Move to Murder: Who Killed Julia Wallace?

[RodCrosby]

Hargrave Lee Adam (1932) noted the "Mr. P" in Wallace's statement, so I'm presuming both he and Winifred Duke had access to the statements.

As I've mentioned, I'm pretty certain there was a kerfuffle of sorts at the trial, where the Judge warned everyone not to mention Parry's name in public. [alas I took no photo of this when I examined the TT and police file]

[cobalt]

If the authors Duke and Adam drew their inference from Wallace's statement, I am still curious as to why she, at least, apparently focussed on Parry.
From memory, Wallace mentioned around a dozen people to whom Julia would have probably opened the door.

[gallicrow]

I have not read Six Trials (having read almost everything else on the case), because it is very hard to find, so cannot recommend it.
https://www.amazon.com/Six-trials-Wi.../dp/B000862OSM I am hoping one day it might appear for free on the Internet Archive, other rare works therein which I have linked to the wiki and posted here...

There's a copy for Ł50 (or a really nice copy for Ł125!) on abebooks.co.uk, but that still seems expensive to me:

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=11522040751

[RodCrosby]

There were subsequent published John Bull articles [I linked them up thread] in which Wallace, before his death, dropped heavy hints about one man in particular without naming him.
Or Duke may have had access to Wallace's private diaries, which did name Parry...

They were last heard of in the possession of Wyndham-Brown in 1933, IIRC...

[RodCrosby]

There's a copy for Ł50 (or a really nice copy for Ł125!) on abebooks.co.uk, but that still seems expensive to me:
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/B...bi=11522040751

Thanks. I may add it to my collection, just for the sake of completeness...

[gallicrow]

Thanks. I may add it to my collection, just for the sake of completeness...

I just noticed that the seller has their own site which contains a "Make Me An Offer" button, so maybe you could shave a bit more off the price:

https://www.laybooks.com/detail.asp?b=12400

[RodCrosby]

You are most kind, Sir!

[moste]

Fair point Antony

Since he said he was posting a letter, and he was the main suspect, would the police not ask who he had posted it to ,then checked that the recipient received the correspondence on that particular day and time?

[RodCrosby]

The Police made no effort to track Wallace's movements on the Monday night.
Or, if they did, they suppressed the results...

Their theory was that Wallace had made the phone-call, and it remained nothing more than a theory...

[Herlock Sholmes]

Since he said he was posting a letter, and he was the main suspect, would the police not ask who he had posted it to ,then checked that the recipient received the correspondence on that particular day and time?

It’s certainly one of the biggest failings of the police investigation that they appeared to focus all of their efforts into Tuesday nights events. All we have from Monday is what Wallace said, the three women at the telephone exchange and then Samuel Beattie, Gladys Harley and James Caird at the chess club.

It’s a case of...was Wallace lying or telling the truth about where he caught his tram?

[moste]

Two things.

I’m unsure how we can classify Wallace as an avid walker? He and Julia took the occasional walk in the park as far as I can recall. He walked a lot during the day but that was by necessity. Is there any real evidence that he enjoyed walking?

Secondly, in response to your suggestion that “Maybe he just didn't like hanging around at bus/tram stops if there was no need to...” Wallace had taken that tram countless times and so would have been well aware of its arrival time. If he didn’t like hanging around he’d have simply turned up just before it was due to arrive. Antony mentioned an incident that would have affected the trams that night of course but Wallace would have been unaware of that and so would have expected the tram at any time.

Wallace may well have sought the great outdoors, to meander the beauty of the Lake District, we can hardly blame him in the wake of the unthinkable escape from being hanged by the neck until dead! Under normal circumstances, 'avid walker' I think not. With 600 customers to deal with on a monthly basis( I don't believe weekly) and mostly on foot, I have problems imagining him walking extra tram stops for the purpose of loosening up his legs. No I believe there was a reason for this, possibly along the lines of securing himself a method of losing a murder weapon.

[RodCrosby]

We are talking about the night BEFORE the murder...

[Herlock Sholmes]

From the trial transcript:

James Sarginson, a locksmith, gave evidence that the
lock of the front door of 29 Wolverton Street, which he
had examined, had been in a defective condition for a
long time. He stated that the part which was operated by
the key was worn, and that when the key was inserted into
the lock it turned a complete revolution, which allowed
the latch to slip back again. There was no indication that
it had been damaged recently. He also testified that the
lock of the back door was rusty, but in good working order.
It required pressure to open it.

Worth mentioning I think.

[moste]

We are talking about the night BEFORE the murder...

That's right,the night before the murder. Securing himself a method of losing a murder weapon. As in preplanning. come on now try and keep up!LOL

[moste]

From the trial transcript:

James Sarginson, a locksmith, gave evidence that the
lock of the front door of 29 Wolverton Street, which he
had examined, had been in a defective condition for a
long time. He stated that the part which was operated by
the key was worn, and that when the key was inserted into
the lock it turned a complete revolution, which allowed
the latch to slip back again. There was no indication that
it had been damaged recently. He also testified that the
lock of the back door was rusty, but in good working order.
It required pressure to open it.

Worth mentioning I think.

Quite right the whole lock fiasco ,along with the Qualtrough search ... a complete farce.