Known enmities
Excerpts
from
the
journal
of
Clerk
Sargeant
Major Benton Frazer, Detective Department, Metropolitan
Police Service
Friday, 17 March
Received telegrams from Chief Inspector MacGregor and Ruth. Needed
to
assist in murder investigate. All of our people are well. Victim is
Reverend Weatherby Summerfield. Mr James Moriarty may be involved.
Compiled data from the files before going. Summerfield not mentioned in
any criminal proceedings. Moriarty, besides being related to Jerrold
Moriarty, also known as the Young Cobb, is known to employ three people
with criminal records: Jimmy Maws (with the single offence of
manslaughter), Henry Tolliver (also known as Light-fingered Harry,
multiple arrests for picking pockets), and Mary Barlow Tolliver
(Henry's wife, also multiple counts of picking pockets). Maws is
employed as an gentleman's gentleman and travels with Moriarty. The
Tollivers are listed as Housekeeper and Grounds keeper, respectively,
of a house owned by Moriarty in Russell Square.
Met at train station by Ruth and Inspector. Briefed on the situation,
then proceeded to catalog evidence and clean up reports of the
arresting constables.
O'Flaherty initially arrested on suspicion, having been found in the
vicinity carrying a sword. Sword too large to have possibly been the
murder weapon.
Body has a total of seven wounds. Only five are deep stab wounds. One
in the back, four to the chest. There is a long, shallow cut across the
palm of the right hand, indicating Summerfield struggled with his
murderer. There is a bruise on the forehead, perhaps caused by a club,
though it could have happened when the victim fell to the ground.
Indications at the scene are that Summerfield was confronted on Walton
Street between Little Clarendon Street and Great Clarendon Street.
There is a high stone wall along one side of the road which would have
blocked the view of anyone in the infirmary. The body was then dragged
some distance to an unlit walkway.
Ebony handled locking folding knife, of the design known as a French
Vendetta, found near the body. Blade and handle are bloodstained. Blade
is proper size and shape for the wounds.
Mrs Salmalin and Mrs Cuthbert investigated the knife at Simon's request
before I arrived at Oxford. Knife confirmed to belong to Mr James
Moriarty. Moriarty's high skill using the knife in combat also
confirmed.
Inspector, meanwhile, interviewed James Moriarty and his servant Jimmy
Maws. Moriarty admitted that knife was his, that he had argued with
Summerfield. Claims Summerfield threatened to campaign for Moriarty's
dismissal from his endowed Lecturer position at Bracton College, as
Bracton's original charter and endowment were of a religious nature,
while Moriarty appears to have admitted to being an atheist.
Summerfield also alluded to additional information concerning
Moriarty's lack of moral character.
Moriarty further admitted to going for a walk on the commons, alone,
after Summerfield's departure. Says no one saw him, thus no alibi. Maws
confirms Moriarty left alone, and that when Moriarty returned, several
articles of clothing were muddied. Moriarty claims to have lost the
knife while on his walk.
Moriarty has been taken into custody. Simon says as much for Moriarty's
protection.
Ruth reports that Summerfield was much disliked among the Dons of
Jordan College. Summerfield was heard many times blaming them for the
failure of his own academic career.
Simon asked for files on several people who were present at events in
the last few days who would have known of the enmity between
Summerfield and Moriarty, and would also have known that Moriarty
carried this distinctive knife.
- Rev. Charles Maples, Gillings Professor of Moral Philosophy,
Jordan College. Son of one of Summerfield's former teachers. Known to
Oxford police because he takes a very parental attitude toward his
students and has frequently pled on their behalf when they are arrested
on minor offenses. Maples is married (Andrea née
Moys). His wife's
unmarried sister, Miss Gladys Moys, shares a rented house with them on
Norham Gardens road.
- Rev. Herbert Caruthers, Dean of Jordan College. Was a
Lecturer
in Classical Greek when Summerfield was a student. Known to Oxford
police due largely to the activities of wayward students. One incident
on file from his own student days (1825) involving a prank on the
river. No further details recorded.
- Rev Charles Dodgson, Lecturer in Mathematics, Christ Church.
Known to have written a critique of a monograph Summerfield wrote on
Lagrange's Theorem. Known to the Oxford police primarily as the writer
of a fanciful children's book.
- Rev. Henry Clithering, Regius Professor of Logic, Jordan
College. Was a Reader in Mathematics when Summerfield was a student.
Arranged for Moriarty to be the Visiting Professor. Not known to the
Oxford police.
- Raymond Linch, Lecturer in Astronomy, Jordan College. Was a
student at the same time as Summerfield. Known to the Oxford police in
connection to an incident in 1841 as a student, when Linch and other
members of the University Boat Club were taken into custody for
disorderly behavior.
- Mark Cole, Fellow, Jordan College. Married to Summerfield's
niece, Lucinda Cole née Waring. Heard arguing with Summerfield
about
niece’s allowance from trust fund.
- John Prescott, Fellow, Jordan College. Only recently became
a
fellow. Studying astronomy, and took Moriarty's side against
Summerfield during debate after lecture. Ruth indicates the young man
is friendly with Miss Cordelia MacGregor. Not known to Oxford police.
- Files in Oxford Police department have so far turned up
little. May have to return to London.
Possibly unrelated, the reason O'Flaherty found by police near body was
an unfortunate incident involved an experimental etheric flying
machine. Device was built and launched by two Jordan College students:
Mr Thaddeus Fortune and Mr Henry West. They claim to know nothing of
the murder, though the did overhear part of an argument between
Moriarty and Summerfield shortly before the murder. Both men are known
to Oxford police for previous experiments which have caused minor
disturbances, but no injuries or serious property damage.
Preparing to accompany Ruth to interview Mr and Mrs Cole...
Proceed to From
Proof to Might
Or, The impossible door
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