a6 murder

[jimarilyn]

James,
The lay-by today is pretty busy with lorry drivers going to the burger van and about ten parked cars with the occupants variously walking dogs and eating lunch etc while I was there. It didn't seem spooky to me (it might after dark). I went for a walk in the woods and noticed a remarkable lack of birds which did seem eerie. Perhaps they don't like the mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees. It appears that they still get a bit of crime there - the picnic tables had been smashed up despite being made of substantial pieces of timber.
Although the site has changed there was a parallel with 1961 in that I missed the turning twice and had to u-turn.
I travelled to Deadman's Hill using one route and returned by another. My return trip was via Henlow which has an RAF base and is only about 6 miles from the lay-by. Thoughts of Michael Clark crossed my mind. When I realised that there is a dog-track in Henlow thoughts of Peter Alphon crossed my mind.........
Regards
Andrew

Hi Andrew,

A very interesting and informative post.
I wonder if Peter Alphon ever attended that particular dog-track.

It's strange how the RAF fetaures in this case.
Peter Alphon was in the RAF at Marlow, Bucks, for about 18 months or so doing his National Service.
Michael Clark was in the RAF at Northwood, Middlesex.
This base is about 6 or 7 miles from the RAF base at Northolt, Middlesex.
The gunman was familiar with the Northolt area and wanted Michael Gregsten to stop at a cafe he frequented where they could get something to eat.
When the police circulated their description of Peter Alphon they stated...."He is known to frequent Streatham, Victoria, Putney, Kilburn, Northolt and Kingsbury".
Very interesting those last two places........


regards,
James

[Limehouse]

Hi James,

Would the killer, whether Alphon or Hanratty, seriously have considered getting food from a cafe they knew well? I am not questioning your logic at all, simply pondering on the actions and conversation of the killer in the car at the time of the incident.

Isn't it interesting how many risks the killer took? Moving the car and its occupants out of the cornfield, driving around the countryside, stopping for fuel and for milk and contemplating a visit to a cafe they knew well and where staff may well have recognised him. Strange behaviour indeed.

[Limehouse]

Referring back to an earlier post of mine, even in those far-off days when like many people I felt JH had been wrongly incriminated, it never seemed plausible to me that Alphon was the real A6 criminal. For a start, his 'presence' in the case and its initial investigation was purely coincidental, depending as it did on the decision of the manager of the Alexandra Court Hotel to contact the police about "Mr Durrant's" odd behaviour. Had the manager decided not to contact the police, I doubt very much if the name of Peter Louis Alphon would ever have been connected to the A6 Case. That he also had a connection to the Vienna Court Hotel was, again, purely coincidental. But once he had a toe in the water, so to speak, he dived in head-first, yet even he admitted to being scared witless at the prospect of an interview with the fearsome Acott and Oxford. He came incredibly close to being nailed for the A6 Crime...

...and then Jean Justice and Jeremy Fox, who had both taken an early interest in the case (but for reasons I for one am still unsure of), latched onto him, and once he was sure that he was no longer a suspect he went to town with those two gents, and they went to town with him. There never was a shred of hard evidence to link Alphon to the A6 Case, and there still isn't. He had the time of his life courtesy of Justice's wealth, and at the same time he made a bob or two out of it via compensation for wrongful arrest and probably at least one out-of-court settlement from the newspapers. His statements to the press were contradictory, and even his so-called Paris Press Conference, and his subsequent TV interview (with a television journalist he got eating out of the palm of his hand) were frankly jokes. He lapped it up. Justice's book, an extract of which Jimarylin reproduced above, was well-written and persuasive, but ultimately based almost entirely on conjecture and also upon a well-sieved interpretation of what Alphon told him.
Personally, I think that Alphon's whole presence was a terrible tragedy not only for the Hanratty family but also for any future opportunity to put this case to bed once and for all. The Case is irreparibly contaminated by Alphon's presence. It couldn't have been dreamed up in Hollywood.

Graham

Hi Graham,

Excellent post, as usual. Like you, I've never been completely convinced about Alphon as the killer but it's strange indeed how he weaves into and out of the story for so many years.

I am glad you mention how Alphon was actually introduced into the enquiry - as the result of police requesting any 'strange' behaviour by hotel guests to be reported because I have been thinking about that quite a lot lately. The identification of Alphon as a 'suspect' led directly from that appeal by the police and led eventually to Hanratty who coincidently stayed at the same hotel. So:

1) What made the police think this would be a fruitful line of enquiry?
2) Did they investigate any other lines of enquiry concerning possible suspects?
3) If Alphon had never stayed at the Vienna would enquiries had led eventually to Hanratty after the discovery of the cartridge cases?

The spotlight was on this htoel, where both men stayed, where an employee lied and lied about the movements of Alphon/Durrant that night, and where cartridges from the gun used in the crime were found in that room weeks after the crime, even after the gun used was in police hands.

[Graham]

Hi Julie,

1) What made the police think this would be a fruitful line of enquiry?
2) Did they investigate any other lines of enquiry concerning possible suspects?
3) If Alphon had never stayed at the Vienna would enquiries had led eventually to Hanratty after the discovery of the cartridge cases?

I haven't got my books handy so my responses to your questions may be a bit wonky (if they are, I'm sure some kind soul or souls will correct me):

1] Because the manager of the Alexandra Court reported PLA as a response to a direct public plea* by the police reference the A6 Crime, he was routinely questioned and said he'd been at The Vienna Hotel on the evening and night of the crime. The police then routinely checked at the Vienna, found the name Durrant as PLA had said, and also found the name J Ryan (and other names, doubtless). How the link was made between 'J Ryan' and 'James Hanratty' is still shrouded in mystery......but I have my suspicions.

*naturally enough they assumed that whoever the killer was would be lying low somewhere.

2] Definitely the police investigated other leads, and I think there was at least one newspaper headline saying that an arrest was imminent long before Hanratty was hauled in. Precisely who the police interviewed as part of their investigation is not known, but I suspect it must have run into dozens if not hundreds.

3] Alphon's stay at the Vienna was purely coincidental, so I suspect that yes, the discovery of the cartridges would have led to Hanratty just the same

Cheers,

Graham

[Limehouse]

Thanks Graham. They were king of rhetorical questions though, meant to produce a bit of debate. I mean, they put out this appeal for 'men staying in hotels etc who are behaving strangely and bingo! A few days later Alphon falls into the net. Oddly, he wasn't the right fish, so cast around again and Hanratty pops up! Who could guess that a man behaving strangely in one hotel, who apparently wasn't guilty, would cause police to investigate his stay at another hotel where the guilty man was eventually identified ?

If only those cartridge cases had been found earlier. Hanratty might have been the first suspect in those circumstances. Butthen the police would still have had some work to do - connecting J Ryan with Hanratty.

[Victor]

I mean, they put out this appeal for 'men staying in hotels etc who are behaving strangely and bingo! A few days later Alphon falls into the net.

Hi Julie,

Alphon was one of many "behaving strangely" in a hotel, it's only because of his later status as "First Suspect" that this first incident is remembered. In fact if you believe the Vienna books then it gives Alphon an alibi as he signed it as Durrant for the night of the murder. Now if Hanratty had signed one of the Ingledene books...

KR,
Vic.

[NickB]

It is still quite a co-incidence that the 'First Suspect' led the police to the hotel in which Hanratty stayed the night before.

The person who discovered the cartriges is reported as saying he was in two minds about whether to tell the police. Perhaps if the police had not been making their presence felt he would not have done, and there would have been nothing to lead to Hanratty.

[Victor]

It is still quite a co-incidence that the 'First Suspect' led the police to the hotel in which Hanratty stayed the night before.

Hi Nick,

The point I was making was that the coincidence isn't that strange because both Hanratty and paticularly Alphon had a habit of staying in hotels, police targetted hotels and guest houses looking for "people behaving strangely", Alphon was one of many reported, and once he realised he could possibly make some money out of the case, he went for it big time.

The person who discovered the cartriges is reported as saying he was in two minds about whether to tell the police. Perhaps if the police had not been making their presence felt he would not have done, and there would have been nothing to lead to Hanratty.

I thought the hotel manager was a war veteran who instantly recognised the cartridge cases for what they were and reported it straight away.

KR,
Vic.

[NickB]

Aren't you thinking of the bus cleaner?

The hotel manager saying he felt tempted not to report the cartridges, and simply throw them out, is on a previous post (but I cannot find it!).

[SteveS]

Thanks Graham. They were king of rhetorical questions though, meant to produce a bit of debate. I mean, they put out this appeal for 'men staying in hotels etc who are behaving strangely and bingo! A few days later Alphon falls into the net. Oddly, he wasn't the right fish, so cast around again and Hanratty pops up! Who could guess that a man behaving strangely in one hotel, who apparently wasn't guilty, would cause police to investigate his stay at another hotel where the guilty man was eventually identified ?

If only those cartridge cases had been found earlier. Hanratty might have been the first suspect in those circumstances. Butthen the police would still have had some work to do - connecting J Ryan with Hanratty.

Hello Limehouse
I don't think that Mr Crocker, the Vienna Hotel's shortlived manager would have notified the police of the cartridge cases if Juliana Galves had not given a statement to the police on the 6th September, in connection with Alphon. He was after all not entirely satisfied with his working conditions under the owner Mr Pichler and anyway left shortly afterwards to take up a trainee position with the GPO.
Thnx
Steve

[Limehouse]

Hi Nick,

The point I was making was that the coincidence isn't that strange because both Hanratty and paticularly Alphon had a habit of staying in hotels, police targetted hotels and guest houses looking for "people behaving strangely", Alphon was one of many reported, and once he realised he could possibly make some money out of the case, he went for it big time.


I thought the hotel manager was a war veteran who instantly recognised the cartridge cases for what they were and reported it straight away.

KR,
Vic.

The really strange thing is that the police considered anyone 'behaving strangely in a hotel or guest house' would be a candidate worth investigating which is what led them to Alphon who was, after all, behaving strangely. Ultimately though, it was a man who was not behaving strangely who was eventually identified and convicted.

It was the cartridges, apparently left in the room the night before the murder (but strangely not found until weeks later) that led the police to look again at the register and find J Ryan - who, if you believe the 'she saw him at the cleaners' story, morphed into James Hanratty.

Stange indeed.

[Graham]

In those days it was quite common for perfectly respectable working-men to stay in B&B's and cheap hotels, moving around as their work dictated. Being of "no fixed address" was more commen then than now, and didn't necessarily suggest anything suspicious. That's why the police issued their plea to proprietors of such places.

Alphon obviously told the police of his stay at The Vienna by means of an alibi. It doubtless took him totally by surprise when Nudds started to stir the soup. As Sherrard said, the case dripped with coincidence, and one such was Alphon effectively leading the police to "J Ryan".

Mr Crocker had I think been an air-gunner in the RAF during the War, and thus knew a cartridge-case when he saw one. As I understand it they were between the cushion and back of an overstuffed armchair and therefore not visible unless, as Mr Crocker did, the chair was closely examined. Also, I think only one other guest (an Indian gent) occupied the room between August 22nd and the discovery of the cartridges, and as it seems The Vienna's rooms were not regularly cleaned it's not surprising that the cartridges weren't found until Mr C decided to inspect the room.

I don't believe the 'she saw him at the cleaners' story any more than anyone else. The Ryan-Hanratty connection didn't come from there, and I believe William Ewer denied that it did.

Cheers,

Graham

[SteveS]

In those days it was quite common for perfectly respectable working-men to stay in B&B's and cheap hotels, moving around as their work dictated. Being of "no fixed address" was more commen then than now, and didn't necessarily suggest anything suspicious. That's why the police issued their plea to proprietors of such places.

Alphon obviously told the police of his stay at The Vienna by means of an alibi. It doubtless took him totally by surprise when Nudds started to stir the soup. As Sherrard said, the case dripped with coincidence, and one such was Alphon effectively leading the police to "J Ryan".

Mr Crocker had I think been an air-gunner in the RAF during the War, and thus knew a cartridge-case when he saw one. As I understand it they were between the cushion and back of an overstuffed armchair and therefore not visible unless, as Mr Crocker did, the chair was closely examined. Also, I think only one other guest (an Indian gent) occupied the room between August 22nd and the discovery of the cartridges, and as it seems The Vienna's rooms were not regularly cleaned it's not surprising that the cartridges weren't found until Mr C decided to inspect the room.

I don't believe the 'she saw him at the cleaners' story any more than anyone else. The Ryan-Hanratty connection didn't come from there, and I believe William Ewer denied that it did.

Cheers,

Graham

Hi Graham
I was not born at the time of the A6 murder, so must accept your account of transient working men.

The point I wish to make though is more to the point of the original police investigation of Alphon's alleged whereabouts during the week of the murder. It is accepted that he was in the register of the Vienna, but his occupation of room 24, that was firstly allocated to him and his transfer to room 6, and the timings and sightings of this occupation are open to debate.

As for where Alphon said he was apart from the Vienna booking and the Alexandra Court has not been verified by ANYONE.

His mother upon closer interrogation couldn't verfiy wether it was the Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday that Peter Alphon met her.

The most worrying thing though was that the police did not investigate his other stated whereabouts at all. For what purpose was the police appeal to landladies put out in the first place? To illicit intelligence in one of this countries most vicious murders. To not fully follow up a lead like this smacks of total police imcompetence.

If room 24 had been searched at that time and the cartridge cases found what would have happened? Who knows.

But what if they hadn't been there? Hanratty would still be alive?

The 27th August was 4 days before the infamous sighting of the man at the cleaners by Mrs Gregsten followed up by William Ewer. After which Hanratty was certainly known to the police. I think Ewer used Mrs Gregsten in this ruse without her knowledge at the time.

What was Ewers involvement, for he followed this up to the point of getting the police involved?

So what was Nudd's involvement in all of this? Most unsavoury.

Where did Alphon get his large and many cash instalments from. These were long before Jean Justice got involved with Alphon remember.

Comments please.

Thnx
Steve

[Victor]

The point I wish to make though is more to the point of the original police investigation of Alphon's alleged whereabouts during the week of the murder. It is accepted that he was in the register of the Vienna, but his occupation of room 24, that was firstly allocated to him and his transfer to room 6, and the timings and sightings of this occupation are open to debate.

Hi Steve,

Alphon had no association with room 24 until Nudds 2nd statement on 21st September, 10 days after the cartridge cases were found. He ceased to have any connection with room 24 from Nudds 3rd statement on 25th Sept.

In fact, if you follow your earlier advice and ignore all Nudds contradictory statements, and just use the Hotel register and Juliana Galves, then there is no link between Alphon and room 24.

His mother upon closer interrogation couldn't verfiy wether it was the Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday that Peter Alphon met her.

But it was one of those days, and he was in the Alexandra Court hotel from Wednesday where he was reported for behaving suspiciously and not leaving his room!

If room 24 had been searched at that time and the cartridge cases found what would have happened? Who knows.

That's the point, there was no link between Alphon and room 24 until the following month, 10 days after the cases were found there. Now isn't that a startling coincidence!

The 27th August was 4 days before the infamous sighting of the man at the cleaners by Mrs Gregsten followed up by William Ewer. After which Hanratty was certainly known to the police. I think Ewer used Mrs Gregsten in this ruse without her knowledge at the time.

"Infamous" just like the infamous Big Foot.

What was Ewers involvement, for he followed this up to the point of getting the police involved?

Did he? Is there any believeable evidence for this at all? Any police reports, notes or other documentation, other than taking the word of the notorious "journalists"?

Where did Alphon get his large and many cash instalments from. These were long before Jean Justice got involved with Alphon remember.

Gambling.

KR,
Vic.

[Graham]

"She Saw Him At The Cleaners" was journalistic invention, and I believe the two newsmen responsible spoke about it to Woffinden, who appeared not to believe it either.

Ewer always denied making the "Ryan-Hanratty" link to the police.

Cheers,

Graham