 Whitehall 1212 for the first time in history Scotland Yard opens its official files to bring you the authentic true stories of some of its most baffling cases Research on Whitehall 1212 comes from Percy Hoskins chief crime reporter of the London Daily Express The stories for radio are written and directed by Willis Cooper Here is chief superintendent John Davidson custodian of the famous black museum of Scotland Yard This exhibit from the files of the black museum is labeled 50 MR 242 Which is the file number of the case you are here about You'll note that it is not a very good wedding ring. That is it is Of intrinsically poor quality The base metal of which it was made Shows through the shabby worn covering of gold wash with which it was once adorn Base metal It says base as the purpose for which the ring was purchased for sick shillings As false as the promises of the bridegroom who bought it and took it back again After it had served its purpose I hope you'll pardon my sentimentality A policeman is generally not entitled to that luxury I ask you to judge for yourself Inspector Stephen Rockied There was Scotland Yards principal representative in this case shares my feelings I think Your feelings seem to have been shared by a great many persons who participated in this case John Witness mr. Justice Brewster and what he didn't say at the trial. I'm afraid I don't remember Stephen He omitted the phrase May the lord have mercy on your soul When he's sentenced Stanley Brown to death 50-242 Began for me with what if it happened in a drama for the wireless would be described as an incredible coincidence A letter had been passed to my desk It had been addressed to criminal investigation department new scotland yard A letter from a man named crittenden living at Aston clinton in buckinghamshire The cid receives dozens of letters of its type daily And it is our generally tiresome duty to read them all Whilst I was glancing over it a visitor was announced Before he sat down he laid a three days old copy of the morning telegraph on my desk You're inspector rockied. Yes My name's ramsey norman ramsey formerly of blackpool now resident in shepherds bush. Yes I've been carrying this paper around for three days. Why? This article here, sir this one here I get tragedy bride drowns in bath. That's the one What about it mr. Ramsey I've come here because I was a witness to a very similar case two years ago. Where sir In blackpool where I formerly lived A bride drowned in her bath just two days after her wedding. What was her name brown? I see Well, mr. Ramsey you ought to be commended for bringing this to our attention That was her husband's name. I assume stanley brown was his name. What happened to him. Do you remember? I don't know. He went away the day his wife was buried In rather a hurry. I thought Are you making an accusation mr. Ramsey? I must admit. I didn't like the fellow. Are you making an accusation? I am telling you what I know about an extraordinary coincidence, sir Excuse me Did you know the wife's maiden name? I believe it was crittenden That's right. Yes. I'm sure alicia crittenden. Oh, you've heard of the case Do you remember how the late mrs. stanley brown the former alicia crittenden was buried, sir? I most certainly do The most shocking thing I'd ever heard of she was buried in a common grave with three other deceased persons In the cheapest part of the graveyard. How do you know that? Because I have a letter here in this morning's post from her father Relating the same facts you've just told me and considerably more besides You speak of a coincidence mr. Ramsey. Well, this is amazing It's more than that, sir I'm afraid I shall have to ask you a few more questions We talked for two hours Mr. Ramsey remembered a great many things about the death of the bride and her bath at blackpool He remembered a representative of an insurance firm who'd asked him his opinion of alicia crittenden brown As a potential risk for life insurance He recalled having been asked to witness two newly drawn wills One of the husband and one of the wife in which each left the other everything He recalled the circumstances of the fatal bath, but they had two small rooms on the first floor in this house It was a sort of private lodging house. You see Extremely charming people owned it mr. And mrs. Ralston I've heard that they've gone to america Well, I remember the circumstances quite well indeed The bathroom was just above the kitchen where the rest of us was sitting this particular saturday night Do you remember exactly when it was an early in march if I remember correctly? She was upstairs. I I remember he's saying to her now mind don't get the bath too hot remember your seizures Her what? seizures she had epilepsy I believe Well, then it was very quiet on the floor above us and Last brown said he was a bit worried about her and went up Came back almost at once and said oh, she's all right or Something like that sat down played the piano for a while Then he went upstairs again and I heard him calling out that she had drowned The doctor came and that was the whole thing And you have certain suspicions Not enough to go to the police Before I mean You obviously have now Did you notice the name of the husband of the bride who was drowned in the bath at high gate? Why I look at the paper here Stanley jay stanley stanley brown's full name was James stanley brown Well, mr. I'm sure you understand inspector that I realize I may be doing the man a dreadful injustice. He may so far as I know be the victim of Coincidence. Well, yes put it that way if you like I shall never forgive myself. I've stirred up suspicion of an innocent man You'd recognize him if you saw him of course never forget him Tall heavy man with a long face like a horse perfectly bald And the most extraordinary eyes I've ever seen Absolutely dead eyes Like some primordial monster from the slime of an ancient sea Are you a poet mr. Ramsey? I'm sorry. Here's rather fishy looking Yes, of course, I'd recognize jay stanley brown Excuse me Will you put me through to the police at high gate, please? Right Ring me when you get them I should like to ask you to come up to high gate with me. Could you come this afternoon? This afternoon. Well, let me see this Sorry Inspector rockheed speaking scotland yard Oh, yes Hello, is that you richard? Oh, I wanted to talk to chief inspector richard yabba at high gate right Oh, there you are richard Stephen rockheed here. Oh fine. Thank you. How are you? The young woman who died in her bath. When was it the day before yesterday? Right Mrs stanley I'd like to have a look at her husband richard Where would I find him? I mean does he live at What what's the matter sir? Can't hear you all boy Oh when What? Interesting the same day she was buried. Hey, what? That's very interesting how long have they been married says recently married in the paper here Hmm three days. It's brown. I know it Sorry, sir. Well, yes, I would rather like to talk with him I think we'd better pass the word to have him picked up Is he gone if you please mr. Ramsey? I'm sorry What's he look like half a take where's my pencil over here? Now go ahead Tall about 14 stone big chap, isn't he? What kind of extraordinary eyes but that's him like an insane what? What Finn and haddie You do turn a phrase richard Excuse me. What are you saying a bald headed ask him it is bald. Yes bald headed chap is he Oh curly black hair. That's not him. It can't be will you please be quiet mr. Ramsey. He was perfectly Sorry richard. Yes. Thanks Give our people here at the yard the fullest description you have and thank you very much indeed No, I'm not sure But the circumstances of his wife's funeral do interest me I'm very curious. Thank you Is he gone sir? He's gone. Yes, and where do you suppose his bride is? Well, you said she was buried. She is buried in a common grave with four other miscellaneous corpses Just like the other bride of three days who died in her bath Mr. Jay Stanley of Highgate who bore certain resemblances to mr. James Stanley Brown of Blackpool was not to be found The attending physician at Highgate who'd signed the death certificate for the drowned bride Told us that she had visited him the afternoon of the fatal bath He'd given her some powders for what she described as a migraine headache Which was sometimes she said so severe that she had fainted from the pain The powders had not been unsealed when the body was found Although the husband had told him that his bride had complained of a nagging headache immediately before her bath You certified her death, of course as from natural causes. I asked the doctor I did sir I was convinced at the time and still I am that a Sudden twinge of pain caused a defect She slipped down on the bath until her head was under water and she drowned before a poor aide could reach her She was naturally alone in the bathroom, sir Do you recall anything that her husband said at the time, sir? Well, the man was all but prostrated He kept repeating that if he'd only insisted she take some of the medicine I had given her she'd still be alive Would she have been any fact I so certified inspector a post mortem might I I I saw no need there nor do I know of a post mortem If I may mention opinion, I think you're being needlessly official, sir. Sorry doctor Reply by mr. Francis Harrington insurance broker of high gate to an inquiry by inspector rockied of scotland yard An inquiry at eight rather high the crescent south end disclosed the fact that this was an accommodation address Stanley had picked up his check Cancelled his arrangements for receiving mail and gone away from there leaving no forwarding address I was having a plate of cold roast beef with john devison the black museum man He was a superintendent then In the course of our meal. I told him the sequence of events John finished his roast beef in silence What do you think john I asked A little too well done for me. I'm afraid what? I like my roast beef rare Wasn't that what you were talking about? You know quite well. I wasn't john See past those pickles if you're not going to eat them wouldn't well Excellent pickle Why If you're asking about the story of the brides and the bath steven. I am well I'm forcefully reminded of a biblical quotation The wicked flea when no man pursuers That's parables 28 first verse. We're pursuing this fella. Yeah, but he doesn't know it Far as he knows no man is pursuing him. Yes, but he That is obviously fleeing Therefore he must be wicked QED On the face of things these two deaths are coincidences john That's quite possible. We don't even know it's the same man Ball-headed men don't suddenly grow curly black hair. Well, sometimes they wear wigs. Yeah, I thought of that Have to find him to prove it So any more beer in that jug Thank you Look, I don't think you're going about finding him on the right way steven Do you have any suggestion then? Say no more of that beer I suppose That's a pity Well, I think if I were doing it, I'd take my cue from that proverb. I just quoted Well I'd give the wicked something to flee from He just might flee right into your arms Perhaps you'll tell me how to do that one. Of course Well, I dig up those girls bodies and let any Henry bird of the pathologists have a look at them Hmm Can't say I envy him one of them's been dead a year or more hasn't she two years poor Henry Well, at least he could tell you whether the chap's really wicked or not The years then cry havoc and let's slip the dogs of war and Julius Caesar act three seen one After a series of annoying explanations on my part I succeeded in obtaining the necessary permission to exhume the bodies of elicia christened and brown at blackpool and of the late mrs. J stanley at highgate Henry Bernard the long suffering pathologist was assigned to perform the post mortems on both bodies Accordingly he proceeded first to blackpool in Lancashire for the first of the examinations I waited impatiently Two days later. I received a telephone call from that well-known watering place. It was of course bernard Excuse me, sir. What do you want? I'm talking in the police station just telephoned you They waited but then they said they wouldn't wait any longer and pleased to give you the messages once as it is extremely important Well spit it out. What do they want? It was inspector wogan sir He said to tell you that there's a lady complaining to them that their husband is threatening to kill her now Look here constable. I'm in no mood to be bothered with details. It can be handled by Tell them to do their own work. I'm busy of all the Hello bernard Hello, are you there? Hello He's hung up. Damn it. Now look here. They said you'd be most interested when you hear the lady's name, sir Well, what is her name then? Mrs. J Stanley Brown, sir I hurried at once to wardow street where mrs. Marigold brown the alleged wife of the vanishing j Stanley brown had come to report the threat in her life She was a tall angular woman singularly unattractive wearing a shapeless gray tweed coat And a series of large aluminium bracelets which clanked She sat stiffly in an uncomfortable chair and answered my questions quietly Yes We've been married for 11 years Stanley and I You could of course produce your married certificate mrs. Brown. I have it at home Mr. Brown and you live together He's away a great deal I'm alone for several months at the time. Where does he go? The business takes him to various parts of the country. What is his business mrs. Brown? I'm afraid I don't know because he doesn't give me much money When he's away I generally go into service. I'm considered quite a good housemaid Do you know what your husband does when he is away from home? I think he deals in second hand goods in various places Do you hear from him when he's away? He sends me picture postcards from where for example Portsmouth, Bristol, various places, Blackpool Where? Blackpool That was a long time ago Two years He doesn't tell me his business This is the first time he's threatened your life I've been a good wife to him all these years Would you answer my question please mrs. Brown? Well He said things in the heat of the moment not threatened me, but he said he wished He was well rid of me And this time? He meant it I could tell from his face that he meant it. I could tell by the way he shouted And he laid hands on me too Your eye? Yes What was the occasion for this? I don't ask Stanley for money very often But this time I knew he had some money he'd been drinking when he came back from Igarth I get you say Yes When I asked him if I could let me let me have two pounds for a new dress and coat Blew into a rage He'd been drinking I said And he flew at me and broke my glasses and threatened my life Just what did he say to you mrs. Brown? He said he said he'd take me and drown me Police stations throughout England were advised that Scotland Yard wanted Jay Stanley Brown Not merely for questioning as we would have had to say before his poor shabby wife made a complaint Now he was wanted for a violation of the Summary Justice Act of 1879 Threatening a breach of the king's peace Which is felony The questioning would come later Henry Bernard the pathologist had left Blackpool and gone to Highgate for the post mortem on the second bride I came to the mortuary at his request This is my assistant mrs. Little John inspector Rocking. How do you do mrs. Little John? Thank you very much I found out something inspector Come over here, please Dead bodies don't bother you I hope Oh, no, I've uh brought the last mrs. Uh Stanley he called himself at Highgate, and they Stanley. Yes Well, there's nothing at all I could discover on the one at Blackpool But this one is much more recent You see a little more than a week Yes Hmm. She must have been quite good-looking puzzles me why girls like this will marry such rascals I understand he's hideous. So we're here Well, what did you find to show me? Well, I'll get to it mrs. Second first though The bride at Blackpool She didn't have any epilepsy I thought you said you couldn't be sure I can be sure of one thing Look, I've had a bathtub brought in here. Where oh there What now be patient be patient This is exactly the same type of bathtub in which the woman at Blackpool was drowned And by another of those coincidences you're so fond of Also the same as the one at Highgate I've seen them both now Now I'm going to show you something mrs. Little John. Yes, sir Oh, I hope that water isn't cold. You've had it filled of course Now mrs. Little John If you'll take off your clothes I've got a bathing suit under my smart didn't think Take off your shoes mrs. Little John Now get in the tub You'd feel sillier without your bathing suit get in please. This was warm sit down Now the first reaction in an epileptic seizure is a sudden stifting of the muscles Especially of the legs mrs. Little John will now stretch out her legs sharply observe If you please mrs. Little John Well nothing happened of course An epileptic would merely prop herself against the foot of the tub her back resting against the slanted end And her head out of the water like mrs. Little John She's wedged in there But if her legs were relaxed Show me mrs. Little John No, I'll show you something else Step around here to the end of the tub Take off your coat. It doesn't matter if your shirt sleeves get wet. No, what are you going to do? You're going to do it Reach down in the water Take hold take hold of mrs. Little John's ankles. Well, go on, go on Excuse me mrs. Little John Lift her feet out of the tub Oh Hold her feet up hold them up Hold them up But her head is under water, man. Of course, old chap. She's drowning That's the way the young lady over there on the table was murdered Oh, I say drop her feet. She is drowning I would not recommend that you try that trick with a friend It took artificial respiration to revive mrs. Little John And when Bernard showed me marks on the ankles of the drowned bride Marks that fingernails would have just fitted into Well, we measured the tiny scars and photographed them for comparison with the fingers of stanley brown Should we ever catch him? It was almost exactly seven weeks later I had a telephone call from mrs. James stanley brown the living one Please come to my flat at once. She said it's of the highest importance I went there mrs. Brown was quite excited. I'm so glad you've come inspector. What's happened mrs. Brown? Oh inspector I want to withdraw the charge against my husband Please say I come withdraw it. I mrs. Brown. Please say I may. Oh, please I'm afraid I'll have to know more about this mrs. Brown before I can answer this. Oh, it's quite simple We've made up again and you what? I know but you know we've decided it was so awfully silly for us to be quarreling and he's promise You've seen your husband. Yes. He came back to me and we've had such a long talk We're going to start over again and whose idea was this Why is of course And now I want to cancel a silly charger laid against him. It wasn't a silly charge mrs. Brown I was ashamed of myself. I simply must have you dropped these charges They're only a formality anyhow Oh, we're going to be so happy already has begun to treat me just like Where is he now mrs. Brown? The dear great boy. Where is he please? She wept bitterly when I arrested him in the bathroom alongside the inviting full tub stinking of cheap bath salts for this pathetic last bath Despite the things he'd done to marigold brown Her dreams died hard But they died when she heard the story of the other brides who had their baths Henry Bernard proved the points he'd made to me and miss little john In the face of it all stanley brown confessed On that day marigold brown stopped weeping and believing in this black-hearted man He was found guilty of course and sentenced to death He was guilty of the death of three women On the day he was hanged at wandsworth marigold brown committed suicide I think there's some good advice in what superintendent john davidson told me Give the wicked something to flee from sometimes they'll flee right into your arms You have heard another in the series whitehall one two one two Researches from persie huskins of the london daily express Among those heard in today's story of scotland yard case number five o m r two four two Where harby haze winston ross harris brayham lester fletcher patricia courtley and bulla garrick The stories for radio are written and directed by willis cooper The fight against cancer is your fight you're personally concerned with this disease for anyone can develop it And there is something you can do to protect yourself and your family First familiarize yourself with the facts about cancer Interesting easy to understand literature may be obtained from the local unit of your american cancer society Guard your family and strike back against cancer Mail a generous contribution to cancer in care of your local post office This is nbc the national broadcasting company