as the crow flies about 500m, a bitmore walking it, heres a map
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.sr...pp=newmap.srft
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as the crow flies about 500m, a bitmore walking it, heres a map
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.sr...pp=newmap.srft
Was there ever anything concluded about the blood in the lavatory pan Mark?
Hi DaisyChains
MacFall concluded that the blood found on the lavatory pan was human and not menstrual. Dr Robert Coope conducted 118 tests using blood and came to the conclusion that the blood found on the lavatory pan would have been deposited there at least an hour after death. The shape and form (a small pyramid, a bit like a split 'pea') could not have made that mark immediately after the killing. The possibility being that it could have been taken up there by any of the police, medical staff or even Wallace himself.
Another point which has always intrigued me, and I don't think I've seen discussed in print.
"Did the activities of the Anfield Housebreaker cease after the murder of Julia Wallace?"
Wallace was Innocent - here's why...
'Do you know Mr Wallace's voice well?' said Oliver.
'Yes.' Beattie replied.
'Does it occur to you that it was anything like his voice?'
'Certainly not.' said Beattie firmly.
'Does it occur to you now that it was anything like his voice?'
Beattie replied that, 'It would be a great stretch of the imagination for me to say it was anything like that.'
In my view, that short exchange between Roland Oliver, K.C. and Samuel Beattie saved Wallace's neck...
Think about it....
It was accepted by Prosecution and Defence (and by all serious students of the crime) that Qualtrough was the killer.
Therefore, if Wallace was Qualtrough he was setting-up his alibi in a suicidal fashion. Why?
Wallace was not a Liverpudlian. There is no evidence that he ever dabbled in amateur dramatics or was practised in disguising his voice. It is almost certain Wallace did not speak precisely like a native Liverpudlian, and highly likely he spoke distinctively differently. If Wallace was Qualtrough he knew there was a high probability he might be speaking to someone at the Chess Club who would know him personally to some degree, and therefore a high risk his voice would be recognised, even if he was trying to conceal it. So far so good.
Wallace was put through to Beattie by waitress Gladys Harley. If Wallace was Qualtrough surely the last thing he would want would to be put through to someone who might recognise him. He would surely have said to Harley "There's no need to trouble anyone, dearie. Will YOU just write down this message for me." 99% of waitresses would happily go along with this request, in my view. But no, Qualtrough is happy to be put through to someone senior. I also find it inconcievable that Wallace/Qualtrough could have remained calm and collected while simultaneously trying to fake a voice to fool Beattie, who was in life anything but a fool. He would have wavered, hesitated, exaggerated his "cover voice", all the while searching for any sign that Beattie smelt a rat. He could not know that he hadn't....
Likewise, half an hour later he would be speaking to Beattie face-to-face in the Chess Club, discussing the contents of the call. He could not be certain that something, somewhere in the back of Beattie's mind was ringing a little bell of recognition, perhaps just a vaguely familiar vowel sound or cadence...
Furthermore, even if Wallace gambled that he had got away with it so far, and resolved to continue with the plan to its murderous fruition the following night, common sense would have told him he could not be certain Beattie's memory might not in the fullness of time, by now aware of the terrible crime, concentrate on the voice on the phone, and cast doubt on the identity of the caller. Wallace could not know that Beattie would be so resolutely certain on the witness stand that the caller was NOT Wallace. Beattie might or might not be.
I am certain this one piece of evidence saved Wallace's life. If Beattie had said "I don't know", "Can't be sure", "Can't remember" or some such Wallace would have surely gone to the gallows.
How could Wallace know that Beattie's denial would be so steadfast? He couldn't. Therefore he would not have risked all on a plan that hinged on such an unknown. Therefore Wallace was not Qualtrough, and was not the killer.
Beattie's unshakeable certainty (and the complete lack of bloodstains) were the two strongest points in Wallace's favour. In my view it was Beattie's testimony that tipped the balance at the Court of Appeal...
In my view the killer was relaxed during that call, because he knew no-one could possibly recognise his "ordinary sounding" voice, and probably at that stage killing was the last thing on his mind.... Occam's Razor suggests the murder started as a cunningly planned burglary which went disastrously wrong...
btw, there is a reprint of the 1933 "Trial of William Herbert Wallace" just come out in the U.S. At about £55 it's steep, but less than half the price of the extremely rare original edition.
http://www.gaunt.com/w.htm
FWIW, my late grandfather, John Goodwin (1883-1949), was acquainted with Wallace as a fellow-member of the Central Chess Club. He swore to his dying day "Wallace didn't do it...", but alas, I have no insight into his reasoning...
I have a list of the housebreaking activities in the area. Don't know whether they ceased. The lists I have are the police ones - It seems that list is solely showing the possibilites because of the connection with the case. Tom Slemen claimed John Sharpe Johnston (Wallace's neighbour at no.31) was the Anfield Housebreaker. He moved house immediately after the killing.
Have tried to make a long post, which has gone into "moderation." Is that normal, and will it likely re-appear?
Yes. I've never been convinced that the Johnstons murdered Julia (even more so because they moved house). I think it would have looked extremely suspicious moving house (from a guilt perspective). Would a guilty Johnston have moved?
Hiya Rod hopefully its there now :PDT_Piratz_26:
I agree with what you say. I've always believed that the call was in favour of Wallace's innocence. He would have been suicidal to use a phone so close to his own home. In his book The Murder of Julia Wallace, James Murphy claims that Wallace had no option but to use that particular box. I believe nothing of the sort - he could have used one further away from Anfield or even in the city centre. I also believe there are many more points in favour of Wallace's innocence - the number 1 with me being the lack of blood on his person/clothing. Other factors are: MacFall's original belief that Julia had died 2 hours before he arrived. In other words that she was murdered at about 7.50 (Wallace was in the post office on Allerton Road at about this time); Florence Johnston claiming that Julia's hand was still warm. Mrs. Johnston also claiming that she heard 'bangs' at about 8.15 - 8.30; Close's testimony that he was half an hour late for his milk round due to his bike being damaged. Wildman's testimony regarding his newspaper round; the testimony of Elsie Wright; and Wallace's complete absence on the first tram being noticed.
I for one can't really make my mind up about Wallace.
I certainly don't know nearly as much about the case as Mark but I have read a bit about it.
As for the next door neighbours moving away, I don't think I personally would want to live next door to where something so gruesome had happened.