Those in the company of the victim throughout the evening were questioned, with reports of a witness to the murder. As theinvestigation continues, the name of the witness has not been provided to this journalist.
Others questioned at the club that provides a wide variety of sports, gambling, and social companions, include the club manager, as well as several prominent members who were present during the evening.
Stephen Matthews was the son of the Sir Edward Matthews, and heir to Argosy Trading Company.
Chief Inspector Abberline of the Metropolitan Police is in charge of the investigation and has vowed to find those responsible.
T. Burke
That original article provided valuable information including the name of the journalist who wrote the article, T. Burke.
None other than Theodolphus Burke, who had established himself as somewhat of an expert on criminal activities, including the more recent Whitechapel murders.
I had made his acquaintance when he attended my first book signing.
It was obvious from the outset of the event that ‘Teddy,’ a name that better suited him, had considered coverage of a book-signing beneath his journalistic talent. Particularly a book written by a woman.
Then there was the comment I’d overheard in his conversation with a customer, that referred to me as the ‘author of fluff and nonsense.’
He had then mistakenly, or perhaps deliberately, referred to me asEmma,the protagonist of my travel novels. I might have excused it as an oversight.
Still, at the end of the afternoon, he dismissed me with a condescending smile, as ‘My dear,’along with the announcement that he was going to write a book one day about his own adventures, turning the conversation around to himself.
At that point I had seriously considered telling him precisely what he could do with his opinion of my book, his pretentious name, and his pathetic journalistic skills.
The only reason I had not was my consideration for the bookstore owner who had exclaimed that it was his best day ever for book sales.
Revenge was sweet with the success of that book and the others that followed. However,Teddymight be able to tell me more about that old murder that was never solved.
The next article I found provided information Burke received from someone within the police—most interesting—who was to‘remain anonymous,’according to the article. That person had apparently informed him that the witness to the murder had suddenly disappeared.
In that article,Teddyhad gone on to speculate the reason, then added that Inspector A. Brodie was being questioned in the matter.
‘It is this journalist’s opinion that there is more to this horrible situation that has not yet been discovered. It is well known that there are those within the ranks of the police who have found themselves in questionable circumstances previously, and now possibly once more.’
It had continued:
‘An innocent man has been murdered. The family is now in the depths of grief and despair. One can only hope that the witnesswill be found and justice will prevail. At this time, Inspector A. Brodie has been removed from the case. Inspector William Morrissey will continue the investigation.’
As I already knew, the ‘witness’ was not found, and Brodie had been threatened with formal charges for obstructing the case. Instead he chose to resign when Abberline was unable to make a case against him.
I requested the next several issues of the Times, but found nothing more regarding the case.
I reluctantly addedTeddy’sname to my notes. If he was able to provide more information from that old case, I was willing to endure the man’s condescending arrogance. I also wrote down the name of William Morrissey, the investigator who had continued with the case.
Mr. Conner might know him, and then there was also the possibility that I might be able to speak with the Matthews family.
Questioning a family after a tragedy was always a delicate matter, even ten years later. I knew of some who continued to mourn long after a loss. They might see my questions as an intrusion, or they might simply refuse to meet with me.
And then there was the private men’s club where the murder occurred. Even though it had been a decade since the murder, there might still be someone among the staff who remembered something that was heard or seen.
I assumed that everyone who was at the club that night had been questioned. Still, something might have been forgotten at the time, then remembered later, in that way that the memory works.
I returned the past issues of the dailies to the clerk at the desk, then took the lift back to the ground floor.
The journalists who wrote for the Times worked at another location, at the newspaper offices near London Bridge. If I was to speak with Mr. Burke regarding that old murder, I would need to go there.
Two murders, ten years apart. A coincidence?
