Ratcliff Highway Murders - Some Alternate Suspects

Some Alternate Suspects

John Williams' arrest would have interested two other people involved: Cornelius Hart and William 'Long Billy' Ablass.

• Hart, who had done carpentry work at the Marr's shop the day of their murder, claimed to have lost a chisel and made several enquiries about its whereabouts to Marr. Margaret Jewell testified that Marr searched his shop that night but could find no trace of it. When Harriott had visited the shop on the morning after the murders, he found the chisel placed in a prominent position and removed it as evidence. Hart always denied any particular dealings with Williams, although other witnesses provided a link between the two. Following Williams' arrest, Hart enquired at the Pear Tree tavern whether Williams was being retained in custody. *

• Ablass was a seaman who had sailed with Williams aboard the Roxburgh Castle. He had a history of aggression and had been involved in the unsuccessful mutiny aboard the ship, and was placed in confinement afterwards, while Williams was thought to have simply been led astray by his shipmates. He was drinking in company with Williams at the Kings Arms on the night of the murders, and was a far better match for Turner's description of the killer. He was also lame, matching the earlier eyewitness description of one of the men running up the Highway after the first murders, and was unable to account for some of his time on the nights of both murders. He was detained as a suspect. When evidence emerged that Timothy Marr, John Williams and William Ablass had all served together as seamen prior to Marr's going into business on his own, it was suggested that there were links, and possibly old scores to settle, between the three.