Frances Maria Wright

THE CANONBURY MURDER.
ARREST AND EXAMINATION AT THE COURT.

Henry Glennie, 24, a hot-water fitter, refusing to state his address, was charged, on suspicion, at Clerkenwell police-court, on Friday, with having been concerned, with other persons not in custody, in wilfully murdering Frances Maria Wright, aged 71, at the house 19, Canonbury-terrace, on May 16 last.
Detective-serjeant Merroney, of the G division, said: From instructions I received from Detective-inspector Peel, on Wednesday night I went with Detective-serjeants Fordham and Robinson to the King's-cross railway station, on the Underground. At a quarter to ten that night we saw the prisoner standing near the corner of Caledonian-road, opposite the station, and Serjeant Fordham went across to him, and took hold of him. I also took hold of him, and we put him into a four-wheeled cab. I said to him, "We are police-officers, and we apprehend you for being concerned with another man with breaking into some premises at Islington on Tuesday night, and stealing a quantity of satin; also on suspicion of being concerned in the murder of Mrs. Wright at Canonbury-terrace." After a short time the prisoner said, "I shan't say anything. I can prove what I am and what I do." We conveyed him to the Upper-street police-station, where he was detained, his name being taken by the inspector on duty. He declined to give any address, but said that he was a "hot water fitter." The next day, the 20th, at a quarter to 11 o'clock, I and Inspector Glass saw the prisoner again. I said to him, "The inspector has directed me to ask you if you can refer me to any person who can prove where you were when Mrs. Wright was murdered at No. 19, Canonbury-terrace. It happened about ten minutes past three on the afternoon of the 16th of May last." He then said, "Well; I can't say where I was. I think I was with my sister, Mrs. Swallow, at a confectioner's shop, Kingsbury-road, Neasden. I think I was there for about 14 minutes. My friend can tell you where I was better than I can." At a quarter-past 10 last (Thursday) night I saw the prisoner again. I showed him a carpet bag (produced) and said, "This is the bag that was dropped by a man who was seen running away from Canonbury-terrace. I have obtained information that this bag belongs to you." He took it in his hand and examined it, and I said to him, "I have shown that bag to George Mack, of 14, Storey-street, Caledonian-road, and to Thomas Crook, of 26, Freeling-street. They both say that you had a bag like that, and that they believe it belongs to you." The prisoner became very pale and agitated, and, after hesitating, said, "Well, I admit that is my bag - or, rather, it was mine. I sold it with some tools to a man in the Star and Garter public-house, Caledonian-road. I don't know who he is, or how much I sold them for." I asked him if he could give any further information, and he said, "I can't tell you any more." Glennie made the above statement straight off, and not in answer to questions. This (Friday) morning, at a quarter to 11, I and the other officers saw the prisoner again, and asked him whether he could give any further information or description of the man to whom he sold the bag of tools. He said, "No; but I sold them the Friday after I left the Eagle Range and Foundry works in Regent-street." Today (Friday), when he was charged formally at the station with being concerned in the murder, the prisoner made no reply.
Police-inspector Glass said the police had other evidence, which they would call when the prisoner was again brought up. The witnesses were not all in attendance.
John Jones, of No. 16, Marylebone-lane, a carman, was, however, called, and said: On the day - a Wednesday afternoon in May - I was standing at the corner of Alwyne-road and Canonbury-road, and I saw a man walking down from the direction of Canonbury-terrace. He passed me, and after he had gone by about 10 or 15 yards I saw a lady coming from the same direction, and she called out twice to me, "that man." I asked her what he had done, and she did not say. I found that she could not speak English, and the man turned round and looked back, and as soon as he saw the lady he started running. He carried a bag on his shoulder, a similar one to the bag produced. I went a few yards after him, but turned back. I cannot positively swear to the man, but on Thursday I picked the prisoner out from among 16 other men assembled at the Upper-street police-station. He is like the man I saw that Wednesday.
Mr. Saunders, the magistrate, said there was, at present, hardly sufficient evidence to detain the prisoner. However, this was so grave a charge that he would remand the prisoner. - The prisoner was remanded till Thursday.

LATEST PARTICULARS.

The accused man, Henry Glennie, who is under remand charged on suspicion with the murder of Mrs. Frances Maria Wright in May last, has secured the professional assistance of Mr. C. Bowker, solicitor, of Seymour-place, Marylebone, who will defend him at the next hearing. - Mr. Bowker visited the accused yesterday at Holloway, and had an interview with him. Glennie asserts that he is a respectable man and has never been convicted. He bitterly complains of the frequent interrogations he is subjected to by the police, the object of which he asserts is to entrap him into saying something which will bolster up the case for the prosecution, and at the same time make it appear that he is guilty of the offence charged against him. He also complains of what he regards as the exceptional method adopted to secure his identification. Persons wholly dissimilar to himself in appearance have been selected to stand by him when people have come to inspect him, and so make identification easy. At least eight or nine people have been brought to see him, and they have failed to recognise him as the person "wanted." He further demurs to having been five or six times placed in the prison yard alongside men 6ft. high, while he is very short, for the purposes of identification. He most strenuously protests his innocence of the crime with which he is charged.

Source: Lloyd's Weekly London Newspaper, September 23, 1888, Page 7