Chapter 24

Alice Jane Money

1908

Elizabeth Maud Baines lived at 75 Onslow Dwellings, in Pond Place, Chelsea, with her husband and children. Living at the same address was Maud’s lodger, Alice Money, and her husband, Joseph. The Moneys also had two children, four-year-old Daisy and Norah, who was one year and nine months old.

At 11.40am on Tuesday, 28 January 1908, Elizabeth Baines was at her window, singing to her children, when Alice Money passed by. Alice remarked, ‘You are singing. Have you done all your work?’ The two women chatted together for a short time until Alice said that she had a very bad headache. Elizabeth said she had some Seidlitz powders in the house and asked Alice if she would like one. Alice replied, ‘No, I am going to get a powder for my head, and I will take the baby with me.’

Elizabeth did not see Alice again until 4.20pm when she saw her standing at the front door, apparently in some sort of daze. Elizabeth asked her lodger if she was feeling all right and Alice said, ‘My head is still so bad.’ Then, before Elizabeth could continue the conversation, Alice added, ‘I must tell you, my baby is dead.’ Elizabeth thought she must have misheard and asked, ‘Dead?’ To this Alice replied, ‘Yes, I have cut its throat.’

Not sure as to what she should do now, Elizabeth took Alice inside the house and sat her down upon a chair. She then called for her husband, Joseph, told him what Alice had said, and asked him to go for the police. Even as Elizabeth was telling her husband the story, Alice again said that she had cut her baby’s throat, adding that she had also cut her own and taken something from a bottle.

It was around 5.00pm when Constable Richard Jones arrived at the house. He noticed that Alice Money had a scarf tied quite tightly around her neck and, on a hunch, he stepped forward and loosened it. Beneath the scarf, Alice had inflicted a slight wound upon her own throat and there was some blood. Constable Jones told Joseph Baines to go for a doctor.

Meanwhile, Constable Jones went into Alice’s bedroom where he found Norah Money lying on the bed, her face covered with a shawl. On removing the shawl, Jones saw that the child’s throat had been cut through deeply. It was clear that the child was beyond all aid and Jones then returned to Alice and cautioned her. She replied, ‘I did it at about half past twelve.’ Later that same day, Alice was charged with the murder of her infant daughter.

Alice Money appeared at the Old Bailey, before Mr Justice Bucknill, on 3 March 1908. Mr AE Gill and Mr Leycester appeared for the prosecution and Alice was defended by Mr AW Elkin, who entered a plea that his client had been insane at the time she committed the crime.

Dr James Hamilton said that he had been called to Onslow Dwellings, where he had found a superficial throat wound on the prisoner. That wound was almost certainly self-inflicted. He later examined the body of Norah Money and confirmed that life was extinct. She had been dead for some hours and the pillows and bedclothes were saturated with blood.

The divisional police surgeon, Dr James Robert Hayes, had also been called to the scene of the crime. He stated that Alice appeared to be in some sort of daze and did not realise what she had done. Later he did the post-mortem on Norah and confirmed that in life she had been a well-nourished child. Dr Hayes had also been handed a bottle, found inside Alice’s rooms. He confirmed that it had contained oxalic acid but, having examined Alice’s mouth, he doubted that she had actually taken any.

Inspector Alfred Ward had also gone to the house on the day of Norah’s death. He testified that the rooms were exceptionally clean and tidy. Alice had obviously taken good care of the house and, by all accounts, was a good mother and wife.

Only two witnesses were called for the defence. Joseph Money told the court that he and Alice had been married for about five years. They had been happy enough, until the last three months or so, when Alice had started complaining of severe head pains. Ever since she had behaved irrationally and had suffered from mood swings and fits of temper. Often she had not been aware of what she had done until the headache passed.

Joseph also told the court that he and his wife had argued the night before Norah’s death. Apparently, Alice had taken to pawning items of late, even though they did not need the money. He had discovered that she had just pawned her wedding ring and this had upset him greatly. They had had words and that night he had slept on the couch in the living room. Alice had come in, at around 10.00pm, and asked him to come to bed but he had refused. Alice had then covered him with some coats, in case he got cold during the night.

Dr Fullerton was the deputy medical officer at Holloway prison and had observed Alice since her incarceration. He found her to be suffering from very deep depression and during her time in the cells, had often complained of terrible headaches. He had no doubt that she was insane at the time she took her daughter’s life.

Those final two witnesses swayed the jury who found Alice guilty of murder but insane. Having avoided a death sentence, Alice was then sentenced to be detained until a further order was made by the appropriate authorities.