The culprit of the threatening letters was caught.
The follow-on from last weeks blog on Frances O'Rourke's Murder
On Friday 14th March a boy, was arrested and charged with feloniously and maliciously, sending letters to Rev. Agg-Large, threatening to kill him at Southborough on 19th February, and also sending the correspondence to Mr. and Mrs. O'Rourke threatening to Kill Mr. O'Rourke and to Mrs. O'Rourke on the 15th February, there was a specific threat that unless she sent her little girl with the £2O to the writer, in London Road, he would murder her and her children in their beds. he signed himself ''44 Vampire,". ''The Devil'' and ''The head of the League of Seven Brothers'' There were also other letters threatening other witnesses who had given evidence at the trial for Harold Apted.
This went on for a period of up to 2 months, while the court case was happening.
On the same day, in the afternoon at Tonbridge Police Court, in front of the magistrate.
The prisoner was undefended and once the arrest charges were read out, He was then remanded until Tuesday 18th to appear at the Assizes
Later on in the day while he was in the cells with other prisoners, who had been placed in the station. The prisoner shouted at them, and one prisoner asked him what he was there for. The prisoner replied ''44 For writing those anonymous letters." The other man said ''44 Did you send them?" and he replied ''44 wrote them, but don't remember posting them."
Alexander George Laver Moore was an unemployed 15-year-old boy from Prospect Road Southborough The only child of Alexander Walter Moore age 30 a Piano Forte Maker from Hackney London and Emily age 30 from Southampton, Hampshire Daughter of John Laver a Grocer.
Alexander was born prematurely on 15th Sept 1886 and the doctor informed his parents, that they would have great difficulty in rearing him, owing to his health. He did not go to school until after most boys did and was unable to partake in physical activities but his brain said to be was acute and he became a reader of books and was said to be an avid reader of 'Penny Dreadfuls'
He was described as a curious looking youth with a big head, which he carried on one side.
On Tuesday 18th March, the day of Apted's hanging, he was brought before Mr. C. W. Powell (in the chair), Surgeon General Plancke, Mr. C. Fitch Kemp, Mr. H. J. Wood, Mr. R. Wingate, Mr. W. Uldwin, and Mr. H. M. Rogers
Mr. Sims appeared on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Alexander was undefended.
Mr Sims said he proposed to prove the facts and then should ask the Magistrates to commit the prisoner to trial to be dealt with there.
Mr Sims said the charge consisted of two series.
1. the prisoner was charged under the 66th Section of the offense against the person by sending letters threatening to kill and murder. Under this Section was provided that, whosoever sent or caused to be sent, any letter or writing threatening to kill or murder, shall be guilty of a felony, and on being convicted, thereof shall be liable to be kept in penal servitude, for any time not exceeding ten years and not less than three years.
2. The prisoner was charged under the Larceny Act, that whosoever shall send, utter, or deliver, directly or indirectly cause to be received, any letter or writing demanding any payment, shall be guilty of a felony, and being convicted shall be liable to be kept in penal servitude for life, or a term not less than three years.
The O'Rourke's became so fearful, that they would not sleep at their home at night, and stayed elsewhere. Even the Postmaster received one, for not delivering the letters and handing them to the police instead.
The police did all they possibly could to detect the sender of the letters, but they were not successful, and eventually, the Confidential Inquiry Branch of the G.P.O. decided to step in and an official, named Mr.Cartwright, was told off to make inquiries. He first of all satisfied himself that all these communications were posted in Southborough, and the Prospect-road pillar-box, which was near the house in which the prisoner resided with his parents. Cartwright couldn't be there every day watching the pillar box, as he would have been detected very quickly, and the person who was in the habit of sending the letters would have posted them somewhere else. The Post Office Authorities pointed out to the Rev. J. Agg-Large, who lived opposite the box, and he allowed Mr Cartwright to occupy a bedroom in the Parsonage from which he had a view of the pillar box.
Mr Cartwright saw the prisoner constantly posting letter cards and letters, and being provided with a special key of the letterbox, had immediately crossed the road and took out whatever communications he found in the box and initialed them. He found several addressed to Mr. and Mrs. O'Rourke; also some to a witness named Mrs Jenner, and a Mr. Rowe, who lives next door to the prisoner and to several other persons living in the neighborhood. He also found from time to time letters addressed to Editors of some penny and half-penny comic papers published in London. These included "The Wonder," "The Best Feature," and "Answers.", These letters were specially delivered by an Officer in the Post Office, were signed for and opened, and were found to be signed by a person named Alexander Moore, who gave his address ''Fernholme'', Prospect-road, Southborough. In these letters were contributions to the papers for publication, and for which payment was expected. The comparison of the handwriting of these contributions and letters, with the writing in the threatening letters, none of which bore any name, established the fact that, beyond all doubt, the Bench would see, they were all in the same handwriting, and that the prisoner, Alexander Moore, was the writer both of the contributions to the comic papers and the threatening letters referred to.
The Magistrate asked the prisoner if he understood the charges, he replied something unheard by the public and was then remanded and committed to Trial.
The matter then went a step further, when the prisoner expressed a desire to make a statement. He said he was not going to confess, but he thought it would be desirable to make a statement. He was cautioned very carefully, and he replied ''44 No matter."
The prisoner then voluntarily wrote out the following statement:—
''44 I, Alexander L. L. Moore, do hereby confess to having written all those anonymous letters which have been circulated throughout the village of Southborough. I, however, never had anything to do with the moving of the cross on the murdered girl's grave,
but I put the label ''signed by the Vampire'' on it. My only reason was that I wanted to create a sensation and a mystery, for which I heartily do repent."
Note: I believe this could be due to being in prison at the time of the execution, he realized the seriousness of what he had done and maybe he thought a confession would also get him out of the prison.
The Summer Assizes trials were chaired by the Hon Sir Walter George Frank Philimore, one of His Majesty judges of the High court
Friday 11th July
He pleaded 'Not Guilty' His counsel, Mr Rooth, was not available and it was requested to be postponed by the courts, til the next day.
Saturday 12th July,
Mr. Theobald Matthew (instructed by Mr. Frayling) appeared for the prosecution on behalf of the Treasury and Mr Rooth appeared for the Defence
Alexander then pleaded 'Guilty', much to the confusion of the judge.
Mr. Rooth stood and explained that the prisoner wished to withdraw his plea of 'Not Guilty'. as he (Mr. Rooth) could not be present on Friday, and he thought under the circumstances, the lad had better plead 'Not Guilty' until he could get down and then he would withdraw his plea.
His Lordship: ''You have put the county to enormous expense for your inconvenience. I was told it was inconvenient for you to come here yesterday and was perfectly prepared, that everything you wanted to say to the boy should be heard and to do nothing more than take his plea. Had he pleaded guilty yesterday, a great number of witnesses could have been released from attendance today''.
Mr. Rooth: ''I can only say in fairness to myself that I asked Mr. Pitman to protect me and I gave specific instructions to Mr. Pitman''.
His Lordship to Mr. Pitman: ''As I understood, your instructions were for him to plead 'Not Guilty'? ''
Mr. Pitman: ''That is what I did do''
The Judge then said he could understand Mr. Rooth taking every step to secure to the boy the benefit of his address, which he is entitled to but when it was known the case was not to stand for a sentence without his appearance, he could not understand how the boy was advised to plead 'Not Guilty'.
Mr. Rooth then stated that he had advised the solicitor for the treasury, that he could not be there til Saturday
His lordship rolled his eyes, looked at Mr. Matthews, and asked ''Are the witnesses here?''
Mr. Matthew replied ''They are''
Mr. Rooth then said ''only one will be necessary''
His Lordship replied ''one? there are twelve!, one even being an expert in handwriting! they could have be dismissed from coming today!''
Mr. Rooth ''of course because I was not here yesterday''
His Lordship: ''You told me just now, it was under your advice!''
Alexander then interrupted explaining ''I was advised by my uncle yesterday to plead 'Not Guilty' and yesterday I was advised by one of the bar, to plead 'Guilty' today''
His Lordship then spoke to Alexander ''You shall not be prejudiced by this, I cannot help but think it was an extremely clumsy course to have taken. It appears that the boy was prejudiced by this matter but that shall not be. Just understand this boy, I am not advising you to plead 'Not Guilty' and shall still desire you to have an interview with your counsel and tell me whether you withdraw your plea or not''
Mr. Rooth replied ''I have already seen him''
His Lordship responded ''well you had better see him again and his uncle too!''
After counsel, he formally pleaded 'Guilty'.
They proceeded and the evidence was put to the court.
Mr Rooth said that given the facts, there was no defense. apart from matters regarding his premature birth and his health, which he explained as I've given above, and he said he had become obsessed with the murder but did not understand the seriousness of it until later.
then they heard all the witnesses, including the prisoner's parents who knew nothing of the letters.
His lordship then addressed Alexander, ''You could have seriously affected the Apted trial, pushing the jury into thinking they had gone after the wrong man, which would have led to an acquittal and a murderer going free''.
He then said he would not punish him excessively but at the same time, he had to see he had committed a crime and he would be an example. He would also bear in mind the prisoner's weak condition and that he had already been in prison for 4 months. He then recommended that he be kept in prison for a further 6 months without hard labor in the *second division
Alexander replied ''Thank you my lord'' and he was taken back to Maidstone Prison.
Note: *Second division prisoners were kept apart, as far as possible, from other classes of criminal prisoners. He would not have been at risk of being tainted by those who have been convicted before or serious crimes. He could receive more frequent letters and visits and would wear clothes of a different colour and could also receive food and drink sent in by friend and relatives on payment.
Life after prison
He did his time and went back home to his parents and they continued to reside in Tunbridge Wells area but had moved away from the Southborough area to St James Road, Tunbridge Wells, and this also changed the church they went to, from St Peters with Rev. Agg-Large to St James Church.
I can imagine they would have been met with some hostility around the Southborough area and would also have felt guilty for the stress the Apted family were put through,
His Mother died in August 1920, age 70
Alexander died in March 1922 at age 32, no doubt from his health issues, due to his premature birth.
His father died a year later in March 1923, age 73
This may also have caused marital problems between his parents, his father possibly blaming his mother, for not keeping a better eye on him, while he was out working, as they are all buried separately at the Tunbridge Wells Cemetery on Benhall Mill Road.
Sources
1. Kent & Sussex Courier (1902) ‘ KENT SUMMER ASSIZES', 16 July, pp. 2-2
2. Gravesend & Northfleet Standard (1902) ‘ Arrest of Suspected letter writer ’, 22 March, pp. 2-2
3. Kent & Sussex Courier (1902) ‘ Sequel to the Tonbridge murder ’, 18 July, pp. 8-8
4. Kent & Sussex Courier (1902) ‘ The Southborough threatening letters ’, 19 March, pp. 2-2
5. Bring your backstory to lifeTM (no date) Ancestry® | Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records. Available at: http://www.ancestry.co.uk/ (Accessed: 09 February 2024).
6. Archive, T.B.N. (no date) History’s colorful stories in black and white, Home | Search the archive | British Newspaper Archive. Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ (Accessed: 11 February 2024).
7. The central database for UK burials and cremations (no date) Burial records, cremation records, grave maps, genealogy, and ancestry at Deceased Online. Available at: http://www.deceasedonline.com/ (Accessed: 11 February 2024).
8. Pictures and historical info from Wikipedia https://www.wikipedia.org/
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