Frederick Henry Seddon

Frederick Henry Seddon was convicted of the murder of Elizabeth Mary Barrow 48 and sentenced to death. He poisoned her with arsenic at 63 Tollington Park, Islington, London on 14 September 1911. Both Frederick Seddon and his wife were charged with Elizabeth Barrow's murder, but Frederick Seddon's wife was acquitted. Frederick Seddon was an insurance agent and his salary and commissions came to about £300 per annum. He lived at 63 Tollington Park with his wife and five children, and later rented out an upper floor to Elizabeth Barrow. Elizabeth Barrow had lived with her cousins for 15 months prior to 27 July 1910 along with her two adopted children, a little girl and a 10-year-old boy who were the children of a friend that had died. However, she disagreed with the cousins and found lodgings with Frederick Seddon and his family, taking up four rooms on an upper floor. Elizabeth Barrow sent her little girl away to school and moved into 63 Tollington Park with the 10-year-old boy as well as some relatives of her adopted children, a husband and wife. However, it was heard that either Elizabeth Barrow or Frederick Seddon and his wife turned out the husband and wife ten days after they moved in. After Elizabeth Barrow died from arsenic poisoning on 14 September 1911 both Frederick Seddon and his wife were charged, it being claimed that either Frederick Seddon or his wife or both of them had administered the poison. The police said that the motive for the murder was financial. They noted that on 27 July 1911, Elizabeth Barrow had the following primary assets: India Stock worth £1,600 with a return of 3.5% that yielded £56. A leasehold public-house and barbers’ shop that yielded at least £120. Considerable sums of money in note and gold estimated to be worth £400. £216 in a savings bank. It was then said that Frederick Seddon appeared to have gained complete ascendancy over Elizabeth Barrow who the police report described as somewhat weak minded. It was heard that her India Stock had fallen slightly and that she had become nervous about the compensation charges and the budget, and the police report noted that Frederick Seddon had no doubt preyed on her fears. It was then found that Elizabeth Barrow transferred these assets to Frederick Seddon in exchange for a perpetual annuity. On 14 October 1910, Elizabeth Barrow transferred her £1,600 India stock to him and on 11 January 1911 she assigned the leaseholds to Frederick Seddon in exchange for an annuity of £52 charged on them. It was noted that Frederick Seddon had previously consulted his solicitors on 17 October 1910 on that matter. In regard to the India Stock, it was heard that Frederick Seddon had promised Elizabeth Barrow an annuity of £72 for the stock, but that for that there was no security whatever. It was noted that the transactions had been carried out through brokers and solicitors, but that Frederick Seddon admitted at his trial whilst in the box that in the first instance he had attempted to effect the transfers by an instrument prepared by himself. Later on, on 19 June 1911, Elizabeth Barrow went with Frederick Seddon's wife and withdrew the £216 from her savings bank in gold which was then taken back to 63 Tollington Park. It was heard that down to October 1910, Elizabeth Barrow had been receiving her rents quarterly and cashing the cheques over the counter which would have increased the amount of money that she would have had. It was noted that from 1 June 1911 onwards, according to Frederick Seddon, he paid Elizabeth Barrow £10 in cash on the first of each month in respect of her annuity. On 25 January 1911, Frederick Seddon sold the India Stock and invested the money in 14 houses that yielded a weekly return of £4. It was noted that from October 1910 to September 1911, 33 £5 notes that had been paid to Elizabeth Barrow were cashed, 27 of them by Frederick Seddon's wife, who had used an assumed name for some of them, and the other 6 cashed by Frederick Seddon. Frederick Seddon and his wife later said that they merely cashed them for Elizabeth Barrow and gave her the change. However, following Elizabeth Barrow's death, Frederick Seddon said that he could only find £10 in her possession. The police report noted that that meant that Elizabeth Barrow's store of notes and gold in her cash box, estimated by a witness to be worth about £400, the £216 from the savings bank, the proceeds of the rents, the annuity payments Frederick Seddon said he had made to Elizabeth Barrow and the £165 in gold from the 33 bank notes that had been changed, had all disappeared. The police report noted that motive was no proof of crime but said that Frederick Seddon had the strongest inducement to get rid of Elizabeth Barrow, not only to relieve himself of his obligation to pay her annuity, but to avoid detection as a thief and swindler. The police report next dealt with Elizabeth Barrow's illness and death. It noted that Elizabeth Barrow was first taken ill on 1 September 1911 and was then treated by her doctor for diarrhoea. It was noted that she mended a little, but the doctor that had treated her said that he couldn't understand why her sickness and purging would not yield to treatment. The police report noted that Frederick Seddon's 16-year-old daughter went to a chemist on 26 August 1911 and asked for four packets of arsenic fly-papers. However, the chemist was only able to give her one packet, which contained 6 papers, each of which it was noted would have contained 4 or 5 grains of arsenic. It was noted that 2 grains could have been a fatal dose, but that 5 grains certainly was and further noted that the arsenic could be distilled from the papers and easily disguised in meat juice or brandy. Following her initial illness, on 11 September 1911 Elizabeth Barrow executed a will drawn up by Frederick Seddon, leaving her furniture etc to her adopted children and appointing Frederick Seddon as the sole executor. It was noted that she had at that time been very ill, but the doctor that saw her that day, and again on 13 September 1911, said that he didn't think that her condition was critical. It was also noted that he had not been consulted as to Elizabeth Barrow's capacity to make a will on 11 September 1911. Frederick Seddon went out to the theatre on the night of 13 September and returned at 12.30am on 14 September 1911. It was noted that when he had returned from the theatre, his wife had told him that Elizabeth Barrow was dying to which Frederick Seddon had replied, 'Is she?' and to which his wife replied, 'No', smiling while she said it, later saying that she had said that in the light that she felt that Elizabeth Barrow was taking too gloomy a view of her condition. Elizabeth Barrow was violently ill through the night and sent down for Frederick Seddon's wife two or three times, during which on one occasion they had found her lying in agony on the floor. However, it was noted that they didn't send for the doctor, even though he lived across the road. After that Frederick Seddon and his wife stayed with Elizabeth Barrow. Frederick Seddon's wife sat up with her in her room whilst Frederick Seddon stood outside her door smoking. Elizabeth Barrow later died at 6.30am on 14 September 1911. She was buried soon after, but at the instance of the Director of Public Prosecutions, who had been apprised of Frederick Seddon's financial dealings with Elizabeth Barrow, her body was exhumed by the coroner on 15 November 1911 and it was found that she had died from arsenic poisoning. The doctor found that she had 0.6 of a grain of arsenic in her organs from which he computed that 2.01 grains of arsenic altogether must have been in her body which would have been the result of a 5-grain dose. Arsenic was also found in her hair and nails and it was noted that her body was well preserved which was stated as being usual in such cases. The doctor then concluded that he was confident that Elizabeth Barrow had died from acute arsenical poisoning with the fatal dose having been administered within 48 hours of her death. The police report then dealt with Frederick Seddon's behaviour after Elizabeth Barrow's death. It was heard that Frederick Seddon went to the doctor at 7am who, without inspecting Elizabeth Barrow's body, gave him a certificate stating that her death was due to epidemic diarrhoea. Then at 11am, Frederick Seddon went to see an undertaker and bargained with him for a funeral in a public grave to cost £4, telling him that £4.10 was all that Elizabeth Barrow had left to pay for her funeral and the doctors expenses. It was further noted that Frederick Seddon actually paid £3.7.6 for the funeral but took a receipt for £4.0.0 and entered it at £4 in his executor's account. It was noted that Elizabeth Barrow actually had a place in a vault and also had a paper to that effect which the police report noted that Frederick Seddon would almost certainly have found when he had gone through her things before going to the undertaker. It was noted that Elizabeth Barrow's cousins who she had had the disagreement with only lived a quarter of a mile away from 63 Tollington Park but Frederick Seddon never went there, and a letter he said that he had addressed to them, for which he had a copy, never reached them. Elizabeth Barrow's body was removed to the undertakers on the same day as her death and was buried two days later on 16 September 1911. On 20 September 1911, Elizabeth Barrow's cousins enquired after her, at which point Frederick Seddon told them that she was dead. Frederick Seddon told them, and had also communicated in his letter to them, which they had not received, that Elizabeth Barrow had left nothing as she had sold all her property to purchase an annuity, noting that it had all been done in order and through solicitors and stock-brokers. It was also noted that on the day that Elizabeth Barrow had died, Frederick Seddon had taken a gold ring that had belonged to Elizabeth Barrow and had had it altered to fit him and had also taken a gold watch that had belonged to her and had the metal dial substituted for a white one and had the name E.J. Barrow on it erased. It was further noted that on the evening of Elizabeth Barrow's death, Frederick Seddon was seen by two assistants counting over a large quantity of gold, about £200 and that on the 18 and 19 September 1911 he had invested £190 in gold in the purchase of Building Society Shares and made other large cash payments. At the trial, Frederick Seddon's main defence was that the actual administration of the arsenic by either him or his wife was not proved and added that the identification of his daughter as having purchased the fly-papers on 26 August 1911 was unreliable. He further claimed that if Elizabeth Barrow's death was due to arsenic poisoning then it was the result of Elizabeth Barrow accidently swallowing water in which fly-papers, said to have been bought by his wife, had been left lying. The police report concluded by saying, 'The trial lasted 10 days and it is impossible to do more than indicate the strength of the case against the prisoners, which in my opinion was overwhelming. The prosecution was conducted with conspicuous fairness by the Attorney General and the prisoners were well defended. The verdict I think illogical. Frederick Seddon's wife should, and before a less emotional and sentimental judge, would have been rightly convicted'. SEDDON, Frederick Henry (40, insurance superintendent), and SEDDON, Margaret Ann (34), wilful murder of Eliza Mary Barrow. The Attorney-General (Sir Rufus D. Isaacs, K.C.V.O., K.C., M.P.), Mr. Muir, Mr. Rowlatt, and Mr. Travers Humphreys prosecuted; Mr. Marshall Hall, K.C., M.P., Mr. R. Dunstan, and Mr. J. Wellesley Orr defended F. H. Seddon; Mr. Gervais Rentoul defended M. A. Seddon. Police-constable Percy ATTERSALL, 266 E, proved plans for use in the case. ROBERT ERNEST HOOK , engine driver, St. Austell, Cornwall. I knew Miss Barrow since 1896; she was then staying with my mother at Edmonton. On my mother's death in 1902 Miss Barrow went to live with my sister, Mrs. Grant, at 43, Roderick Road, Hampstead. I was then living there. In October, 1906, I knew that Miss Barrow had money in her possession; I helped her to count it; it was loose coins, and these were put into bags; altogether there was £420 put into bags; besides this gold there were banknotes; the coin and notes she put into a cashbox. On Mrs. Grant's death in November, 1908, Miss Barrow went to live at 53, Wolsley Avenue, with Mr. and Mrs. Kemp. She then went to live with a cousin, Frank Vonderahe, at 31, Hampstead Road, and continued there till July 26, 1910, when she moved to 63, Tollington Park. On the same day I and my sister took rooms at the same address. My sister died, leaving two children. Ernest and Hilda. Ernest continued to live with Miss Barrow; Hilda was sent to an orphanage at St. Margaret's. Ernest was then about eight years old. At 63, Tollington Park the arrangement with Miss Barrow was that my wife and myself should live rent free, my wife to teach her housekeeping and cooking. After the first time I saw deceased with money in her cashbox I next saw the cashbox at 31, Evershot Road; I saw it there on three different occasions. I also saw it on half a dozen occasions at 63, Tollington Park. In it there were bags containing each £20 in gold and some banknotes underneath the tray. At 63, Tollington Park, Miss Barrow had four rooms on the top (second) floor, two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a room unfurnished. My wife and I occupied the back bedroom. Ernest slept with Miss Barrow. My wife and I went there on the Tuesday before August Bank Holiday and left after a fortnight. On the Saturday before we left Miss Barrow and I went for a walk; we had a talk about the compensation for her public-house. She and I were always on good terms On the Sunday my wife and I and Ernest went to Barnet. Returning at six o'clock we found Miss Barrow was up; I had a friendly conversation with her. At ten that night Maggie Seddon brought me a notice to leave signed by Miss Barrow; I sent it back to her with a reply Later I saw Seddon; he said, "I see you do not mean to take any notice of Miss Barrow's notice to leave"; I said, "No, not this time of night"; she then told me I must clear out within 24 hours; he said that Miss Barrow had put all her affairs in his hands. I asked him if she had put her money in his hands; that seemed to surprise him; he said, "No." I said, "I will defy you and a regiment like you to get her money in your hands." He said he did not want her money, but he was going to look after her interests. At half past one in the morning I heard a rapping on my door and saw Seddon. He said, You will go out of here to-morrow morning." He had tacked on my door a notice, ordering me to leave within 24 hours, signed "F. Seddon, landlord and owner." I left at ten the next morning. I called there the following day with my brother. I have seen a will of Miss Barrow's; I saw it in her box on many occasions and also in her hand, the last time at 31, Evershot Road. Her habits with regard to money were very close and careful; she did not spend much. Cross-examined by Mr. Marshall Hall. After leaving 63, Tollington Park in August, 1910, I did not see Miss Barrow again. In November, 1911, I saw an account of the inquest, and I wrote to Chief Inspector Ward. I have been in the Army; in South Africa I had enteric fever, not very badly. I am 40 years old, about ten years younger than Miss Barrow was. She was no relation of mine; we had teen sweethearts. When she was living at my mother's house I saw her with a large sum of money. I first saw the cashbox at Mrs. Green's house. I do represent that Miss Barrow kept as much as £420 in gold besides notes in her cashbox. I knew that she had a deposit account at the Savings' Bank. I did not know that she also had an investment account. It is not true that my sister (Mrs. Grant) died of excessive drink; she did drink to excess. In 1906 I counted for Miss Barrow the money in the box; there was £420; I know the box could hold it, because I saw her put it into the box as I counted it. I helped to move from the Vonderahes to 63, Tollington Park, the move taking place between four and five. Creek helped me to load and unload; it was his cart. I carried the cashbox in my hand; it was covered up in an old apron and put in a brown handbag. I took the bag in the first instance to Evershot Road to put the cashbox in. The moving was not finished by five. I am certain we did not go into a public-house on the way while Miss Barrow held the horse's head; we stopped nowhere on our way. I had the bag in my hand the whole way. When we arrived there Creek brought in the chest of drawers; I gave the bag to Miss Barrow and she put it into the bottom drawer. I am certain she was the sort of woman who would keep gold of that amount in the house. I married on February 7, 1909. When I and my wife went with Miss Barrow to Tollington Park my wife was to give her lessons in housekeeping and cooking, and we were to have rooms rent free. She lent me 30s. to pay the expenses of moving my furniture and her's to Tollington Park. I exchanged some furniture with her, she giving me £3, the difference in value; this was about July, 1909. I was very hard up all this time. She was an old sweetheart of mine, and we were very great friends. It was a matter of importance to me that I should have these rooms rent free. She was not eccentric or bad-tempered. I did not think very badly of Seddon; I told him if he interfered with her money he would be in a rough corner. I warned her against him, and told her not to let any of her money go into his safe. I wrote her on August 8, 1910, in answer to her letter giving me notice because I had treated her badly. "As you are so impudent as to send' the letter to hand I wish to inform you that I shall require the return of my late mother's and sister's furniture and the expenses of my moving here and away." I knew she was very fond of Ernie and she would worry a lot if he went away from her, but that was not why I added this postscript, "I shall have to take Ernie with me as it is not safe to leave him with you"; I wrote that to save a lot of trouble; I knew her letter had been dictated by Seddon; he had got her under his thumb and she was likely to do anything, and I did not know what would become of the boy; it was meant for her to consider that notice. Between leaving the house and her death I never warned the Vonderahes or anybody that it was her money that Seddon was after; I went to Cornwall instead. I told Mr. Shepherd and another man about it. I never expected she would leave me her money. I knew it was no good seeing the Vonderahes, the nearest relatives, about it because they were just as helpless as I was. It was a pure delusion on her part that I had treated her badly. On the night she wrote me the letter she was crying because I had taken my wife and the boy out and left her. The furniture that I sold her belonged to my sister; I sold it to pay the quarter's rent for Hilda at the St. Margaret's Orphanage. It is not true that since my fever in South Africa a little drink makes me very excited. I do not know whether I am quick-tempered or not. I never frightened Miss Barrow or got excited with her. When shown a piece of jewellery at the police court I said I would not swear that it had belonged to Hilda; afterwards I said it did not. I identified this watch at once as belonging to Miss Barrow; I said I saw no difference in it. It had originally a white face and it has a gold face now. I never knew when I identified it that it had a white face; I did not turn the face up to have a look at it. I did look at the face. I know I had said before somewhere that I told Seddon it would take a whole regiment like him to get her money from her. I had no grounds to go to the police to inform them of the position between the Seddons and Miss Barrow. Cross-examined by Mr. Rentoul. I do suggest that Mrs. Seddon tried to influence Miss Barrow against me; I have never had the question put to me before; I have not changed my mind as to it. Re-examined. I was always on good terms with Miss Barrow when I lived with her. The distance from Evershot Road to Tollington Park would be, I think, from 50 to 80 yards. There was not a public-house the way we went. I made a statement on December 10. On November'25 I received an account of the inquest and put myself into communication with the authorities. To Mr. Marshall Hall. We did not go and have a drink when the van was loaded and we were about to start. FRANK ERNEST VONDERAHE , 160, Corbyn Street, Tollington Park. I formerly resided at 31, Evershot Road, leaving there in the June quarter of 1911. Deceased was my cousin; when she died she was 49 years old. She came to Jive with us in the early part of 1910 and remained 11 months, when she went to 63, Tollington Park. Ernest Grant lived with her and she paid us 35s. a week for her and the boy's keep. She was very kind to him. She had rather peculiar ways with her; she dressed rather poorly for her position. I knew she had £l,600 Three-and-a-Half per Cent. India Stock, rentals from the "Buck's Head" public-house, £105, and a barber's shop adjoining, £50, and she had, I believe, over £200 in the Finsbury Savings Bank. I saw on one occasion her cash box (Exhibit 2) open and in it there were what I took to be some bags of money and likewise a roll of banknotes, which were at the bottom below the tray. The bags were the same sort and colour that you get from the Bank containing £5 worth of silver. When on July 26 she went to 63, Tollington Park she took some furniture; I had nothing to do with the removal. I presume she took the cashbox. She left because she' got dissatisfied. I saw her several times subsequently in the Stroud Green Road and Tollington Park. I spoke to her; we were on friendly terms. I never went to see her at No. 63. I last saw her alive on August, 1911, in Tollington Park. About the commencement of November in the presence of Dr. Willcox, Dr. Spilsbury, and my brother I identified her dead body. On moving to Corbyn Street I gave notice of change of address to the post office and I have had letters delivered to my present address which had been addressed to Evershot Road. I never received a letter from male prisoner on or about September 14; I never received this letter addressed to me at 31, Evershot Road: "Bear Sir,—I sincerely regret to have to inform you of the death of your cousin, Miss Eliza Mary Barrow, at 6 a.m. this morning from epidemic diarrhoea. The funeral will take place on Saturday next about one to two p.m. Please inform Albert Edward and Emma Marion Vonderahe of her decease and let me know if you or they wish to attend the funeral. I must also inform you that she made a will on the 11th inst. leaving what she died possessed of to Hilda and Ernest Grant and appointed myself as sole executor under the will.—Yours respectfully, F.H. Seddon." I had a son who attended the same school as Ernest Grant. I had no notice of the deceased's burial; the first I knew of her death was on September 20 by inquiring at 63, Tollington Park; I had had some information given to me. On September 20 I saw a person whom I now know to be Mary Chater. (Mr. Marshall Hall stated he did not object to evidence being given of the conversation which ensued.) I asked to see deceased, and she said, "Don't you know she is dead and buried?" I said, "No, when did she die?" She said, Last Saturday, but if you will call about nine o'clock you will be able to see Mr. Seddon and he will tell you all about it." My wife and I called about 9.10 p.m., but we did not see him. My wife saw him the following day. On October 9 (I had not tried to see him before) I called with a friend, Thomas Walker, and saw him and has wife. I had never seen him before. He seemed to know who I was. He said to me, "Mr. Frank Ernest Vonderahe?" I said, "Yes." Turning to my friend, he said, "Mr. Albert Edward Vonderahe?"I said, "No, a friend of mine, my brother not being well enough to come." He said, "What do you want?" I said, "I have called to see the will of my cousin, and also to see the policy." He said, "I do not know why I should give you any information. You are not the eldest of the family. You have another brother of the name of Percy." I said, "Yes, but he might be dead for aught I know." He said, "I do not think so, but if so, you will have to swear an affidavit before a magistrate that he is dead. You have been making inquiries and talked about consulting a solicitor. It is about the best thing you can do." I said, "Who is the owner of the 'Buck's Head' now?" He said, "I am likewise the shop next door. I am always open to buy property. This house I live in, 14 rooms, is my own, and I have 17 other properties. I am always open to buy property at a price." I asked him how it was that ray cousin was buried in a common grave when she had a family vault at Highgate. He said, "I thought it was full up." I said, "Who bought the India Stock?" He said, "You will be able to write to the Governor of the Bank of England and ask him, but everything has been done in a perfectly legal manner through solicitors and stockbrokers. I have nothing to co with it." He said he had bought the "Buck's Head" and the barber's shop in the open market. As I was leaving I said, "How about this annuity? What did she pay for it?" He said, "Taking into consideration your cousin's age and if you inquire at any post office, you will find she paid at the rate of 17 for one, and she had an annuity of £3 a week." He did not tell me by whom she was paid the annuity and I did not know. I learnt of the annuity from the letter he sent to my wife dated September 21 (Exhibit 3): "To the relatives of the late Miss Eliza Mary Barrow, who died September 14th inst. at the above address from epidemic diarrhoea, certified by Dr. Sworn, 5, Highbury Crescent, N. Duration of illness 10 days. As executor under the will of Miss Barrow, dated September 11, 1911, I hereby certify that Miss Barrow has left all she died possessed of to Hilda and Ernest Grant, and appointed me as sole executor in trust until they become of age. Her property and investments she disposed of through solicitors and stockbrokers about October, 1910, last, to purchase a life annuity, which she received monthly up to the time of her death. The annuity died with her. She stated in writing that she did not wish any of her relatives to receive any benefit at her death. She had simply left furniture, jewellery, and clothing." It is signed "F.H. Seddon, Executor." I did not see him again until the inquest. After this interview I communicated with the Director of Public Prosecutions. I know for a fact that the family vault at Highgate is not full up. When I said I had come so see about "the policy" I meant the annuity that he had referred to in the letter. To Mr. Marshall Hall. Miss Barrow was not under the impression that the vault was full up; I did not speak to her about it during her lifetime; she had the proof of the grave. Hook came to visit her several times when she was with us. He was not always short of money; I daresay she gave him money; I cannot say that I knew he took the furniture from Mrs. Grant's house when Mrs. Grant died. I know he sold some to deceased, and I presume it was his to sell. The bags were in the two compartments of the tray of the cash box. I see you cannot shut the box if the lids are open; the lids were practically shut, but slightly up, when I saw the bags. There were some few bags underneath as well: I am aware I have not said that before; I was confused when I was giving evidence before. I saw the tray out for a few seconds. There might have been a leather purse underneath, but I could not swear to it. The cashbox is a very old one, I believe; it has a common lock upon it. I am no judge of cash boxes or tin boxes. Deceased once spat in my wife's face; she had very peculiar ways. After the last Budget she was very much worried about the Compensation Clause and she consulted me about her liability for the "Buck's Head." I drafted a letter for her on March 24, 1910, to the brewery solicitors. I will not swear that this letter (Exhibit 125) suggesting that she should be allowed to make certain deductions in respect of that property is the one; I cannot swear it is in my handwriting; I cannot recollect writing it; I will not swear that I did not tell male prisoner she had consulted me. (The witness on being asked gave a specimen of his hand writing—Exhibit 126.) Deceased did not have a little bit of a quarrel while she was with us. This document, dated March 27, 1911 Exhibit 7), is very much like her handwriting; I have never seen it before. I should say that deceased saying we had been unkind to her was a delusion; there was no foundation for it. I should not have been surprised if she left us none of her property; she was such a peculiar woman and she might leave it to a perfect stranger. She wanted to know the reason why the licensing duties were increasing each year and she seemed worried about it. She did not consult me about the proposed taxation on land; she might have mentioned it at the time it was going on. She did not tell me that a friend of hers, a Mrs. Smith, had bought an annuity. I know Mrs. Smith was in receipt of an annuity about that time. I remember the day of the removal, but I could not say what time it took place as I was not there. She kept her cashbox in a trunk, which, I suppose, was moved with the other things. When I saw her subsequently in the street she did not meet other people that I know of. Sometimes she would get offended over nothing and not speak to people for a week at a time. I did not see Hook again after he left 163, Tollington Park. He knew my address. I never had any communication from him. About three or four days (it may have been more, more than a week) before September 20 I heard from my boy, who was attending the same school as Ernie, that Ernie was ill, and then afterwards we heard that deceased was ill, but it was only hearsay. My wife told me after she had seen prisoner on September 21 that Seddon had told her he was going away for a holiday for a fortnight and would see me when he came back. I remember just before October 9 Ernie coming round and saying that Seddon was back and could see me. When I went round on October 9 I did not say I had come round to know about Miss Barrow's will "and the annuity." I am quite sure that deceased never told me when I met her out that she had bought an annuity. I agree I did not say before the magistrate that he wound up by saying, "I have nothing to do with it," but, as I said before, I had never been in a court before and I was very ill at the time and I got confused. Seddon and I parted on good terms. I never had an interview with the Public Prosecutor. I said nothing about arsenic to him. When I saw deceased last time she was quite well, only she complained of the heat. I know she consulted Dr. Francis and Dr. Paull in her time. I know that Jarman, a cheesemonger at Crouch Hill, was in the habit of changing dividend warrants for her; Mrs. Vonderahe always went with her. I have never changed a bank note in my life for her; nor did my wife to my knowledge. I remember when Margaret Seddon brought a message round, but the door was not shut in her face; my wife told me in the evening that a girl had been round and asked if there were any letters for deceased and she had said "No." She was not treated discourteously. I did not resent deceased having left us. On one occasion there was a death at my house, and there was an inquest and burial. Deceased knew of this. Re-examined. Dr. Francis attended her when she was living at Lady Somerset Road shortly before she came to live with us. On two nights previous to calling on the Seddons on September 20 my wife and I were passing their house and we saw all the windows of her apartments wide open, which was unusual; we had heard from our son that she was ill. JULIA HANNAH VONDERAHE . I am the wife of the last witness. After deceased left our house I used to meet her sometimes in the street at various places; we were on quite friendly terms. The last time I saw her was towards the end of August in the street. I first heard of her death from my husband, and the same night I went with him to 63, Tollington Park. We did not see prisoners. The next morning I went with. my sister-in-law, Mrs. Albert Edward Vonderahe. Miss Seddon opened the door. We were shown into the sitting-room, where we waited some time. Prisoners then came in. Mr. Seddon turned to my sister-in-law and asked her whether she was Mrs. Frank Vonderahe. I said, "No, I am." He then handed me this letter, dated September 14, which I read. He asked why didn't we come to the funeral, and I said I had had no letter or I would have come, and I must go to the post-office and inquire why we did not receive the letter. I had never received any letter like that. About that time I had this business letter (produced) redirected from 31, Evershot Road to my present address; I got it on September 16; it is dated September 14. It has on the envelope "not known" and my present address. (The post-mark had been taken off.) He also showed me Exhibit 3, a copy of the will (Exhibit 4), and a memorial card (Exhibit 5), which he put into an envelope and gave to me. I did not had much conversation with him; while I was reading these he was talking to my sister-in-law. Just before leaving he said he had sent his daughter about a letter of deceased's and I had slammed the door in her face; I contradicted that. I asked him if he would see my sister-in-law's husband in the evening, and he said he was going away next day; he had wasted enough time and could not possibly see them. I said they would not detain him long, and he said he could not see them as he was going away for a fortnight. He said what a trying time they had had with deceased, how she had called them up and how he had gone up and told her she must not call them any more as they wanted their rest. To Mr. Marshall Hall. I was there when deceased moved from our house to 63, Tollington Park; there was a cart and horse. There was nothing left behind that anybody came back for. As far as I can remember they started about midday and finished about three. She gave us a week's notice before she left; we had not exactly quarrelled but she had one of her moods on—not speaking to anybody. There was no cause for her leaving. I saw her pretty frequently out of doors subsequently. When I last saw her she had a bad cold, but otherwise she seemed all right. When Margaret Seddon called for letters I did not shut the door any quicker than usual that I can remember. I went with deceased several times to Jarman's to change dividend warrants. Once she spat in my face, but I took no notice; she was very excitable and irritable. The children took off the stamp from the envelope enclosing this letter (Exhibit 127) as they collect stamps. Re-examined. I found the letter since I was examined at the police-court, and I thought it was the letter I had referred to in my evidence. AMELIA BLANCHE VONDERAHE . I live with my husband, Albert Edward Vonderahe, at 82, Gelderston Road, Clapton. On September 21 I went with my sister-in-law to 63, Tollington Park, where I saw prisoners. I saw Seddon give her several documents in an envelope. Besides those, he read to me Exhibit 7. I said that the copy of the will which he produced was signed with lead pencil, and he said it was only a copy and he would not give us the original. I said, "Of course the original would be taken to Somerset House for probate?" He said he had been to Somerset House, but there was no probate required on a will of that description; he said he had the original in his bank for safety. I asked him if he wished us to understand that Miss Barrow had parted with all her investments (I mentioned the "Buck's Head" and the barber's shop) and that she had bought an annuity which had died with her. He said, Yes, everything. "I said whoever had persuaded her to do that was a remarkably clever person—and she" was a very hard nut to crack if you mentioned money matters to her. He made no answer to that. I do not remember him saying who had granted her the annuity. He said that on the last night she was a vary great trouble to them; she sent Ernie down once or twice, but as his wife was worn out with waiting so much on her he had gone up himself; he had asked her what she wanted and he had given her some brandy, and had hoped that she would not trouble again as they were retiring to rest. He said the boy came down again after that and he went up again and gave her some more brandy (he did not say what time), and that he had left some brandy in the bottle, which was gone in the morning. I said I thought it was a great pity that she was buried in a common grave when she had a family vault at Highgate, but Mrs. Seddon said they had a very nice funeral; they did everything nicely. One of them said Ernie was at Southend. Mr. Seddon said he had no legal claim on the boy, but that he should always look after him; if the relatives could find a better home for him to go to he should let him go. We then left. Mrs. Seddon's only other remark was that she felt very ill through waiting on deceased and she was going to the doctor that day. In the early summer of 1910, when she was staying at Evershot Road, deceased showed me a gold watch, similar to Exhibit 121, attached to this gold chain (Exhibit 122). I saw a diamond ring similar to this (Exhibit 121) in her possession; the setting is precisely the same as when I saw it, because I remember remarking to her that it looked rather like a gentleman's ring; I cannot say about the size. I recognise this gold chain with a blue enamel pendant (Exhibit 123); she showed it to me. To Mr. Marshall Hall. The first thing that Seddon said when he came in was, "Why didn't you answer the letter that I sent you?" I told him that deceased was strange at times—she was not responsible at times, and he said, "You could never get her to do anything if she did not want to do it." Everybody agreed that she was a difficult person to handle when it came to a question of money. She was very deaf. Ernie used to shout into her ear what people said. Everybody had to shout. Dr. EDWARD HENRY GROVE, M. R. C. P., stated that Dr. Cohen, the coroner who took the depositions on the inquest, was unable to attend to give evidence. WILLIAM DELL . On September 1 I went to live at 31, Evershot Road. Three days afterwards I received a circular addressed to a Mr. Vonderahe, whose address I did not know, so I wrote "not known" upon it and reposted it. I received no further letters. To Mr. Marshall Hall. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes did not come to live with us until September 16. I should say that the words "Not known" are in my son's writing. I, my wife, and three children lived in the house; we kept no servant. ELEANOR FRANCES DELL , wife of previous witness, corroborated. STANLEY GEORGE DELL . I live with my parents. I remember receiving a letter addressed to a Mr. Vonderahe. I crossed the envelope (Exhibit 127)"not known" and reposted it. Several witnesses were called to prove the possession by Miss Barrow of certain bank notes, and the dealings with them by the two prisoners. The witnesses were not cross-examined. At the conclusion of this block of evidence the Attorney-General summed up its effect as follows: "It is established that there were in all 33 Bank of England notes of £5 each, the proceeds of cheques of Truman, Hanbury and Co., in favour of Miss Barrow at various dates extending from 1901 to 1910. These 33 £5 notes have been traced as to each of them as the proceeds of one or other of the cheques received by Miss Barrow from Truman, Hanbury and Co. for the rent of the 'Buck's Head.' Of those 33, six are proved to have gone to the male prisoner's credit with his bank; one on October 13, 1910, the other five on January 13, 1911. As to the remaining 27 of the 33, nine of them are notes with endorsements in the name of Scott, of Evershot Road. Those nine appear in this way. Two of them are endorsed in the handwriting of the female prisoner on October 14, 1910; endorsed by her with the name of M. Scott, of 18, Evershot Road; six are endorsed in the name of Mrs. Scott, of 18, Evershot Road; one in the name of Mrs. Scott, of Evershot Road; the remaining 18 of the 33 are traced to Mrs. Seddon. The whole period covered during the dealing with these 33 £5 notes is from October 14, 1910, when both the male and the female prisoner are dealing with the notes, until August 23, 1911. That is the last date traced." Mr. Marshall Hall pointed out that all these 33 notes were dealt with before the death of Miss Barrow. Witnesses were called to prove the transfer by Miss Barrow of £1,600 Three-and-a-Half per Cent. India Stock on October, 1910, from her name to that of Frederick Henry Seddon. On January 25, 1911, Seddon gave instructions to sell out, and a cheque was given to him for £1,519 16s. 0d. ARTHUR DOUGLAS LAING , clerk, London County and Westminster Bank, Lothbury. On January 25, 1911, F. H. Seddon opened a deposit account with the payment in of £1,519 16s. On February 1, 1911, there was a withdrawal of £119 16s. On March 6, 1911, the balance with interest was withdrawn and the account closed. All the withdrawals were effected in notes and gold. EDWIN RUSSELL , solicitor, of Russell and Sons, 59, Coleman Street, E. C. In January, 1911, my firm acted for the male prisoner in the matter of the assignment to him from Miss Barrow of her interest in the "Buck's Head" public-house and a barber's shop adjoining. Exhibit 11 is the assignment, dated January 11, 1911, the consideration being the payment by him to her of an annuity of £52 per annum, in monthly instalments. At the suggestion of my firm a solicitor, Mr. Knight, acted separately for Miss Barrow. To Mr. Marshall Hall. Miss Barrow wrote us several letters, which showed that she took an intelligent interest in the transaction. HENRY W. D. KNIGHT , solicitor, 22, Surrey Street, Strand. I acted for Miss Barrow in the matter of the assignment, and attended the completion on January 11, 1911. She was very deaf. I read the assignment to her and also handed her the document, asking her to read the material part, that relating to the charging of the annuity; she read it in my presence, and executed the document. Russell and Sons paid my costs. JOHN CHARLES PEPPER , chief clerk, Finsbury and City of London Savings' Bank. Miss Barrow opened a deposit account with us on October 17, 1887; it continued until June 19, 1911, when it was closed by the withdrawal of the balance of £216 9s. 7d.; Miss Barrow came with another lady and drew out that amount in gold. There was a run on the Birkbeck Bank at that time. She took the gold in two bags of £100 each, and 16 loose sovereigns. To Mr. Marshall Hall. On September 30, 1909, Miss Barrow opened an investment account with the payment in of £10; she withdrew that with interest on April 7, 1911. ARTHUR DOUGLAS LAING , recalled. On Friday last this cashbox was brought to our bank, and I saw placed on the top of the tray two bags each containing £250; there was left space for as much again. Under the tray was placed a bag containing £150 in gold; there was room for another £300. To Mr. Marshall Hall. The box is a common, ordinary kind of box. ERNEST GRANT . I am ten years old. I knew Miss Barrow all my life; I used to call her Chicky. I went with her to live at Seddon's house. At first I slept with her; later I slept in a little room by myself. I went for a holiday to Southend, and when I came back Miss Barrow was ill and had to stay in bed; I again slept with her. The last night I slept with her she kept waking up; she asked me to call Mrs. Seddon. I did so, and Mrs. Seddon came up with Mr. Seddon. This happened several times that night. Eventually I went to my own bedroom, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Seddon with Miss Barrow; I never saw her again. She was always an affectionate and loving woman to me. The next day I went with two of Seddon's children to Southend and stayed at Mrs. Jeffery's house; I there first heard that Miss Barrow was dead. I remember the servant at the Seddon's house; I knew her as Mary" I now know her as Mary Chater. She never waited on deceased. Before deceased was ill she and I had our meals together in her room; Maggie Seddon used to cook the things in deceased's kitchen before she was ill, but after she was ill Mrs. Seddon attended her throughout. I used to see her taking medicine; Mrs. Seddon gave it her. I never gave it her. I saw her take it herself only once, when she was ill, in the day time. It was left by the side of her bed for her; she used to turn over, reach out and get it; I have only seen her pour out herself once; I cannot remember how long it was before the last night this happened. Before I went away for the last time on this night I did not see any medicine given her. She sent me down for Mrs. Seddon more than twice that night; I cannot remember how many times; she only told me to go down and call her as she felt so ill; she told me to tell her that she had pains in her stomach. When she came up she made a hot flannel and, put it on her; I cannot remember if this happened the first time she came up; I do not think Mr. Seddon was there then. During part of that night she was badly sick more than once. After I had been sent down she got out of bed and sat on the floor; she did not say why. I cannot remember if she did that more than once. She said, I am going," and sat on the floor; she seemed in great pain. She sat there until Mr. and Mrs. Seddon came up, and put her-into bed again. I used to see this cashbox (Exhibit 2) in a big black box. I have seen her put it on the bed and turn out gold from it on to the bed, and sometimes she used to count and sometimes she used to take one out. I cannot say how much gold she turned out. I noticed one bag inside the box, and I think I saw another one. I have seen her put money in the bag. I have also seen her come up from the dining-room with pieces of gold more than once; I cannot say how many times. She put them in the cashbox. I saw her last count the money just before she was taken ill before she took me to Southend. To Mr. Marshall Hall. Mr. and Mrs. Seddon were very kind to her and she was very fond of them. I was much happier at their house than at the Vonderahes; they were very kind to me. When we all went to Southend we stayed a week-end. We came back together and I went back to school; I was at school all the time she was ill. When she was ill I slept with her nearly all the time. I remember about ten days before this last night going to my own bed. I cannot remember if she had a cup of tea in the morning when she was ill. Maggie used to bring the tea to her before she was ill. Miss Barrow used to go out and buy her own food and I used to go with her sometimes; I used to go out walks with her, too. She used to take me to and bring me back from school. I do not know how many nights I slept with her before the last night. I did not notice any nasty smell in the room. I remember the doctor putting up a sheet in front of the door and I remember smelling carbolic. The doctor gave her first of all a thick white mixture, which she would not take; it was not this medicine that Mr. Seddon gave her; it was the stuff like water—the medicine had to be put into glasses, which she liked. She found it difficult to breathe and I remember seeing her take little lozenges for that; I do not remember the kind of bottle she took them out of; I have never seen a bottle like this (produced) in her possession. I do not remember if she took lozenges out of doors. On the last night Mr. Seddon told me to go to my room to get some sleep, because I was woke up; that happened two or three times. Sometimes Miss Barrow got very cross with me. She was very deaf and you had to shout in her ear. I sometimes repeated what other people said to her. I do not think she got annoyed because I used to get up early and run round the room. I used to do that and she complained. Once she said she would throw herself out of the window because I annoyed her. She told me her relations had not been kind to her. I do not know how long I had been in bed on this night when she woke me up and told me to fetch Mrs. Seddon. It was very hot indeed about this time. I do not remember Miss Barrow saying anything about the flies. Flies were all over the place and I heard them talked about, I did not see any Mather's flypapers lying about. I cannot read much. I do not remember any things being got to kill the flies. I was in the room on the last night when she had to use something for her diarrhoea, but I do not think it was very often she did it. I used to go for walks with her in Tollington Park; we did not meet a good many people there; we used to meet Mrs. Vonderahe sometimes. Inspector Ward has been taking care of me. The bag that I saw in the cashbox was a paper one of a greyish colour; it was half full, I believe. The reason why Miss Barrow left the Vonderahes was because she did not like the way they cooked the food. She was very particular about her food. I remember when she was very angry with. Mr. Hook because he had taken me out for a walk and left her at home. She told them to go. Re-examined. Mr. Seddon told them to go. I saw a flypaper at Mrs. Henderson's house at Southend; I do not know if that was the first time I had seen one. I never saw any flypapers in any room of the Seddon's house. To Mr. Marshall Hall. The flypaper that I saw at Southend was a sticky one that flies stick to. To the Court. Maggie never showed me a flypaper; I never saw a flypaper like this (Mather's). ANNIE HENDERSON , Riviera Drive, Southchurch, near Southend. Before the August Bank Holiday of last year two of the prisoners' children stayed with me. Ernie Grant stayed with me from September 14 till the 28th. LEAH JEFFREYS , Briary Villa, Southend. The first time prisoner came to me was on August 8 last year; he stayed till the 1st. Miss Barrow came in to meals several times and went away on the 8th, she seemed very well. The next time Mr. and Mrs. Seddon came with two daughters, and a baby, on September 22, and stayed till October 8. Ernie Grant came in several times to see them; he did not stay with me at any time. About September 22 Mr. Seddon asked him if he knew Miss Barrow was dead. The boy said, "No," and he said, "Oh, yes; she's dead." MARY ELIZABETH ELLEN CHATER . I am now living at Crompton Terrace. For nearly 12 months I was a general servant to prisoners a: 63, Tollington Park; 1 left last February. Apart from Mrs. Rutt, who came as a charwoman, no other servant was kept. I slept in the same room as Margaret and her youngest sister on floor below that occupied by deceased; prisoners slept on the same floor as I did, only my room was at the back. My room had a partition in it and on the other side of the partition, when I first went there, the two sons and the grandfather slept. Nobody slept on the top floor except deceased and Ernie Grant. Mrs. Seddon did the cooking; she cooked the food for her family in our kitchen downstairs. She and her daughter cooked deceased's food in her kitchen on the top floor. I never cooked any food for deceased; I had nothing to do with her. Deceased went away to Southend for a short time and on her return she was ill. Dr. Sworn came to see her; I used to open the door to him. From the time he came I never saw her downstairs; I think she always kept her room. During her last illness Mrs. Seddon cooked her food in the upstairs kitchen. I never saw any of the food thus prepared; I have never been into deceased's kitchen except once, when deceased was out one day before her severe illness. During her last illness I never saw any food prepared for her in the kitchen downstairs. I knew some Liebig's Extract and Valentine's Meat Juice came, but I never saw it prepared. I never went into deceased's bedroom. To Mr. Marshall Hall. I did say before the magistrate, "She had light food during her illness. I saw them prepared downstairs"; I did not see Mrs. Seddon prepare it. (Three extracts from witness's depositions, in which she had stated that she had seen Mrs. Seddon prepare light food, such as Valentine's meat juice, milk puddings, etc., downstairs, were read.) I knew she was preparing them downstairs because I saw her taking them up to Miss Barrow. I am wearing a nurse's uniform because I used to be a nurse years ago; I have worn one since I came to London and before. My father was an inspector of nuisances at Rugby. I have a cousin Frederick; I do not know exactly where he is living; I wrote the other week to Nottingham, but I was told he had been left there five years. I understand from a letter I had that he has not been in good health. I do not know that he is now in an asylum. I swear I do not know that any immediate relative of mine is now in an asylum. My first employment was with a Miss Nicholson at Rugby; I was not with her until she died. I then went to a private hospital for incurables at Leamington and then to a large infirmary as a nurse at Brownlow Hill, where I stayed two months. I then went to Canada, where I stayed for 4 1/2 years as a nurse, in Quebec. On my return I boarded at a coffee house in Rugby until Miss Nicholson engaged me. I first took a situation as a general servant at Ferntower Road, where I stayed four months. I then went to a Home for Discharged Servants, and from there to a place in Highbury Place for a short time. I subsequently went to Dr. Day's, where I stayed nearly 12 months, and then I went to Kelross Road, and from there I started nursing again. I then went for 16 months to a hospital for mentally incurable cases as a nurse, and then I stayed it a registry office in Islington. I then went to Mrs. Page as a servant; I stayed there 10 months. I then went to 115, Queen's Road, where I stayed four months, returning to Mrs. Page, where I remained mother seven months. I was out of a situation for a time and in April, 1911, I went to the prisoners. I have made a considerable study of mental cases and medical works. I thought deceased war inclined to be asthmatical when I first saw her. I used to notice she had great difficulty in breathing. I never told her anything that was good for asthma. I have one brother. I do not know that he has been in a lunatic asylum 20 years; I was away from home, if that ii the case. Threats have never been made to inquire into my mental condition. My father knew Lord Leigh, because he used to be in the Warwickshire Battalion; I never knew him myself and I have not constantly talked about him as a personal friend of mine. My cousin Frederick never took any money from me, and I have never said that he did. Mrs. Magner never suggested whilst I was in her employ that I was not responsible for my actions. I did not break a lot of crockery before leaving 63, Tollington Park and say, "I'm going; they will arrest me next." Mrs. Harrington never complained that I was eccentric and incapable of doing my work. She always allowed me to wear a nurse's uniform. When with Dr. Day I did not break into violent fits of shouting, and say that people were after me; he did not say I was quite irresponsible. I know Mrs. Chater, of Rugby; her husband is my brother; I have stayed with her; I still say I do not know that my brother is in an asylum. Deceased always got up in the morning to see the boy to school. I have never seen the flypapers in the house. We had a great many flies, but nothing very extraordinary. I did not see the circular that the medical officer sent round. Miss Margaret used to wash up the things that came out of Miss Barrow's room when she first did her work; the latter part sometimes a cup and saucer used to come downstairs to be washed. I do not know much about preparing medicine. I did not tell Miss Barrow that arsenic was a very good thing for asthma; I never heard of such a thing in my life. This is my signature on the statement; Mr. Saint asked me that question, and I said not that I know of. I never saw Miss Barrow take little pills. I never saw her except when I answered the door to her; she used to come through the kitchen sometimes to go into the garden before they went to Southend, but she never sat with me. From the time I first saw her I thought she was in bad health: she was always resting when she came in, and she had diarrhoea and sickness constantly long before this illness. There was a dreadfully bad smell in the house during the last illness; they put up carbolic sheets. It is true I said before the magistrates: "Miss Barrow came down to the kitchen sometimes and sat a while. She sometimes interfered with me. I put that down to her illness. She was very irritable sometimes. I never quarrelled or had words with her She was not a heavy woman." She was not thin. Mrs. Seddon never complained of the way I did my work. I did not implore her to keep me on; I told her if she wished to dispense with my services I had an offer, Mrs. Barnett; I never spoke to her of my friendship with Lord Leigh. I have never seen a Mather flypaper before; I have heard of them; I swear I never saw one in any room of the house. Mrs. Seddon never complained to me that I was not responsible for what I said. Re-examined. The longest time I have been in service as a servant was three years ago; I was for 16 months in Turrer Road, Tollington Park, with a Mrs. Roach; I was in Dr. Day's service nearly 12 months, and Mrs. Barnett, who engaged me afterwards, went to him 101 my character; that was the lady who wanted to engage me when I was with Mrs. Seddon. When applying for new situations I always referred to persons I had been with. (To the Court.) I never administered arsenic to Miss. Baraow, knowingly or unknowingly. (Mr. Marshall Hall stated that he did not suggest that witness had done it knowingly.) I made a statement to the prisoners' solicitor, Mr. Saint, at Mr. Seddon's house, after Mr. Seddon's arrest, and before Mrs. Seddon's. I gave him all the particulars of the situations I had been in. WILLIAM SEDDON , 63, Tollington Park. I am father of the male prisoner. About the middle of last February 12 months I went to live at 63, Tollington Park. I slept in the back room on the ground floor. I had nothing to do with deceased in the way of waiting upon her. I never prepared or gave her any food or medicine. I saw her on two or three occasions during her last illness; one of the occasions was when I signed this will (Exhibit 31) as a witness on September 11; I saw her sign it. My son, my daughter-in-law, and myself were present. The other occasion was on a Wednesday, when going upstairs for some tools I saw her door open, and I went in and asked how she was. She said she was poorly, and I hoped she would get better soon. I only saw her twice in her room. On September 11 a married daughter of mine, Mrs. Longley, and her daughter, came to stay, and they stayed till after deceased's death. I went with them to different places of amusement. I went to deceased's funeral. Prisoner also went. To Mr. Marshall Hall. I did not see the will actually made. She was very deaf. It was read to her, and she could not thoroughly understand it, and she asked for it and her glasses to read it with. She read it, signed it, and said, "Thank God, that will do." I went to get her glasses from the mantelpiece; I cannot remember seeing anything there; I did not look very minutely. She seemed perfectly sane altogether, and quite able to understand What was said to her. I did not go into her room again until the Wednesday that I have referred to. I noticed very often she was eccentric. Before this illness I understood she had been under a doctor; Mrs. Seddon advised her to go but she hesitated until at last she took her to Dr. Sworn, who attended her until her death. The weather was very warm indeed daring her last illness. I did not see the notice that the medical officer sent round about flies. There were plenty of flies knocking about both upstairs and downstairs; I cannot say if deceased ever complained of them. I have seen some of these Mather's flypapers in the house, I think—about August. I cannot say exactly whether they were wet or dry. I think I saw some; I am not certain. I cannot say exactly whether they were in a saucer. I went to the undertaker's with Mrs. Seddon and Mrs. Longley. Mr. Nodes's son was not there. They took a wreath and put it on the coffin lid. We got a woman to remove the lid, and Mrs. Seddon kissed the corpse. MARY EMMA LONGLEY , wife of James Longley, superintendent, London and Manchester Industrial Assurance Co. I live at Wolverhampton. On September 11, with my daughter, aged 14, I came up to town on a visit to my brother, the male prisoner, at 63, Tollington Park. We stayed till the 18th. Every day we went to places of amusement with my father; my daughter always accompanied us except on the Monday. I stopped out every night until bedtime. The first night I arrived prisoners took me to the Empire, Fins-bury Park; that was the only occasion they accompanied us. On the night of September 14 I went out with my daughter, Mrs. Seddon and their son William. I had nothing to do with Miss Barrow during my stay. To Mr. Marshall Hall. The blinds were all pulled down on September 14. On the Friday morning I inadvertently pulled them up, and Mrs. Seddon was quite annoyed. I remember going with her and my father to the undertaker's; she took a wreath. Mrs. Nodes was there but no young man. CARL TAYLOR , assistant superintendent, Holloway District, London and Manchester Industrial Assurance Company. Prisoner was superintendent for my district. Every Thursday I went to the front room of the basement of his house, which he used as an office, to make up the accounts of moneys received by collectors; the collectors came there. On September 14 I arrived about 12.30 p.m., but I did not see him until 1.30. I worked with him all day. During the afternoon he complained that he felt very tired and that he had been up all night. I suggested that he should lie down for a couple of hours and he said he thought he would. This was something after four. He came back soon after five. The amount received in the industrial branch was £63 14s. 3d. The money was generally paid in in half gold and half silver and a few coppers. The last collector was out of the office certainly before 7. A little after 9 p.m. I was busy writing, when I heard the chink of money. I just turned my head, where I had a side view of prisoner's desk, and I saw several piles of sovereigns and a good little heap besides; at the time I estimated it at over £200. I should not say that was part of the collectors' money; the collectors' money when received was put in this till (Exhibit 28), which he kept in the cupboard, and at this time the till was in the cupboard. He packed these sovereigns into four bags and, holding three in one hand and one in the other, he faced me and Smith. He put the one bag in front of Smith and said, "Here, Smith, here's your wages." He picked it up again and put the four bags into the safe, which was alongside the fireplace—not the same place as where the till was put in. This plan (Exhibit 27) shows where we all sat. The collectors came in at the door in front of Seddon's desk, and they put their money on his desk. To Mr. Marshall Hall. I have only known prisoner personally since last April and I had been coming every Thursday since that time. No money was brought in by the collectors on this day when prisoner was way. We were there till midnight. I did not go out at all between five and nine. At nine prisoner did not fetch the till from the cupboard, put it on his desk, and count the contents. I am quite prepared to say that the money I saw prisoner counting was not money from the till; I am positive. The collection sheet for the week shows £80, but then commission, salaries, and bonuses had to be paid out of that, so that the amount in the till was really about £50. I agree that I may be wrong in my estimate of the amount I saw, £200, because I have made an experiment since with the same kind of bags. I find four of those bags contain over £400. He said what he did to Smith as a joke. I never saw him the same as he was on that day. Smith said, "I only wish it was true, Mr. Taylor." When I gave my evidence before I knew that some £200 was missing; I read it in the papers. The amount that he was handling was not £100. Smith tried the experiment with me. I did not know the prisoner was in the habit of keeping a large sum of money in the house. The safe was a largish one. Prisoner did say that week that he was about £2 out in his cash. I do not think he said that the business was not as good as it used to be and they would have to decrease the staff; he told me that he expected he should have to do with one assistant superintendent, and if that was so he would have to decrease the staff by getting rid of some of the men. It was not in his power to dismiss me. He told me he would have to report it and apply for an exchange. The first thing that brought back to my mind this incident of the £200 was what I saw in the paper about the inquest. Re-examined. Prisoner looked very weary and haggard; he told me he had been up all night. (Wednesday, March 6.) JOHN CHARLES ARTHUR SMITH , Assistant Superintendent, Holloway District, London and Manchester Industrial Assurance Company About 12.45 p.m. on September 14 I went to 63, Tollington Park, and stopped till midnight. About 8.30 p.m. I noticed a large amount of gold on prisoner's desk—loose sovereigns and half-sovereigns; two bags had already been filled. There was about £100 loose gold on the table. I have experimented since. (Mr. Justice Bucknill told the witness that he must confine his answers to the questions.) I saw no silver or copper. Prisoner placed the gold into two more bags. He put one of the bags on my desk and said jokingly, "Smith, here's your wages." I said, "I wish you meant it, Mr. Seddon." He then placed four bags in the safe. He generally put the collector's money in a till; I had seen this money dealt with very nearly 12 months and he always did this. To Mr. Marshall Hall. I first came into communication with the police last December. I drew the conclusion that the two bags I noticed already filled contained gold; I do not suggest that they actually contained gold. They were the ordinary light brown bags that the banks supply for £100 in gold; they are the same size as the 5s. silver bags. I know Maggie Seddon. I did not see her early in the afternoon in the street at the pillar-box and pat her back and say, "Good afternoon." I may have seen her in the office, but not out. After the inquest I went to see prisoner in the ordinary course of business. I did not say to him, "I remember seeing £100 in gold on the night I came in to check the receipts" and offer to give evidence at the inquest. I told him that I had an idea of a certain letter that he had written to the relations being posted. Re-examined. Prisoner on this night said to me: "Fancy the relations have not been near and the funeral is to-morrow." On November 27 he sent me a postcard asking me to call on him. I went, and found him busy with legal documents relating to this case. He showed them to me, and as I was looking at them he rather took me off my guard; he said, "You remember me writing a letter to the relations." My mind went back to what he had said on this night, and I said I had a recollection of the letter being written. I had not seen him writing such a letter. I saw him writing letters that day, but I do not know for whom they were intended. ALFRED HARTWELL , director, London and Manchester Industrial Assurance Company. Male prisoner has been in our employ since 1891; since 1901 he has been superintendent of collectors and canvassers of the North London District. Up to March, 1911, his salary was £5 5s. 0d. a week, and from March 25, £5 6s. In addition he was entitled to a commission on the ordinary branch of the business; the majority of the business is industrial on which he would get no commission. In the year ending March, 1911, his average weekly earnings were £5 16s., and from that date £5 15s. 10d. It was his duty to receive money from collectors every Thursday, And he would do this at his own house; they would deduct their commission before paying in, and he would pay them their salaries and procuration fees on new business. He would pay the balance into his own banking account and draw a cheque in the name of the managing director, Mr. Dawes, for the amount due to the company, less his own salary and commission. He had an allowance of 8s. 9d. a week for stamps and office rent, which he would also deduct. I produce the sheet relating to his collections for week ending September 14. Before deducting commissions he received £80 4s. 7 1/2 d., from which 18s. discrepancy had to be deducted; the total cash paid in therefore would be £79 6s. 7 1/2 d. From this would have to be deducted £15 12s. 3 1/2 d. commission, so he would have in his possession at one time £63 14s. 4d. for the industrial branch and £2 17s. 7d. for the ordinary. After paying new business fees and the salaries, including his own, he was left with £57 9s. 5d., which he could pay into the bank if he chose. It would be his duty to draw separate cheques for the industrial and ordinary branches, and he did so. The discharge of Smith or Taylor would not be in his hands; only a director could discharge anyone; he could recommend a discharge. To Mr. Marshall Hall. There is no objection to an employe's wife carrying on a separate business as long as he did not interfere with it. I heard accidentally from prisoner about three years 'ago that his wife was carrying on a separate business. Re-examined. It was a wardrobe dealer's. MRS. LONGLEV (recalled, further cross-examined by Mr. Marshall Hall). My husband wrote to prisoner and asked him if he could put us up. He replied that the old lady in the house was ill, but if we liked to take "pot luck" we might come. I noticed a very bad smell in the house. My sister-in-law had a baby 12 months old. I saw Ernie twice; he was very delicate. He was in bed with Miss Barrow, and I said I thought it was not healthy for him, nor was it decent. ERNEST VICTOR ROWLAND , cashier, London and Provincial Bank, Finsbury Park Branch. The male prisoner had an account at my branch. I produce Exhibit 35, a certified extract from the books of the bank showing his payments in and out in September, 1911. On September 15, 1911, £81 7s. 6d. was paid in in cash and £6 17s. 2d. in drafts. On the same day there was a further payment in of £7 16s. in cash. On September 16 there is a debit of a cheque drawn to the order of Dawes of £48 17s. 1d., and on September 18 another cheque to the same person of £2 17s. 7d. To Mr. Marshall Hall. Of the £81 7s. 6d., £15 17s. 6d. was in silver, just over three ordinary bags full of silver. There were sums varying about £7 in cash paid in every week. CHARLES JAMES ORASFIELD , assistant secretary, National Freehold Land and Building Society, 28, Moorgate Street, E. C. On November 27, 1909, we advanced male prisoner £220 on a mortgage of the lease of 63, Tollington Park. On September 20, 1911, he wrote us a letter (Exhibit 15) dated September 19, asking to let him know the exact amount required to date to pay off the mortgage. We replied the next day. The amount has not yet been paid. On September 18 we received from him an application (Exhibit 16) for three completed shares, £90, and on that date he purchased them, paying in cash £90 3s., the 3s. being the entrance fee. He was given this passbook (Exhibit 17) which shows that amount was paid in. CLARA MAY COOPER , counter clerk and telegraphist, Finsbury Park Branch Post Office, 290, Seven Sisters Road. Exhibit 37 is a Post Office Savings Bank book in the name of "J. H. Seddon, 63, Tollington Park." On September 25 £30 was paid in; I am able to say that £25 of it must have been in gold, but I do not remember who paid it. (Mr. Marshall Hall objected to evidence as to the details of this payment being given on the ground that, there being no identification of the male prisoner, it was not evidence against him. He did not dispute that the "F. H. Seddon" mentioned was prisoner. Mr. Justice Bucknill stated that he would direct the jury that if that were the only fact in the case it was no evidence of guilt against prisoner, but he could not reject it as evidence of fact.) On September 15 I went on duty at 2 p.m.; the person whom I relieved handed me £10 in banknotes. I went off at 8 p.m. and I had £15 in banknotes, so I had not received more than £5 in banknotes from anybody. Between 2 and 8 this £30 was paid in, and therefore I am able to say that £6 of it may possibly have been in that form. To Mr. Marshall Hall. The money that is paid in is kept in the same account as money that is paid out, but I am sure I did not payout any notes that afternoon. By the bankbook I see £43 17s. 9d. was paid out on November 27. That left £20 in the account. THOMAS WEIGHT , jeweller, 400 and 402, Holloway Road. I knew male prisoner as a customer. On September 15 he brought this singlestone diamond ring (Exhibit 121) and said he wanted it made very much larger; it was a gentleman's little finger ring, but it might be used by a lady. He left the ring. Later that day he brought this gold watch (Exhibit 21) and said he wanted the name "E. J. Barrow, 1860," erased from inside of the back plate, which you can only get at by opening the watch, and he wished a new gold dial put in the place of the old white enamel one, which was very much cracked. Mrs. Seddon was with him on the second occasion. I did the commissions and on September 20 he came and I gave him the ring enlarged as it is now; I believe Mrs. Seddon was with him. On November 17, nearly two months after (there had been a delay because it is difficult to get a gold dial now) I delivered the watch to him. He paid for both. He had called several times between September 15 and November 17 for it. I had known him for