Diss Family History Group

PEASENHALL MURDER.

OPENING OF THE RE-TRIAL.

The re-trial of William Gardiner for the murder of Rose Harsent at Peasenhall commenced yesterday at Ipswich, before Mr. Justice Lawrance.

The assizes were opened yesterday with antique ceremonial, but Mr. Justice Lawrance had no occasion to mention the case in his charge to the Grand Jury, the true bill found in November being valid.

Mr. Dickens, K.C., opened the case for the Crown. He remarked at the outset that it was impossible the jury could be unaware that the case had been tried before, but no juryman had a right to allow his views on capital punishment to interfere with his judgement.

The learned counsel went on to recite the main points on which the Crown relied. Rose Harsent was a servant girl, and also a member of the Primitive Methodist Church at the adjacent village of Sibton, where prisoner was a Sunday school superintendent, choirmaster, assistant society secretary, and a trustee of the funds. The association of the prisoner with this girl, who was a member of the choir, caused some scandal, but an inquiry conducted by the circuit minister ended only in an impasse. Rose Harsent was enceinte at the time of her death. The case for the Crown was that prisoner wrote her a letter, telling her he would visit her at twelve o’clock at night, He did, accordingly, visit at some time on that night, he killed her, and tried to burn her body. Gardiner left damning proof behind in the form of a medicine bottle, in which he had placed paraffin for destroying the remains. He forgot to remove the label bearing the words, “Mrs Gardiner’s children.” No other person than the prisoner had any motive for desiring the death of the deceased.

William George Wright, a wheelwright, living at Peasenhall, was next called. He gave evidence of what he asserted he heard in the Doctor’s Chapel.

Under cross-examination he admitted not having told the whole truth at the police proceedings. He omitted there to state that he heard Rose Harsent say, “Oh, oh.”

Mr. Wild: I put it to you that you are lying from start to finish. – Witness: No, sir.

In reply to further questions by Mr. Wild, witness admitted that when Gardiner threatened him with legal proceedings he replied, “Well, we’ve only got what we stand up in.” He also admitted that five years ago he had spread a similar story about another man and woman.

Alphonso Skinner, fitter of Peasenhall, gave similar evidence. He denied that the story was concocted by him and Wright. Witness told his story at Sibton Primitive Methodist Chapel, where an inquiry was conducted by the minister. Witness received a solicitor’s letter threatening legal proceedings, but he had never made any apology.

In cross-examination Skinner admitted standing with Wright and peeping into the chapel, but not “as a private detective” or “to see the fun.” He heard a female voice say, “Did you notice me reading my Bible last night?” A voice that he recognised as Gardiner’s said, “What were you reading about?” and the reply was, “I was reading about what we have been doing here tonight, and I will tell you where it is.” Then a reference is made to a text in Genesis, but the remainder of the alleged conversation is unfit for publication. Rose Harsent and Gardiner subsequently left the chapel.

The Rev. John Guy, formerly superintendent minister of the Wangford Circuit of the Primitive Methodist Church, was next called. He said Rose Harsent was a private or non-official member at Sibton Chapel. He conducted the inquiry in May, 1901, as to the relations existing between Gardiner and the girl. The inquiry was the result of a letter received by witness from a local preacher names Rouse. Wright and Skinner were not shaken in the bulk of their testimony, but in the absence of collaborative evidence on both sides no conclusion was come to, and no report was made to the circuit. Gardiner retained his offices. Witness cautioned. Gardiner to be careful of young people in general, and prisoner said he would stay clear of Rose Harsent. He admitted that he had been indiscreet, and that he had accompanied Rose Harsent home on occasions, but he would endeavour to recover his position. Mr Wild questioned witness as to whether he had on any one of his previous appearances in the witness-box alleged that prisoner admitted that he had accompanied Rose Harsent home on occasions. Witness replied that he could not recollect that he had said this in so many words, and denied that he had ever described the charges as trumped-up lies.

Henry Rouse, labourer, of Sibton, the Primitive Methodist local preacher who was responsible for the chapel inquiry, was next examined by Mr. Dickens. He said that on the night in February last year he met Gardiner and Rose Harsent walking away from their house in the direction of Yoxford, and on another occasion he had cause to complain of Gardiner’s behaviour to the girl in Sibton Chapel during service. After the latter incident he sent Gardiner an anonymous letter asking him not to injure God’s cause.

Harry Harsent, a boy of 15 years of age, and employed at Smyth’s Drill Works, appeared in the witness-box with a crape band on the right arm. He was examined by Mr de Gray as to his conveyance of letters since June, 1901, to his sister Rose from prisoner. It was his duty also to take prisoner a local daily newspaper up to the end of May last year.

Frederick Henry Brewer, postman, Yoxford, deposed that on the afternoon of the 31st May he delivered the buff letter addressed to Rose Harsent at Providence House, Peasenhall.

Mrs Georgina Maria Crisp, wife of Wm. Crisp, of Providence House, Peasenhall, by whom the deceased girl was employed, was called at a late hour in the afternoon. She said that during the night of May 30th, while she was in bed, she was startled by a scream, but her husband would not allow her to leave the bedroom, as she had previously told the girl that if she suffered any fright from the storm which was raging she was to come up to the floor on which witness and her husband were sleeping. She identified the buff envelope addressed to Rose Harsent. She took the letter in and placed it in the kitchen for the girl. She had previously seen similar envelopes addresses to Rose Harsent.

The court adjourned a few minutes before six o’clock.