Some of the crimes within the pages of this book made headlines across the world. Others certainly caused much newsprint to be used, within the United Kingdom, but there were other stories involving family tragedies, which were just as important for those who were involved. One such case was that of Clara Alice White.
Clara was a married woman with two beautiful children: Patrick John, who was aged three and a half and Lilian May, who was almost two years old. In the early part of 1912, Clara’s husband left her, but it wasn’t long before she moved in with Walter Risley at 30 Raynham Road, Edmonton.
Walter, too, was married, but he had separated from his wife some seven years before. By all accounts he was very fond of Clara and her two children and, for a time at least, the new family appeared to be very happy together, sharing one room upstairs and one downstairs, in the house in Raynham Road.
Clara, however, was a worrier and when Walter had an accident at work, it added to those worries. Still, he did receive some weekly compensation so, at least for the time being, there were no real financial concerns. Unfortunately, in September, that compensation stopped and that was something else for Clara to worry about.
On Monday 30 September, Clara rose from her bed at the usual time, in order to see to her children. Walter Risley got up a little later and was immediately greeted by Clara demanding to know how they were going to pay the rent that week. Walter told her not to worry and then, at around 10.30 am, he left the house to meet up with Clara’s brother, Alfred Wackett.
Despite the fact that money was something of a problem, Walter and Alfred visited the Bricklayer’s Arms, where they enjoyed a pint together. Around half an hour later, at approximately 11.00 am, Clara came into the pub herself and, after a brief chat with the two men, took some beer back with her to have with lunch later.
Walter Risley arrived back at Raynham Road at 12.15 pm. At that time, Clara was at home with the two children, but there was also a neighbour present, who had brought her child with her. As Walter and Clara sat down to lunch, the children were playing and being rather noisy. Walter suggested that they should be allowed to go out and play in the passageway, so that the adults could have their meal in peace. To his surprise, Clara objected to this and a full-blown argument soon developed between them. In an attempt to avoid confrontation, Walter went upstairs to bed, after he had finished eating.
At around 2.00 pm, a half-asleep Walter was roused by a loud cry of, ‘I’ve done it!’ Such was the tone of the cry that it alarmed Walter and he dashed downstairs to see what the problem might be.
Even as he was rushing downstairs, Walter saw Clara leave the house by the front door. He followed her and saw that she was hammering on the front door of the house next door, number 28, where Harriett Dolladay lived. Concerned now for the whereabouts of the two children, Walter went back inside his own house and into the front room.
The youngest child, Lilian, was in her cot, sitting up and screaming in agony. The boy, Patrick, was rolling about the floor, also screaming and also in obvious pain. Even as Walter took in this awful scene, Clara came into the room, bringing Mrs Dolladay with her.
Harriett Dolladay could see that both children were foaming at the mouth and it was plain that some kind of poison had been given to them. As she and Walter tried to counter the effects of this, by giving them salt dissolved in water, Clara calmly announced, ‘I’ll go and find a policeman and give myself up.’
Clara did not have to walk very far before she found Constable Charles Wade. By the time he escorted Clara back to the house, Walter had run off to get the doctor. He returned soon afterwards with Dr John Shaw whose practice was situated at 216 Fore Street.
As soon as Dr Shaw arrived, Constable Wade, who had by now made a quick search of the living room, handed him a bottle he had found. The bottle was labelled, ‘Spirits of Salt, Poison’; and it was reasonable to assume that substance, otherwise known as Hydrochloric Acid, was what had been administered to both children.
The children were both still in acute pain. Dr Shaw gave them both a solution of Carbonate of Soda and then had them removed to the Edmonton Infirmary. It was, however, too late, and both children died that same evening. Clara White was now facing two charges of murder.
Clara White faced her trial at the Old Bailey, on 8 October 1912. As is customary in British courts, only one charge was proceeded with, that of murdering Patrick, her son.
After Walter Risley had given his evidence, the prosecution called Harriett Dolladay. She testified that she had seen Clara two or three times on the fateful day of 30 September. Clara seemed to be perfectly normal, but then, that afternoon, there was a loud and persistent hammering on Harriett’s front door. As she opened it, Clara almost fell into her arms. She was hysterical and screamed out, ‘I’ve done my children in.’ She was screaming and throwing herself about the room. Harriett went next door with Clara and saw the children crying out in pain and foaming from the mouth. She then heard Clara announce that she was going to give herself up to the police, as Walter tried to make the children sick by giving them salt water.
Constable Wade said that he had been on patrol in Fore Street, on the afternoon of 30 September, when the prisoner had rushed up to him and said, ‘I have killed them. I have poisoned them.’ Wade asked who she might be talking about and Clara had replied, ‘My two children.’ Wade had then taken her back to her home and sent Walter Risley off to fetch the doctor before he made a search of the premises. It was Constable Wade and another officer, who arrived shortly afterwards, who carried the two stricken children to the hospital.
Dr Basil Eustace Moss had performed the post-mortems on both children, on 30 September. He confirmed that both deaths were due to the administration of a corrosive poison and this was consistent with the use of Hydrochloric Acid. The mouths and lips of both children were badly burned. That same night, Dr Moss had also examined Clara at the police station. She was extremely hysterical and though she did smell of drink, Dr Moss would not say that she was drunk or under the influence of alcohol.
George Henry Hamilton was an assistant at a chemist’s shop at 123 Fore Street, Edmonton. He testified that, at 10.30 am on the morning of 30 September, Clara had come into his shop with an empty bottle and asked for two pence worth of Spirits of Salt, which he had supplied.
The final piece of evidence was a report from the medical officer of Holloway prison, where Clara had been held after her arrest. He had observed Clara since she had been received at the prison and also examined her family history. It appeared that in 1906, Clara’s father, George Wackett, had committed suicide by cutting his own throat. Of more importance though, was his report on Clara herself. In that report, the conclusion was that Clara was suffering from a good deal of mental confusion and was not in a condition to realise the nature and quality of the act she had committed. However, the report also stated that, although Clara had been of unsound mind at the time she killed her children, her condition had improved since and she was fit to plead to the charges against her.
The matter was now up to the jury and, in the event, they decided that Clara was guilty, but insane. Clara was thus spared the death sentence and committed to an asylum for treatment.