Harriet Buswell 1872

[PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR 1]

One witness was a greengrocer who stated he served the victim with fruit at about 12.40am. He gave a description of the man with her: “The man looked like a mechanic. He had on dark, but common clothes. He was a stern-looking young man, and I should know him again. I guess him to be about 5’ 6” to 5’ 8” in height. He had small black spots like moles on his face. He was a dark- complexioned aged about 24-25 years.” he was never called was that because his description was totally different from Dr Hessell.

www.trevormarriott.co.uk

I don't think I have seen that description before and would be interested to see the source.

Here is one account, published in the Perth Gazette and West Australian Times, Friday 11 April 1873.

Fleck, the greengrocer, at whose shop the deceased purchased some fruit on the night of Christmas Eve, was positive that the prisoner was the man who accompanied her [but] two assistants in the greengrocer's shop were of a different opinion from that given by their employer.

John Murray, a boy in the service of Fleck, the greengrocer, said,

I was taken to Ramsgate, and saw the prisoner there. He is not the man I saw in our shop. He has not such a rough look and he is not so tall as the other man.

James Connolly, another boy in the service of Fleck, agreed with last witness in denying that the prisoner was the man he saw in the shop:

I went to Ramsgate, and saw Dr. Hessel. He resembles the man, but I am quite sure he is not the man. He resembles him in the spots on his face, the round shoulders, and in his not being shaved.

Christian Cazolet, a waiter at Kroll's Hotel, proved that Dr. Hessel went to his room on Christmas Eve, being unwell. At half-past eleven witness took some rum to him in his room, and then saw the Doctor in bed and his wife sitting by the bedside.

https://electricscotland.com/history/aberdeen/rifleman.pdf

If Christian Cazolet was right, then Hessel could not have been buying fruit and nuts for Harriet about half an hour later.