George Joseph Smith - A Third Victim

A Third Victim

A year before Burnham's death in Blackpool, one Henry Williams had rented a house in 80 High Street, with no bath, for himself and his wife Beatrice "Bessie" Munday, whom he married in Weymouth, Dorset in 1910. He then rented a bathtub seven weeks later. He then took his wife to a local doctor, Frank French, due to an epileptic fit, although she was only complaining of headaches, for which the doctor prescribed some medication. On 12 July 1912, Williams woke French, saying that his wife was having another fit. He checked on her and promised to come back the following afternoon. However, he was surprised when, on the following morning, he was informed by Williams that his wife had died of drowning. The doctor found Bessie Williams in the tub, her head underwater, her legs stretched out straight and her feet protruding out of the water. There was no trace of violence, so French attributed the drowning to epilepsy. The inquest jury awarded Williams the amount of £2,579 13s 7d (£2,579. 68p), as stipulated in Mrs Williams' will, made up five days before her death.

Neil then sent photographs of Smith to Herne Bay for possible identification and then went to Blackpool, where Spilsbury was conducting an autopsy of Alice Smith. The results were the same as with Margaret Lloyd: the lack of violence, every suggestion of instantaneous death, and little evidence of drowning. Furthermore, there were no traces of poison on Margaret Lloyd. Baffled, Spilsbury routinely took measurements of the corpse and had the tub sent to London.

Back in London, Neil had received confirmation from Herne Bay. "Henry Williams" was also "John Lloyd" and "George Smith". This time, when Spilsbury examined Bessie Williams, he found one sure sign of drowning: the presence of goose pimples on the skin. As with the other two deaths, the tub in which Mrs Williams had died was sent to London.