Saturday 18 April 1896
The unseasonably warm weather in Reading continued through to the following week; the sun beat down on to a town now entirely caught up in the horror unfolding within its midst. The hordes of sensation seekers who traipsed the length of Kensington Road to stare with delicious expectation through the windows of number 45 were delighted to find Granny Smith sitting outside basking in the heat. An extra shiver of pleasure ran down their backs when they spotted the baby nestled comfortably against the old lady’s bosom; a baby who had undoubtedly escaped the dire consequences of Mother’s special care.
Publicity given to the case has caused many anxious enquiries to be made to the Reading police by persons who have entrusted children to Mrs Dyers care. Four women who had given her children and premiums have been to the Borough to claim the children. They could not, however, be found, but pieces of clothing found in a box in Dyers house have been recognised as parts of the outfits of these children.
Reading Observer, Friday 17 April 1896
Across town, in the backyard of the police station, Mother was placed in a line along with four other women and made to stand in the uncomfortable glare of the morning sun. The heat had warmed the concrete ground and the little yard had become still, hot and airless.
Evelina Marmon was first to be led from the relative coolness of the police station to stand in front of the line of five middle-aged women. Upon seeing Mrs Dyer standing blinking in the harsh light, she immediately burst into tears and exclaimed, “That is the dreadful woman to whom I handed Doris.”
Amelia Sargeant was carrying an umbrella to protect her from the sun. She too recognized Mrs Dyer and pointing toward her with her umbrella said in a broken voice, “That’s the vile creature who had the little fellow.”
Both Evelina Marmon and Amelia Sargeant were much affected by coming face-to-face with the woman in whom they had placed so much trust, but their positive identification provided the police with a much needed link in their growing case against the “Reading Baby Farmer”.
Although the weather outside was more like summer than spring, a tremendous fire was blazing in the huge grate of the courtroom as Amelia Dyer and Arthur Palmer stood for the second time in front of the magistrates. When Sergeant James walked into the courtroom, his arms full of brown paper parcels containing the redeemed clothing of a dozen or more infants, many of the women present were moved to tears.
The “formidable” carpet bag with its brown leather handles and somewhat ragged bottom was placed in close proximity to the witness box and a collective shudder passed through the courtroom as Sergeant James withdrew two bricks and a quantity of white tape from its interior. Amelia Dyer stared at the floor as she was charged with the murders of Helena Fry, Doris Marmon and Harry Simmons. Arthur Palmer nonchalantly stroked his whiskers as he was charged with being an accessory after the fact.
As the circumstances of the case were so grave, it was proposed that the prisoners should be remanded in custody for a further week in order that information received in recent days could be “sifted and tested”. The nature of the evidence in relation to the case of Doris Marmon was outlined and the prisoners were removed from the courtroom.