Year: 1869


thousand. Thus, when we commenced working
together as partners, Strange owed me eight hun
dred pounds, and held policies of insurance on
his life for two Thousand pounds.


sour business trips used generally to last from
q weekto fortnight. Sometimes we were detained
at the port to which We had brought the animals
for four or five days, awaiting the means Of ship
ping them to England; for it is not every steamer


that viii take buocks or sheep, or pigs, as cargo.
Sometimes, one of US would remain in London,
conducting the sales of such animals as his partner
sent him from abroad. And this had happened
when the event of which I am now going to tell
you took place. :. .. ...,..- .....-,.
s'As Strange could speak French very well,
often sent him alene to the fairs IN Normandy and
Brittany, nearly always going myself to those in
Holland and the North of Germany. Itwas some
where about the end of certain May, that he
went over to France, intending to remain there
about six weeks, and go from one fair to another
on certain round. Three or four consignments
of beasts had reached nae in London, and the last
was to come over in day or two. My partner
had visited all the fairs he intended to 60 to and
was to join me. wrote him at Southampton,
where he was to land, saying that would meet
him there, take look at the cattle he had bought,
and send some to London, and 60 with the rest to
some of the Southern Counties where there was
likely to be market that would suit my book.


s'I reached Southampton on the day named and
met Strange We diued together in the afternoon
at asmall inn near the DOCKS and finding we could
6,1 60uhIo. .hpd1pd
room for the night. Then we began to square up
accounts, and spent the afternoon seeing how we
stood in the matter of money. But something
that Strange had done vexed me sorely. He had,
in the face Of what I had written to him in Lon
don to the contrary, paid some two pounds head
more for about thirty or forty beasts than we
should ever realize. When I told him how fool
ishly he had acted, he answered me back that he
had done his best, and that he had as much right
as I had to speculate with our joint funds. 10
this replied that, although he was undoubtedly a
partner in the concern, it was who put in all the
capital and that he had only an interest Of twen-
ty-6ve per cent in the profits. His rejoinder re:
member well. He said that if he died, l would
get all the money he owed me and more. To this
I retorted in passion, that knew it, and that
did not care how soon he died. ALI this wrang-
ling took place in the cofee-room of the inn, be,
fore the girl who waited on US, the cook of the
house. the barmaid, the landlady, and the land
lady's husband. The latter, when he saw we were
getting angry, tried to make friends between US,
but in vain. We were each annoyed at what the
other had said, as we'll as at our own folly, and
neither would be the first to say he was sorry fol
what had happened.


"About six O'Clock took up my hat and went
to see some friends in the town. When got back


it was past eleven o'clock, and Strange, the house
maid told me- had been in bed and asleep more
than an hour. I paid my share of the bill, for
intended starting early, went up stairs, found
Strange fast asleep, and went to bed myself Next
morning was called at five, packed my bag, swal
lowed cup of coffee, and in half an hour was or
my way to London. On leaving the inn, told
the porter that my companion was asleep, and, as
he was only going by the ten o'clock coach tc
Brighton, they need not call him yet. should
not forget to tell you that while was dressing IL
the morning Strange awoke, and that we shook
hands over our dispute of the previous evening
! We moreover agreed to change our plaus and
Strange was to meet me in London the next day
AsI was closing my carpet-bag, he asked me te
lend him one of my razors; thing which hac
the greatest objection to, tfor if am particula,
about anything possess, it is about my razors,
but, having only made up my difference with him
could hardly refuse him so small favor.


'The next days I am writing Of, were before
railways had extended to Southampton. Leaving
the latter place at half Epast five in the morning, il
was half past six in the evening before got tt
town. I went to bed, got up next day, and while
was sitting at breakfast with my wife, our ser
want told me that two gentlemen wished to speak
to me. went down to see them, and before
could open my mouth to ask what they wanted
found myself with handouts on, arrested for the
murder of Edward Strange.


s'It seems that, finding Strange did not come
down by half past nine, the porter went up to cal
him. He found the door locked, but no key in it
After knocking some time on the outside, the dool
was broken open, and poor Strange wasfound will
his throat cut from ear to ear, and razor in hi
hand. The key of the door was afterwards fount
in the cofee-room under the very bench on which
had sat to drink my cup of coffee before starting


.''I was brought before the magistrate at Bow
street the next morning, and was by him sent
down to Southampton to await the result of thu
coroner inquest upon my partner. The verdic
was wilful murder, and after commitment by thu
magistrate to the sessions, was put on trial fo
my hfeat Winchester.


ssThe trial lasted only few hours. 1t was full!
nroved that Strange and myself had quarrelled ant
had high words the night before, and that hac
said I did not care how soon he died, so that
could recover the money I had lent him. A grea
deal was made of the fact that by Strange's deatl


should be entitled to the insurance upon his life
to the amount of two thousand pounds, by which
T should be a clear gamer Of one thousand twt
hundred.


cit was further shown that the razor found IL
DOOR Strange's hand was mine, and three medlca
men declared their conviction that, although tn
instrument was undoubtedly used to kill the deae
man, it must have been placed in his hands ate
death. Moreover, there were not only eVlden
marks of struggle about the bed and bedclothes


but Strange's throat was cut from right to lett
which no one could do but left-handed man
which Strange was not. Then again, the fact o
the bedroom being locked, and the key hid clos
to where had breakfasted, told fearfully agains
me. 1t was clear that Strange could not, by an.
possibility, have cut his own throat and then ocket
the door of his room on the outside. It was at
tempted by my counsel to throw discredit upol
this part of the evidence The learned gentleman