Amos Simpson

[Shadow Ghost]

Amos Simpson geistert ja derzeit durch alle Foren. Deshalb finde ich, er hat auch hier seinen eigenen Thread verdient, in dem wir Material über ihn zusammentragen können.

Geboren wurde er 1846 in Acton, in der Nähe von Sudbury.
1868 trat er der Metropolitan Police bei, zunächst in der Y Division in Kentish Town.
1881 wurde er zum Acting Seargent befördert und 1886 zur N Division nach Islington versetzt.
Um 1893 zog er nach Cheshunt und arbeitete bei der dortigen Polizei, und trat 1893 in Ruhestand
1905 zog er sich nach Acton zurück.
Er starb 1917.

(Quelle: The Complete Jack The Ripper A-Z)


Im Juli 1874 heiratete er Jane Wilkins.
1878 wurde Sohn Henry geboren.
1881 wurde Tochter Ellen geboren.

(Quelle: casebook.org)

[Shadow Ghost]

Illustrated Police News
18 March 1871
ASSAULTING A CONSTABLE.- George Butcher, a plasterer, was charged with being drunk and disorderly, and assaulting Police constable Amos Simpson, 258 Y, in the execution of his duty, at Ossulston-street, Somers Town. - The defendant was, between the hours of twelve and one o'clock on Sunday morning, in the above street, with about twenty other young fellow, drunk, and making a great disturbance. With some difficulty the defendant was got away, and he went home, but he would not remain there, and again returned into the street. He no sooner saw the constable than he went up to him, caught him by the throat, and hit him on the chest and on the face. He was very violent, and it was with great difficulty that he could be got to the police station. The constable now stated that he felt pain from the violence that had been used towards him. - The Defendant said he was very sorry that he had taken too much to drink, but if he was forgiven this time he would not offend any more. - Mr Paget said he must protect the constables in the execution of their duty. He could not look over assaults of this kind, and sentenced the defendant to fourteen days' imprisonment with hard labour in the House of Correction. - The Defendant asked that a fine might be inflicted, but the application was refused.

[Shadow Ghost]

Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper
30 July 1876
ROBBERY AT THE ALEXANDRA-PARK.- James Jennings, 35, shoemaker, was charged with stealing a silver watch, the property of Nicholas Broad, from his person. - The prosecutor was looking at the fireworks at the Alexandra-park on the 3rd of July, when the prisoner came up behind him with another man. The prosecutor turned round to see who it was, as he felt some one's hand in his own. In the meantime he heard a click, put his hand down to his waistcoat, found his watch gone, and the chain hanging down. The prosecutor seized the two men and called "Police," but before the constable could come up to the spot one man had got away; but Amos Simpson, 26 Y R, arrived in time to secure the prisoner and took him into custody. Of course under the circumstances no watch was found, and it was quite clear that it had been carried off by the man who had escaped. - The jury found the prisoner "Guilty," and several previous convictions were proved against him. - The Assistant-judge sentenced him to be kept in penal servitude for eight years, and afterwards to be under police supervision for seven years.

[Shadow Ghost]

Middlesex Gazette
12 September 1891
FATAL ACCIDENT - INQUEST
On Monday, Mr T.J. Sworder, coroner for Hertford, held an inquest at the Queen Eleanor publichouse, Waltham Cross, touching the death of Jonathan Caten, aged 61-years, who was killed on Saturday morning at Waltham Cross. The following gentlemen composed the jury - Messrs A. Wilson, W. Paveley, J. Rule, C. Withers, J. Eaton, J. Matthews, C. Avis, J. Long, John Eaton, E. Wollard, T. Hewitt, and W. Bradstock. Mr Hewitt was appointed foreman of the jury. Acting-sergeant Amos Simpson acted as the coroner's officer, and Inspector Macdonald watched the case on behalf of the Police Commissioner. The jury, having been sworn, proceeded to view the body, after which the following evidence was adduced:-
Richard Bowyer, carman, Woodland-villas, Waltham Cross, deposed that he was in the employ of Mr John Dewey, farmer, Waltham Cross. The deceased was also in the same employ. On Friday night, about eleven o'clock, he met the deceased at the Woolpack bridge, Enfield Highway, as he was returning from London. Witness was going to London. The deceased seemed to be asleep, and witness woke him, saying, "Mind and keep awake." Deceased was quite sober to all appearance.
James Thirgood, greengrocer, Waltham Cross, stated that at 12.30 on Saturday morning he was retiring to rest, when he heard a noise out on the highway. He said to his wife, "There is a cart gone over. Did you hear that bang?" He then went out, and could see nothing, but he heard a sound as of a man groaning. He walked along the footpath, and when he arrived at Mr Dewey's gates he saw the deceased lying in the gateway. He was endeavouring to get up, but could not. Witness said to him, "How did you do this?" and the deceased replied, "It's no use telling a lie; I was dosing, and the horses turned into the yard sharp. The wheel went over my body." When he spoke to the deceased he was on his hands and knees trying to get up. Mr Dewey came up, and they took the man home.
By Mr Long: The horses went right into the yard, where they were found afterwards.
John Dewey stated that he was called about half-past twelve o'clock. He went into the yard and saw the deceased, who, in reply to questions said he went to sleep. The horses were steady ones, and the deceased had driven them for ten years. Generally speaking the deceased was a steady man.
Dr. Russell stated that he was called about a quarter past one o'clock. He went to the deceased's house in Waltham-lane, where he found him sitting in a chair with very little power to move. The deceased was suffering from shock and great pain on the right side in the lower part of the abdomen. With assistance deceased was got on to a mattress, and witness examined him. There were no bones broken, but there was a bruise just above the thigh joint, where the wheel went over him. He considered the man ill, but not critically so. He answered all questions and was quite intelligent. About half past four he was called again to see the deceased, but when he arrived he found him dead. Death was due to shock, but there might have been a small rupture of the bowels.
The Coroner, in summing up, said there was no doubt the deceased met his death by accident.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.

[Agatha]

Had it not been for the mother of David Melville-Hayes the Jack the Ripper mystery may never have been solved.

Speaking from his Clacton home, the 78-year-old explained how his mother Eliza Hayes – whose maiden name was Mills –had stopped her sister Irene from burning the shawl on a bonfire in Walton-on-the-Naze.

He said: “She was about to throw it on a bonfire and my mother just happened to be there at that time and asked if she could have it, and Irene said ‘take it’. And that’s how it ended up with my mother.”

He understands the shawl – which has been the key in uncovering who Jack the Ripper was – came into his family via police officer Amos Simpson who is believed to have been on surveillance duty when Catherine Eddowes was murdered.

He passed it on to a London seamstress, Mr Melville-Hayes’ great-grandmother Mary Simpson, who was understood to be one of his relatives.

“But she never wanted to use it because it had rather morbid connections,” said Mr Melville-Hayes, who worked in the antiques trade before retiring.

He said the shawl then came to be in the possession of his grandmother Eliza Mills (maiden name Smith), who was from Lavenham but moved to Walton-on-the-Naze, before being handed down to her daughter Irene Owens (maiden name Mills). When Mr Melville-Hayes came to own the item after his mother passed away in 1997 he did not wish to keep it.

“I just didn’t like the idea of having it in the house,” he said. “If anyone wanted to look at it I would show them and the whole room seemed to go cold. I thought the best thing I could do was to sell it.

“I chose to go to Lacy Scott & Knight in Bury St Edmunds because Amos Simpson was actually born at Acton.”

The blood-stained shawl sold for about £5,200 in March, 2007.

aus www.eadt.co.uk