The Possible Murder of Georgina Byrne

[David Orsam]

From the Guardian, 12 Sept 1888:

THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN BLACKFRIARS ROAD

The mysterious death of a well-dressed woman in Blackfriars Road at a late hour on Saturday last has given rise to rumours of foul play. At a quarter past eleven on the night in question the deceased, as has already been stated, was seen lying on the pavement. Two well-dressed men, one wearing a tall silk hat, were near her, one of them apparently searching her dress, while the other, who had a parcel in his hand, informed Police Constable 73, L Division, that the lady was his wife, and that he would go in search of a surgeon. He left, and nothing more was heard of him, or the other man. The deceased was removed by the police and examined by Dr. Luard at St. Thomas's Hospital. There were superficial bruises over both shoulders, indicating that she had been roughly handled by some person or persons. The property found on her was of value, and in all probability she would have been robbed of everything if the police had not been on the alert. On the paper parcel which was handed to the police by one of the men, was the name of a tradesman residing at Sun-street, Canterbury, and an address written thereon. Yesterday morning the police telegraphed to the address at Canterbury, and received a reply that the deceased was a married woman named Byrne.

The Press Association's Canterbury correspondent telegraphed yesterday morning: Intelligence of the mysterious death in Blackfriars, London, of Mrs. Byrne, widow of Sergeant Major Byrne, of Canterbury, caused some sensation in the town. Since the death of her husband, some two years since, the deceased who was well known in Canterbury, resided in Broad-street. One of her sisters is the wife of Sergeant Wakefield, of the Canterbury garrison. Another is a maiden lady, Miss Nelson, of Chelsea, to whom it is supposed Mrs. Byrne was proceeding when she so suddenly expired. Deceased had occasionally assisted in the management of a fruiterers business in Guildhall-street, carried on by Mr. Elding. She left there about two o'clock on Saturday, stating her intention to return on Sunday night, and her non-appearance caused considerable uneasiness. Deceased's parents reside at Great Yarmouth, where her only child, a little boy, is living. Her sudden death excites grave suspicions, and the result of the autopsy is looked forward to with some anxiety.

The post-mortem examination was conducted by Dr. Luard, of St. Thomas's Hospital, assisted by another member of the hospital staff. On its conclusion a Press Association reporter saw Dr. Luard, who declined to make any statement as to the result of the autopsy. Any evidence as to after-death appearances he should reserve for the coroner. After the post-mortem the body was identified as that of Mrs. Byrne by the father of the deceased, Mr. Nelson, of Yarmouth; her sister, Miss Nelson, of Chelsea; and Sergeant Wakefield, of the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabineers), at Canterbury. The inquest is fixed for four o'clock today.

[Herlock Sholmes]

He was baptised, shortly after his birth, on 6 November 1859, which would, depending on exactly when he was born, have made him either 28 or 29 years old in September 1888.

He was Constable Henry Duffin, 73 L, a former "excavator" from Hampshire, who joined the Met Police on 8 June 1885 and remained in the force until 26 December 1901 when he was dismissed! (I don't know why.)

Thanks for that David,

He'd been on the job for 2-3 years then. Not exactly inexperienced.

[Herlock Sholmes]

From the Guardian, 12 Sept 1888:

THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH IN BLACKFRIARS ROAD

The mysterious death of a well-dressed woman in Blackfriars Road at a late hour on Saturday last has given rise to rumours of foul play. At a quarter past eleven on the night in question the deceased, as has already been stated, was seen lying on the pavement. Two well-dressed men, one wearing a tall silk hat, were near her, one of them apparently searching her dress, while the other, who had a parcel in his hand, informed Police Constable 73, L Division, that the lady was his wife, and that he would go in search of a surgeon. He left, and nothing more was heard of him, or the other man. The deceased was removed by the police and examined by Dr. Luard at St. Thomas's Hospital. There were superficial bruises over both shoulders, indicating that she had been roughly handled by some person or persons. The property found on her was of value, and in all probability she would have been robbed of everything if the police had not been on the alert. On the paper parcel which was handed to the police by one of the men, was the name of a tradesman residing at Sun-street, Canterbury, and an address written thereon. Yesterday morning the police telegraphed to the address at Canterbury, and received a reply that the deceased was a married woman named Byrne.

The Press Association's Canterbury correspondent telegraphed yesterday morning: Intelligence of the mysterious death in Blackfriars, London, of Mrs. Byrne, widow of Sergeant Major Byrne, of Canterbury, caused some sensation in the town. Since the death of her husband, some two years since, the deceased who was well known in Canterbury, resided in Broad-street. One of her sisters is the wife of Sergeant Wakefield, of the Canterbury garrison. Another is a maiden lady, Miss Nelson, of Chelsea, to whom it is supposed Mrs. Byrne was proceeding when she so suddenly expired. Deceased had occasionally assisted in the management of a fruiterers business in Guildhall-street, carried on by Mr. Elding. She left there about two o'clock on Saturday, stating her intention to return on Sunday night, and her non-appearance caused considerable uneasiness. Deceased's parents reside at Great Yarmouth, where her only child, a little boy, is living. Her sudden death excites grave suspicions, and the result of the autopsy is looked forward to with some anxiety.

The post-mortem examination was conducted by Dr. Luard, of St. Thomas's Hospital, assisted by another member of the hospital staff. On its conclusion a Press Association reporter saw Dr. Luard, who declined to make any statement as to the result of the autopsy. Any evidence as to after-death appearances he should reserve for the coroner. After the post-mortem the body was identified as that of Mrs. Byrne by the father of the deceased, Mr. Nelson, of Yarmouth; her sister, Miss Nelson, of Chelsea; and Sergeant Wakefield, of the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabineers), at Canterbury. The inquest is fixed for four o'clock today.

Strange?

Also why would the 2nd man have her parcel in his hand?

[David Orsam]

Strange?

Also why would the 2nd man have her parcel in his hand?

Now maybe you will start thinking more "conspiracy" and less "innocent liaison"!!!!

[Herlock Sholmes]

Now maybe you will start thinking more "conspiracy" and less "innocent liaison"!!!!

Now I'm thinking 'is he being serious or is he joking?'

Do you know more about this than you're letting on David? Or have you made a deduction?

Is the parcel important?

We're the Freemasons involved?

Did men really walk on the moon?

Help

[David Orsam]

What I'm serious about is that I'm disappointed that no-one has even suggested that PC Duffin might have been lying about what two men, found standing over a dead body in the street, who disappeared from a possible crime scene, said to him before they walked off into the distance.

It's one rule for PC Duffin and another rule for PC Mizen.

[Herlock Sholmes]

What I'm serious about is that I'm disappointed that no-one has even suggested that PC Duffin might have been lying about what two men, found standing over a dead body in the street, who disappeared from a possible crime scene, said to him before they walked off into the distance.

It's one rule for PC Duffin and another rule for PC Mizen.

Guilty as charged David. I've definately posted in the past that Mizen could have lied to cover his own a**e but I never entertained the notion that Duffin could have lied. I don't think that you are suggesting that he might have lied by the way.
I might have done though if we had have had statements from the 2 men which contradicted what Duffin said.

[David Orsam]

Imagine this Q&A if Silk Hat Man had been at the inquest:

"Q. Did you say to PC Duffin that you were the woman's husband?"

"A. No, because I'm not her husband."

Everyone would see the false logic of the answer. But compare this:

"Q. Did you say to PC Mizen that he was wanted by a policeman in Bucks Row?"

"A. No, because I didn't see a policeman in Bucks Row."

That is usually accepted without question.

[Herlock Sholmes]

I take your point David

[curious]

Well it's certainly logical to assume that the other man saw Silk Top Hat man in company with the woman which is why he had to explain how he knew her.

But then we have to ask ourselves what was this woman, who lived in Canterbury, doing walking along Blackfriars Road on her own at 11pm on Saturday night.

According to the inquest testimony of Matthew Nelson, said to be her father, as reported in the Times, "He did not know her object in being in London, but could only surmise that she intended to pay at visit to her sister".

At 11pm?

So I'm thinking the most logical explanation is that Mrs Byrne was not alone but was actually in the company of Silk Top Hat man.

Which then leads to the question of why he not only fled the scene but was so callous as to falsely say he was going to fetch medical assistance when he surely could not have been sure she was dead.

According to the Times report of the inquest, PC Duffin asked him "if the woman was hurt, and he answered "Yes." He said he would go for medical aid but did not return". So despite believing the woman was "hurt" he still didn't fetch a doctor.

She was carrying two pounds in gold. What was going on?

Did she turn to high class prostitution after the death of her husband? Was Silk Top Hat man a punter?

Or was she a spy, murdered by some sort of undetectable poison?

After all, women aged 34 don't usually just drop dead in the street.

I should probably do some research before posting this but what if Mrs. Byrne and TH had been on a dancing date and he was walking her home or to her hotel. Did people do that in that era?

That would explain the second pair of shoes -- her dancing slippers and her walking shoes. The toff did not want his name in the papers. Can you imagine being on a first or second date with someone who just drops dead, perhaps from the exertion of dancing then walking?

The "husband" remark was to protect her reputation to the second man, an innocent passerby, who came up to try to help, then the policeman.

Once someone official was there to take care of her, the "date" scampered to avoid nasty publicity.

curious

[David Orsam]

I guess that would work, curious, if there were dancing slippers in the parcel but they were described as "boots" or "button boots".

[David Orsam]

Found out why PC Duffin was dismissed in 1901. He was drunk on duty and then didn't report to answer the charge.

In Ripper World this means that he must have been drunk on the night of 8 September 1888!

[Herlock Sholmes]

Found out why PC Duffin was dismissed in 1901. He was drunk on duty and then didn't report to answer the charge.

In Ripper World this means that he must have been drunk on the night of 8 September 1888!

Very cynical David....


but true

[curious]

I guess that would work, curious, if there were dancing slippers in the parcel but they were described as "boots" or "button boots".

I used the term "dancing slippers" loosely. All her other pair had to be was something with a sole that slid and could be ruined if worn on the sidewalks or ground. There were, of course, high-heeled slippers that did not lace up called dancing slippers, but there were also "wedding boots" and other formal boots that laced or buttoned.

I still suggest that the woman had come into London for a "date" and had been dancing, as suggested by the second pair of footwear -- however they were made.

curious

[Pcdunn]

Men! Making assumptions...

.
If it was an 'assignation' why did she have a pair of boots with her? I've had a few strange dates in my time but no woman has ever turned up with a spare pair of boots! I 'assume' that they were men's boots?

Why assume that, Herlock? Women wore boots, too, and the parcel had a tradesman's address in Canterbury, which ties in with where she came from. She might have been bringing a pair of ladies' boots to her sister as a gift, or (if they *were* men's boots), perhaps she had wrapped up a pair of her late husband's to give to her brother-in-law. Although the latter may be unlikely, as the deceased man was a soldier.

The lady's dress seems very much in keeping with mourning rules of the Victorian era, but she has probably not become a widow very recently, given the addition of mauve to her dress, and that she is out in public.

We have two ages for Mrs. Byrne, per the press accounts, but I think 34 is more likely than 27. People in their thirties could have heart attacks, I suppose, particularly if they had a "weak" heart.

Whether daytime or night, Mrs. Bryne should have an escort. Tall Silk Hat man most likely is some sort of acquaintance, and probably was known to her. Was the second man an accomplice to TSM (if he is a con-man after the widow's money) or an innocent passer-by?