Albert Moore - a robbery gone wrong.





Albert Moore - a robbery gone wrong.

On Saturday the 30th of April 1881, 23 year old Albert Moore was convicted at the Sussex Assizes at Lewes before Mr. Justice Hawkins of the wilful murder of 74 year old Mary Ann Marsh at her home “The Woodlands” in Gravesend in Kent.  Moore was a married man and he and his wife had two young children.  

The crime took place on the 14th of February 1881.  Mary’s body lay un-discovered for five days, until her friend and next door neighbour, Miss Burton, reported to police that the door of Mary’s house was open but she could not get any reply and also that when she knocked a man had opened the door and then fled.  Sergeant Goodwin and two constables were sent to investigate and found Mary lying on her bedroom floor.  Her throat had been cut from ear to ear and then her body covered with bedding.

Moore, a soldier, serving in the 52nd Regiment at Chatham Barracks was the prime suspect, although contemporary newspaper accounts don’t say why.  He was interviewed at the barracks by Superintendent Berry and his clothing was found to be blood stained.  An identity parade was held and Miss Burton immediately picked out Moore as the person she had seen come out of Mary’s house.  Moore spoke to her, saying “Yes, and you are the lady I passed when I came out of the house.”
While awaiting trial Moore told the police that he had not intended to kill Mary, but rather to get money from her.  She refused and he threatened her with the razor.  She began to scream and so he cut her throat to silence her.

Moore was hanged at Maidstone prison at 8.00 a.m. on the morning of Tuesday the 17th of May 1881, his 23rd birthday.  Three reporters were permitted to witness the execution.  Moore looked pale but was able to walk to the gallows unaided.  William Marwood gave him a drop of eight feet and he struggled for a few moments before becoming still.  The black flag was raised over the prison and remained fluttering in the wind until 9 o’clock.  Very little detail of this execution was reported in the papers.
Moore continued to deny that the crime was premeditated although he accepted responsibility for killing Mary.

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