Martha Eliza Reeves

Martha Eliza Reeves was found dead on the bank of a canal near Follows Bridge with her throat cut.

Her throat had been cut from ear to ear but there were no other marks of violence.

The police used an electro-magnet to search the canal for any sharp instruments that might have been used to inflict her wound and found a razor about 30 feet from where her body was found. It didn't look like it had been in the water for any length of time and was strongly thought to have been the instrument used.

It was considered that she might have committed suicide.

In the inner pocket of her jacket they found an omnibus ticket which had been issued about 7.45 on the previous Wednesday on a bus from King's Heath to Selly Oak. It was thought that she had boarded the omnibus near the Pineapple Road which was close to the chambers of a dentist that she had just visited.

The police said that they were interested in hearing from anyone that had seen her on the bus and as to whether she had been with a companion at the time.

Martha Reeves had been a domestic servant from Strichley.

She usually spent her leisure time with her parents.