wardrobe.
. Mr. Carter, recalled I produce a duplicate key of the
wardrobe ; they are similar.
Superintendent Fisher : The keys are more to do With the
other charge.
Witness by the magistrate) : Prisoner is a married man.
His wife came with me to the station, and identified him as
her husband. I accompanied her back to the house. There
is one child at home, and she says she has another at present
In Scotland,
Elizabeth Green, the young woman spoken of as the pri-
soner's companion, was the next witness. She presented
an idiotic appearance, and is paralysed on the left side.
She, however, gave her evidence very well. She said lam
married. My husliand's name is Edward Green. I live at
No. 27, St. Anne-street, and my husband lives there for all I
know. I saw the prisoner last Wednesday night I met him
at the next street to Windmill-street, at the top of
the Haymarket. I was selling fusee., and said to
him, "Do you want to buy a box of lights, please ?"
Ile spoke to me, and said, " You had better put
the lights in your pocket, and come with see"
I did so. We went a little way, and he asked me
to no into a public-house and have something to drink : I did so, nut was cold and wet and had had nothing do eat,
He took me into another public-house, and gave me Some
more to drink, and then asked me to come to his house. I
said I would, and we got into a fly, and he took me to his
house, and went into a room, he called for a bottle of wine,
and worn. brought wo brought It up. 1001 trot notice the woman.
He poured note glass of wine, and I drank it, and a second, and drank that, and then he wanted nie to have more,
hut I would not. I said "Good night" and went away.
The
door? Magistrate n Did you not area ran or anybody at the

No.

The Magistrate : Were yen not in the house on the landing,
and prisoner followed you upstairs?
Witness No; I never law anybody, I an, sure.
Superintendent Fisher It appears he took her to a goo I many public-hongee, so that may account for her forget! m-
imes of what took place in the house.
The Magistrate : I know; she was charged before me with being drunk and incapable the next morning, and I let her
go, on the promise she would keep from drink and go to
Cambridgeshire, where she came from.
Witness: I will never transgress again.
The Magistrate : It's a pity you came to London.
Superintendent Fisher: I believe he bought her 10010
clothes.
Witness Yee, he bought me this hat and dress, jacket,
boots, and stays; he changed silver, and as he did so gave me
the coppers.

__„_...
Pitt Tarlton I am an Inspector o the T. division. I was
at the ,tation when the prisoner was brought in and put in
the dock , he was searched by the constable by my order, and
the things prodliced were found ; this deed was in the breast
pocket on Use left side, and had the blood on it you now see.
I naked the constable if he was drunk; the constable said no,
he had run away and fallen down, and was retaken. The
money and keys and a broken bottle were found In Ws
pocket.; the bottle had been beam In fragments bus the