News of the Times - Unlocking the vaults of historical crime

Stories of Murdered Mistresses News of the Times Episode 310 | 1775 & 1851 Our first story takes place in 1775.  The young orphan that was brought into the household of well-respected ex-soldier John Bolton had developed into a beauty.  Bolton takes advantage of his position and engages in an intimacy with her.  And then she becomes pregnant.  The case took on the highest alert possible at tha...

The Warley Gap Murder News of the Times Episode 308 | 1903 It is 1903 in the beautiful area of Warley Gap, in Essex. Respectable local girl, Maud Garret, 19, is found terribly brutally slain in a field not far from the 2nd battalion Essex.  Maud had been known to be walking with a soldier there – an Edwardian version of dating – and had been seen by many. The murder of a local girl is bad enough,...

Chilling Charles Boyle News of the Times Episode 308 | 1924 A young girl, upon arriving back to the flat shared with her mother, finds herself unable to get in.  Impatiently knocking on the door and receiving no response, she goes to a neighbour and borrows the ley. Opening the door reveals a scene of horror with her mother, and two neighbour children, lying in pools of blood – their throats horri...

Murderous Stories of Inconvenient In-Laws News of the Times Episode 307 | 1837 & 1861 Those pesky n-laws who get in the way of the whole purpose of having gotten married in the first place. Our first case takes place in 1839.  Charles Bartlett, who works as an entertainer with a travelling show, has met and married a young girl, scarcely 18, who brings with her an initial dowry of £45!  Upon h...

The Many Murders of  Charles Daines News of the Times Episode 309 | 1839 It is 1839 in a small village outside Norwich. Charles Daines, 50 year old carpenter by trade, has a secret. In the next village is the highly attractive widow, Ann Lloyd.   Mrs Lloyd has many admirers, Charles Daines is just one of many. But Charles is already married and his wife, Hannah, stubbornly refuses to die despite h...

The Southend Murderer: Scotland Yard Casebook News of the Times Episode 305 | 1894 It is 1894 and on the outskirts of a small village, a woman is found dead in a dry brook.  She is heavily pregnant and well dressed.  She has been shot above her ear; with no gun nearby, this is murder not suicide. Scotland Yard’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are called in and immediately track down a pot...

The Stanfield Hall Murders News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840 In 1848 a horrific two slayings, with two attempted slayings, took place in beautiful 13th century Stanfield Hall in Norfolk, The killer, waiting for his moments in the grounds and dressed in cape and mask, methodically went through the house attempting to annihilate the entire family. This case was considered tremendously shocking as...

The Killing at Coachford News of the Times Episode 303 | 1887 It is 1887, just in the preamble of the ripper killings that will leave a long-lasting scar on the country’s consciousness.  This was a story that consumed the UK. Dr Cross, a highly respected retired military man, and it sounds like a bit of curmudgeon with the locals, has shocked society with his revolving door of buried wife followed...

Two Tales of Revenge News of the Times Episode 302 | 1849 & 1934 In todays episode we look at two tales were mothers feature strongly as does revenge. Our first story from 1849 sees young John Ward making advances to the household servant which is not reciprocated. Wishing to marry her, the mother steps in forcibly with fatal consequences. Our second story from 1934 is highly unusual in severa...

The Regent Square Murder: Scotland Yard Casebook News of the Times Episode 301 | 1917 C1917 London and in posh Regent Square a bundle has been found left by an early morning street sweeper. Upon investigation, the body of a woman, missing both head and hands, is found mostly nude and mangled.  Scotland Yard are brought on.  With no head or hands, identifying the victim is difficult.  However, the...

The Babington Plot against Queen Elizabeth I News of the Times Episode 299 | 1586 It is 1587 and England is undergoing simmering tension within the country, and externally from international pressure. The Pope has ex-communicated Queen Elizabeth I and actively encourages true Catholics to remover her from the throne.  The figure head for the opposition is the imprisoned Mary Stuart, Queen of the S...

The Southwestern Train Murder News of the Times Episode 298 | 1901 It is 1901 and there are three people travelling towards London in a third class railway carriage.  All of the sudden, one of the passengers gets up, shoots point blank at a fellow passenger, and then shoots the other in the face when she speaks. There were very few stories that could make the papers during this time of Queen Victo...

Aristocratic Chronicles: Two Tales of Murderous Philips News of the Times Episode 297  | 1678 & 1688 In today’s episode we look at two murderous cases, within aristocratic circles, involving protagonists named Philip. In our first case of 1678, Charles II - the party king - is the reigning monarch.  Philip, The 7th earl of Pembroke seems to have inherited his father's notorious quick and...

The Murder of the Duchess de Praslin News of the Times Episode 296 | 1847 It is 1847 Paris France and astoundingly, the Duchess of Praslin has been found in a room, bolted from the inside, shockingly brutally murdered.  She has put up a tremendous fight as bloody clumps of hair are found dotted around the room. In her death throes, she managed to violently ring the bell, thus bringing the skeleton...

The Assassin Madame Weiss News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840 In 1891 The international papers were fascinated by the story of Madame Weiss and the murderous love triangle in which she took centre stage. Madame Weiss, married to ex-army soldier M Weiss and with two children, falls passionately in love with visiting engineer M Roque.  Their torrid romance becomes known to her husband who forgives h...

Murder Among the Monied - Frightful Fridays News of the Times Episode 294 | 1746 & 1885 Our first case from 1746 London, involves footman Matthew Henderson who has worked in the Dalrymple household, the master of the house will soon become Lord Dalrymple, for five years.  Whether cheekily or not, he steps on Lady Dalrymple’s toe which she scolds him for. The scolding does not sit well with Mat...

Stories of Sibling Murder News of the Times Episode 293 | 1873-1875 The killing of a sibling, another child one has grown up with, without the motivation of financial gain, is relatively rare. In today’s episode we look at three cases where the sibling has been convicted of their sibling’s murder. Our first case from 1873 is particularly odd as it recounts the story of a woman of some 75 years who...

The Murder of Rhoda Carter News of the Times Episode 292 | 1893 1893 Watchfield in Berkshire and relatively newly married Rhoda Carter has gone missing.  It is high summer, yet John, her husband, has had a huge fire going on in the washroom giving off a terrible stench. His story of his wife going to help her pregnant sister turns out to be false.  Returning to ask more questions, John himself has...

The Monster Leger - france's Dracula News of the Times Episode 291 | 1824 1824 North Central France, and the villagers looking for a missing 12 year old girl find a horrific mangled corpse.  Some of the blood has been drained from the body and the heart has been taken out and partly consumed.  Unspeakable acts have been perpetrated to the girl after death. The case of the “Monster Leger” fasc...

The Dark Side of Aristocracy in 1700's News of the Times Episode 290 | 1729 & 1768 Our first case from 1729 created a scandal that went on for decades.  Lady Abergavenny has become intimately close with their nearest neighbour 7 miles away.  As suspicions rise with the secretary to Lord Abergavenny, the Lady is caught “in the act”. Our second case from 1768 concerns Lord Baltimore – the f...

An Irish Assassin Story News of the Times Episode 289 | 1837 1837 County Carlow, Ireland, and Wiilliam McGrath has returned to his home town where he sees his brother, now successfully running their now deceased father’s business.  William is filled with anger and resentment. Staying at his friend’s house, he offers his friend and the father £100 to act as assassins and get rid of his brother, the...

The Baroness Killing of a Countess News of the Times Episode 288 | 1868 Vienna 1867 and beautiful Baroness Julia Ebergenyi and dashing Lieutenant Count Chorinsky meet at a party.  Their meeting quickly develops into a passionate intimate affair.  There is only one hindrance to their future bliss: Count Chorinsky has been divorced from his 1860 impetuous marriage.  The divorce granted from the Roma...

The Croydon Killer  - Sinister Saturdays News of the Times Episode 287 | 1907 It is 1907 Croydon, South London and wealthy widow Mrs Blume has unexpectedly died a few weeks after taking in her new lodger.  Even more surprisingly, she has left her considerable estate to the same new lodger.  The daughter, who has been utterly cut out of her mother’s will and had seen her four days before her death,...

The Attempted Ravishing of Miss Dickinson News of the Times Episode 286 | 1875 1875 London, and all of England is agog with the scandal that Colonel Valentine Baker, personal friend of Bertie, Prince of Wales, soldier within the Queen’s Guard – a highly prestigious position - and celebrated war hero has been accused of an assault of a sexual nature on a train against a young lady whom he does not...

The Wheeler Family Murder Cases News of the Times Episode 285  | 1880 & 1890 Today’s episode looks at two series of killings, 10 years apart, by the same family. The first murder takes place in Hertfordshire with Thomas Wheeler blowing the head off of the man he intends to rob.  Descriptions speak of brain matter on the ceiling and walls.  A very sad case, but not so uncommon.  His 14 year old...