Sarah Carnell was very happy with Catherine Wilson, the woman who had come to live with her family as housekeeper. She was kind, attentive and considerate and so close did the two women become that, in due course, Sarah even altered her will so that Catherine would be the chief beneficiary. Not long after that, Sarah caught a chill and her good friend Catherine said she would look after her.
Catherine duly visited the chemists shop and purchased a tonic which would surely put Sarah back on the road to good health. She then returned to Sarah’s house where she poured out a generous measure and offered it to her employer.
Sarah took one sip of the liquid and immediately spat it out. It might be expected that medicine should taste somewhat unpleasant but this liquid also burned Sarah’s mouth. Even before she could tell Catherine that there was something wrong, Sarah noticed that some of the foul liquid had landed on the bedclothes, which it now proceeded to eat through. As Sarah looked in horror at the ever widening hole in the material, Catherine fled from the house, never to return.
There was something seriously amiss here and Sarah reported the matter to the authorities. The medicine was sent for testing and when the result came back, it was that the liquid Sarah had been given, contained enough sulphuric acid to kill fifty people.
A description of Catherine Wilson was circulated. As a result, she was arrested within a few days and charged with attempted murder. She duly appeared at the Old Bailey on that charge but her defence team claimed that there was no proof that Catherine had put the acid into the medicine. They argued that it might well have been an error at the pharmacists. The jury gave Catherine the benefit of the doubt and found her not guilty, but the ordeal of Catherine Wilson was far from over.
Whilst Catherine had been in custody, the police had been making enquiries into her past. The more they looked into her history, the more it seemed clear that Catherine was actually a mass murderer who had left a trail of bodies behind her.
Catherine had originally come from Boston in Lincolnshire. There she had been housekeeper to a sea-faring gentleman named Peter Mawer. She had looked after Mawer so well that he too had altered his will in her favour. Soon afterwards, he had died and it was clear that he had been poisoned. Mawer, however, suffered from gout and was in the habit of taking a dangerous drug, colchicum. It was simply assumed that he had taken an accidental overdose.
From there, Catherine had moved to London, with a man named James Dixon, and they had lodged with Mrs Maria Soames, at 27 Alfred Street, Bedford Square, commencing in November 1855. In June the following year, Dixon had died and a few months later, in October, Mrs Soames had died too. From there, Catherine had moved to Brixton where a friend, Mrs Atkinson, had come to stay with her. Catherine was behind with her rent at the time and Mrs Atkinson had money. A few days into her visit, Mrs Atkinson died and a telegram was sent to her husband to inform him of the death and that she had been robbed a few days before.
In all, a total of seven possible murders could be attributed to Catherine Wilson. Evidence was collected whilst she had been held in Newgate prison awaiting trial on the attempted murder charge and so, as Catherine walked from the court a free woman, she was immediately re-arrested on a charge of murder. Since there appeared to be more evidence, and thus a stronger case regarding the murder of Maria Soames, that was the charge which the authorities decided to proceed with.
On 22 September 1862, forty-year-old Catherine stood in the dock at the Old Bailey for a second time. The case for the Crown rested in the hands of Mr Clerk and Mr Beasley, whilst Catherine was defended by Mr Oppenheim, Mr Williams and Mr Warton.
The first witness was Samuel Emery Barnes, the halfbrother of Mrs Soames. He lived in Highbury House, Holloway and told the court that he had last seen Maria alive on Friday 17 October 1856.
She had last called at his house on the previous Wednesday, 15 October, at some time between 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm. She had been in perfectly good health and had enjoyed dinner with him. She had asked Samuel for £10 but he only had £9 in gold on his person, so gave her that. Samuel explained that when Maria’s father had died he had left her a large sum of money and as executor of the will, he was in charge of that cash. Maria would often call and ask for a sum from that money and indeed, some three or four months ago, Samuel had given Maria £40 from that same legacy.
Referring in detail to Maria’s finances, Samuel was sure that she had no financial concerns. She owned two properties in Alfred Street; her own house at number 27 and another at number 13. She let rooms out to lodgers and, in all, had an income of somewhere between £80 and £100 per year; more than enough to live on.
On the Friday after Maria’s visit, Samuel received a letter from one of her daughters, saying that Maria was unwell and he should come to see her as soon as possible. He arrived at 27 Alfred Street at about 9.30 pm to find Maria in bed. She complained of sickness and severe pain in her head and body. He stayed there for perhaps a full hour, during which time Maria was attended to by Catherine Wilson.
The next morning, Saturday 18 October, a cab arrived at Samuel’s house with a message that his half-sister had died in the early hours. He went back to Alfred Street immediately and viewed her body, noting that her face was very distorted and her hands were clenched. Samuel was far from satisfied as to what might have caused Maria’s death and insisted that there should be a full post-mortem and an inquest.
Ann Maria Naack was the next witness. Ann told the court that she was twenty-six years old and the wife of Herman Naack, a watchmaker. She was the eldest daughter of Maria Soames and, in 1856, had lived with her, at Alfred Street. Her younger sister, twenty-four-year-old Sarah, also lived there and the two sisters shared a room together.
Ann recalled Catherine Wilson coming to lodge with them in November 1855. At the time she had a man named James Dixon with her, who Catherine said was her brother. There was also a maidservant named Elizabeth Hill. These three took the first floor, unfurnished and, almost immediately, Catherine became very friendly indeed with Maria.
Referring to Maria’s visit to her half-brother, on 15 October 1856, Ann remembered that she returned to the house some time between 4.00 pm and 5.00 pm. Soon after 5.00 pm, Maria, Ann and Sarah all enjoyed afternoon tea together and they were just finishing when Catherine Wilson came into the kitchen and asked Maria if she would go up to her room as she had something she wished to say to her in private.
Maria returned to the kitchen soon afterwards and did not reveal what this private matter might have been.
At 8.00 pm that evening, Ann had gone across to the other house at 13 Alfred Street, so did not see her mother again that evening. She returned to number 27 later and, as usual, slept in the same room as her sister Sarah.
At 6.00am the next morning, Thursday 16 October, Maria had come downstairs at 6.00 am and told Ann and Sarah that she had been very ill during the night. She had had some sort of bilious attack and so bad had this been that she would have to go straight back to bed.
Maria had suffered from bilious attacks in the past, though they were very rare indeed, so Ann thought nothing more of the matter for the time being. Later that morning she had seen her mother in bed and she seemed to be much worse. Luckily, Catherine Wilson was on hand to look after Maria.
Throughout that Thursday and on into the next day, Friday 17 October, Maria grew steadily worse. Dr Whidbone was called in to see Maria and, after examining the patient, returned to his surgery to make up a tonic, which he then had sent round to Alfred Street. Curiously, Ann noticed that it was Catherine who took charge of this tonic and administered it to Maria. Even more curiously, after administering each dose, Catherine took the bottle of medicine away, put it into her own bedroom, and locked the door. When asked to explain this, Catherine had said that the doctor had ordered her to take charge of it.
Ann reported one other curious fact. At one stage, Maria had said that she was feeling much better. Immediately, Catherine had said that this must be down to the medicine and she should have another dose without delay. The medicine was administered and Catherine suddenly had a relapse and began vomiting and retching again.
Maria had died between 3.00 am and 4.00 am on the Saturday. The funeral took place a few days later and after this, Catherine had taken Ann to one side and said that before her death, Maria had borrowed £10 off her. Ann was most surprised that her mother should have done this but Catherine produced a written document, which appeared to be in Maria’s handwriting. This money was paid back, partly in cash and partly by allowing Catherine to live rent free for a time. Finally, Ann was able to say that Catherine had remained in Alfred Street for a couple of months after Maria had died.
Ann’s sister, Sarah Soames, was the next person to give evidence. She confirmed much of what her sister had said but added that when Catherine had first arrived at the house, she told them that her pocket had been picked and she had lost £70. Strangely, she refused to report this theft to the police.
Sarah was also able to say that during her mother’s illness, she had seen Catherine giving Maria some mixture of brandy and egg. Catherine brought this to Maria’s bedroom already prepared and gave her several doses each day.
Harriett Jane Stevenson was now living in Pratt Street, Camden Town but at the time of Maria’s illness and death, she and her husband Sampson had been living at the house in Alfred Street. Harriett was very heavily pregnant at the time and was due to give birth any day. As this was her first child, Harriett was rather nervous and had asked Maria if she would assist her during her confinement. Maria had agreed.
Early on the morning of Thursday 16 October, Harriett had gone into labour and called Maria down to assist as she had promised. This was at 4.00 am and Maria had come down but said she felt very ill and would be unable to help after all. Even as she spoke, Maria vomited into a pail and only stayed for two or three minutes before going back to bed.
Emma Rowe lodged in the other house at 13 Alfred Street and was a close friend of the family. She confirmed that Maria was well on the Wednesday, but very ill on the Thursday. At one stage during Maria’s illness, Emma had been inside Catherine Wilson’s room and noticed two medicine bottles on the mantlepiece, both containing a pale yellow liquid. When asked why there was two, Catherine said that the large one was Maria’s and the other belonged to her. There was, however, one other crucial piece of information that Emma was able to relate.
Just half an hour after Maria had died, on the Saturday morning, Catherine had asked to speak to Emma in private. They went into Catherine’s room again and it was there that Catherine said that this was not a natural death. She went on to relate that Maria had been engaged in a secret liaison with a man who had borrowed money off her. The sum of £80 was mentioned and apparently, this man had lied about his circumstances. Once Maria knew that she had been cheated in this way, she had decided to take her own life. Finally, as if proof were needed, Catherine said that she was sure that a letter would arrive on Monday. This would be from the man and no doubt would be, like all the others, a demand for more money. That letter duly arrived on the Monday and did ask for a further £10.
Eliza Frances Matthews lived in Amwell Street, Pentonville, and had been a friend of Maria Soames for some sixteen years. After Maria’s death, she had gone to the house to pay her respects and was shocked to see the distorted face and clenched fists. Catherine Wilson was in the room as Eliza remarked, ‘Her’s must have been a bad death.’
Catherine had replied, ‘Poor dear. Ah you don’t know all.’ Eliza now pressed her on this point and Catherine informed her that Maria had been about to get married, to a man she had met at Islington. Her daughters and her brother knew nothing of this, as it had been a profound secret. She went on to say that Maria had found out that the man was only trying to get money out of her and once again, Catherine said that there would be a letter on the Monday.
Catherine had also suggested that Maria had taken poison to another of her old friends, Sarah Allen. At the time of the trial, Sarah Allen was suffering from diptheria so her deposition was read out in court. In this she stated that Catherine had said to her:
I know all her secrets, and I am the only one who does, but I want to keep it secret for the sake of her daughters. She has taken poison.
John Henry Baker had travelled from Boston to London, to give his evidence. Although he did not testify on any of the main circumstances surrounding the death of Peter Mawer, he did confirm that he was one of the executors of Mr Mawer’s will. Peter had died in October 1854 and his will, leaving his property to Catherine, was dated 15 April 1854. From time to time, he would send money to Catherine, under the terms of the will and sometimes she would write to him. One of those letters was now produced in court and in it, Catherine had misspelled one word. She had written ‘Wensday’ for Wednesday.
The letter purporting to come from the mysterious man from Islington, had arrived at Alfred Street on the Monday after Maria’s death. Mr Baker now examined that letter and said that in his opinion, it was in Catherine’s hand but she had disguised it somewhat. This was confirmed by John Softly Sneath, the editor of the Lincolnshire Herald. He had known Catherine for some twelve years and agreed that she had disguised her handwriting, but the letter had been written by her.
As if further proof of this were needed, the letter was then read out in court. In part, it read:
Send me word if you was not well after you got home on Wensday.
The spelling of Wednesday, was the same.
Three of the final witnesses were all medical gentlemen. Doctor George Ferris Whidborne, practised from 61 Guildford Street, Russell Square. He had been called to see Maria, on Friday 17 October, and found her to be very ill. He asked her what she had eaten and she replied that she had had some pork pie. This had been given to her by Catherine Wilson, who then produced the remains of the pie for the doctor to look at. This was unlikely to be the source of the illness, however, as some of the same pie had been eaten by Maria’s daughters and by Catherine herself and none of them showed any ill effects.
Dr Whidborne said that he would prepare a mixture of Batley’s sedative, a mild preparation of opium, and had this sent round from his surgery. Later that same day, when he discovered that the illness was not improving, he prepared a slightly stronger solution and had that sent round too. The doctor also told the court that he had issued no instructions to Catherine Wilson, to say that she alone should take charge of the medicine.
After Maria had died, Dr Whidborne performed a postmortem at the request of Samuel Barnes, her half-brother. He had found the mucous membrane of Maria’s stomach and bowels were inflamed and gave that as the cause of death. He had tested the stomach contents for the usual metallic poisons such as arsenic, mercury and antimony, and found none. However, Dr Whidborne had been called to Alfred Street earlier in the year when James Dixon had died and at that time he discovered that there was colchicum in the house. There was no known test for that poison, but the symptoms it would have produced were identical to those displayed by Maria Soames.
Once Catherine had been arrested and charged with murder, Maria’s body was exhumed. Samples of various organs were taken and these were sent to Dr Alfred Swains Taylor of Guy’s Hospital. Dr Taylor had made a thirty-year study of poisons and he had tested the organs, on 29 July 1862. He had found no trace of any detectable poison, but agreed that the symptoms shown by Maria were consistent with colchicum poisoning. This evidence was confirmed by the third medical witness, Dr Thomas Nunnelly, who was a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons.
The jury, having listened to all the evidence, took almost three hours to decide that Catherine was guilty as charged and she was then sentenced to death by Mr Justice Byles.
At 8.00 am, on 20 October 1862, Catherine Wilson was hanged outside the debtors’ door of Newgate prison, by William Calcraft as a crowd estimated at 20,000 looked on.
Though she could not know it, Catherine would be the last woman ever executed in public, in London. Only four more women ever suffered the ignominy of a public hanging. On 28 December 1863, Alice Holt was hanged in public, in Chester. Three years later, on 3 March 1866, Mary Ann Ashford was hanged at Exeter. Ann Lawrence was hanged at Maidstone, on 10 January 1867 and on 2 April 1868, Frances Kidder became the last woman ever to be executed in public when she was hanged, also at Maidstone. Later that same year, on 28 December, Priscilla Biggadyke became the first woman ever to be executed within the privacy of the prison, when she was hanged at Lincoln.