Age: 56
Sex: male
Date: 2 Dec 1921
Place: Swan Hotel, Talke, Staffordshire
Walter Hulse was shot in bed at his home on the early hours of 3 December 1921.
He had been the landlord of the Swan Hotel in Talke near Newcastle-under-Lyme.
His wife said that she heard Walter Hulse shout out, 'Who's there?', and then heard a gunshot and then footsteps going down the stairs and the front door slamming.
Walter Hulse had been shot with his own sporting gun which was left in the kitchen overnight. After the shooting it was found at the bottom of the stairs and a window was found open.
A deaf labourer and cowman, who had lived close by, was tried for his murder at the Stafford Assizes on 25 February 1922 but was found not guilty and discharged.
It was claimed that he had killed Walter Hulse out of revenge after developing a grievance against him.
Walter Hulse's wife said that the cowman who was tried would sometimes get in through the window when the house was locked. Other people said that they had heard the cowman utter threats against Walter Hulse and a constable found two empty cartridges under a stone by a fence near to the cowman's house which were similar in make and number to three loaded cartridges which were found in Walter Hulse's kitchen drawer. The constable also said that he saw a bright light on in the cowman's house early that morning.
The cowman's neighbour said that two days before the murder the cowman had told her that he had no money, no food, no insurance card and that his work had stopped and that he seemed very worried but later that day was brighter.
The cowman had been a former employee of Walter Hulse and used to live in the house, having over time slept in every room, and as such was familiar with the layout to the extent that he could have easily found his way about in the dark.
Talke was an isolated mining village in North Staffordshire.
Walter Hulse and his wife had been in bed at the time of the murder. Walter Hulse's wife said that she had been aroused between 3am and 4am by something touching her arm, but said she thought little of it as there were mice in the house. However, she said that Walter Hulse was then also aroused and called out:
And that there was then a shot, immediately followed by another.
She said that Walter Hulse then fell back on the pillow and she heard footsteps hurriedly descending down the stairs.
It was said that the assailant left fingerprints on the window frame at the back of the house where there was also found a footprint, and it was surmised that he had entered via the back window and left via the front door.
When Walter Hulse's wife realised what had happened she called out for help and her two children, a lad of 18 and girl of 16 hurried from their bedrooms, followed by the maid servant, and they found that Walter Hulse had been shot through the head.
The gun used had been a double-barrelled sporting gun that had belonged to Walter Hulse and was later found at the bottom of the stairs. It had been kept in the kitchen, with the block and cartridges being placed on a sideboard close by.
An examination of the gun showed that both barrels had been recently discharged and that both cartridge cases had been taken out.
Shortly after the murder, it was reported that the county police were scouring the country for the murderer and that the aid of Scotland Yard had been requested.
It was initially said that robbery had almost certainly been the motive for the murder, although the later charge against the cowman said that robbery was not the motive, and that the motive was revenge.
The Swan Hotel was described as an old fashioned house and to have been well known to motorists in the Midlands, and at the time, Walter Hulse, the landlord, had almost completed negotiations for its purchase.
It was suggested that it was just possible that the intruder had heard something of that and had imagined that a substantial sum might have been on the premises, apart from the takings.
Walter Hulse's inquest was opened on 3 December 1921 in the smoking room of the Swan Hotel at which time the Coroner said he was only taking evidence of identification.
At the hearing Walter Hulse's wife said:
It was noted that Walter Hulse's wife had had a narrow escape herself as the gun had been fired from a range of two feet.
The son said:
It was noted that the cash-box had been placed in a chair behind the door, and by the side of the bed, and very close to Walter Hulse's head, and that it had contained £240.
It was thought that the thief had been groping for it when he had touched Walter Hulse's wife's face and disturbed her. However, the box was found intact, and it was thought that so far as could be ascertained that the murderer had taken away nothing from the house.
The window by which the man entered at the back had been a very low one, the sill being not much more than a yard from the ground. On it was left a distinct footmark, and there were finger prints on the frame.
When the cowman was arrested by the police he was asked a number of questions:
Q: Are the trousers you are now wearing the same as you had on yesterday?
A: I have had them on all the week.
Q: How do you account for your movements last night and this morning up to 6am?
A: I never went out at all last night after 7.30 until I went to WC at 4.45am.
Q: How do you account for a light being in your house at 3.40am and extinguished at 4.15am?
A: It must have been the fire light. The baby hadn't been well and the fire had been kept in.
Q: I am told that you threatened to stick the fork through your master last week?
A: I told him I would hit him because he told me about coming late.
Q: What is the reason you did not go to work after promising your master to do so?
A: I didn't promise him before next Monday. He told me I could have the week.
Q: I am informed that you knew where the gun was kept as you have taken it from the usual place many times.
A: I have had it from the back of the grandfather clock but it was several years ago.
Q: Also the cartridges from a draw in the cupboard when you wanted them?
A: I have always found my own cartridges. I have never helped myself.
Q: The old gun has been at Machins for several years.
A: About two years I think.
Q: Have you whilst living there ever got into the house by the window?
A: No. Mrs used to leave the door for me.
Q: Which room did you sleep when you were there?
A: Next to the Master. I've slept in all the rooms.
As the cowman was reportedly stone deaf, the trial took a slow pace as a summary of the evidence given during the proceedings had to be written down for him to read in the dock as the hearing proceeded. A similar procedure was carried out when he came to give evidence with questions put by counsel in examination and cross-examination being written down and handed to him, which he then answered.
It was claimed that he had developed a grievance against Walter Hulse and had shot him in cold-blood in revenge.
It was claimed that he had been heard to make threats to shoot Walter Hulse after a disagreement, but he denied having done so.
It was also claimed that his light had been on in the early hours, around the time of the murder, but he claimed that it must have been the light of the fire and added that he and his wife had stayed up late on the night of the murder because their baby was ill. The constable that saw it said that he had seen a bright gas light on in his house just before Walter Hulse's son came to report the murder and that as he passed the cowman's house moments after on his way to the Swan Hotel that the light was out.
It was also claimed that Walter Hulse's wife had recognised the footsteps she heard running away as those of the cowman.
A few hours after the murder the cowman was also seen in a field behind his house bending over some stones and when the stones were later examined the police found two empty cartridge cases under one of the stones which corresponded with the full cartridges kept in a cupboard at the Swan Hotel.
Coal Cutter
A coal cutter that lived at 135 Crown Bank said that he knew the Cowman and saw him in the street with some people and heard him say that the boss had stopped him 5s. He said that he then heard someone say:
And then heard the Cowman say:
He said that he took it as a joke.
He noted that he had a field near the hotel in which there were some stones which adjoined the gardens to the rear of Crown Bank. He noted that there was no water supply in his field.
Farm Labourer
A farm labourer that lived in Talke said that he had worked for Walter Hulse since about October 1921 and knew the cowman and had worked on a number of different jobs with him. He said that about ten days before the murder that there was a bother and that he heard the Cowman say that if Walter Hulse pushed him again he would jab him with a fork, noting that he was speaking out of temper at the time.
Miner
A miner that had lived in Swan Bank said that he remembered 29 November 1921 when he was standing alone outside the Swan Hotel and the Cowman came along. He said that the Cowman told him that he was going to draw some money and that he followed him into Swan Yard. He said that whilst the Cowman went to see Walter Hulse that he went into a stable to get some straw and whilst there heard Walter Hulse shout. He said that when he came out he saw the Cowman and told him there was no straw and that the Cowman picked up a sickle and gathered up some hay and put it into a float for Walter Hulse.
He said that they then went into the mixing house and that whilst there the Cowman told him he was going to draw some money from Walter Hulse and then see about his unemployment money. He added that whilst there he said if he didn't get it he should put Walter Hulse in the 'Nunkhole', but noted that he didn't know what he meant by the 'Nunkhole'.
Walter Hulse's Niece
Walter Hulse's niece said that she lived with her parents at Red Lion Farm in Talke and that on the afternoon before the murder she had been in the Cowman's house when the Cowman came in and said that Walter Hulse had not got him any unemployment pay and that Walter Hulse had kept 2s off his wages from the Saturday before. He also said that Walter Hulse had sent word that he need not work for him anymore and that he would have a whack out of him before the weekend.
Walter Hulse's Wife
In her statement, Walter Hulse's wife said:
A gun was kept in the house. I produce it. It is marked 'B'. The gun was kept in the corner of the kitchen against the grandfather clock. Some cartridges for the gun were kept in the sideboard drawer in the kitchen.
The Cowman to my knowledge has used the gun and has taken cartridges from that drawer.
Very often he came in late at night. I usually locked the house up at night. At times, but not recently, I have locked up the house when he has been out. I have seen him in the house next day after I have locked up the night before. He once told me he had got in by the swing window.
I remember the night of Dec 1st. I went to bed at 11pm. My husband had gone to bed a little before. He slept on the side of the bed farthest from the door. During the night I was disturbed. I felt something touch my hand, which I thought was a mouse. I turned over and I think I fell asleep. I woke and my husband called, 'Who is there'. I then heard the report of a gun, footsteps running down the stairs and the bang of the front door. I only remember one report of the gun. I feel sure the footsteps I heard were those of the Cowman.
I called out and my son came to me, and my daughter came with a light. They both came to help. I cannot remember if I have ever found the swing window open in the morning in the past.
I did not know the Cowman had been to the Swan on the morning of Dec 2nd.
Before 11.30am on Dec 2nd I had described to no one what happened to me during the previous night. That is, to no one outside the Swan Inn.
Labourer
A labourer said that he had been employed by Audley Urban District Council and lived at 14 Congleton Road, Butt Lane, Talke. He said that on the morning of 2 December 1921 about 7.30am, he had been occupying a privy with a man at the rear of the houses known as 'The Dirty Three' which they were working on. He said there was a field adjoining the place where they were working and on the left hand side of the field were some gardens. He said the gardens were separated from the field by a fence and that in the field near the fence there were some stones.
He said that he saw the Cowman there in a bending position against the stones, noting that he thought he was going to throw at a cockerel in the gardens. He said that after he had been bending down he turned round towards him and was about 4 or 5 yards away and that he saw that he had a kettle in his hand. He said that as he turned he asked:
He said that when he saw a constable on 5 December 1921 whilst he was making enquiries he pointed out the spot where he had seen the Cowman in the field on 2 December 1921 and they went to look and he saw the constable lift a rock underneath which there were two cartridges, which were later proved to be similar to the cartridges from The Swan Hotel.
Woman At 127 Crown Bank
A woman that lived next door to the Cowman at 127 Crown Bank said on 30 November 1921 she had been in her mother's house, 125 Crown Bank, and that the Cowman was there too, and that he had 4d in his hand and asked him if she could lend him 2d. She said that she told him that she couldn't, but that she could ask her mother to do so and she got the 2d from her mother and gave it to him.
She said that he then asked her to let her child fetch a loaf of bread when she returned from school and she said she would.
She said that he then told her that he had no money, no insurance card and no unemployment card and that he was going to ask his aunt to ask her for an advance and some war bonds. She said that he seemed worried and didn't know what he should do if he couldn't go back to the Swan Hotel. However, she said she saw him several times after that and that he seemed much better and more like himself.
She said that about 7.30am on 2 December 1921 that she went into the Cowman's house at 129 Crown Bank, noting that she had seen the police enter earlier to search it and that she entered a short time after the officers left. She said that when she went in his wife asked him to go out and fill the kettle and then went out and that the Cowman then took the lid off it and put it on the hob and went out with the kettle, leaving her alone with the baby. She said that she looked after the baby.
She noted that there was a water tap serving the six houses on the block behind the houses. She said that as neither the Cowman's wife, nor the Cowman returned that she went to the back door to have a look and saw that the Cowman had gone past the taps and was going towards the gate leading into the field.
She said that when he returned that his wife had already come back.
Police Constable
The police constable that saw the light on in the Cowman's house said that he passed The Swan Hotel at about 3.40am, at which time it was in total darkness and all was quiet. He said that about a minute later he passed the Cowman's house and noticed a very bright light on in the front downstairs room. He noted that he had only ever once before noticed a bright light on in the house and that that had been earlier in the same week. He said that the Cowman's window was easily distinguishable because the blind was down and there was newspaper pinned to the inside of the windows.
He said that he then went home and went to bed, but that about five minutes later Walter Hulse's son came to see him and made a statement to him and he went back out to The Swan Hotel and when he passed 129 Crown Bank again he noticed that the light was out.
He said that when he went into The Swan Hotel he saw the gun standing in a recess at the foot of the stairs near the swing board and took it into the kitchen where he opened it and found it to be empty. He said that he then examined the barrels and noted that they were very sooty and appeared to have been recently fired.
He said that he then went up into the bedroom where he saw Walter Hulse lying there dead on the left side of the bed with his body slightly inclined to the right with his head slightly bent forward.
He noted that he was dead.
He said that he then examined the room and found that nothing appeared to have been disturbed, and that there was a cashbox on a chair beside the bed and the window blind was not disturbed. He said that when he similarly examined the bar he found that nothing had been disturbed there either.
The constable also took the box of cartridges from the kitchen as evidence, noting that they were labelled, 'Britannia Smokeless 5’.
He said that he next inspected the window which was unfastened, but closed to about 1in of its fitting and that there was what he described as recent dust on the window sill that he thought was still wet and spongy.
He said that when he spoke to the Cowman he denied that he had had a bright light on, saying:
He said that he also denied having been out that night.
When it was noted that his boots appeared to be damp, he explained it by saying that he went to the closet at about 4.45am, having had diarrhoea.
He said that later on 5 December 1921 he was informed by the workmen that they had seen the Cowman near the heap of stones near the house and found the empty cartridges cases under a large stone. He noted that it would not have required the lifting of the stone to have placed the cartridges beneath it.
Trial
The trial was held at the Stafford Assizes in February 1922.
It was noted that just before the judge summed up that the jury asked whether they could ask a question and a note was passed to the judge, stating that they wanted to ask whether Walter Hulse had been insured. The judge then said that he didn't think it was relevant, however, the jury said they still wanted to know and the question was put before Walter Hulse's son.
Walter Hulse's son said that Walter Hulse had been insured with the Pearl Insurance Society as well as a small club, the North Staffordshire Provident Club, the amount being £500. At that point Walter Hulse's wife returned and noted that Walter Hulse had been insured for £500 with the Pearl Insurance Society and £12 with the North Staffordshire Provident Club, adding that the money had been claimed, but was yet to be received.
When the judge summed up he noted that no stranger could have benefitted from the insurance and then asked whether there were possible grounds for supposing that either Walter Hulse's wife or children could have been involved in his murder, noting that up to then nothing had been suggested.
When the judge addressed the jury, he said that he thought that the view they took regarding the alleged depositing of the cartridge cases beneath the stones on the morning of the murder would determine their verdict.
He then added that as to the defence, that it was for the jury to judge from the demeanour of the Cowman and his wife in the witness box as to whether they had any reason to doubt their evidence.
The judge noted that it was for the jury to use their own experience, noting that they knew what the light was like at 7.30am on 2 December 1921, observing that one might not be able to read a letter, but they had to ask themselves whether they could tell whether a man was stooping or not.
However, after an absence of nearly an hour the Foreman of the jury returned a verdict of not guilty and the Cowman was discharged. He was said to have accepted the verdict with the same calmness that he had shown throughout the trial.
Extraordinary Sequel
An extraordinary sequel to the murder was reported in August 1922 when two women were arrested for attempting to blackmail Walter Hulse's wife. They had sent her an anonymous letter demanding £10 or £15, stating that one of them was clairvoyant and had been talking to Walter Hulse. Both of the women had been from Talke. They were committed for trial on charges of demanding money with menaces.
A letter that Walter Hulse's wife received read:
Now, my dear lady, it is not my intention to alarm you in the least, although I have seen a lot of the past of your household. Will you be so kind as to make me a present of £10 or £15? It will enable me to make a fresh start in life. you shall never lose by your kind action or come to any harm. We will do it in secret, as I think it’s the best way we can go about such business.
A Friend in Need.
The letter went on to give directions on hiding the money at a certain spot distinguished by a white mark.
However, Walter Hulse's wife took no notice of the letter, and three days later she received a second letter in the same handwriting that read:
Walter Hulse's wife then communicated with the police and by their direction she wrote a reply, a copy of which she gave them, and in response to that letter, the sisters replied:
However, a police officer saw the sisters go to the prearranged spot and take the decoy letter from under the turf and he arrested her and she handed over the letter.
When the two women were arrested, one of the women admitted to sending the letters, stating:
When she was questioned the sister said that her sister had a certain gift of seeing into the future and had been in conversation with Walter Hulse that morning and that he had told her that there was:
She added that she also knew who murdered Walter Hulse.
Both of the sisters pleaded not guilty.
see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
see National Archives - ASSI 6/57/5
see Nottingham Evening Post - Monday 12 December 1921
see The Scotsman - Friday 16 December 1921
see Dundee Courier - Saturday 03 December 1921
see Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 04 March 1922
see Lichfield Mercury - Friday 03 March 1922
see Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 25 February 1922
see Westminster Gazette - Tuesday 22 August 1922
see Reynolds's Newspaper - Sunday 27 August 1922
see Sunday Illustrated - Sunday 26 February 1922
see Dundee Courier - Monday 27 February 1922
see Dundee Courier - Thursday 15 December 1921
see Reynolds's Newspaper - Sunday 04 December 1921
see Sheffield Daily Telegraph - Monday 27 February 1922