Chapter 13

The Murder of George James

1878

On the evening of Saturday, 9 January 1878, William Turnbull was making his way home, along Westmoreland Street. Continuing on his journey, William drew near to the railway arch of the Grosvenor Road station, when he heard someone moaning, followed immediately by a single cry of, ‘Police!’

Walking gingerly towards the darkened railway arch, William saw a man lying on the ground and a second man standing over him, striking him repeatedly on the head. William called out and this seemed to frighten the assailant for he immediately ran off into the night. William bravely gave chase but, after some 200 yards or so, lost his quarry. William ran on towards Chelsea Bridge where he found Constable Alfred Nichols. He quickly explained to the officer what had happened and the two men then went back to where the victim of the attack had lain.

The stricken man still lay close to the railway arch and was moving about, obviously in pain. Constable Nichols asked him who he was and what had happened to him. The man did reply but his voice was low and slurred and Nichols could not understand what he said.

Turnbull and Nichols helped the man to his feet and helped him to take a few steps but it was plain that he was in no condition to walk further. A cab was called and the man taken to St George’s Hospital where he was attended to by Mr Tidswell. A quick examination showed that the victim had a compressed fracture of the skull and would need an immediate operation. The operation was carried out that same night but soon afterwards, inflammation set in. Nine days later, on 18 January, Mr Tidswell’s patient died.

Police enquiries soon revealed that the dead man’s name was George James and he lodged at 58 Welling Street. His landlady, Mary Ann Anslow, told officers that Mr James had left the house on the evening of 9 January, to visit his niece. At the time, George had a parcel of clothing with him. Mrs Anslow was also able to say that her tenant habitually carried a gold watch and chain and wore two heavy gold rings on his fingers.

George James had been on his way to Camberwell. John Dixon, of 131 Bell Street, in that township, stated that the dead man was his wife’s uncle. George had been fifty-six years old at the time of his death, and he never arrived at their house on the night in question.

Both Constable Nichols and Mr Tidswell, the surgeon, testified that no parcel or money had been found on George James, but he still wore his gold watch and chain, and the two rings. It was clear that robbery had been the motive for the attack but it also seemed that William Turnbull’s arrival on the scene had disturbed the thief who had not had time to steal the other items.

The inquest on George James took place at St George’s Hospital, on 22 February, before the coroner, Mr Bedford. Not surprisingly, having listened to the various witnesses, the jury had little alternative but to return a verdict of ‘murder by person or persons unknown’.

Despite William Turnbull being able to give a rough description of the man he had chased away from the railway arch, the assailant was never found and the murder of George James remains unsolved.