Move to Murder: Who Killed Julia Wallace?

[RodCrosby]

Abby, in how many unsolved "intruder" murders, are there witnesses who actually saw the intruder?

[Herlock Sholmes]

How many sneak-thieves have worn mittens?

[moste]

I’ve made this before before Moste and I think that it’s a fair one. It’s not conclusive of course but it does show another piece of good fortune for our ‘master planner.’ And of course, according to Rod’s ‘theory,’ our mysterious Qualtrough would have had to have stood on the doorstep explaining the ‘mistake’ to a woman who was reluctant to admit a stranger to the house whilst she was alone. How long would this have taken? 30 seconds...a minute? The Wallace’s had neighbours either side who had previously heard the Wallace’s door. Also there were neighbours across a narrow street, anyone of whom might have looked out of the window or stood on the doorstep. It was early evening - women talking, kids in the street, men going to the pub.

Our conspirators were lucky boys.

Totally. The only way in my opinion that a caller would go to that front door ,would be a person with no intention of foul play. Too risky.
When I was growing up we had short front gardens , but the lady opposite was known locally as ‘the news of the world’ she had a large mirror facing the street over her fireplace ,so that she could observe any and all goings on up and down the street.LoL.

[RodCrosby]

How many sneak-thieves have worn mittens?

Well, I can find some...

https://eu.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/crime/2015/11/19/clerk-sprayed-mace-greer-robbery/76061714/

http://articles.mcall.com/2013-12-31/news/mc-c-bethlehem-robbery-stolen-cash-register-drawer-20131231_1_man-robs-gas-station-flees-square-one-exxon

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:5vR5q_CcanIJ:https://www.dokuchaeva.com/article/news/local/fbi-5k-reward-for-arrest-of-silent-bandit/97-422089471+&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

[RodCrosby]

Totally. The only way in my opinion that a caller would go to that front door ,would be a person with no intention of foul play. Too risky.
When I was growing up we had short front gardens , but the lady opposite was known locally as ‘the news of the world’ she had a large mirror facing the street over her fireplace ,so that she could observe any and all goings on up and down the street.LoL.

Why is any of this relevant to Wolverton Street in 1931?

Totally different set-up, as I have shown...

Even if you visit Wolverton Street today - as I have done - you are unlikely to encounter anyone after dark.

[etenguy]

As I’ve said to Graham, poisoning would have been a giveaway for a man with a chemistry laboratory in his back bedroom.

Calm planning is one thing Eten but consider what pent up anger and resentment might have been unleashed after the first blow or two which might have been all Wallace initially intended.

If Wallace had a decent chemistry background, he could have chosen a poison that leaves no trace and triggers death through something like a heart attack, so murder wouldn't even be suspected. Of course, he may not have been a particularly good chemist.

The letting out of years of frustration might lead someone to lash out once they started bashing - but we currently have no evidence they were anything other than a happily married couple. Of course, it may have been different behind closed doors, we just don't know.

[etenguy]

I’ve made this before before Moste and I think that it’s a fair one. It’s not conclusive of course but it does show another piece of good fortune for our ‘master planner.’ And of course, according to Rod’s ‘theory,’ our mysterious Qualtrough would have had to have stood on the doorstep explaining the ‘mistake’ to a woman who was reluctant to admit a stranger to the house whilst she was alone. How long would this have taken? 30 seconds...a minute? The Wallace’s had neighbours either side who had previously heard the Wallace’s door. Also there were neighbours across a narrow street, anyone of whom might have looked out of the window or stood on the doorstep. It was early evening - women talking, kids in the street, men going to the pub.

Our conspirators were lucky boys.

I may be mistaken, but didn't the Johnstons, or Mrs Johnston at least, say they heard someone knock at the Wallace's door earlier that evening - after the milk had been delivered?

[RodCrosby]

I may be mistaken, but didn't the Johnstons, or Mrs Johnston at least, say they heard someone knock at the Wallace's door earlier that evening - after the milk had been delivered?

That would be the Holmes at Number 27. They thought they heard a noise at Number 29 at about 6.35pm, and then the front door closing. [Wilkes, 1985 p.38]

Mrs Johnston, at Number 31, heard no noise until about 8.25pm, when she heard two thumps, which she assumed was her father, who lived in their front parlour, taking off his boots. [Gannon, 2012 p.184]

[etenguy]

That would be the Holmes at Number 27. They thought they heard a noise at Number 29 at about 6.35pm, and then the front door closing. [Wilkes, 1985 p.38]

Mrs Johnston, at Number 31, heard no noise until about 8.25pm, when she heard two thumps, which she assumed was her father, who lived in their front parlour, taking off his boots. [Gannon, 2012 p.184]

Thank you, Rod. I thought I had read something along those lines but misremembered it as Mrs Johnston.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Well, I can find some...

https://eu.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/crime/2015/11/19/clerk-sprayed-mace-greer-robbery/76061714/

http://articles.mcall.com/2013-12-31/news/mc-c-bethlehem-robbery-stolen-cash-register-drawer-20131231_1_man-robs-gas-station-flees-square-one-exxon

https://webcache.googleusercontent.c...&ct=clnk&gl=uk

So you’d class someone robbing a filling station as a sneak-thief?

Ok...

[Herlock Sholmes]

If Wallace had a decent chemistry background, he could have chosen a poison that leaves no trace and triggers death through something like a heart attack, so murder wouldn't even be suspected. Of course, he may not have been a particularly good chemist.

The letting out of years of frustration might lead someone to lash out once they started bashing - but we currently have no evidence they were anything other than a happily married couple. Of course, it may have been different behind closed doors, we just don't know.

Mrs Wilson, Dr Curwen, Alfred Mather, Amy Wallace. We have no reason to dismis the opinions of these people in favour of people like the Johnston’s who were little more that nodding acquaintances. And as you’ve said Eten motives often aren’t apparent. People tend to put on a front for the sake of appearances

[Herlock Sholmes]

I may be mistaken, but didn't the Johnstons, or Mrs Johnston at least, say they heard someone knock at the Wallace's door earlier that evening - after the milk had been delivered?

As Rod has said, the Holme’s at 6.35 which ties in with Close leaving after having delivered the milk. This would give Wallace up to 15 minutes to do what he had to.

[RodCrosby]

None of the negative comments exist outside of a Liverpool policeman's notebook. Even the Prosecution took no notice of them... They never made it into Court.

HEMMERDE KC: In fact, so far as the happiness of this household is concerned, the Crown knows nothing to the contrary of the view that these two people were very happy together.
Opening speech for the Crown

'All the evidence is that the prisoner and his wife, to all appearances, were living together in happiness and in amity.'
Mr. Justice Wright, summing-up in Rex v Wallace

Wilson was matron of a police remand home, who had only seen the Wallaces very briefly, 8 years previously.
Curwen's comments were pretty obscure.
No-one who reads Mather can have any doubt that he was motivated by malice, for some private reason.
I can find no citation for Amy Wallace, the woman who welcomed WHW into her home the night of the murder, and then suffered malicious gossip herself as a result...

The fact that anyone would cling grimly to this tittle-tattle merely reveals the pitiful paucity of their case...

[Herlock Sholmes]

Wilson had stayed at their home for three weeks. Name anyone else that had spent such a prolonged period of time with the Wallace’s? You dismis her comments purely because of bias. Likewise Curwen.

And your comments about Mather are utterly baseless. You have zero evidence of any kind of grudge. Just because someone makes less than flattering comments you cannot assume that they are being dishonest just because it doesn’t fit in with your viewpoint.

The lack of motive argument is a non-starter and a sign of utter desperation and hopelessly ingrained bias.

[RodCrosby]

So you’d class someone robbing a filling station as a sneak-thief?

Ok...

Take a tip out of the Lawyers' handbook.

Never ask a question you don't know the answer to.

I've demonstrated that criminals/robbers sometime wear mittens.

Therefore the Wallace sneak-thief could have...