The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-04-29
a Rem 3 u !. A ABLE CASE.
How the Dead Body of a Woman in a
Trunk
IN THE CITY OF LONDON, ENG.

Trunk
IN THE CITY OF LONDON, ENG,
Il /, s,gnmasked the Most Ing nious
Wife Murderer Since the
Dsys OF the Pirate
Blue Beard.
One husband with four wives all in
the same house, three living each III
ignorance Of her husbands real rela.
lions with the other two, and one
dead, murdered, and her body buried
In cement in q trunk in the cellar
this Is the extraordinary domestic
I situation revealed in the London SUI
burb OF Kensal Rise through the sui.
4 eide OF George Albert Crossman when
his oily tongue could no longer satisfy
those who suspected him.
Only the strange fascination which
he, exercised over woman, his utter
lack Of scruples and the persuasi va
powers Of the bigamous murderer and
suicide made such a situation possible.
And the criminal investigation has
SHOWN that at least four other wives
had become his victims before the ad-
{ vent of those-making total OF
eight.
sIhere was nothing Mormon about
( this household Each of the living
wives believed herself to be the only
one and her husband faithful, al
Ihough all lived under the same roof.
When Crossman's persuasive tongue
was stilled by his own hand 1t was
only necessary for the three living
ones to speak freely to each other In
comparing notes, and the mystery was
explained.
An account of this drama Of com
pllcations properly begins before the
advent Of living wife No. 3. Wife
No. /, known to tradesman and all in
the neighborhood as Mrs. Crossman-
as she truly was-occupied living and
sleeping rooms with their child on the
second floor OF the house in Kensal
Rise known as 'Sunnyside." Wife
No. 2 and her child-also Crossman's
child-were similarly situated on the
third floor. She was known TO wife
No. l and to the neighborhood as
Mrs. Clark, the widow of the lifelong
friend Of Crossman, who, dying, had
made Crossman his executor and
guardian Of his child. When wife No.
objected to his spending so much
time with Mrs. Clark" ne would ap-
pease her with this explanation:
HIS INGENIOUS EXPLANATIONS.
MY dear wife, if l seem to you un-
duly attentive to Mrs. Clard, upstairs,
you must remember that l am fulfill
ing sacred trust reposed ir me by
my dear friend, her late husband, on
his death bed. Besides, the position
OF executor in this case is lucrative,
and, like many inexperienced woman,
Mrs. Clark has passion for going
into detail. AS she is extremely Sc.
cretiye about her affairs, I beg that
you will never appear curious"
And so CrosSman was free to enjoy
Mrs. Clark's'' and their child's So
ciety, going and coming at his pleas
ure.
To satisfy wife No. 2 about the pub
lie recognition accorded to wife No.
as Mrs. CrOssman was easily within
the limit Of CroSSman's ingenuity. He
told her.
My darling wife, Of course you
know that the relations between Mrs.
Crossman and me are only what those
Of brother-in-law and sister-in-law
should be. Her husband is In India,
and for reasons involving considerable
property it is necessary for her to be
supposed to be living with her hus-
band. That is the role have to pay
-distasteful though it is. OF course,
you won't mention it. If the little
deception should become known the
result would practically mean ruin for
the poor woman. and, besides, the ar
rangeEent is rather profitable to me
something to be grateful for these
hard times"
Ihere was no resisting the fascina.
tions of this man, and neither wife
dreamed of doubling his word. So
everything went on smoothly, the
household expenses being paid out Of
money Crossman' two brides brought
to him on the wedding day. There
was only one complaint from the two
wives. This was bad odor which
seemed to come from the cellar.
= ~ hoCCL'l W OlldO UllC llTSU QaY l
have time" Crossman would say.
The smell comes from box full of
cement left by the masons. III at.
tend to 1t presently"
LOW FUNDS CALL FOR ANOTHER WIFE.
But funds were running low, and
Crossman had more important task
before him. He needed another wife
one with money he was al
ready advertising for her in the name
Of Frank Seaton." Frequently he was
away for day or two. AT length he
announced to wives No. and ,, sep.
arately, that he was about to install
on the first floor as housekeepers an
old and intimate friend OF his sister
In Manchester, adding:
1T is enough for me to remind Won
that she is my sisters school chum.
that we are named in her will as heirs
to all her property and that she will
trust no one but the brother of her
girlhood's chum."
Separately, wives No. and , beg.
ged him not 90 mention it. Together
Mrs. Crossman and Mira. Clark urged
him to go at once and bring home
Mrs. Seaton.
Thereupon, grumblingly, Crossman
posted Off, not to Manchester, but to
Reading, where Miss Annie Welsh,
not especially attractive, but with
neat savings bank account al the lO