THE HORRENDOUS STORY OF THOMAS BRIGGS
By BRIAN LEMIN
 

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The Times Reporter You don’t really need to know my name, just call me “The Times Reporter”.  I attended every day of the trial as did crowds of Londoners and even those from further afield, as far as I could guess from the conversation in the Fleet Street pubs at the time.  The Crown was represented by the Solicitor General Sir Robert Collier and Muller was represented by Sergeant John Humphreys Parry, the word “sergeant” being a short form of “Sergeant at Law” which at that time was awarded to distinguished barristers.  It must be said that the evidence against Muller was purely circumstantial, though it also has to be said that there was not a case with stronger circumstances ever presented to a court up to that time. The Crown painted the following scenario.  Briggs was in a corner seat dozing, when Muller entered the compartment.  Muller said that he had a sudden desire to possess the gold watch and chain which stood out conspicuously on the abdomen of Mr Briggs.  Sir Robert felt that the most telling of the circumstances was that of ownership of the hat that was found in the carriage.  Before he dealt with the hat he outlined the dealings with the jeweller, Mr Death.  It appeared also that Muller had later pawned the cheaper chain for £1-10 shillings, which he then used to redeem a watch which he had pawned prior to the crime.  There were other activities also which when put together, constructed a picture of a man in difficult financial circumstances.  As the result of all these transactions Muller had raised £4-5 shillings with which he had purchased his ticket to America.  He then went on to outline what Sir Robert showed to be various false statements as to his possession

of the stolen articles and to the ownership of the rather unique hat.  Sir Robert then focussed his evidence on the hat.  It was a hat that was very different to those in style at the time.  In fact it was a “cut down” top hat.  The court clerk called out with the name of the next witness, “Call Mrs Elizabeth Repsch”…. “Call Mrs Elizabeth Repsch.”  Mrs Repsch was the wife of the tailor who worked with Muller. She told of how he had shown her the said watch and chain which he had obtained from Mr Death, though he had told her that he had bought it from the docks. (Where many articles of dubious origin could be obtained!)  She also noted that he had a new hat which Muller claimed he had bought for 14/6d, though her husband thought it was worth at least a guinea.  In particular she remembered the multi coloured lining of Mullers original beaver hat.  As the result of this evidence the ownership of the hat left in the carriage was in little doubt. Forgive me dear reader for a little diversion. The fame which Mullers cut down top hat, started a fashionable craze for such hats.  I think it was a cartoonist named Harry Furness who drew the cartoon which was both an explanation, and  drawings of the cut down top hat.  Strange how fashions start is it not? It was now time for the defence.  Sargent Parry produced a witness who swore he had seen two men in Briggs compartment at Bow; a brothel keeper who swore that Muller was at her place looking for his girlfriend, Mary Eldred, at the time of the alleged murder; but Sir Robert quickly put paid to the reliability of these witnesses. The Judges summary went against Muller and the jury took only 15 minutes to find Muller guilty.  The aftermath of this verdict is rather amazing. It was taken up by the German press and represented as a “frame up”.  The

German Society petitioned the Home Secretary and the King of Prussia sent a personal message to Queen Victoria, but they all came to naught.  I was so incensed about this that I wrote an editorial in the Times expressing my indignation at the interference of foreign countries and that of the King of Prussia in the affairs of England.  I called it “the most offensive and insolent presumption.” Just as a postscript to my reports.  Had Muller gone through the pockets of Mr Briggs, he would have discovered four gold sovereigns, a silver snuff box and a valuable diamond ring.  This would have been much more than Muller needed to finance his trip to America.  There would have been no need to have started the trail of evidence that commenced with the exchange of the watch and chain with Mr Death! Mr Calcraft I have done quite few hangings in my time but the hanging of Muller on the 14th of November 1864 outside Newgate prison, was a most unruly affair.  A crowd of about 50,000 people began to assemble from about 8 am, which was when I measuring Muller and adjusting the noose.  Of course you do know that hanging is designed to break the neck of the victim and not to suffocate him.  I have to place the knot in just the right place; it is a skill and a knowledge that I treasure as I have never having failed to break the neck in any of my hangings. The crowd was a haven for all the scallywags in London.  They “bonneted” ladies (Pulled their hats down over their eyes and robbed them).  Garrotted the men and robbed them.  There as a dreadful uproar.  People could barely move.  The streets around were full.  I did hear tales of a group of girls, lace makers I believe, who had come all the way down from Northamptonshire to witness the hanging.