Move to Murder: Who Killed Julia Wallace?

[moste]

The Johnstons for my money would have burgled the house while Wallace was at work and Julia had gone shopping! Also someone on another forum made the suggestion, ' Why wouldnt Wallace the night before , murder his wife ,then , after the deed was done ,keeping a very tight schedule ,go to his chess meeting for 7 45 pm. Getting home 3 hours later to a dead wife, rather than fagging all round Allerton making alibis with strangers ,who may not remember him or wouldn't want to get involved, or whatever. Better to use his chess club for reliable alibis . That's almost too obvious for words! Why didn't I think of that?lol.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Quite right I have the family's in the wrong houses.Apologies .

From me too WWH. The fact that I have absolutely no sense of direction is my only excuse. I do it all the time when I tell someone “no it’s on the left” I’m always wrong Good job I didn’t decide to become an architect

[WallaceWackedHer]

For me this only adds to the unlikeliness. The Johnston’s had lived next to the Wallace’s for years with never a suspicion of anything untoward and then, on the night before they were due to leave, they decided to burgle the Wallace’s. And, as Julia only went to the gate with William, we can’t give an adequate explanation for why they would burgle the house with Julia still inside. Wallace said that he heard Julia close the gate and so if, as per the Sleman theory, Mr Johnston saw Julia go into the alley, she would have had to have opened the gate again after closing it. Anyone seeing this would surely assume that they weren’t leaving together but that the explanation might have been more likely that Julia had wanted to tell William something before he disappeared. The watcher would have then waited, expecting Julia to return at any second. It’s difficult in the extreme to imagine the timid Julia wondering around the alley in the dark looking for her cat with the back gate and the backdoor unlocked for long enough to lead Johnston to believe that she’d decided to go with William (and without wearing a coat too!)

The Johnston’s house was against the wall where the Wallace’s staircase was so they wouldn’t have heard that clearly. That said, the thuds at 8.25/8.30 are difficult to explain. It’s often the case though that two people can hear a noise and both point to a different direction that it came from. Maybe this is what happened here?

Who says they were due to move, who corroborates the fact that it was a move already in the making? Who corroborates they had already been packing? Themselves and other members of their family? And in any case, we see that this crime is likely a planned event, not something spur of the moment. The killer(s), whether Wallace or otherwise, had to wait for the right opportunity to strike with that phone call.

And who says it was a burglary and not a planned murder conspiracy in which they were involved to some extent?

How many of the 6 people in that home had a job? Who was the breadwinner? Arthur was retired. I see no information on the other members in the household. There are no testimonies, no information on whether or not they worked, nothing. Gannon traces back family trees to like the early 1800s, but we still have such little information on the Johnston family and their statements even in his encyclopedia of the case. If there were few workers in that home, then through which means were they getting the money to live? 19 Wolverton Street was burgled in December while the couple were away, using what appeared to be a duplicate key (as were all the other "Anfield housebreakings", dupe key robberies committed in the occupant's temporary abscence)...

The Johnston's parlor was directly against the Wallace's parlor. Mrs. Johnston claimed to know the Wallaces' musical repertoire almost by heart, and always heard Amy Wallace's visits (despite them living in the living kitchen I guess). The Johnstons claimed to have heard two distinct thuds, which they thought was Arthur in the front parlor. Where is Arthur's statement? Did the police even TAKE statements from other members of the Johnston household?

And wtf is Mr. Johnston dilly-dallying for? I mean a woman has been battered to death in her own home and you're waiting around for Wallace to "check upstairs" (which Johnston had already seen him check from outside), and asking if the light was on when he left etc. Not in much of a hurry is he?

Nor, to my mind, does Mrs. Johnston's meek response to the discovery seem natural. What woman walks into a room, sees brains and blood sprayed around everywhere, and simply says "oh you poor darling"? She's awfully calm wouldn't you say?

[Herlock Sholmes]

I'm going to test the method of murder at first opportunity. Using a heavy plastic sheet in place of a mac, and a 15inch piece of construction 1/2 inch rebar as the weapon , and a ripe 12 inch pumpkin as my victim , I shall endeavour to smash the fruit to smithereens, using the 'peek and smash' method. I believe I can say without any doubt I shall succeed in reducing the pumpkin to pulp, without actually witnessing the moment of each impact , Iam fully expecting the fleshy stuff to be everywhere except on my person ,possibly with the exception of my right hand and wrist.

Glad to see your doing as Holmes would do Moste

[Herlock Sholmes]

Wallace goes back round to the front and Johnston unlocks Wallace's back door -> Wallace goes round the back and "coincidentally" bumps into the Johnstons who urge him to try the back door again, and now it opens easily...

If Johnston was guilty I don’t understand why he would lock the backdoor in the first place?

[Herlock Sholmes]

I asked Rod to come back, I sent him a PM in fact. I really hope he does, just because it's not a fair trial otherwise, as all of us lean on Wallace's invovlement

Yes I really enjoy a reasoned discussion on the case with Rod

[Herlock Sholmes]

That is their claim, yes. Just another coincidence that they are set to move out the very next day?

What of the other family members? Do we have any of their statements? Arthur (the father) used the parlor as his room if I remember right, and the Johnstons said when they heard the thuds at 8.25 to 8.30 PM. They said they thought it was "Arthur taking off his boots in the front parlor", heavily implying they are trying to say the thuds were those of the bar striking Julia (the parlors were adjacent).

Wouldn't Arthur be in a perfect position to hear anything next door? NONE of the family heard the cupboard door being wrenched off? Just the thuds at well after 8 PM, the time at which it was said it was impossible for Julia to have been killed at (or after)?

For me this only adds to the unlikeliness. The Johnston’s had lived next to the Wallace’s for years with never a suspicion of anything untoward and then, on the night before they were due to leave, they decided to burgle the Wallace’s. And, as Julia only went to the gate with William, we can’t give an adequate explanation for why they would burgle the house with Julia still inside. Wallace said that he heard Julia close the gate and so if, as per the Sleman theory, Mr Johnston saw Julia go into the alley, she would have had to have opened the gate again after closing it. Anyone seeing this would surely assume that they weren’t leaving together but that the explanation might have been more likely that Julia had wanted to tell William something before he disappeared. The watcher would have then waited, expecting Julia to return at any second. It’s difficult in the extreme to imagine the timid Julia wondering around the alley in the dark looking for her cat with the back gate and the backdoor unlocked for long enough to lead Johnston to believe that she’d decided to go with William (and without wearing a coat too!)

The Johnston’s house was against the wall where the Wallace’s staircase was so they wouldn’t have heard that clearly. That said, the thuds at 8.25/8.30 are difficult to explain. It’s often the case though that two people can hear a noise and both point to a different direction that it came from. Maybe this is what happened here?

[moste]

Quite right I have the family's in the wrong houses.Apologies .

[moste]

If the Johnstons were in their middle kitchen and they heard a thud, it wouldn't have been from Wallaces front parlour I shouldn't have thought. If old Arthur had heard anything , it would have been through his parlour to hallway wall , and through hallway wall to Wallqce's hallway, then through hallway wall of Wallace's and into parlour . 3 walls 8 to 10 feet of air space, The Holme's parlour a whole different story building structure wise ,parlour to parlour one wall between them. Now if they had been on the ball when Julia hit the floor ,they would almost certainly have audibly witnessed Julia's attack.

[WallaceWackedHer]

Erm. The Johnstons parlour wasn't adjacent to the Wallace's , I think that would be the Holme's parlour. 27 and 29 front doors are next to each other which means the two sets of stairs are adjacent.

It was. The Johnstons' parlor is touching the Wallaces' parlor, divided only by a thin wall which supposedly sounds were often heard through (musical duets, Amy's visits, etc.).

[WallaceWackedHer]

I find it kind of funny that Mr. Johnston's fake testimony is flanked left and top by information that heavily implicates him lmfao. Duplicate key, knowing the home well (they had been in there to open and close curtains, and the floor plans of the homes were identical but mirrored).

"A giant with terrific strength" overcompensating a bit perhaps?

[moste]

Erm. The Johnstons parlour wasn't adjacent to the Wallace's , I think that would be the Holme's parlour. 27 and 29 front doors are next to each other which means the two sets of stairs are adjacent.

[WallaceWackedHer]

The Johnstons moving the very next day I think had been in the works for a while, not a spur of the moment thing . Also there were other family members present at their house through the early part of the evening . From all that I have read I don't see anything untoward in respect to the Johnstons behaviour. Barking up the wrong tree here me thinks

That is their claim, yes. Just another coincidence that they are set to move out the very next day?

What of the other family members? Do we have any of their statements? Arthur (the father) used the parlor as his room if I remember right, and the Johnstons said when they heard the thuds at 8.25 to 8.30 PM. They said they thought it was "Arthur taking off his boots in the front parlor", heavily implying they are trying to say the thuds were those of the bar striking Julia (the parlors were adjacent).

Wouldn't Arthur be in a perfect position to hear anything next door? NONE of the family heard the cupboard door being wrenched off? Just the thuds at well after 8 PM, the time at which it was said it was impossible for Julia to have been killed at (or after)?

[WallaceWackedHer]

At this point in time I struggle to see the Johnston’s being involved but I’m not closed to the idea. I’d certainly like to hear a full post on why you and ‘other person‘ believe that they could have been involved. Personally I can believe that they didn’t know Julia’s name. Those were more formal times and one of Julia’s postcards was actually signed J. Wallace and not Julia.

Ill drop something on you though but I can’t recall where I read it. After Mr Johnston left for the doctor and the police he bumped into (I believe) his son-in-law and I recall him saying something to the effect of “Julia’s with Wallace but I need to get her out of there.”

Im certain that I didn’t dream this because I recall mentioning it on the other thread. Perhaps AS would remember?

Mr. Johnston said: "Frank, I have to get Florence out of there as quick as possible!".

Anyway, if for a moment you entertain the idea that Wallace had been totally innocent which I don't tend to buy, then his back door defeating him may make some sense:

Front door on latch -> back door locked (his original assertion was that the door was locked against him which is weird - did he not have a key?) -> Wallace goes back round to the front and Johnston unlocks Wallace's back door -> Wallace goes round the back and "coincidentally" bumps into the Johnstons who urge him to try the back door again, and now it opens easily... Interestingly, Johnston told the Press Wallace had to force the back door open, but in court claimed the door had opened easily and "without violence". I posted his quote earlier, but it is essentially exactly that.

I find it curious he (Wallace) should knock though in any case, he had his own key right? Or was that only for the front door? In any case, what a happy coincidence that his next door neighbors should be there to make the discovery with him, and claim hearing thuds at after 8 PM etc (by the way, all the forensic team agreed she could not have died after 8 - this of course though, may be jaded by Julia's fake age), and what great fortune that anyone should coincidentally come out within those few minutes it took him to perform his little act... "How could Wallace have foreseen that!" One supporting his innocence might ask. But was it really an accidental encounter? Had the Johnstons REALLY been going out to visit a relative randomly at 9 PM when Mr. Johnston would have to be up at 4 AM?

Florence did not ever imply she had not known Julia's name. For decade-long neighbors, regardless of formality, it seems peculiar to me that he should never once have heard her name. Again, they hear Amy's visits through the walls, they seem to hear just about everything - except the vital things of course! Only Mr. Johnston claimed to not know her name, and to my mind he was a little bit weird about it:

Mr. Walsh — Did you hear anything when Mr. Wallace
had gone in ? — ^After he entered the house I heard him
call out twice.

Did you hear what it was ? — No, I could not make out
the name.

Mr. Justice Wright — He called out something ? —
Yes ; a word.

...

And did you hear him call a word ? — Yes, twice.

Might that have been a name ? — It might have been.

The name of his wife ? — ^Y es ; but until that evening I
did not know Mrs. Wallace’s name was Julia.

I only want to get the sort of sound. It was as if he was
calling a name ? — Yes, that is how it appeared to me.

It is odd to me that such long time neighbors on postcard-sending basis would not be on a first name basis, or at least KNOW of the name. If she had kept her name a secret from them, she would've probably signed the card "Mrs. Wallace" or something, otherwise they'd be like "who da f*ck is 'J. Wallace'". Obviously they'd fill in the blanks in seconds, but it seems odd if she had purposefully kept her name hidden to sign her initial...

In an innocent Wallace scenario, however, I have issue with him NOT calling the Johnstons out on this. How can they have only been in the parlor when they'd been entrusted to open and close curtains in the home during the Wallaces' vacation? We see he left them out of the list of people Julia would admit... He also left out all other neighbors yes, but I believe the Johnstons and the Wallaces were closer than the other neighbors, as we know Julia entrusted the Johnstons to look after her pet cat (which she was reportedly over-attached to in an odd way), and sent them postcards.

[moste]

The Johnstons moving the very next day I think had been in the works for a while, not a spur of the moment thing . Also there were other family members present at their house through the early part of the evening . From all that I have read I don't see anything untoward in respect to the Johnstons behaviour. Barking up the wrong tree here me thinks