Tom Slemen has a new book out called Murders on Merseyside.
There are 14 pages dedicated to the murder of Julia Wallace, the chapter is titled 'Who killed Julia Wallace'.
Just as in a newspaper article some time ago Tom points the finger at the next door neighbours, the Johnstons.
Apparently a man called Stan told Tom's detective friend Keith Andrews that upon his deathbed at Kirkdale Homes institution, Jack Johnston admitted his guilt. He and his wife Florence had taken the Wallaces cat, Puss and it was their intention to lure Julia to their house to get it, whereby Jack could then burgle the house for the insurance takings. However, on the night that Wallace was heading for the Menlove Gardens area, the Johnstons seen what they thought was Julia ccompanying him on the journey as she went into the alleyway with the mackintosh around her.
Actually she was only walking William Wallace to the back gate and then took a look along the alley, looking for the cat but the Johnstons didn't see her return, according to Tom. This left the way clear for Jack and Florence to use their key to gain entrance into the Wallace's (but why the couldn't have just done that anyway at some other time they were both out on one of their walks in the park etc isn't explained)
Upon entering the parlour, having used a jemmy to prise open the cabinet door in the kitchen, the Johnstons were shocked to find Julia sitting there with the mackintosh around her (she had a cold remember), no doubt wondering why they were in her house and did the only thing now open to them to do because she had seen them and kill her.
I would have thought that if this scenario was likely and the Johnstons are now confronted with Julia (Who they thought was out) that they could have thought on their feet and came up with the notion that either they'd found the cat and had knocked but got no answer, or that they'd heard a noise and assuming both were out, came around with a jemmy in case they came across the Anfield burglar or just some other fanciful story.
We know the Johnstons moved to their eldest daughters next day, something they claimed was just coincidental and arranged some time earlier. Tom makes the most of this, claiming it was because they'd committed the murder but that surely would have pointed them into spotlight.
Furthermore, Tom claims that irnoically, Hemmerde who was prosecuting Wallace, had an inkling or more all along that it was in fact the Johnstons who were guilty as seen in his questioning of them, about not beleiving they'd only ever been in the Wallaces 3 times in 10 years, and always only ever saw Julia alone.
It is also claimed that some years later, Florence Johnston was talking to a neighbour or passer by at her gate and Jack who was eavesdropping from the hallway heard her talking of the murder case. Jack ordered Florence in who was next seen sporting 2 black eyes. A little while later she died of an embolism when she complained of a headache during the night but Jack just told her to go back to sleep.
Tom goes on to report that the Johnstons were not in the best state moneywise which could have been the motive.
What do our amateur sleuths think?
Originally Posted by JGannon
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