November 22nd: more witness statements

Bristol Mercury, November 22^nd, 1893.

The Bath Tragedy.

The Resumed Inquest.

Fresh Evidence.

Yesterday, at the Parish room, Bathampton, the inquest on the remains of Elsie Adeline Luke, the victim of the Hampton Down murder, was resumed by Mr Samuel Craddock, the coroner for North Somerset. Arthur Stevenson Coombs and his solicitor  (Mr E.B. Titley) were again present throughout the proceedings.

Clara Thorne.

Clara Thorne was the first witness sworn. She said:-  I am a cousin to Mrs Elizabeth Coombs – sister-in-law of Arthur Stevenson Coombs. I saw a good deal of him during the summer of 1891, and was frequently in his company. On Saturday afternoon, August 1^st, 1891, I met him in the Gravel walk, near the park. On the previous Sunday I was with him both in the morning and afternoon. After we met in the Gravel walk we went along the canal, and had tea in a cottage near the Warminster road. I saw him on the next day (Sunday) in the evening, and then made arrangements to meet him on the following morning, which was Bank Holiday. It was our intention to go to Thornbury. It was wet, however, and I did not keep the appointment. I saw him later in the day, and he suggested going to the theatre in the evening. I declined to go, but arranged to go to his sister’s wedding on the following Wednesday.  On the 2^nd and 3^rd of August I noticed he had a bad thumb, and efore he came to see me on Monday I understood that he went to Mr Vigis’s to have advice about it. On the Wednesday morning I went with him to the wedding at St. Andrew’s Church, and in the afternoon we went for a walk.

By Mr Titley—I noticed no change whatever in his manner. He was in the same spirits as usual.

Mr Titley – In the months of June and July I believe you saw a good deal of him? – Yes.

Did you go for walks with him frequently? – Yes.

And on the Sunday when he did not meet Miss Pollie Sheppard (of which she speaks in her letter of July 19^th) he had been for walks with you? – Yes.

Were you engaged to Coombs? – No, not egaged, I was only keeping company with him.

A Juryman—Did you go for a walk with Coombs through Fussell’s wood leading to Hampton Down any Sunday morning in July? – No. I have been with him other days, but not on a Sunday morning.

Can you give us an idea where the cottage was where you had tea? – No. I don’t believe I could. I could remember the woman.

Witness here gave a rambling account of the journey leading up to the cottage. In reply to further questions, she said she came to Bath from Thornbury. She had never seen Coombs in company with the girl Wilkie.

Mrs Coombs.

Mrs Coombs was then examined. She said – I am the wife of William Coombs, a coachbody maker, of 25, Kingsmead terrace, and mother of Arthur Stevenson Coombs.

Mr Titley—Now, with regard to the girl Elsie Wilkie, do you recollect her coming to your house and when it was? – Yes, it was the early part of February, 1891.

Now, were you present during the conversation?—Yes, she went upstairs, and my husband called me up. Arthur was there and my husband.

And then did she make any statement – any accusation of any sort?

The Coroner—What did she say?

Mr Titley—Now just tell us what it was. (No answer.) Was it that she had got into trouble by him?

The Coroner—What did she actually say? – She said that Arthur had got her into trouble in the Park.

And that statement was made in the presence of Coombs? – Yes, myself, my husband, and Arthur.

Mr Titley – What did your son say to that? – He denied it.

The Coroner – How long did the girl Wilkie stay there? Not very long, sir; only about ten minutes I should think.

Mr Titley – Did she ever after that come to your house? – No, sir.

Or to your knowledge did your son after that ever walk out or keep company with the girl Wilkie? – No, sir, not to my knowledge.

Now I think I had better ask you this, Mrs Coombs. You are a married woman; was there anything in the girl’s appearance to corroborate her statement? – No, sir, nothing at all.

Can you recollect when he first came with the injury to his thumb? – Yes, on the Monday, 27^th July. He said he got into a little squabble at the Liberal fete.

The Coroner – What time did he get home from that? – About half-past 10. A day or two afterwards I saw the thumb was getting bad, so I poultice it. Still, he went to work that week and up till Bank Holiday. It then got worse, and I recommended him to get advice about it.

Mr Titley – Was there anything at all in his spirits different to usual, or anything wrong with his clothes? – No, sir, nothing at all.

The Coroner – When the girl spoke of Coombs getting into trouble did she go into any details at all. Did she say when it happened? I believe she said about Christmas, or a few weeks before.

That would be Christmas, 1890? – Yes.

Mr Titley – Do you recollect Bank Holiday, 1891, when your son came in that night? Yes, I was waiting up for him; and he came in about 11.

Did you know where he had been? – Yes, he told me he had been to the Theatre with Miss Sheppard.

The Coroner – Do you recollect what he did during the Bank Holiday of 1891? – He was with his brother during the whole of the morning till about 12 o’clock. Then he told me he was going out to see Miss Thorne. He came in and had an early tea, and then said he was going to call for Pollie Sheppard.

William Hodges.

William Geo. Hodges was then sworn. He said he was a sergeant in D Company 1^st V.B.P.A.S.L.I., and on the preceding the August Bank Holiday of 1891 was making certain arrangements for camp in his capacity as senior sergeant. Coombs was to have gone to Devizes as a body servant to Capt. Robertson, but he came to him on the Thursday previous and said he was sorry he could not go as he had a bad hand. Witness noticed that his thumb was bound up.

Evidence was then given by Thomas Lock, William Henry James, and Frederick William Coombs with regard to the injured hand.

William Henry Coombs.

William Henry Coombs, the father, was then sworn.

Mr Titley – Do you recollect, as a lad of 17, your son keeping company with Elsie Wilkie? – Yes, between 17 and 18.

Did you approve of that engagement or of his keeping company with the girl? – I did not, sir.

Did you speak to your son about it? – Yes, Ihad several conversations with him about it, and the acquaintance was after a time broken off.

And upon that did Elsie Wilkie come on one occasion to your house? – Yes, during the month of February, 1891.

More than once? – No, only on one occasion.

Who answered the door? – I did, sir, myself. I met her before on the terrace. She intercepted me and my son on the way home. I met her at the bottom of Trinity street. I went in home, and then there was some repeated knocking at the door. I went out and said, “What is it  you require?”

The Coroner – Who was that? – Wilkie herself . There was a little girl standing just behind. She said, “I want to see Arthur.” I said, “You will not see him; he’s not coming out.” I then closed the door.

Did you know the other girl? – No, sir. Of course, within a minute or two afterwards – before I got to the end of the staircase – there was some repeated knocks, again accompanied by the ringing of the bell. I again answered the door and saw the girl Wilkie standing in the doorway. I said “What is it you want?” She again replied “I want to see Arthur.” I once more told her she would not see him, and she said, “I will see him after what he has done to me.” I said, “If you have any accusation against Arthur you had better come inside and let me and his mother hear what it is.” She then charged Arthur before us with having taken undue liberties with her in the Royal Victoria park. I said “When did this occur?” She said, “Oh, since Christmas,” without fixing any specific date. I said to Arthur “What have you to say to this charge?” He flatly contradicted it. She again stated it was so, and I remonstrated with her about it. I said “He is only a boy, and you appear to be 25. A young woman like you let a boy of his age interfere with you!” She said he was more than 18, and disputed my statement. She never came to our house afterwards. I saw her in the streets occasionally.

Mr Titley – Did you ever notice anything in her appearance? – Well, I used to notice at times that there appeared to be a bit of a get up, and at other times it had all vanished. On the occasion of the Liberal fete he came home late with his hat and clothes dirty. I asked him where he had been, and he explained that he had had a tussle with someone at the fete who had interfered with him. He said he had knocked the man down, and thought, when he was on the ground, that he would have bitten his leg. As it was he laid hold of his thumb with his teeth. He showed me his thumb, and there were marks on either side. I remonstrated with him for being at the fete so close upon his aunt’s funeral, and that was all the conversation we had that night.

By Mr Titley – He noticed nothing unusual in his son’s manner during the week preceding or following Bank Holiday.

Mr Titley.

Mr E.B. Titley, the solicitor for Coombs, was the next witness. He produced a letter from Mr Prosser, at whose school Coombs was educated, setting forth that the lad was of quiet, gentle manner and tractable disposition. Messrs Fuller, his employers, wrote that Coombs had conducted himself to their entire satisfaction, and there was a further testimonial from Captain Robertson.

The Coroner—You put these in as showing that Coombs was a person not likely to commit murder?

Mr Titley – Quite so. He added that he had also received the following letter from a person named Bevan, whose name had been mentioned during the inquiry:-- “82, Dongola road, Plaistow, E,;  8^th November, 1893. – Dear Sir – I have your letter of yesterday. To fully explain – as you put it – my connection with the deceased, and the real reason of her leaving for Bath, would take too long in a letter. The visit I paid her was a friendly one, and was made on Easter Monday, 1890, not 1891, and whether at her suggestion or my own, I cannot, after this length of time, remember. I returned to London the same day, and have not seen her since. The last letter I received from her was, I think, in March, 1891, when she sent me a portrait of herself. When staying near Trowbridge (Wilts) for my holidays in July of last year, I cycled over to Bath with a friend. This and the former occasion I have referred to are the only times I have ever been in Bath. Of course, therefore, I cannot throw any light upon the matter. I should have seen and had a conversation with you, had Bath been nearer London than it is, I could not afford the expense of a journey there even were I able to state anything which might be of service or interest in the matter. I should be pleased to hear that the coroner sees at once that it is not necessary to further connect my name, at any rate, publicly, with the matter. – Your faithfully, Henry Bevan.

William Albert Blick.

William Albert Blick, publican, said – I remember visiting the George Inn, Bathampton, on the August Bank Holiday, 1891. After luncheon with the landlord’s son, I went to the skittle alley, where three young men and two girls were playing. None of the party were known to me, but one of them resembled Coombs. It is so long ago that I cannot be certain. One of the girls was dressed in light clothes and the other in dark. They appeared to be respectable, and I should think they were over 20 years of age.

The Coroner – Do you remember any names being mentioned?

Witness – Only Dill. Mr Dolman’s son told me he was there He said – Do you know who that is? He is the butcher’s son, and he has run through his thousands.

Witness, in reply to the jury, said – The players were using very foul language. That was why I asked Dolman who they were. Dill was sober. He was larking a little with the girls who were there.

The Coroner – Have you anything else to say? – One of the three men I must tell you was a porter whom I have seen at Bathampton station.

A Juryman – Had one of the girls a gold chain or watch? – Yes, one of the girls had a gold chain. This girl wore a light dress.

In reply to further questions by the jury, witness said that Dill was not playing skittles. The porter, who he believed had since left, was playing, and another player very much resembled Coombs. He was about 18 he should think.

Witness, having given a detailed description of everyone present on the occasion, was shown a photograph of the deceased, and asked if he could identify one of the girls by it. Witness (examining the photograph) – Yes, it is a similar girl; very much.

The Coroner – Have you ever seen the likeness before? – I have seen it sketched in the newspaper.

Did you recognise it in that sketch? – Yes, I did, and I have had it in my mind ever since the trial has been on – ever since I saw her. She was dressed in a light drab dress.

At this stage a piece of the material from which the dress was made which deceased wore was produced. Witness said that this resembled the material of the dress which was worn by one of the girls in the skittle alley.

Elizabeth Lane.

Elizabeth Lane, a widow, formerly a dressmaker, living in Union passage, was then called, and caused a great deal of amusement by the somewhat indignant replies she gave to the preliminary questions put to her by the Coroner as to her residence and occupation.

In answer to questions the witness said that on the Bank Holiday of August, 1891, she went with her sons and daughter to take tea on the Down past Sham Castle. They went past what her son said was a buttery (laughter).

The Coroner—A battery, you mean? (Laughter.)

Witness – Yes; that’s it (laughter). They saw three couples on the Down. The first couple were rather far apart.

The Coroner—What space was between them?

Witness – Like you and I might to (laughter). She noticed that the woman of the last couple was wearing a dress that did not fit her. As she passed them she said, “She does not look old enough to be his mother, and they do not look like brother and sister.” The man had hold of the woman’s arm. She had on a dress of drab colour. She thought she wore a black hat with black trimming. Witness said the person with her was a slim boyish-looking fellow, but two years and three months would make a boy grow.

The Coroner asked Arthur Coombs to stand forward, but the witness would not look at him, remarking “I shan’t have anything more to say about it” (laughter)

The Coroner – You don’t even wish to look at him?

Witness—No.

Witness, who had given her evidence in a rambling, unsatisfactory manner, and at the same time with much humour, which elicited roars of laughter, then left the box. The Coroner ordered the court to be cleared.

The inquest then adjourned until Wednesday, December 6^th.