Do you think William Herbert Wallace was guilty?

[AmericanSherlock]

I’m definitely with on this point AS. Wallace, as we know, was an intelligent man; a man who gives the impression that he was the conventional, ‘by the book’ type. Faced with being given this message he would have faced a wave of questions:

How could a stranger know that he played chess at the club?

If he knew of Wallace as an Insurance Agent he would have known that he worked for the Pru so why didn’t he contact the company direct?

Why would he specifically ask for Wallace? A man he didn’t know.

If Qualtrough could track Wallace down to his chess club then surely he could have tracked him down to his house?

What would have been to prevent Wallace being ‘honourable’ and passing the potential commission on to an agent for whom Menlove Gardens was part of his regular round?

Why would Qualtrough assume that Wallace was the type to attend an out of hours meeting? Or that he wouldn’t have been otherwise occupied?

Why wasn’t Wallace more suspicious about the fact that no one, not even a chess club member who lived in the area, had heard of Menlove Gardens East?

In any case, of course, we can be guilty of projecting our own thoughts and doubts on to someone who might have thought differently. With all that we know of Wallace though he would surely have been alarmed by all these red flags? I for one certainly would have been. I find this suspicious. I also find Wallace’s search for MGE suspicious. I find the crime scene suspicious. I find Wallace’s behaviour at the crime scene suspicious. In fact it would be fair to say that I’m....suspicious.

All your points here are quite valid. It is difficult to see:

A) someone other than Wallace relying on all of these factors as part of an elaborate plan to undertake a criminal enterprise.

B) Wallace falling for it hook, line, and sinker every step along the way feeding perfectly into "Qualtrough's" plan, when 1 slightly different action of about 15 down to the time he left for MGE would have exonerated him.

BOTH of these would have to have been the case if Wallace was truly innocent.

Not very likely...

[AmericanSherlock]

But how many hoax calls would Wallace have experienced in his career? I'm willing to bet that the answer is zero. Why would they visit him at home? How would they know his address? The fact that extremely short notice was given would explain why he wasn't contacted at work. And how frequently would Wallace have checked-in with his office? Considering the short notice, how would he have carefully looked up the address. Considering that he was familiar with the Menlove Estate, why would he have needed to carefully look up the address? Particularly as Wallace himself pointed out, "I belong to Liverpool, and I have a tongue in my head. I'll find out."

If the caller knew so little about Wallace, then why pick him specifically for business. It borders on farcical.

[John G]

I disagree John. He could have draped it over his left arm, held it in front of him at chin level and struck the blows with his right. The only part of him in danger of blood spatter would have been his face and right hand. Even then it couldn’t be taken as a certainty that blood would have spurted specifically at his face. As I’ve suggested before added to the mackintosh as a shield he could have just been lucky. And even if he did get some blood on his face he could have cleaned it off. And as there was no significant amount of blood outside of the Parlour this has to be a possibility.

But holding the Macintosh in that way would have exposed a great deal more of his person than his face and right hand, bearing in my that blood splatter from a severed artery could have gone anywhere, as evidenced by the fact that there was blood on the violin case, and on the walls the blood splatter reached six foot in height. Or, as Professor Bible opined, "I should say that he could hardly escape being splattered and covered with blood all over."

As an aside, if he'd held the Macintosh on front of him at chin level the whole of the lower part and upper part of his body would have been exposed. As I said, it would have been hair-brained idea.

I'm afraid this is the problem with the case against Wallace: in effect you're relying on extreme possibilities, such as him miraculously avoiding any blood splatter whilst, miraculously again, successfully disposing of the murder weapon, to the extent possible that an extensive police search failed to find it. On the other hand, all you have as an impression that he's guilty because, well, he looks guilty!

[AmericanSherlock]

But holding the Macintosh in that way would have exposed a great deal more of his person than his face and right hand, bearing in my that blood splatter from a severed artery could have gone anywhere, as evidenced by the fact that there was blood on the violin case, and on the walls the blood splatter reached six foot in height. Or, as Professor Bible opined, "I should say that he could hardly escape being splattered and covered with blood all over."

As an aside, if he'd held the Macintosh on front of him at chin level the whole of the lower part and upper part of his body would have been exposed. As I said, it would have been hair-brained idea.

I'm afraid this is the problem with the case against Wallace: in effect you're relying on extreme possibilities, such as him miraculously avoiding any blood splatter whilst, miraculously again, successfully disposing of the murder weapon, to the extent possible that an extensive police search failed to find it. On the other hand, all you have as an impression that he's guilty because, well, he looks guilty!

John, I think an obvious reconciliation of this would be Wallace hiring an other(s) to commission the crime. Unfortunately, it is hard for me to see WHW not taking advantage of working with others by having Qualtrough ring while he was AT the club or even more critically not returning home at all on the 20th while his hired gun carried out the crime. CAZ I believe was the 1st to point this out. It really has unenthused me on the whole accomplice theory. (Not to mention WHW mentioned Parry, who is often favored as the hired gun, to police as a top suspect as well as continuously hinting at his guilt in his diary)

[RodCrosby]

If the caller knew so little about Wallace, then why pick him specifically for business. It borders on farcical.

"Do you know anything about insurance?"
"Fraid not... wait a minute, there's a guy down my club who does! He's an agent for the Pru. He plays chess there on Monday nights."
"Really? how interesting... He could be the man I'm looking for. Got a number?"
"BANK 3581. Wallace is his name. Good Luck!"

Why should Wallace or anyone else in that situation not imagine an everyday conversation like the above had prompted the call? [He probably also made a mental note to ask "Qualtrough" who had, in fact, recommended him -just as we all would...]

[AmericanSherlock]

"Do you know anything about insurance?"
"Fraid not... wait a minute, there's a guy down my club who does! He's an agent for the Pru. He plays chess there on Monday nights."
"Really? how interesting... He could be the man I'm looking for. Got a number?"
"BANK 3581. Wallace is his name. Good Luck!"

Why would Wallace or anyone else in that situation not imagine an everyday conversation like the above had prompted the call? [He probably also made a mental note to ask "Qualtrough" who had, in fact, recommended him -just as we all would...]

The only reason a call to the chess club rather than the Pru or ringing at Wallace's home would make sense would be if, as you suggest, someone at the club referred Qualtrough. In which case, Qualtrough would be damned sure to mention that in the phone message. The whole set up is extremely odd and scarcely a good plan. I don't see how you can dispute this when the odd nature of the call and Wallace's strange alibi is a large part of what makes this such a classic case.

Is it possible that the caller planned all of this and Wallace fell in line perfectly and in large part out of flattered curiosity deemed the trip to MGE worthwhile (but not worth looking up where he was going?). Sure, it's possible. Is it probable? I deem it improbable.

Others have different opinions from you. Believe it. Accept it. Move on from it.

[Herlock Sholmes]

But holding the Macintosh in that way would have exposed a great deal more of his person than his face and right hand, bearing in my that blood splatter from a severed artery could have gone anywhere, as evidenced by the fact that there was blood on the violin case, and on the walls the blood splatter reached six foot in height. Or, as Professor Bible opined, "I should say that he could hardly escape being splattered and covered with blood all over."

As an aside, if he'd held the Macintosh on front of him at chin level the whole of the lower part and upper part of his body would have been exposed. As I said, it would have been hair-brained idea.

I'm afraid this is the problem with the case against Wallace: in effect you're relying on extreme possibilities, such as him miraculously avoiding any blood splatter whilst, miraculously again, successfully disposing of the murder weapon, to the extent possible that an extensive police search failed to find it. On the other hand, all you have as an impression that he's guilty because, well, he looks guilty!

I don’t understand that John. How could the lower part of his body have been exposed to blood if the mackintosh was draped over his arm. It would have covered him from his chin to floor. Also after the killing blow, once the heart had stopped, there would have been no more blood spurting. So the blood spurts could have been only after the first couple of blows.

No one has explained the presence of the mackintosh John (apart from Rod’s ludicrous idea of Julia trying to ‘pop out’ during a robbery.) It’s use as a protection against blood is, I feel, entirely reasonable and in the absence of any other explaination for its presence I’d say that it was the likeliest explaination that we have so far. I also have to say that no one can legislate for luck. We can’t say that something is impossible purely because it would require an element (perhaps even a large element) of good fortune. It can’t be impossible that a combination of the use of the mackintosh to guard against blood and an element of luck could account for the killer not being drenched.
The fact that we currently can’t explain where the weapon went can be exaggerated. Things can be hidden/disposed of and not found.

Wallace is the only suspect that can be placed at the scene.

Another suspect wouldn’t have required a ‘Qualtrough’ phonecall.

The staged look of the ‘robbery’ points to Wallace and no one else.

It looks more like a domestic murder than a robbery gone wrong.

The murder had to be the desired outcome for the killer as the robbery gone wrong doesn’t hold water. Julia hardly left the house so who could have wanted her dead?

We have no solid reason why anyone else would want Julia dead but we have at least 4 people who knew the Wallace’s who said that they weren’t as happy as everyone thought. So that’s at least a possible motive. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors?

This doesn’t mean that Wallace was definitely guilty John but for me he’s still the number one suspect.

[John G]

I don’t understand that John. How could the lower part of his body have been exposed to blood if the mackintosh was draped over his arm. It would have covered him from his chin to floor. Also after the killing blow, once the heart had stopped, there would have been no more blood spurting. So the blood spurts could have been only after the first couple of blows.

No one has explained the presence of the mackintosh John (apart from Rod’s ludicrous idea of Julia trying to ‘pop out’ during a robbery.) It’s use as a protection against blood is, I feel, entirely reasonable and in the absence of any other explaination for its presence I’d say that it was the likeliest explaination that we have so far. I also have to say that no one can legislate for luck. We can’t say that something is impossible purely because it would require an element (perhaps even a large element) of good fortune. It can’t be impossible that a combination of the use of the mackintosh to guard against blood and an element of luck could account for the killer not being drenched.
The fact that we currently can’t explain where the weapon went can be exaggerated. Things can be hidden/disposed of and not found.

Wallace is the only suspect that can be placed at the scene.

Another suspect wouldn’t have required a ‘Qualtrough’ phonecall.

The staged look of the ‘robbery’ points to Wallace and no one else.

It looks more like a domestic murder than a robbery gone wrong.

The murder had to be the desired outcome for the killer as the robbery gone wrong doesn’t hold water. Julia hardly left the house so who could have wanted her dead?

We have no solid reason why anyone else would want Julia dead but we have at least 4 people who knew the Wallace’s who said that they weren’t as happy as everyone thought. So that’s at least a possible motive. Who knows what goes on behind closed doors?

This doesn’t mean that Wallace was definitely guilty John but for me he’s still the number one suspect.

Hi HS,

I'll give a more detailed response when I have more time, although I think I made an error in my previous post: I believe the blood splatter reached 8 feet in height on the walls!

If the Macintosh was draped over his arm it must have been folded, so a great deal of his body would have been exposed.

You might want to look up this case: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_William_Russell

[Herlock Sholmes]

"Do you know anything about insurance?"
"Fraid not... wait a minute, there's a guy down my club who does! He's an agent for the Pru. He plays chess there on Monday nights."
"Really? how interesting... He could be the man I'm looking for. Got a number?"
"BANK 3581. Wallace is his name. Good Luck!"

Why should Wallace or anyone else in that situation not imagine an everyday conversation like the above had prompted the call? [He probably also made a mental note to ask "Qualtrough" who had, in fact, recommended him -just as we all would...]

But you’re relying on the fact that Qualtrough would have thought like this. Why wouldn’t he have thought like this “ what if this doesn’t occur to Wallace? What if he thinks ‘how has this chap got my number?’ and ‘why would he ask specifically for me?’ or ‘what if he cant be bothered to traipse around Menlove Gardens at night?’ or ‘what if he has other plans at the time?’ This is a plan for murder!?

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi HS,

I'll give a more detailed response when I have more time, although I think I made an error in my previous post: I believe the blood splatter reached 8 feet in height on the walls!

If the Macintosh was draped over his arm it must have been folded, so a great deal of his body would have been exposed.

You might want to look up this case: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_William_Russell

Hi John,

What I mean is that if the mackintosh was wrapped around his arm with the long side hanging down rather like a window blind, and the killer was kneeling or crouching after the first blow, it could have reached from his chin to the floor.

[AmericanSherlock]

Rod actually thinks it was part of an elaborate "accomplice robbery" plan wherein Parry made the call and got "Qualtrough" (someone unknown to Julia so he could claim he was Qualtrough to be let in) to agree to take all the risk and actually rob JW. He got caught in the act and brained poor Julia. This is Rod's theory. He thinks you are stupid if you do not agree 100 percent with this. This is who we are dealing with here, just to remind everyone.

[RodCrosby]

But you’re relying on the fact that Qualtrough would have thought like this. Why wouldn’t he have thought like this “ what if this doesn’t occur to Wallace? What if he thinks ‘how has this chap got my number?’ and ‘why would he ask specifically for me?’ or ‘what if he cant be bothered to traipse around Menlove Gardens at night?’ or ‘what if he has other plans at the time?’ This is a plan for murder!?

False logic yet again...

Do all petty crimes succeed?

Do all intended scam victims go along with the criminal's plan?

Does that stop all criminals from trying it on?

Do we get to hear about the ones that don't get anywhere?

The Wallace murder was a robbery-gone-wrong, rightly celebrated only because it was "planned with extraordinary care and extraordinary imagination", and left "a trail of false clues, leading everywhere, it seems, except to the identity of the murderer..."

[Herlock Sholmes]

Rod actually thinks it was part of an elaborate "accomplice robbery" plan wherein Parry made the call and got "Qualtrough" (someone unknown to Julia so he could claim he was Qualtrough to be let in) to agree to take all the risk and actually rob JW. He got caught in the act and brained poor Julia. This is Rod's theory. He thinks you are stupid if you do not agree 100 percent with this. This is who we are dealing with here, just to remind everyone.

I agree AS it’s always good to remind everyone of this

[Herlock Sholmes]

False logic yet again...

Do all petty crimes succeed?

Do all intended scam victims go along with the criminal's plan?

Does that stop all criminals from trying it on?

Do we get to hear about the ones that don't get anywhere?

The Wallace murder was a robbery-gone-wrong, rightly celebrated only because it was planned "with extraordinary care and extraordinary imagination", and left "a trail of false clues, leading everywhere, it seems, except to the identity of the murderer..."

There’s nothing false about the logic. How can you say that it was planned ‘with extraordinary care and extraordinary imagination’ when it was predicated on Wallace falling for it hook, line and sinker when there were enough holes to sink a battleship!

Wallace is suspicious about how Qualtrough has contacted him and decides not to go - plan over.

Wallace decides that he’d rather stay at home in his nice warm lab than traipse the cold streets - plan over.

Wallace decides not to go to chess and so doesn’t receive the message - plan over.

Wallace has other plans for that night - plan over,

Julia decides not to let Qualtrough in - plan over.

Someone at the club says “ My parents lives in Menlove Gardens West and I can tell you for a fact that there’s no Menlove Gardens East - plan over.

Hardly the Napoleon of Crime is he

[AmericanSherlock]

False logic yet again...

Do all petty crimes succeed?

Do all intended scam victims go along with the criminal's plan?

Does that stop all criminals from trying it on?

Do we get to hear about the ones that don't get anywhere?

The Wallace murder was a robbery-gone-wrong, rightly celebrated only because it was "planned with extraordinary care and extraordinary imagination", and left "a trail of false clues, leading everywhere, it seems, except to the identity of the murderer..."

If Parry had "Qualtrough" ready as an accomplice, why the need to wait for the following night. He was already relying on WHW heading to the club that night to receive the message, so why not enact the plan that night when it was more certain Wallace was out? Why wait for so many uncertainties the next evening? Because Parry was relying on William telling Julia about the meeting and then that would be the only way she would let in the strange Qualtrough ? Surely you realize how convoluted all this is?

You think Parry just found a random thug willing to take all the risk and be part of some whacky 2 night plan that may or may not come to fruition?

You admitted in the past you only recently came to this conclusion based on The radio city presentation and Parkes claiming Parry came by with another fellow. Parkes didn't even say Parry and this other guy threatened him nor was it implied. He surely would have said so if that happened. I listened carefully. You distorted it as usual and have now latched onto this as your pet theory.

It's rubbish.