Prudential Client Statements (Mostly from the Murder Day)

Transcriptions by Michael Banks:

15:20 – 15:30 (“Definitely here before 3.30pm”):

Mrs Letitia Harrison of 11 Pennsylvania Rd Liverpool
Will say:-

I have known Mr Wallace for about 3 years as an agent. He was always gentlemanly in his manners. He always spoke very highly of his wife and he appeared to be very devoted to her. He called here on Tuesday the day of the murder at about 3.20 – 3.30 p.m. I remember very distinctively he wore a dark overcoat. He was definitely here 3.30 p.m. There was nothing unusual about him, he certainly did not appear to have been crying in fact he was laughing & smiling.

L. Harrison

[Sighting of Wallace crying reported by Rothwell (who cycled by him) a minute or two after 15:30 at Maiden Lane.]

~15:30:

Mrs Jane Elizabeth Harbord of 15 Worcester Drive Liverpool will say:-

I know Mr Wallace as the Prudential Insu Agent. He has been calling here for many years. I have always found him very pleasant & jolly. I remember he called on Tuesday the day of the murder about 3.30 pm. He was his usual self and I noticed no change in his manners whatever. He joked with me and we spoke about the weather. I am not certain what we wore. He called on the following Tuesday. He seemed pale and worried He did not appear to be afraid of anything. He said to me that all he hoped for that they would find the man. He seemed to me as if he had received a staggering blow.

Jane E. Hardord

~15:30:

Mrs Alice Addey of 32 Pennsylvania Road Liverpool will say:-

Mrs Wallace has been calling here about 16 years. I have always found him a gentleman, never had any cause to complain. I called on one or two occasions at his house. I saw Mrs Wallace on these occasions and each of them spoke very affectionately of the other. I remember he called on Tuesday the day of the murder at about 3.30. But I cannot say any more. I remember he called on the following Tuesday. He seemed very much upset.

A Addey

15:30 – 15:40:

Mrs Emily McParlin of 5 Worcester Drive will say:-

Mr Wallace has been collecting at my house for the last 14 years. I have always found him quite alright. I remember Tuesday, the day of the murder, I opened the door for Mr Wallace. He called about 3.30 – 3.40. He always called about this time. He was his usual self pleasant and nice. He generally wore a dark overcoat and a soft hat, I can’t remember what he wore on this day. It was a well known thing in this district that he was on the best of terms with his wife.

E McParlin

15:45:

Mrs Lottie Lowry of 40 Worcester Drive Liverpool will say:-

I have known Mr Wallace as an Insurance Agent for about 12 years. He always appeared to me to be a gentleman & very polite. I remember the Tuesday the day on which the murder occurred. He called at my house about 3.45 p.m. He seemed perfectly normal and there did not appear to be anything unusual about his demeanour. I remember we passed remarks about the weather saying it was like spring. I didn’t notice what he wore.

Lottie Lowry

~16:00:

Mrs Blanche Elizabeth Richards at 17 Worcester Liverpool will say:-

I know Mr Wallace as an insurance agent for the Prudential Insurance Co. I remember he called on the Tuesday the day of the murder. He appeared to be quite composed and I noticed nothing unusual. I don’t remember what he wore. He called to the above address about 4 o clock. He passed a remark about the flowers which I had in my window saying ‘they were very beautiful.’

Blanche E Richards

~16:00:

Mrs Maud Muir of 42 Pennsylvania Road Liverpool will say:-

I know Mr Wallace as an Insurance agent. I have always considered him as a quiet & unassuming man. He always spoke very highly of his wife. He called at the above address on Tuesday the day of the murder at about 4 o clock. He appeared to be his usual self and there were no signs of excitement or agitation. I cannot say what he wore.

M Muir

16:00 – 16:15:

Mrs Edith Earnshaw of 8 Londonderry Road Liverpool will say:-

Mrs Wallace has been calling regularly every week at the above address for the last 15 years. I have always found him a perfect gentleman. He often spoke to me about his wife, how happy they were and where they spent their holidays. I have never met his wife but it seemed to me as if he was a devoted husband. Mr Wallace called on Tuesday the day of the murder about 4 – 4.15 pm. I did not see him. I could not think that Mr Wallace was capable of committing such a crime.

Edith Earnshaw

16:00 – 16:30:

George Boyd of 6 Worcester Drive (Unemployed Jeweller) will say:-

I have known Mr Wallace for the last 4 years. He calls at the above address every Tuesday. I always found him a most pleasant and gentlemanly person. I remember the Tuesday on which the murder occurred. I opened the door for him. I passed the time of day with him. He appeared to me to be his usual self and quite composed. I remember he had on his dark overcoat. I cannot say what kind of a hat he wore. He called between 4 – 4.30 pm. I cannot say the exact time.

George Boyd

16:30 – 16:45:

Mrs Gertrude Phythian of 10 Worcester Drive will say:-

I am on Mr Wallace’s list. I remember he called on Tuesday the 20th January on the day of the murder. I opened the door for him. The time was about 4.30 – 4.45. I passed the time of day with Mr Wallace and he appeared to be the best of spirits – his usual demeanour. I don’t remember whether he wore a raincoat. He was always exceptionally nice.

G Phythian

16:45:

Mrs Amy Lawrence of 16 Londonderry Road Liverpool will say:-

I have known Mr Wallace for some months. He was always courteous and I found him a very pleasant man. He called on the Tuesday, the day of the murder. He came into the house and he had a cup-of-tea with my husband. He was just his usual self and he was quite composed. I do not remember what he wore. He called about 4.45 pm. He spoke of his wife on some occasions and appeared to be alright.

A Lawrence

“After” 16:00:

Mrs Matilda Smith of 8 Worcester Drive Liverpool will say:-

I have known Mr Wallace for about 10 months as an insurance agent. I often opened the door for him and spoke to him. In my opinion he was always a gentleman and I found him very nice to speak to. Mr Wallace called to the above address on Tuesday, the day of the murder. I opened the door for him. He appeared to be the same as usual and was not in any way agitated. He made arrangements with me to call in another three weeks. He wore an overcoat but I cannot say what colour it was. I cannot say the exact time he called but it was definitely after 4 o clock.

M Smith

17:00 – 17:15:

Mr John Burton of 64 Glengariff Street Liverpool will say:-

I have known Mr Wallace for a few months Asan Insurance Agent. He always appeared to be a gentlemanly sort of person and very pleasant. I remember that he called on the Tuesday the day of the murder. He appeared to be his usual self, nothing out of the ordinary in his attitude. He called about 5 – 5.15 pm. I cannot say definitely what he wore but I think it was an overcoat.

John Burton

17:30 – 17:50:

Mrs Margaret Martin of 19 Eastman Rd Liverpool will say:-

I have known Mr Wallace for about 2 years as an Insurance Agent. I have always found him a nice man but very reserved. He called on Tuesday the day of the murder. This is not his usual collecting day. But he came to see me about the surrendering of a policy. I judged that he called between 5.30 – 5.50. But I cannot give the exact time. He left me a form to sign and made an appointment to call on the following day at 5 o clock, for the purpose of paying over the value of the policy. I think he had a fawn raincoat on and a grey soft hat but I cannot swear to it. He was just his usual self and did not appear to be disturbed in any way.

M Martin

18:00:

Mrs Ann Miller of 4 Brookbridge Road Liverpool will say:-

I have known Mr Wallace for many years. I have never really met a nicer man and a perfect gentleman. He called on the Tuesday the day of the murder. I saw him. He came into the house a passed some jovial remarks. He asked me the time. I looked at the clock and it was y o clock. I told him however that it was ¼ of an hour fast. It was a constant habit of his to ask the time although the clock was in full view. He was perfectly normal and just his usual self.

Ann Miller

Did not see Wallace that day:

Mrs Minnie Palmer 27 Missouri Road Liverpool will say:-

I have known Mr Wallace for about 14 years. He was always nice and I found him a thorough gentle man. I did not see him on the Tuesday of the murder.

Minnie Palmer

Refutation of crying claim:

Mrs Caroline Keill of 6 Worcester Drive North Liverpool will say:-

Mr Wallace has been calling at my house for the last three years. Latterly, I did not open the door for him and did not speak to him. I have on many occasions passed Mr Wallace along Maiden Lane and seen him put his handkerchief to his eyes. It was not unusual for him to be seen wiping his eyes and his nose, especially during the cold weather.

Caroline Keill

Marked as being the wife of P.C. “D”304 Prince:

Mrs Margaret Prince of 8 Pennsylvania Rd Liverpool will say:-

I have known Mr Wallace for about 4 years. My candid opinion of Mr Wallace is that he would be the last man in the world to do such a thing. He spoke on a number of occasions of his wife and he appeared to be very affectionate and devoted to her. I did not see him on the Tuesday of the murder.

Margaret Prince