Are you an aspiring novelist writing murder mysteries set in the 19th century???
Then “Murder Maps” by Dr Drew Gray is a good reference book for you!
Today Edmond Locard‘s principle:
Every Contact Leaves a Trace
is well know in the world of forensics. It took a long time to gain the knowledge we have today!
Beginning in the early 1800’s , Dr Gray provides a timeline that introduces the beginnings of crime scene investigation. Eugene-Francois Vidocq founded the Surete in 1813 and Sir Robert Peel established the Metropolitan Police Service in 1829. The first U.S. police force began in Boston in 1838. Follow them through phrenology to fingerprints, crime scene photos, bloodstains and blood types, forensic entomology and more.
In the 100 years covered by this book, Dr. Gray follows murders in Europe, Australia and the United States. He uses period maps from the David Rumsey Map Collection to give the reader a geographic sense of the area. Then he includes photos of the scenes as well as reproductions of timely periodicals such as the “Illustrated Police News” Each case is briefly described with the techniques used by the police to reach the solution. Here are three of them:
Perhaps the best known murderer from the late 1880’s is “Jack the Ripper“. While reams of paper have been written about this case, there is still not agreement on the number of victims or Jack’s identity. Little evidence was recovered in the earlier murders, but on advice from Alphonse Bertillon, the C.I.D. sent a photographer to Mary Jane Kelly’s room. Later, in the 1st use of criminal profiling, they would ask Dr. Thomas Bond to speculate on the assailant’s state of mind.
In 1910 London, pathologists Augustus J. Pepper and Bernard Spilsbury plus 2 toxicologists provided the clues for a murder investigation. Dr. H.H. Crippen‘s 2nd marriage to Cora Crippen (aka Bella Elmore) was not working out. Cora had aspirations as a music hall singer and one night after a dinner party argument, she disappeared. Shortly after that, secretary Ethel le Neve was spotted wearing Cora’s jewelry. As questions arose, Dr. Crippen claimed Cora was visiting friends and then died naturally. However, when Inspector Walter Dew arrived, Dr. Crippen admitted a relationship with Ethel and said Cora had left him. A suspicious Dew returned to the house and found that the couple had fled. When the house was searched, only soft tissue containing the poison hyoscine was found under the basement floor. With the prime suspects missing, the ports were notified. In the 1st use of “wireless” technology to make an arrest, the captain of the “SS Montrose” reported an odd father and son on board. Taking a faster ship, Inspector Dew arrived in Quebec before the couple could flee again. Returned to London, Dr. Crippen was convicted and Le Neve acquitted. Was the tissue Cora’s? There have been doubts raised, but Dr. Crippen’s house was bombed during WWII and we may never know the entire story.
One of the best known murders in the United States, took place in Fall River, Massachusetts. In 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were attacked at home by someone wielding an axe or hatchet. The chief suspect was their daughter, Lizzie, who gave contradictory answers during questioning. Although the detectives did get good photos of the scene, they found little usable evidence. Lizzie had been the 1st to discover Andrew, but had inveigled someone else to go in search of Abby. The police did not check her clothes for blood at the time and let her stay in the house. A few days later, Lizzie was found burning a dress with “paint” on it and a recently cleaned axe was found in the basement. Was Lizzie guilty? She had motive and opportunity, but was acquitted. The questions and the folklore remain. (Currently the house is a museum / bed & breakfast)
Finally, Dr. Gray provides an alphabetical chart of all the murders for quick reference.
So, if you need inspiration for your next novel, start here!
..