Con.191 “G” WILLIAMS says:-
In consequence of what I was told I went to No.29, Wolverton Street at 9.10p.m. 20.1.31, and after knocking at the front door it was opened by Mr.William Wallace who said, “Come inside officer, something terrible has happened”. I went inside and entered the sitting room, where I saw the body of Mrs.Julia Wallace. She was lying on her stomach in a twisted position on the mat in front of the fireplace, her head towards the door and her feet towards the fireplace. He (sic) head was covered with blood, quantities of which were splattered on the floor and on the walls of the left hand corner of the fireplace. Close to her head was a macintosh, blue grey colour, which wasall rumpled and covered with blood.
The window blinds were drawn and the right hand gas jet above the mantelpiece was lit. I felt the right wrist of deceased but could feel no movement of the pulse. The flesh was slightly warm [2 and a half hours since William left home give or take]. I questioned Mr.Wallace as to his wife’s death and he said, “I don’t know what’s happened. Somebody has been in the house. I left the house at a quarter to seven to go to Menlove Gardens. She came with me to the back yard door and walked a little way along the entry and then she went in, and bolted the back yard door after her. She would then be alone in the house. I went to Menlove Gardens but found that the address I’d had [missing: been?] given was wrong. I returned home, being suspicious that something had happened. It was then about 20 minutes to 9. I tried to open the front door with my key but found I couldn’t, so I went around to the back. The back yard door was on the latch but not bolted. I went up the yard and tried the back kitchen door and being unable to open it, I again went around to the front door. I then found that the door was bolted on the inside. I at once rushed round to the back again and this time I found I could open the back kitchen door. I came in and this is what I found”.
I closed the sitting room door and in company with Mr.Wallace I searched and examined the house. In the middle bedroom over the kitchen the gas was lit and the room suggested to be quite in order, whilst on the mantlepiece protruding from a vase were 5 or 6 £1 notes. The front bedroom which was in darkness was in a state of disorder as follows:-
The bedclothes were half on the floor ahdn half on the bed, two of the pillows being near the fireplace; the door of the wardrobe and the draweres in the dressing table were shut and apparently in order. In the kitchen I noticed that the door of a small cabinet had been forced open and the door broken in two pieces. On top of a bookcase in the kitchen Mr. Wallace pointed out to me a small black cash box from which he stated some money had been stolen. On a chair near the kitchen table was a lady’s handbag inside of which was a £1 note and some silver.
The windows of the house were intact and there were no signs of anyone having forcibly entered the house. At this time Supt.Moore and Det.Sergt.Fothergill arrived and shortly afterwards Supt.Broughton and the A.C.C., Mr. Glover, and Det.Inspr.Gold and Det.Sergt.Bailey. The examination was then carried on by them. [7 Policemen now in he home including Williams?]
