Mr Briggs' Hat


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In July 1864, Thomas Briggs was travelling home after visiting his niece and her husband for dinner. He entered a First Class carriage on the 9.45pm Hackney service of the North London railway. At Hackney, two bank clerks entered the carriage and discovered blood in the seat cushions; also on the floor, windows and sides of the carriage. A bloodstained hat was found on the seat along with a broken link from a watch chain. The race to identify the killer and catch him as he flees on a boat to America was eagerly followed by citizens both sides of the Atlantic. Kate Colquhoun tells a gripping tale of a crime that shocked the nation. .




Saturday Review


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The Chieftain


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George Clarke joined the Metropolitan Police in 1841. Though a "slow starter," his career took off when he was transferred to the small team of detectives at Scotland Yard in 1862, where he became known as " The Chieftain". This book paints the most detailed picture yet published of detective work in mid-Victorian Britain, covering "murders most foul," "slums and Society", the emergence of terrorism related to Ireland, and Victorian frauds. One particular fraudster, Harry Benson, was to contribute to the end of Clarke's career and lead to the first major Metropolitan Police corruption trial in 1877. This fascinating book uses widespread sources of information, including many of Clarke's own case reports.







The Examiner


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In Black & White


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Public Opinion


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A Murder on the North London Train (Abridged, Annotated)


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On the night of Saturday, the 9th of July, 1864, a suburban train on the North London Railway left its station. At the last station two bank clerks opened the door of a compartment of an empty first-class carriage. The two men had hardly sat down when one called the other’s attention to some blood on his hand. It was one of the most sensational and celebrated cases of the 19th century. A man was murdered on a British railway car—something that had never happened before. The suspect had fled to America. In this exciting and fascinating account of the capture, extradition, and trial of Franz Müller, you'll follow along through the entire process. In the end, he was hanged—but was he guilty. For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers and smartphones.




The Law Times


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