Elizabeth Foster

Elizabeth Foster, who testified at the inquest of Mary Jane Kelly may have appeared at the Old Bailey in 1905 for forgery:

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
Before the COMMON SERJEANT.

WOMEN'S LOVE STORIES.
ANOTHER CONFESSION IN THE ALLEGED FORGERY CASE.

At the Old Bailey yesterday another woman confessed affection for Dr. Bridgwater, who, with three other persons, is charged with forging and uttering a cheque for 819 pounds in the name of Mr. Marshal Fox, an American.
Miss Toovey, secretary to Mr. Fox, has told the court that she had come to regard Bridgwater as her sweetheart. The prosecution allege that the man made love to her in order to further a scheme of forgery. Wax impressions, it has been stated, were made of certain office keys which the secretary had in her possession.
Yesterday Elizabeth Foster, who is one of the accused, continued her evidence in defence. She is said to have taken some banknotes - proceeds of the alleged forgery - to France in order to change them.
"I have not been in Paris for the last twenty-five years," she declared.
She had been associated with Bridgwater, she said, for the last fourteen years, and left his place in Oxford-street, where he carried on a medical business, in 1902.
Cross-examined by Mr. Muir, the witness repudiated the suggestions as to the relationship which existed between her and Bridgwater.
The Common Serjeant questioned her further on the point.
"I was a kind of partner," she replied; "he was a medical man and I was in the profession, too."
But at Seaford. Did he come down as a lodger or what? - As a friend.
Then, do you mean that you were only in business relations with him when you wrote the letters commencing "My dear darling," and so on? - Well, I had known him for years, and was in the habit of writing to him in that way.
Edith Eleanor Fuller, who said she was now married, gave evidence to the effect that she was servant to Dr. Bridgwater for eighteen months. In July last year the convict Fisher dined with Bridgwater, and she had seen him at other times in the dispensary.
Mr. Muir: Did they seem to be new acquaintances or old friends? - No, not new acquaintances.
Mr. Wildey Wright: You left rather suddenly? - Yes, but I had been going for months.
There was something about a ring? - Yes, Dr. Bridgwater gave me it.
Didn't you steal it? - No, certainly not.
But there were three rings, and my point is that they were not returned until Dr. Bridgwater threatened to have you arrested? It is not true. Dr. Bridgwater lost the rings and I found them five or six days later in the inner lining of the waistcoat he had been wearing.
I think you remained out all night before you were dismissed? - Yes, I did not want to be murdered by Dr. Bridgwater.
But you loved him? - I did once.
The case was again adjourned.

Source: Daily Mail, Tuesday November 28, 1905, Page 4

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
Before the COMMON SERJEANT.

CONVICT'S ADVENTURES.
INCIDENTS OF THE ALLEGED FORGERY PLOT.

The extraordinary case against Dr. Bridgwater, George Peyton Holmes, Edward William Shackell, and Elizabeth Foster, who are said to have carried on a regular "manufactory of crime" under the guise of a medical business in Oxford-street, and who are charged with forging and uttering a cheque bearing the signature of Mr. Marshall Fox, an American, was continued yesterday.
The convict Fisher, who says he was a party to the plot, resumed his evidence, and described how he lodged at the house of Miss Toovey, Mr. Fox's secretary, and obtained wax impressions of the keys of Mr. Fox's office and safe in Victoria-street. Bridgwater is said to have made love to Miss Toovey in order to further the scheme.
The witness's share of the forgery was to be about 200 pounds. He understood from Bridgwater that it was a cheque for 600 pounds that had been cashed, whereas it was one for 819 pounds. It was some time afterwards that he heard it was "the 800 pound piece that had been flashed" (cashed), and he was annoyed at the trick that had been played him. The witness was at Seaford, with Bridgwater on several occasions, and before leaving Miss Toovey's house he got possession of a photograph, which he gave to Bridgwater.
Mr. Muir: Is this it? - Yes. It is a photo of Miss Toovey sitting up in bed.
Mr. Wildey Wright: You make no secret of the fact that you are a thief, a forger, and an expert in all the arts of the professional thief in England, America, and on the Continent? - I do not think that is a proper description. No such description has been given of me.
Fisher admitted that he had been convicted in America and England two or three times, and had walked from Cincinnati Prison with five or six others. He did not escape. (Laughter.)
Was there not an impression taken of the key of the gaol? - No; the key was taken from a drawer while the gaoler was at his breakfast. Half a dozen other prisoners were walking about, and anyone could get the key and let himself out. (Laughter.)
Fisher confessed that he had broken into a picture-shop in Bloomsbury, and that in order to get an impression of the key of the building, he went into the shop and asked for something to knock a nail down in his boot. They brought him a hammer, but he suggested that a key would do better. They then lent him the key of the place, and he took an impression of it.
And the shop was broken into and robbed a few nights later? - No; no robbery was committed. I went in to see if there was anything which would interest me. I simply went in and out, and got six months for it. (Laughter.)
How many times have you turned upon those who were alleged to be your partners in crime? - Only once, when I was a boy.
And you escaped conviction in that case? - Yes, I did.
In further cross-examination, Fisher said he communicated with Inspector Arrow about this matter before his last conviction, but it was not with the view of getting a light sentence. He wanted to shut out his past, and give up the things, "so that I should not be able to resume my connection with people of this class when I came out of gaol."
The witness was under cross-examination by Shackell when the court adjourned.

Source: Daily Mail, Saturday November 18, 1905, Page 4