Originally posted by Herlock Sholmes
View Post
I'm not sure if anyone can do more to discover precisely how true Parkes' statement is?
I think the next major one is Lily Hall. I am very certain Gannon was wrong about the entry Lily says one of the men went down.
We know the man she calls Wallace and another man were sighted by her at the "entry opposite the institute", which makes it sound like she means the opposite side of the road, AKA the Wolverton Street entry. But we know from clarification that she meant the entry beside it when she referred to the entry.
Now Gannon says she saw a man go down Wolverton Streets's entry because she says the man went down the entry, then that the entry is "opposite Parish Hall (the institute)". She's using the word opposite in the same misleading way in both. On the trial she is asked several times in a row to be very specific about the entry and she clarifies she means the person went down the entry by the church/institute thing (towards Sedley Street).
She sees one man go down the entry towards Sedley Street, one towards Breck Road.
NOW, if the statement is correct, because of the sighting by Mr. Greenlees reported to Munro which Gannon also places just after Lily, the "other man" has gone down that entry, crossed left to Sedley Street, then as he emerged from Sedley Street saw Mr. Greenlees and crossed over from there to talk to him... While Wallace went "towards Breck Road" because the entry he used is actually not directly opposite the Parish Hall entry but a little towards Breck Road diagonally... Only by a few yards or so but enough to walk diagonal in that direction.
The descriptions of the man are the same in the giving of "stocky build" except the hat style.
If it is the same person it really crushes the idea that this is Marsden entirely. The murderer would have at least some blood on him or at least be nervous he might. In any case he wouldn't want to loiter the area and especially not approach anyone in the streets for a face to face discussion, with a memorable mention of the fake address.
Not only did he "accost" this man but actually crossed the road in order to do so...
I think what's happened is Lily Hall was walking by there as Wallace was returning home. The stocky man was maybe standing aside at the entry waiting for him to pass because the entry is narrow. She might not even see Wallace yet depending on the viewing angle... But this stocky man has stood there waiting for Wallace to pass so when she sees Wallace go by him etc. she thinks they've been talking (do notice by the way that it is around 8.35ish in an era before cars, and she does not mention HEARING that a conversation was going on even as crossing the road close to the men, she just sees them apparently in conversation).
But actually she just saw the men pass each other in the street. Wallace going home and the weird man down the entry, possibly in search of the non existent home or who knows what. Then is frazzled shortly after and went up to Mr. Greenlees for directions...
I think this man might not want to come forward because it's eerie and would make him seem suspect if he's hanging around near the scene of a murder asking for a fake address when we know the husband had apparently been asked away also to visit a fake address.
That would be dangerous.
Leave a comment: