A.P. Wolf
06-24-2008, 05:38 PM
It's long, How, but worth the mile.
RALPH JOHN DYER, Killing > murder, 10th September 1901.
Reference Number: t19010910-642
Offence: Killing (http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/Crimes.jsp#killing) > murder (http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/Crimes.jsp#murder)
Verdict: Guilty (http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/Verdicts.jsp#guilty) > insane (http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/Verdicts.jsp#insane)
Punishment: Imprisonment (http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/Punishment.jsp#imprisonment) > insanity (http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/static/Punishment.jsp#insanity)
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642. The said RALPH JOHN DYER (35) was indicted for, and charged on the Coroner's Inquisition with, the wilful murder of Frances Annie Norbury.
MR. MUIR and MR BODKIN Prosecuted, and MR. THOMPSON and
MR. STEWART Defended.
AUGUSTUS LANGRIDGE (516 N) produced and proved a plan of 94, Green Lanes, and also showing the position of Nos. 52 and 88, Green Lanes.
WILLIAM JAMES LEWIS . I am a draper, of 94, Green Lanes—I have been in business there for three years—towards the end of June I was in
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need of a dressmaker, and advertised for one in the Daily Telegraph, and after some letters passing, Caroline Dyer, or Jolliffe, as I knew her, came as dressmaker—she had a small room at the top of the house—I lived in the same house with my wife and family—Thursday, July 4th, was early closing day, and we closed at 2 p.m.—about 9.15 p.m. I was down stairs in the kitchen; Miss Jolliffe was in the front room on the same floor—a fire broke out that evening in the room under the shop, and she came to tell me of it—part of the ceiling had broken away before the fire; there was a hole in the ceiling, and the smoke came through it—the Fire Brigade was fetched, and the fire put out—next day one of the Salvage Corps, named Reed came, and took charge of the premises—the shop was made very wet and dirty and uncomfortable by the fire and water, and my assistants had to sleep elsewhere—I know Mrs. Norbury, of 52, Green Lanes; one of her daughters, Lilian, worked for me—Mrs. Norbury took in the assistants who lived at 94, and among them Caroline Dyer—I took 147, Petherton Road, as a workshop—Miss Dyer worked there part of the time till July 23rd—she had occasion to go several times, representing me, to No. 94, for things she wanted for her work—Reed was there—on July 23rd she complained that she was not comfortable, and on the 24th I paid her a month's wages, and she left—I paid her at 94, when Reed was present—I did not see her or her brother, the prisoner, again till she was in custody—after the fire there was a Mr. Thompson at 94; he was a fire assessor—Miss Dyer never complained to me that she had been outraged or insulted or assaulted in any way—as far as I know, the fire was accidental—Miss Dyer was a perfect stranger when she came—it is an entire fabrication that the fire was a plot against her in which I had taken part.
By the COURT. I am an Englishman and a Christian—I cater for the Jews, but otherwise have nothing to do with them.
Cross-examined. Miss Dyer did not seem afraid to sleep in the house after the fire—she made no complaint about there being no lock on the doors; there is a fastening on each—her manner did not seem strange at all.
ANN NORBURY . I am a widow—last July I lived with my family at 52, Green Lanes—we are Baptists—none of us or any of our friends are Jews—I remember the fire at Mr. Lewis's—my daughter Lilian was working for him then—I offered to take in Miss Dyer and another assistant—Miss Dyer remained in my house till July 23rd—on Sunday evening, July 14th, I saw her in her bedroom—I looked in at the door; she was sitting on a stool at the side of her bed, with her head on the pillow, asleep, as I thought; there was nobody else in the room—only my daughter and youngest son, Frank, were in the house; he is 15—Miss Dyer came down to tea with us—I saw nothing wrong with her—I went to chapel that evening, and she came too—she did not complain about being at my house, she said that she was so comfortable—down to July 11th, she occupied a bedroom by herself—on that day my daughter Frances came home from Birmingham, and she and Miss Dyer occupied the same room—the following night, about 1.45 a.m., my youngest daughter called me—we heard a most peculiar noise; Miss Dyer was saying,"You must, you must"—I rushed downstairs, and called my son; Miss Dyer opened
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the door and said, "It is all right, Mrs. Norbury; your daughter has got nightmare"—she had left us on July 22nd, but my daughter Lilian went to work as usual—on the Saturday night previous a detective came in, and Miss Dyer said to me, "Mother has taken this up, and has sent a police-officer; will you come in and see him?"—I said, "No, I do not want to have anything to do with it"—I gave her a lamp to take into the front room with the detective—we thought it was only about the fire—I knew of her accusation then—I did not see anything peculiar about her behaviour, but after the detective had gone she said that she was sorry her mother had made a fuss about it—I said, "Well, take care, or you will get into trouble"—she gave me a dreadful look—I felt afraid of her, and I thought there would be trouble—I had never had a quarrel with her—the prisoner came on Wednesday—I saw him at my door—he asked me if I was Mrs. Norbury—I said, "Yes"—he said, "Is Miss Jolliffe here?"—I said, "No, she is gone home to-day, I believe"—he said, "I am Mr. Jolliffe; what is all this about?"—I said, "I do not know; I think Miss Jolliffe has been acting rather strange the last day or two"—he said that in all her letters his sister had spoken most highly of me and all my children—when he went away he thanked me for my kindness to her, and said he would make his way to the fireman—I do not remember whether I had told him if the fireman would know if she had left town or not—on July 26th, about, 1 p.m., the street door bell rang—Catherine, my youngest daughter, went to the door—she is called Lena—she suffers from heart disease—Mrs. Britton called to her not to open the door, as there was a man and woman there—the man was the prisoner—I went to the back room door—as I went in the prisoner rushed round the counter into the shop to the back of the parlour door—I saw a pistol in his hand—his sister was behind him—Mrs. Britton caught him—I did not hear what she said—I rushed out—Miss Jolliffe gave me a stab on my shoulder as I went out—I did not know it was a stab at the time—I rushed out into the street, and went behind some hoarding next door, where they are building—the prisoner followed me and knocked me down on my face—he then knocked my head with the butt end of his pistol—I kept my senses—a man came up and caught hold of him—I did not see him come up, because he was behind me, but I heard him—I do not remember what the prisoner said—I was taken to the German Hospital, and attended to there—I have been ill ever since.
Cross-examined. I did not notice that the prisoner was very much excited.
LUCY KNIGHT . I live at 63, Mildmay Road—on July 23rd Caroline Dyer came and engaged a room for the night—she stayed there the night—during the night I heard a knocking on the floor—I went up to her room—she said she heard burglars—I had a lodger who came in rather late that night—there was no disturbance after that—the next morning she left.
FRANK WILLIAM BRITTON . I am a jeweller, of 52, Green Lanes—my shop is on the ground floor, with a small room behind it—I let the rest of the house to Mrs. Norbury—on July 23rd I was at my shop, and saw Caroline Dyer there—I asked her to take her things away, as we did not want her to remain any longer—Mrs. Norbury had said something to
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me before that—I did not see her again—next day I saw the prisoner in the lobby of my shop—Mrs. Norbury was in the passage with me—he called to inquire whether his sister had gone, and where she was staying—he was told that she had left, and we did not know where she had gone—I think we advised him to inquire at 94, Green Lanes—I did not mention anybody's name there.
EMMA JOLLIFFE DYER . I am a widow—the prisoner is my son—in 1893 I was living at Southsea—my son had a butcher's shop there—I remember some meat being seized—my son was summoned in respect of it—it was good meat—he was waiting for the summons, but it never came—the shop had only been open 11 days—it was closed a day or two after that summons—we went to live at my eldest son's at Brighton—he was the head waiter at the Grand Hotel there—the prisoner has carried on no work lately—at one time he carried on the business of a bootmaker at Brighton—we had two rooms, and my daughter carried on the work of a dressmaker—we left Brighton on account, of his health, and went to 223, Lake Road, Southsea, where he took up the leather trade—on July 1st my daughter was decoyed to Mr. Lewis's under false pretences—she came back again on July 24th—she found no workers there—while she was there we corresponded by letter—the letters were addressed sometimes to me and sometimes to my sons—they were read in the family circle, and I discussed with the prisoner their contents—my daughter would have told me more in them, only her brothers saw them—before she came home I told the prisoner that she had been decoyed there by some rich people, who were the only Gentiles there; all the rest were Jews—the prisoner expressly wishes me to keep Jews out of this matter now; they are so powerful, so I would rather not answer anything about them—he discussed them with me then—he has asked me to keep Jews out of this since he has been in prison—you can see by one of my daughter's letters how powerful they are—when my daughter came home she told me she had stains on her linen—I said there must be something wrong—I questioned her, and she told me different things—the prisoner was told late that evening—I told him we were going to a doctor's next morning—he went round to Dr. Alexander's with us next morning—he remained outside—when we came out I told him that it was true that Caroline had been outraged—when he is upset he never says a word—he did not say a word on this occasion—my daughter was very much upset—she wanted to go to London next morning, and go to the North London Police-court—I was too ill to go with her—I told her I wished her to wait till Monday—she said, "They will be gone; they are going to leave the place; I must go"—she meant the Norburys—she wanted to charge them with inveigling her—she had been there at the time of the fire, and said they had snubbed her at the Court—I do not know what my son and daughter were going to do if the Magistrate would not listen to them—the next morning they started off together to London—I did not see the prisoner write this statement (B)—this is his signature—I could hardly get my daughter to bed that night—she was writing when I left her—this statement (C) is in her writing—she is not insane—the prisoner knew my daughter had been to the Police-court before—they did not expect to be listened to much—I thought in the case
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of an outrage they would listen—the prisoner did not say what he would do if they would not listen.
Cross-examined. My son and daughter are very fond of each other—my son did not lift a knife to the sanitary inspector—this is the first time I have heard of it—my other son left the Grand Hotel, Brighton, through a trick which I would rather not go into—it was a Jewish persecution—he was not accused of being strange in his manner—he gave notice himself—I was threatened by Jews myself just before it occurred; consequently I believed they tricked my son out—at the time the unfavourable report was made about my son's meat, the Mayor's name was Emanuel; he was a Jew—I wrote this letter to the Home Secretary, dated October 9th, 1900—my daughter did not know she was followed; her whole mind was given up to her work—I pointed out a woman to her one day at Brighton, and said, "That woman is following you"—she said, "No, mother, it cannot be"—we went to the Dyke, and when we got there there was the woman—I wrote this letter to the "Solicitor-General to the Treasury"—(This contained a mass of disconnected statements, comlplaining that the family had been persecuted by Jews, and stating that when the fire broke out her daughter was reading, and that she rushed to the back door, but found it locked; that she got out at another door; that they were burnt out, and had to remove to 52, Green Lanes; that she was then taken to an empty house, and complained of being left there alone all day with the fireman; and that she charged the Lewises with arson and attempted murder.)—I wrote this other letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions on July 19th, 1901—my son did not see them before I dispatched them—(Read: "223, Lake Road, Portsmouth. Sir,—My daughter went to London as a fitter they tried to set fire to her she is now being inveigled into a Jews' den please see her and see into it the fire was at 94, Green Lanes, London. They have taken her to Petherton Road. The name is Miss Jolliffe. She went as fitter. We are hunted by Jews. (Signed) E.JOLLIFFE.")—my grandmother and my husband's grandmother were sisters—I still believe all the statements my daughter made; I know my son believed in them too—there was a conspiracy among the doctors not to examine my daughter; some of them were going to examine her, then they were rung up by the telephone, and then they refused to do so—this bundle of letters are in my daughter's writing.
SAMUEL PHILIP ALEXANDER I am a medical man, of 20, Kent Road, Southsea—on Thursday, July 20th, Caroline Dyer and the last witness called—a statement was made to me that Caroline Dyer had been drugged and outraged—I eventually agreed to examine her—I found she was suffering from a slight attack of vaginitis—(The witness then described the symptoms which he found, but could find no proof of the woman having been outraged, it being possible that the signs he found might be natural.)
Cross-examined. I did not see the prisoner; I do not know if he was outside my house.
WILLIAM FLACK NORBURY . I live with my mother at 52, Green Lanes, and am cashier to a firm of coal merchants—I remember Miss Jolliffe living at our house from July 4th to the 23rd—I had meals sometimes at the same time that she did, with the rest of the family—she was quite friendly with us all—on July 26th I had dinner at home—I left to go back to
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work at 1.10 p.m.—I walked along Green Lanes, and got as far as No. 8 or 10, when I met the prisoner and his sister—she said, "I want to speak to you about Lewis's fire"—she then stabbed me; it all took place in an instant—I did not know I was stabbed then—I went to business, and then to the German Hospital—I felt she had struck me—I ran across the road to avoid her; she came after me a little way, but not far—the prisoner was with her when she stabbed me; then he walked on—I had only one stab.
Cross-examined. The prisoner was a little in advance of his sister when she stabbed me.
HERMANN FELS . I am House Surgeon at the German Hospital, Dalston—I was there on July 26th, when the last witness came in—I examined him, and found on his left breast, a wound from 3in. to 3 1/2 in. deep—considerable force must have been used; it could have been caused by this dagger knife—it struck one of the ribs, and so avoided injuring the heart—on the same day I treated Mrs. Norbury—she had 12 scalp wounds, and one on her face and one on her hand—they were caused by a blunt instrument—this revolver could have caused them—considerable force must have been used—I also found three wounds on her left shoulder behind the arm, and one on the upper part of her left arm—one wound was from 5in. to 6in. deep, and the others about 3in. deep—the wounds on her head might have been caused by this dagger knife—one was very dangerous, the bone being fractured—the wounds caused by the knife were not by themselves dangerous to life.
RICHARD EDSON . I am a labourer—on July 26th I was at work on a scaffold at 50, Green Lanes, between 1 and 2 p m.—I heard screams, and saw Mrs. Norbury lying on her left side, on some sand, behind some hoarding—I saw the prisoner pecking at her with a revolver—I got off the scaffold, and went up to the prisoner, and said, "What game do you call this?"—he said, "I have done this to avenge my sister, as she has been drugged and outraged"—I seized him—he did not strike the woman again; he did not struggle—he said, "I surrender to you"—I cannot say if this is the same pistol—it resembles it—I asked him to put it into his pocket, which he did—I gave him up to a policeman.
JOSEPH GADSTONE (143 J). On July 26th I found the prisoner in Edson's charge—the prisoner handed me this revolver and said, "Here is a revolver, be careful, it is loaded, I intended to give myself up to have this case investigated; I have not shot, fearing I should shoot other persons"—at the Police-station he handed me 28 cartridges wrapped up in paper—the revolver has five chambers—it was fully loaded; it had not been fired.
MARY ANN BRITTON . I am the wife of Edward Britton—my son Frank keeps a jeweller's shop at 52, Green Lanes—I assist in the shop occasionally—I see very imperfectly, one eye is totally blind—on July 26th, about 1 p.m., I saw the prisoner standing in the lobby of the shop—that is also the entrance to the house—the prisoner's sister was with him—I left the shop and went through the back parlour, opened a door, and called out to Mrs. Norbury, "Don't go and open your door, but send your son Will"—the prisoner could hear that—I knew Mrs. Norbury would be downstairs, because they were at dinner—as I called to her she came
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hurrying up, and asked me why I had called her—I said, "There is a tall man, and a woman by his side, I do not know if they have rung the bell, you let your son Will answer the bell"—she said in a very hurried, frightened voice, "There they are, coming through the shop!"—I turned back and went into the shop, and saw the prisoner standing there, holding a revolver in his right hand—he called out in a loud voice, "I want Mrs. Norbury"—I went up to him and said, "Oh! spare, do spare, the dear widow!"—as I was pleading with him Mrs. Norbury came in, and then fled out of the shop door, which the prisoner had left open—he immediately tore after her—I went after him, but I did not get up to him—that was the last I saw of him.
LILIAN NORBURY . I am a daughter of Mrs. Norbury, and live at 52, Green Lanes—last July I was employed by Mr. Lewis as a dressmaker at the same time that Caroline Dyer was there—after the fire I worked at Petherton Road with her, and she came to live at our house—she had a room to herself till my sister Frances came back from Birmingham on July 18th—the prisoner and I were always friendly; she and my family always got on well together—on July 26th I was at home to dinner—I heard Mrs. Britton call out for my mother to go upstairs—she went up—directly after I heard some screams, and we all went up to see what it was—when I got on to the landing I saw Miss Dyer—she did not say anything to me—I did not feel her touch me—she had a knife in her hand—she looked as if she was in a rage—I went into the back parlour; she rushed downstairs—when I came upstairs I left my sisters Frances and Ethel behind me on the stairs—afterwards I noticed two small cuts in the back of my left sleeve—my skin was not cut.
ETHEL MARY NORBURY . I live with my mother at 52, Green Lanes—on July 26th, about 1 p.m., I was downstairs in the kitchen with my two sisters—Lilian ran upstairs after my mother, then Frances went up, and I followed her—when I got up I saw Miss Dyer—Frances was near her—I did not see them meet—I went back into the kitchen, and waited there a little while—when I came out I saw Frances at the bottom of the stairs—I led her into a room and attended to her till the doctor came.
THOMAS GALBRAITH I am a medical man, practising at 176, Southgate Road—on July 26th I was called to Mrs. Norbury's—I found her on a heap of sand inside some hoarding of 50, Green Lanes—I made a slight examination of the wound in her head, and sent her to the hospital—I then went into the house, and attended to Frances Norbury—she was sitting on the floor, supported by her sister—I examined her, and found a wound in front of the left shoulder; while I was examining her she died—on July 27th, in conjunction with Dr. Durno, I made a post-mortem examination—the wound on the shoulder was about 1in. long and about 3 1/2 in. deep—it penetrated the muscles over the shoulder joint and the axillary artery—bleeding from that artery would cause rapid death—the wound could be caused by such a knife as this—considerable force must have been used.
ALGERNON HORACE REED . I am a member of the London Salvage Corps—on the morning of July 5th I took charge of 94, Green Lanes, where there had been a fire the day before—my hours there were from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.—while I was there I saw Miss Dyer from time to time
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—I had no quarrel with her at all—on July 24th I saw Mr. Lewis pay her some money; she gave him a receipt for it—on the same day she took away a box; she had previously taken away a portmanteau—on July 26th, at 1.15 p.m., I heard a loud knock at the door; I opened it very quickly—I was stabbed twice by Miss Dyer—she made three stabs at me, but the third I warded off after it had penetrated through my waistcoat—I ran after her—I had a brass rod in my hand—I struck her with it, and knocked her down—I fell on top of her—another man took this dagger (Produced) away from her—I did not hear her say anything—I was attended by Dr. Hewer, of High Street, New Park—I was under treatment for some time—I have recovered now.
THOMAS GILBERT . I am a lamplighter—on July 26th, about 1.30 p.m., I was cleaning a lamp near 94, Green Lanes—I saw Caroline Dyer run out and shut the door—a fireman ran after her and knocked her down—I thought he was going to assault her, and I got hold of him—he told me he was stabbed, and I told him to go to the hospital—I took a dagger out of the woman's hand, and threw it into No. 88—I held her till a constable came up—while I was holding her she said, "Don't think I have done this for nothing; I have been outraged and drugged by these people"—I said, "I think you have done a very foolish thing"—she said, "My brother is down the other end, and is going to kill them all with a pistol"—I held her a bit tight—she said, "You need not hold me, I shall not hurt you"—I said, "Yes, I shall see you don't"—she said, "I mean to kill Mr. and Mrs. Lewis," and that she had stabbed three or four others, and meant to kill the boy—I do not know which boy she meant—she said she and her brother had come up from Portsmouth to do the job.
Cross-examined. She was very calm.
JOSEPH LANGSTON HEWER . I am a medical man, of 33, High Street, New Park—on the afternoon of July 26th Reed was brought to me—he had two wounds on the left side of his chest—I examined and treated him—the wounds might have been caused by this dagger knife—considerable force must have been used—he was wearing his tunic—the cuts had gone through it and his underclothing.
EDWARD ROBERTS (130 N). At 1.30 p.m. on July 26th I was called to 94, Green Lanes—I found Caroline Dyer detained there by Gilbert—I took her to Stoke Newington Police-station—on the way she said, "I did it; don't think I did it for no reason"—this knife was given to me.
JOHN MARTIN (Inspector, N). I received information about this case on July 26th—I made inquiries at 52, Green Lanes—I returned to Stoke Newington Police-station, where I found Caroline Dyer and the prisoner—in their presence William Flack Norbury said, "About 1 o'clock today I was leaving my home in Green Lanes. I saw that man and woman there. She stabbed me in the left breast and said, 'I want to see you about the Lewises.' I ran away, and went to the German Hospital, where my wounds were stitched up"—the prisoner asked if I was an inspector—I said that I was—he said, "I came up to London to-day with my sister to have revenge on the persons who outraged and drugged her; I did it"—he handed me statement B—Caroline Dyer. said, "I came with my brother to have revenge in case the law should not give it to me"—the prisoner said, "I had the dagger to do it with; I had the dagger in
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my hand and then advised her to do it; she knew the persons"—Caroline said, "I insisted upon him lending me the dagger"—she handed me this letter, marked "C"—I then said that Frances Norbury was dead, and that there would be a charge of wilful murder against them—the prisoner said, "I expected to be charged, and came up with that intention, that being the only means of avenging her"—Caroline said, "I am so glad"—I noticed that her hand was cut—I did not notice that the prisoner was hurt—at the Police-court Caroline requested the Magistrate to direct that she should be medically examined.
LESLIE DURNO , M.D. I am surgeon to the N Division of Police—I went to 52, Green Lanes, on July 26th, between 3 and 4 p.m., and saw the dead body of Frances Norbury—I afterwards assisted Dr. Galbraith in a post-mortem examination—I agree with what he said we found—the same evening I attended to a sprain on the right forefinger on Caroline Dyer's hand, some bruising on the left forefinger, and a lacerated wound on the same joint—I examined the prisoner—he had a small cut on the top of one thumb and a quantity of blood on the right wrist-band—he told me he had purchased a dagger and the revolver for the purpose of doing the deed he was accused of—Caroline said much the same—in the prisoner's presence she said she had been drugged and outraged, and had contracted the disease, and that she had done it out of revenge—they both seemed pleased at what they had done—on July 27th I was at the North London Police-court—at the Magistrate's request I examined Caroline—I found her genital organs quite healthy—there was no recent evidence of connection—she had told me she had been outraged while asleep.
MARY RALPH . I am the female searcher at Stoke Newington Police-station—on July 26th I searched Caroline Dyer—inside the band of her skirt I found this leather sheath (Produced)—it was sewn to the band by this ring—she told me it was there—(Statements "B" and "C" were here put in and read. "B," written by the prisoner at Portsmouth, said that his sister had been drugged and outraged, and an attempt made to murder her by fire; that she had been menaced by the police; that she was insulted by the fireman; that he (the prisoner) hoped he should meet him; and that there was only one course left for him, and that was to avenge his outraged and insulted sister and his mother, who was almost worried to death. "C" written by Caroline Dyer at Portsmouth on July 25th, stated that she had been the victim of outrage and attempted murder by some Jews in Portsmouth, in conjunction with Jews in London; that she charged Mrs. Norbury and Mr. Lewis, and no doubt there were others unknown, with entrapping her to 52, Green Lanes, and charged Mr. Lewis with setting fire to his shop, with intent to murder her; that they outraged her in her sleep, to do which they must have drugged her; that she was in hopes to meet one of the people, and would thank the Lord if she got hung for it; that she had not the least idea of such a thing till she got home, when her mother said that she ought to be examined; and that she accused the fireman of being as deep in it as anyone, as, though not a Jew, he was no doubt paid by them).
The FOREMAN here stated that the JURY had formed a very strong opinion on the case, but would like to hear Dr. Scott.
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The prisoner's statement before the Magistrate;"I took up my sister's case to avenge the outrage. I still believe she has been outraged. I PLEAD GUILTY; that is my answer. I call no witnesses."
DR. JAMES SCOTT . I have had considerable experience in cases of persons suggested to be insane—the prisoner has been under my observation since July 29th—I have heard the evidence and read the depositions in this case—I think he knew the nature and quality of his act, and that he knew it was wrong—I form that opinion from his general bearing—he said that he was firmly under the belief that what his mother and sister said was true—I think he was prepared to take the consequences of his act—I think his not discharging his loaded pistol showed a certain amount of self-restraint at the time.
Cross-examined. I should not say that he is quite normal mentally—I think he has some ideas of suspicion, which the rest of the family have to a lesser degree—I think he allowed himself to be carried away by indignation at his sister's story—he talked clearly and rationally to me—I heard his mother say that when he is angry he is quiet—I heard that a Mr. Barnett went to the prisoner's shop at Brighton about some boots not being sent home, and of the prisoner taking up a chisel and saying he would kill him—it is possible that he was under a wrong impression then—I know of the case where a servant went into his shop, and he said if she came any more he would throw her into the street—that shows a very hasty temper—I know of the case where the sanitary inspector was threatened with a weapon—I think that was a wrong impression also—I do not think those were insane delusions—I know the prisoner connects some supposed persecution by Jews in 1894 with this case—I should call that a morbid suspicion, not an insane delusion—these things do not justify me in saying that he is insane, or was insane at the time he committed the act, or that he was suffering from insane delusions.
HENRY MAUDSLEY , M.D. I practise at 12, Queen Street, Mayfair—I have had many years' experience in cases of mental disease—I went to Holloway Prison on August 8th, and examined the prisoner and his sister—I have had the letters and depositions before me—I formed the opinion that the prisoner on July 26th was mentally, but not very, sane, but was legally a person of sound mind—that he knew the nature and quality of his acts, and he knew what he was doing at the time he attacked Mrs. Norbury, and knew that it was wrong—I found traces of suspicion in him—he is of an exceedingly nervous disposition—he suspected the Jews, and thought they had been concerned in the disturbance at Newington—he entirely believed what his sister and mother had said with regard to the outrage—he said he thought Mrs. Norbury was a procuress in the matter—his not firing the pistol shows that he had self-control at the time.
Cross-examined. It is a fact that when a person has been actuated by delusions resulting in violence, they become much calmer afterwards—the prisoner's mental condition might have improved in the fortnight after the act—people may be perfectly sane except on one subject—the prisoner said that he would rather believe his mother and sister before all the world—I think he suffers from a profoundly morbid and almost insane suspicion, and so could believe all his sister told him—constantly harping
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upon one subject would be a mere formation of insanity—he never mentioned his brother's name to me at all.
Re-examined. My opinion as to the state of the prisoner's mind on July 26th was made on the whole circumstances of the case—I do not know if be himself thought that what he did was wrong, but he knew that the world in general would think it was wrong—he said that if he lived in France he would certainly be acquitted—he thought it a fair and chivalrous act to avenge his sister's wrongs.
JOHN MARTIN (Re-examined). I first saw the pistol at the Policestation—I examined it on July 26th; it was out of order; the trigger did not seem to go right—I could not fire it—I do not know who extracted the bullets—I do not know much about firearms.
JOSEPH GADSTONE (Re-examined). I do not know who took the cartridges out of the pistol—I did not examine it.
DR. BASTIAN, F.R.S. I have had great experience in the treatment of mental cases—I examined the prisoner on September 4th as to his mental state—I had the same materials before me as Dr. Maudsley—I asked the prisoner why he attacked Mrs. Norbury—he replied that he thought her a procuress, and as such more guilty than the man who was supposed to have committed the act—he added that though he had a loaded pistol in his hand, he did not fire it—I asked him if he struck her with the muzzle, and he said distinctly, "No"; he struck her with the side of the pistol—I formed the opinion that he was sane on July 26th—the statement he made to me showed that he had a certain amount of control, and that he was in a condition capable of guiding his actions.
Cross-examined. I should say that he is of an excitable nature, coupled with a great lack of judgment—he believed what was told him by his mother and sister—when I spoke to him about the improbability of the girl's story he said, "Well, she is my sister, and you cannot go into details," and so he took what was said to be the dictum of the doctor—I think his conduct was that of a very excitable nature, led away by these supposed wrongs to his sister—he is not a strong-minded man—at the time I saw him he would not admit that there was any truth in these allegations about the Jews—I have no reason to doubt that he had the full possession of his faulties, save that he was a man led away when in a passion.
Evidence for the Defence.
FREDERICK SIGS (Brighton Police, 19 B). I have been into the prisoner's shop at Brighton to get my boots repaired—I talked to him about his life in America—I have seen him out very late at night, and he has told me that he never went out without carrying a revolver—his manner has always been very strange, and I did not think he was of sound mind.
Cross-examined. I only noticed his general demeanour—I can refer to no particular fact.
MARY ANN PENNALL . I live at 17, Compton Avenue, Brighton—in July last year I gave my servant a pair of boots to be repaired at a shop in Guildford Road—she took them to the wrong shop—I inquired at the prisoner's shop for the boots—I was not sure which shop they were at—the prisoner said he had not got them, and never had had them—I said
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that I had made a mistake—he told me if ever I came to his shop again he would throw me out into the street—he was angry, and would not listen to any of my explanations.
THOMAS DUFF BARNETT . I am a tutor, of 16, Albert Road, Brighton—about Christmas, 1899, my wife engaged Miss Jolliffe to make a bodice—I called one day about it, and saw the prisoner—I asked why the bodice was not sent home—he said he wanted to be paid for it before it was sent—I said that I had lived in Brighton for 25 years, and was well known, and generally, when anything like that was ordered, it was sent home first, but that I would pay for it if he would give it to me—he became very passionate, and seized a carpenter's chisel, the blade was about 18in. long, and held it up over my head and said, "You had better be careful, or I will do for you," or something like it—I said that it was a very peculiar way to act, and if he acted like that he would certainly come to a very bad end—as a matter of fact, the bodice was not finished—I tried not to appear frightened, but certainly felt what you would call in a funk.
GEORGE TIMOTHY BILLING . I am the late Inspector of Nuisances at Portsmouth—I am now Inspector of the Finsbury Borough Council—on September 18th, 1893, I went to the prisoner's shop at 180, Sumers Road, Southsea—it was a butcher's shop—I had some meat seized there—before it was seized I told the prisoner I was an inspector of nuisances, and I should seize the meat because it was unfit for human food—he stood in front of me by the side of a block with a chopper, and said, "I shall not let you take the meat away till I know whether you are an inspector, and if I thought you were not an inspector I should break your head"—he was very excited, and was chopping on the block—I sent to the Town Hall for assistance, and afterwards removed the meat—I said to him, "You don't suppose I should come into your shop and tell you I was an inspector if I was not"—he said, "I don't know; I am rather suspicious."
The JURY, without hearing the Counsel for the defence, or the summing up, returned a verdict of GUILTY, but insane at the time. — To be detained during His Majesty's pleasure.
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