Thomas Thomas

Thomas Thomas was beaten and stabbed to death in his shop in Garnant on 12 February 1921 and £126 was stolen.

He had run the Star Supply Stores in Garnant Amman Valley.

On 13 February 1921 at 9am his neighbour noticed that the back door of Thomas Thomas's shop was open and that the lights were full on. He knew that Thomas Thomas had been working late on the Saturday night and called up the basement stairs but got no reply. He then met the senior shop assistant and they went into the shop together.

Thomas Thomas was found in the front of the shop lying dead in a pool of blood.

He was found to have a puncture wound to the front of his throat that had severed his carotid artery and the jugular vein. He also had a fractured skull and had been stabbed in the abdomen, a wound for which his clothes had been opened.

A yard brush was found covered in blood near his head. A shop knife used in the attack was later recovered from a stream. An iron bar was also thought to have been used in the attack.

He was last seen alive at 9.45pm on the Saturday night.

The money taken represented Friday and Saturday's takings.

The Directors of the Star Tea Company in London offered a £100 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the murderer, however, there were no developments in the case.

Thomas Thomas had been unmarried.

Scotland Yard were called out to the scene on the night of 14 February 1921 and arrived about 7.30am on 15 February 1921, at which time they met up with the local police and immediately commenced investigations.

Garnant village was described as having about 8,000 inhabitants located in the Amman Valley on the borders of the counties of Carmarthen and Glamorgan, and in the heart of the anthracite coal district of South Wales.

Thomas Thomas had run a branch of the Star Tea Company Limited of 292-314 Old Street, London, which was located at 2 Commerce Place in  Garnant.

The premises consisted of a shop with front and side doors and a warehouse behind the shop with rooms above used as store rooms. There was a cellar underneath the back warehouse, the cellar being below the level of the street, and giving access to the premises from the back.

Inside the shop there were two counters running the length of the shop, the grocery counter being on the left as you entered the front door of the shop and the provision counter on the right.

At the back of the shop there was a doorway leading into the warehouse and out of the warehouse there was a staircase of fourteen steps that led to the back door.

Thomas Thomas had managed the Garnant Branch of the Star Tea Company and had been in the service of the company at their different branches for a total of about 12 years and had been at the Garnant Branch for about the previous 14 months.

He was a Welshman, born at Llangendeirne, a bachelor and a man of poor physique and afflicted with deafness, more particularly in the left ear. He also had a deformity of the right leg caused by an accident in his youth.

He had been a man of regular and simple habits and of a studious nature, and a number of newspaper cuttings were found on his person relating to spiritualism, which he seemed to have studied.

The Star Company's premises afforded no living accommodation and Thomas Thomas made his home with a family at 2 Glanyrafon Villas in Horney Road, Garnant, where he shared a bed with a fellow lodger. It was noted that from the front of 2 Glanyrafon Villas the back of Commerce Place was plainly visible across the fields and that at night the lights at the back of the stores could be seen from the front of the house.

As well as Thomas Thomas, other employees at the store were:

• First Hand.
• Grocery Assistant.
• 1st Boy Assistant, aged 15.
• 2nd Boy Assistant, aged 14.
• Errand Boy, aged 13, still at school.

On Saturday 12 February 1921, the Star Stores closed at about 8.15pm. A portable gate was fixed at the front door by the 1st Boy Assistant and the front door was secured by Thomas Thomas. A pane of glass in the shop door had been broken earlier in the day by Thomas Thomas and he therefore told the Errand Boy to fetch a piece of wood from the cellar, which he did and the wood was fastened over the broken glass by Thomas Thomas.

After the closing of the shop the staff were engaged in weighing up stock and clearing up the premises, and at about 8.45pm the Grocery Assistant left the premises by the back door to go to the house next door, 1 Commerce Place, which was occupied by a Colliery Screener who was the owner of the premises adjoining his house, including the Star Stores.

The First Hand lodged with the Colliery Screener and it was for the purpose of taking a dress belonging to the First Hand that the Grocery Assistant went to 1 Commerce Place. She was only a few minutes with the Colliery Screener and meanwhile had left the back door of the Star Stores partly open. On returning to the stores she closed the back door and secured it by its two bolts and a loose iron bar which was usually kept behind the door. 

The Grocery Assistant said that she remembered distinctly securing the door and she had been seen by her brother, the 2nd Boy Assistant, to do so.

The Grocery Assistant and the three boys then left the premises by the side door about 8.50pm, closing the door behind them.

Just before leaving the store, the 2nd Boy Assistant and the Errand Boy swept out the shop, and the sweepings were taken down into the cellar in a small box and placed in the cellar between the back door and the window. The broom was placed by the 2nd Boy Assistant in the back warehouse at the side of the safe which was on the landing at the top of the staircase leading to the cellar.

Thomas Thomas and the First Hand remained on the premises after the other members of the staff had left, being engaged with balancing up the cash and dealing with their accounts. The First Hand left the store at about 9.45pm, but before doing so she looked down the warehouse staircase and saw that the back door of the premises in the cellar was secure. The cellar had no light in it, but sufficient light was thrown from the shop and warehouse to light up the staircase to enable the back door to be seen.

When the First Hand left the premises Thomas Thomas had been engaged on his books at the grocery counter near the front of the shop, and two tin boxes, into which he had been in the habit of placing the cash from the tills on the grocery and provision counter, were on the counter by his side. One of the tins had been smaller than the other and it was into that tin that Thomas Thomas placed Treasury Notes, loose or made up into bundles, and into the larger tin he placed silver coin. The smaller tin was then placed inside the larger one, and it was about Thomas Thomas' last job of the day to place the tin boxes into the safe which remained open from the time he commenced making up his accounts until he finally finished his books, when he closed the safe and would leave by the side shop door which was secured by a lock and also by a padlock. The key of the safe, and the keys of the side door lock and padlock remained in Thomas Thomas's possession.

After the First Hand left the shop at about 9.45pm on 12 February 1921, she went to a concert in the locality and on returning at about 11pm she passed the Star Stores and noticed that the shop lights were still burning. She said that everything appeared normal from the outside, however, she soon after remarked to her landlady, the Colliery Screener's wife, and her son that it was strange that the lights were full on in the Star Stores.

At about 11.35pm she went out to the back of her house to see if the Star Stores lights were still on, and finding that they were, she went to the front of the shop and looked through the side of the blind of the provision window, but could see nothing abnormal and all was quiet.

She said that she then went to bed about midnight and that it didn't occur to her to take any further steps to ascertain why the lights had still been on in the stores. She noted however that she remembered one other time that the lights had been left on and that when her landlord, the Colliery Screener, made enquiries, it was found that Thomas Thomas had forgotten to put out the lights when he left the premises.

About 9am, Sunday 13 February 1921, the Colliery Screener's elder son, aged 28, went to fetch some milk and on passing the back of the Star Stores he noticed that the door was open. He informed his father and said that he would call the First Hand. Upon his return, the First Hand had come down and she and the Colliery Screener entered the stores by the open back door after having called out for Thomas Thomas and having got no reply.

The First Hand mounted the staircase, followed by the Colliery Screener, and upon the First Hand reaching nearly the top of the staircase she noticed the safe at the top of the stairs was wide open and the contents were lying around it in disorder.

The safe drawers were half pulled out, insurance cards were on the floor in front of the safe, as were also some dusters and swabs which were kept in the safe.

The small tin box in which the Treasury Notes were kept was lying near the safe empty.

Looking into the shop from the top of the staircase the First Hand then saw Thomas Thomas on his back on the floor behind the provision counter.

She saw blood on his head and a pool of blood on the floor and she then ran back down the stairs, passing the Colliery Screener on her way.

The Colliery Screener, followed by his son and another local man then entered the stores, and after looking at the body of Thomas Thomas, the Colliery Screener's son, at the request of his father, went for the police and the other man went for the doctor.

A Police Sergeant and Constable then proceeded to the stores, arriving about 9.25am on 13 February 1921. They entered the premises by the back door and went into the shop where they saw the body of Thomas Thomas lying behind the provision counter in the shop just inside the doorway leading from the back warehouse. His head was towards the shop window, and his feet towards the warehouse staircase. The body was flat on its back, the head inclined to the left, the arms lying partly on the body. The right leg was straight, the left leg partly bent. An upper set of artificial teeth was lying three inches from the left shoulder and almost in line with the shoulder, and was full of blood stained cheese. The lower set was lying on the left side of the body a little above the knee and about six inches from the body.

About a foot behind the head a bass broom head was lying bristles downwards smeared with blood on the left side, and blood was also in the bristles. There were marks of blood on a margarine box on the right side of the head. The margarine box, the broom head and the artificial teeth were noted as all being visible in photo exhibit 6, which was taken from the doorway of the warehouse behind the shop and at the top of the cellar staircase. It was noted that at the end of the counter there was a large box and to the left of it the side of a tub and that Thomas Thomas's feet had been between the box and the tub.

The Police Sergeant said that he saw lying on the grocery counter a cash book open with incomplete entries, a provision stock sheet, an envelope addressed to the Star Tea Company, London, containing 5/2 in bronze. The till was open and there were two shillings in bronze in it.  On the provision counter the till contained three shillings in bronze.

In the warehouse behind the shop, lying around the safe at the top of the cellar stairs were two tin boxes, empty, lying on their sides, and some dusters and insurance cards. The safe drawers were open, the safe key was in the lock of the safe and attached to other keys on a ring.

Steps were then taken at once by the Police Sergeant and Constable to prevent any interference with articles that might afford any clue, and a careful search was made by them for any fingerprints or footprints, both inside and outside the premises.

It was found that Fridays and Saturdays takings, amounting in all to £128.0.2½ which in the ordinary course would have been mostly in Treasury Notes, were missing from the safe.

The doctor from Garnant said that when he arrived at the Star Stores soon after the police he made an examination of Thomas Thomas's body. He noticed that the back of his left wrist and hand were covered with blood, although there was no blood on the palms of his hands and no blood on his right hand.

He said his head was lying in a pool of blood up against a box on his right and that the front of the box was splattered with blood.

He said that on the scalp on the right side of his head there were two incised wounds down to the covering of the bone and that the right side of his face and temple were badly bruised and swollen. He said the lobe and helix of the right ear were cut and that there was a bruise on the left temple and around his left eye. On the right side of the neck was a puncture wound about two inches below the lower jaw bone in the region of the carotis sheath and there was a slight incision or stab over the left jaw. He also found in the abdomen just below the lower end of the breastbone a punctured wound, around which there were two small wounds but not cutting through the true skin.

Thomas Thomas's trousers were unbuttoned except for the last two lower buttons, his pants were unbuttoned, and his waistcoat was at the lower button and the front of his shirt and waistcoat were raised up.

There were no cuts on his clothing.

A lump of cheese was firmly impressed in the palate of the artificial teeth of the upper jaw.

The doctor said that in his opinion, that Thomas Thomas must have been dead for about eleven hours when he first saw the body.

A deputy chief constable from Llandilo arrived soon after, and after further examination of the premises and vicinity were made, the body of Thomas Thomas was removed on a stretcher to his lodgings at 2 Glanyrafon Villas in Horney Road, Garnant. His clothing was then removed and upon a search being made of them, £15.0.1 cash, a watch and other articles were found.

Enquiries and further search of the Star Stores and the vicinity were continued and in the cellar the iron bar which was used to secure the back door was found leaning against the wall, not in its usual place, but near the window, and on it was a fresh blood stain. A boning knife and a broom handle were then found to be missing.

The enquiries were continued on the 14 February 1921 and at about 10.45am that day the 1st Boy Assistant and 2nd Boy Assistant found the broom handle in a brook about 200 yards from the back of the stores in the direction of the Amman River, and at about 11am the Constable and the two boys found the missing boning knife under a heavy stone in the brook near the spot where the broom handle was found. Both had been completely immersed in the water, and on the blade of the knife there were blood stains and rust. A thorough search was then made in the field in the vicinity of the brook, along the hedges, gateways and gaps for footprints etc, but nothing more was found.

As a result of the enquiries, a woman that lived in Northampton Place was seen on 14 February 1921, who stated that at about 10.15pm on Saturday 12 February that she had been passing the Star Stores with her 11-year-old daughter when she heard coming from the Star Stores a terrible scream as of a boy or some weak person, and following that a thud as of something heavy falling. She said that almost immediately afterwards she heard someone going over stairs, either up or down. She said that she thought that one of the shop boys had got his hand in the bacon machine and having heard the footsteps on the stairs she concluded there was nothing wrong.

Her daughter looked through the shop blind but could see nothing except tins in a shop fixture. Everything was then quiet and the woman and her daughter left the front of the shop and shortly after met two other women that were coming down the road and she told them what she had heard. She then went to a neighbours and told her, and it was from the neighbour that she heard the next day what had happened at the Star Stores.

On Monday 14 February 1921, the doctor carried out the post mortem examination of the body of Thomas Thomas, assisted by his partner.

On removing the scalp he found a fracture of the parts of the front and right parietal bone which were in contact with the temporal bone. He said there were eleven pieces of bone and that they were pressing on the membranous coverings and the brain itself. He also found that the zygoma was also fractured in two places.

He said that on the right side of the neck there was a puncture, which, when he traced it, found it to pass upwards and inwards, just missing the carotid sheath and contents, passing underneath the floor of the mouth, cutting through the root of the tongue, passing through the left tonsil and almost passing out on the left side of the neck.

There was also a punctured wound in the abdomen just below the lower end of the sternum, passing through the left lobe of the liver and along the small curvature of the stomach, making an incision into the stomach in passing over, and then passing through the left kidney.

The stomach was practically empty with the exception of some fluid and a small piece of partially digested meat. It contained no cheese. All the internal organs were healthy but pale owing to the loss of blood.

Following that point in the investigation the detectives from Scotland Yard arrived on the morning of 15 February 1921.

By then the local police had made what enquiries were possible and removed to the police station the various articles connected with the case. The blood on the floor of the shop had been cleared up, but, the local police sergeant assured the detectives that every care had been taken not to efface any finger prints that might have existed.

The local police sergeant added that the press had been permitted to photograph the interior of the Star Stores, but that great care had been exercised in order that nothing which might afford a clue should be obliterated.

No footprints had been found either inside or outside the premises, and neither were any footprints or any marks except perhaps of someone's knee, on the bank of the brook where the knife and broom handle were found.

Following the arrival of the detectives from Scotland Yard a meeting was held with the deputy chief constable from Llandilo during which he informed them that as far as he could see there remained not a single clue for the police to work upon, and then placed at their disposal the services of the Police Sergeant and Constable, as well as assuring them that any other assistance that might be required would be readily given.

It was noted that the Police Sergeant and Constable, before the discovery of the broom handle and knife in the brook, made a thorough and minute search of the Star Stores, to see if any weapon or any other articles had been left behind by the murderer, and the only thing which might, or might not have had some bearing on the case was said to have been the discovery by the Police Sergeant of a portion of a waistcoat or coat sleeve button in the lower of the two mortises in the inside of the right side of the safe, which might have indicated that the thief, in putting his hand in the safe, had caught his sleeve buttons, one of which had then broke.  However, it was noted that a test was made and it was found that the safe door would close without hinderance with the portion of the button in the mortise, and that as such it was possible that the piece of button might have been there long before the crime.

The detectives, with local officers, then made a thorough examination of the premises, and no sign could be found to show that any forcible means had been used to gain admittance to the premises. A close examination of the safe was made for fingerprints and a good many greasy smears were found on the inside of the safe door, but under the magnifying glass they failed to show any detail which could have been of any use, and as it was practically certain that the thief had found the safe open it was thought most unlikely that he had found any necessity at all to touch the safe door and that the odds were against his having done so.

With regard to the two tins in which the shop takings were kept, and which were found lying at the side in front of the safe, one of them, the larger in which the silver was kept, appeared to bear finger prints on each end inside but they were superimposed on the one end and indistinct of the other. The application of powder brought the prints up a little clearer but the detectives formed the conclusion that at any rate they were of such a character that no good purpose would be served in sending them up to London, but that they might become useful in the event of suspicion falling upon some particular person.

At 11am on 15 February 1921, the inquest on Thomas Thomas was opened at the New Bethel Chapel in Garnant. Evidence of identification was given by Thomas Thomas's brother, a station master on the L&NW Railway, stationed at Mumbles Road in Swansea, and the enquiry was adjourned to 1 March 1921.

After the inquest, the detectives decided that it was absolutely necessary to have photographs taken of the exterior and interior of the Star Stores and also of the body of Thomas Thomas. The nearest and best photographer was in Ammanford, about four miles distant from Garnant and his attendance was secured and the required photographs were taken.

The detectives also procured fingerprints of Thomas Thomas and then commenced interviewing the various persons connected with the Star Stores at Garnant and those living around the stores.

The police report stated that the most reasonable conclusion to be arrived at from their stories and the examination of the Star Stores premises with regard to the crime appeared to be that someone who was thoroughly conversant with the methods and habits of Thomas Thomas had gained admittance at the back of the Star Stores, some time prior to the back door being bolted at 8.45pm on 12 February 1921, and had hidden themselves under the staircase in the cellar until after the departure of the First Hand at 9.45pm.

He then waited until Thomas Thomas had placed the tin boxes in the safe and gone back from the warehouse to the grocery counter. Mounting the staircase to the safe at the top he took the Treasury Notes and silver from the tin boxes and in doing so made a noise which Thomas Thomas heard and which brought him round to the warehouse doorway at the side of the safe. The thief then seized the broom which was standing at the side of the safe, dealt Thomas Thomas a blow which sent him reeling backwards behind the corner of the provision counter, and followed up this by dealing Thomas Thomas a terrific blow on the right side of the head whilst he was lying down. This blow fetched the head of the broom off and it fell bristles downwards a little beyond his head.

It was thought that Thomas Thomas had then been making some noise and that the assailant had then forced some cheese which was near at hand into his mouth, and then, having seized the boning knife which was presumably near at hand, although no one can say exactly where it was, undid Thomas Thomas's clothing, raised his shirt and plunged the knife into his body, following this up with a stab in the right side of the throat. There were on Thomas Thomas's right ear two cuts or tears on the lobe and helix and it was thought possible and probable that the injuries were caused by two nails that protruded from the end of the broomstick after the broom head came off.

It was reported elsewhere that it was thought that the cheese had been used as a gag, the cheese being rammed firmly into his mouth to gag him.

It was said then that the murderer left the premises by descending the cellar stairs to the back door, lifting down the iron bar of the door, placing it to the right and under the cellar window, pushing back the two bolts, lifting the latch and then passing out of the door which he left open, taking the broom handle and knife with him and passing straight across the Stores yard, crossing the railway and a field beyond until he came to the brook at a spot about 203 yards in a straight line from the Star Stores, depositing there the broom  handle and knife and getting away unobserved. It was added that he was readily able to do that as the night was particularly dark and there was a slight mist.

It was thought then, that having disposed of the weapons and perhaps washing his hands, that there were many routes open to him to get away with small chance of his being seen by any person.

From the evidence it was supposed that it was the case that the Colliery Screener and others had passed through Coronation Arcade which was near the Star Stores and led to the rear of the block of shops in which the stores were situated, about or soon after the time when the woman heard the screams, however, they saw nothing unusual, and neither the Colliery Screener, nor his two sons who passed the back of the stores to reach their house between about 10.20pm and 12.30am on the night of the crime, noticed that the back door of the Stores was open.

It was thought that if the theory of the murderer being concealed on the premises was correct, then he must have been a person who knew exactly the habits of Thomas Thomas and calculated on the chance of getting at the safe whilst it was open without being observed, and it further appeared that to be the case that the murderer went to the premises unprovided with any implements.

It was also noted that the enquiry disclosed that Thomas Thomas not infrequently, after the shop was closed, and when he was alone on the premises, had admitted persons to the shop through the side door and side passage to serve them with goods, and it was thought that it might have been the case that on the night of his murder that he had admitted someone who attacked him and robbed the safe, however, it was noted that there was very little in the circumstances of the case to support that theory.

First Suspect

It was noted that early on in the investigation that it was suggested that Thomas Thomas's landlord in Horney Road was the murderer. He was said to have been thoroughly acquainted with the methods employed by Thomas Thomas, with whom he had on occasions stayed behind after the shop was closed to assist him, and it was pointed out that the spot where the weapons were found in the brook was in a line with the direction which would be taken by a person coming from the back of the Star Stores and going to his house.

The police report noted that that suspicion was later mentioned to the police by Thomas Thomas's brother on Saturday 19 February 1921 in the presence of the deputy chief constable, who stated that after his brother's funeral at Llangendeirne on 17 February 1921 whilst he was in the Farmers Arms public house a man whom he described as aged about 25, height 5ft 4 or 5in, with a small fair moustache and small features, wearing a cap but whose dress he didn't otherwise notice, came up to him and told him something to the effect that the landlord had murdered his brother, that the landlord was a man of bad character, and that he was surprised that Thomas Thomas had gone to lodge with him.

Thomas Thomas's brother however took no steps whatever to find out who that man was and nor did he ask him any questions upon his statement. He also didn't know whether the man had been at the funeral party, or where he came from or where he went.

When the police interviewed the landlord , he said that he was a colliery fitter and had resided at his present address, 2 Glanyrafor Villas in Garnant for about 8 years and that he had two lodgers. He said that he had been very friendly with the former manager of the Star Stores and that when, in November 1919 the former manager left the stores, that he introduced Thomas Thomas to him who then came to lodge with him. He went on to say that Thomas Thomas would remain at the Star Stores after closing on Saturdays to deal with his stock and accounts and that on various occasions he had himself been with him late on Saturdays helping him with his cash and stock.

He said that on the day of the murder he called with his wife at the Star Stores at about 8pm, near closing time, and that in the course of conversation asked Thomas Thomas whether he should return to help him. However, he said that Thomas Thomas didn't want any help and that he left the shop with his wife and two children and proceeded home, reaching there about 8.30pm and that he didn't leave again that night. However, he did say that he went out twice that night to the front of his house to see if he could see if the lights of the Star Stores were still going, as Thomas Thomas hadn't returned home.

He said that the second occasion that he went out to see if the light was on was between 12 midnight and 12.30am, 13 February 1921, when he heard the other lodger coming towards the house. He said that the other lodger asked him what he was doing and that he told him that he had come out to look for Thomas Thomas. He said that the lodger suggested going to the stores, but the landlord told him to have his supper first, and that they would then see.

The lodger then had his supper and agreed to wait up for Thomas Thomas and the landlord went to bed, after asking the lodger to give Thomas Thomas his supper, which was in the oven.

The next morning, Sunday 13 February 1921, the landlord got up between 8.30am and 9am, and whilst in the garden, was fetched by two boys to the Star Stores. He said that he then remembered that he had not seen Thomas Thomas's boots in the kitchen when he came down on the Sunday morning. He said that he went to the Star Stores where he then saw Thomas Thomas and learned from the police what had happened.

He noted that before he left his house that he asked the lodger why he had not told him that Thomas Thomas had not come in, but didn't remember what he had replied.

After that the landlord proceeded to Swansea in a motor car and fetched Thomas Thomas's brother.

With regards to the other lodger, he said that he waited up until 4am on the Sunday for Thomas Thomas until about 4am on the Sunday and that as he had not come home that it passed through his mind that he had perhaps gone to his relatives at Swansea, and so he went to bed. He added further, that he had had no opportunity of telling the landlord that Thomas Thomas had not been home before the two boys arrived to fetch him to the stores.

The police report stated that it did seem remarkable that neither the landlord nor the other lodger, who had never known Thomas Thomas to miss a night at home, took no steps whatever to see what had become of him.

It was noted that the other lodger had been able to explain his movements fully on the Saturday until 12.30am on the Sunday when he returned home and they were verified and no suspicion of the crime rested on him. The landlord had said that he had been at home from about 8.30pm on Saturday 12 February 1921, for which he was supported by his wife, and enquiries that were made failed to reveal anything to contradict their statements on that point.

However, it was noted that the fact that the landlord had such an intimate knowledge of Thomas Thomas's methods at the Stores, that he took no steps to ascertain why Thomas Thomas had not returned home, and that the broom handle and knife were found at a spot in a line from the back of the Star Stores to his house, raised a considerable amount of suspicion and feeling against him in Garnant.

It was noted that with regard to the statement made to Thomas Thomas's brother at the Farmers Arms by the unknown man, that there appeared, at any rate, to be no truth in the allegation that the landlord was a man of bad character. It was noted that he had been since 1908 in regular employment at the Gellyceidrim Colliery in Glamorgan, and had been in receipt of wages for the past three years of between £4 and £8 per week. It was further noted that his house rented out at 25s a month and with what he received from his lodgers, he must have been in a fairly comfortable position, and not in need of money.

It was further noted that the landlord and his wife and two boys, aged 11 and 13 years, appeared to have led a comfortable and happy life and seemed to be respectable people in comfortable circumstances.

It was found that the landlord before going to Wales was for about 8 years in the employment of an oil and colour merchant at 194 Archway Road, Highgate, and that he had left there of his own accord and bore an excellent character. He was also found to have, for a short period, been employed at a branch of Ainsley Brothers, butchers, at Cranley Parade, Muswell Hill, and it was said by a man with whom he had worked at that place that he had born a good reputation.

The police report noted that there were of course numerous enquiries made in connection with the murder, but that it would only be necessary to mention one or two to which particular interest attached.

Known Criminal

One suspect, a 28-year-old Welshman who lived in Garnant, and who was strongly suspected locally as having been the murderer was considered by the police. He was found to have had a number of convictions recorded against him, including:

1. Bound over, at Llandovery on 16 January 1904, for stealing three boxes of chocolates and three shillings.
2. 12 months in a borstal institution at Carmarthen Assizes, 17 January 1910, for housebreaking and stealing jewellery.

He was released from the borstal institution on 16 January 1911 and supervised by the borstal association until 16 July 1911.

He was said by the local police to have since been dismissed from a colliery for marking other men's trams of coal with his number, and had for a considerable period been suspected of committing larcenies, but nothing had been brought home to him.

In June 1920 he lost the first three fingers and the thumb of his right hand by an explosion under circumstances regarded by the local police as extremely suspicious. It appeared that he and his brother, who also lived in the village, had been in a field late at night not far from the railway station and the Garnant Tin Works, when some explosives that the man had been carrying went off, and he sustained the injuries to his right hand. The only explanation that they ever got of the affair was that the man saw something smoking in a hedge and picked it up and the explosion followed.

However, the explanation was never considered satisfactory and was in the police report noted as having appeared rather weak. It was further noted that after the explosion that the man's brother didn't at first  seek assistance, but instead first went to the man's house, and his action was seen as being suspicious.

Since the date of that occurrence the man had done no work on account of his injuries, and had since been  receiving 15s per week under the National Health Insurance Scheme. He was a married man, but had no children, and after paying 18/- per month for his house rent, he had not very much left to live on.

His wife had recently been assisting a man in Ammanford in his confectionary and greengrocery business and she appeared to have received some remuneration for that.

The man was said to have spent his time walking about the village, usually alone, and to have frequented the local billiard saloons.

About a month before the murder, the Colliery Screener at 1 Commerce Place, reported to the Garnant Police that the man had been seen at the back of Commerce Place to which access was gained by passing through Coronation Arcade.

The Colliery Screener was noted for having reported the matter as fowls had been stolen in the vicinity and he thought that the man was after fowls.

It was also noted that he had allegedly been seen at the bottom of the Arcade and behind Commerce Place on the day of the murder and that as such it was not surprising in the view of all that that so much suspicion should fall on him. However, there was nothing more tangible to connect him with the crime other than his bad antecedents and his alleged appearance about the Arcade.

However, it was decided to call him in to account for his movements on the day of the murder, namely 12 February 1921. He attended Garnant police station on 18 February 1921, and there detailed his movements on 12 February 1921, and briefly they showed that he had been with his brother playing billiards in the morning and in the afternoon had walked through the village, visited the arcade and returned to his house and later went to Ammanford, about 4 miles distant, where he saw his wife serving in a shop and then left Ammanford with the intention of going to the public hall at Gwaun-our-Gurwan which was a mile or so beyond Garnant. However, he said that he was late and so descended from the bus and went home, arriving there about 7pm. He said then, that between 7pm and 8pm that he fetched some milk from a neighbour and also purchased some fried potatoes from a shop nearly opposite his house. About 8pm he walked through the village as far as the Gellyceidrim Colliery and returned slowly home. He said that his wife returned soon afterwards, about 9pm, bringing in some chip potatoes from the shop opposite and they had supper together, and didn't leave the house again that night and went to bed at 11pm.

He said the first he heard of the occurrence at the Star Stores was on the Sunday when his wife told him, who had heard the news from their neighbours.

The police went on to ask him about his career and he failed to mention anything about his detention in the Borstal Institute, but did so when it became apparent that they knew something about him. However, it was noted that he then went on to state that that had been the only time he had been in trouble, which was not true, but at the time, the police were not aware of other incidents.

The police then told him that they wanted to examine the clothing that he had been wearing and they sent a sergeant to follow him home where his wife was also seen, and when she made a statement as to her husband’s movements on the day of the murder, they were found to be in agreement with the man's statement. The police sergeant then examined the man's clothing and nothing in the nature of stains was found on them. It was noted that bearing in mind the piece of a button found in the safe at the Star Stores, that the sergeant paid particular attention to check that all the buttons on his clothes were whole, and it was found that they were.

When the Errand Boy was further questioned on 19 February 1921 with regards to persons who had been seen in the vicinity of the Stores on the day of the murder, although he had been previously questioned, he for the first time stated that he had seen the known criminal at about 7pm on 12 February 1921 in the Arcade. He stated that he was positive that it had been the known criminal, although he had had his back to him and was some distance from him. He also stated that it was by the light from a fish shop window in the Arcade that he was able to see him.

The police also questioned the man's neighbour who stated that she was almost certain that the man had not fetched the milk from her on the Saturday night of the murder, and when the police saw the proprietors of the fish shop they stated that it had been the man that had purchased the chips from them between 9pm and 9.30pm, and not his wife, who they said they hadn't seen in the shop that night.

As such, the police said that they felt there were matters to clear up and the man was invited to Garnant police station and a further statement was taken from him. He maintained his original story and declared that he had not been down the Arcade on the Saturday evening, and also that his neighbour and the couple that ran the fish shop were wrong. At that stage however, the police report stated that they were inclined to think that not very much reliance could be placed on upon either the Errand Boy, the neighbour or the couple that ran the fish shop. The report noted that the neighbour that the man said he had fetched the milk from seemed to have confused the dates of events, and the fish shop proprietors were very busy in their shop on a Saturday night and might have been mistaken in what they said.

The police report stated that the position with the known criminal was not very satisfactory, and that he was not entirely clear of suspicion, but nothing more could be said about him. It was noted that if he was at home at 9pm or soon after and did not go out again on the day of the murder, as he alleged and in which he was supported by his wife, then he was clear, as the hour of the crime was definitely fixed by the woman that heard the scream as being about 10.15pm.

Every effort was made to find any witness who could corroborate the Errand Boy's story that he saw the man down the Arcade on the Saturday evening, but without luck. It was noted that the Arcade gave access to the back of the Star premises.

It was noted that it was strange that the Errand Boy didn't mention the fact that he had seen the man down the Arcade in the evening until a week after the murder, noting that the man was under general suspicion in the village.

With regards to the man's wife, she was found to have been highly spoken of by both of her employers in Ammanford who had known her for about ten years, and they both stated that they had never had any reason to doubt her truthfulness, stating that in their opinion any statement made by her could be relied upon.

Shirt and Trousers

Another matter that took up the time of the police involved in the investigation was the discovery of a shirt and pair of trousers in a wood near Betting Colloery, Cwmtwrch. They were found by an ostler at the quarry on 15 February 1921. The Brecon police at Ystradgynlais telephoned to Garnent late on the evening of 18 February saying that blood stains had been found on the trousers, and that there were some initials in ink on the collar of the shirt.

As a result, Scotland Yards detectives travelled to Ystradgynlais and there inspected the clothing, which consisted of a pair of dark trousers with a large patch of dark striped material on the right knee, a smaller one on the left knee and two patches in the seat, both legs being worn and faded yellow from the knee downwards, black buttons, 'Excelsior Quality' thereon, two side pockets and one hip pocket. In the left side pocket was a small patch of blood and there were two small spots of blood near the bottom of the right leg and one on the back of the left leg.

The shirt was of cotton with green and brown stripes, and inside the neckband in black ink was marked B.E. There was no blood on the shirt.

The clothing was very old and dirty and such as might have been abandoned by a tramp and the stains referred to did not appear to be of recent date.

The clothing was handed over to a police sergeant in case anything could be made of it and on 19 February 1921 other officers proceeded to Betting Colliery, Cwmtwrch and interviewed the man who had found the items, and others, who gave particulars of two men who had been seen sheltering in the colliery boiler house on the morning of Sunday 13 February 1921. The men were said to have not been together, and only vague descriptions could be given of them, and efforts which were made to trace them were unsuccessful. It was noted however that it appeared that it was not unusual for men to be allowed to sleep in the colliery boiler house.

The wood where the clothing was found was visited by the police and a search was carried out, but nothing further was discovered and there was nothing to connect the clothing with the two men in question. Under the circumstances it was thought perhaps a notice in the press might bring forth some information, and particulars of the clothing were supplied to representatives of newspapers circulating in south Wales and a description of the clothing was subsequently published, but no information was forthcoming.

Reward

It was noted that during the course of the investigation that the Star Tea Company intimated to the chief constable of Carmarthenshire, through their South Wales Shop Inspector, that they were willing to, and desirous of offering the sum of £100 as a reward to any person who would give such information as would lead to the arrest and conviction of the murderer. Scotland Yard were then informed of the fact and recommended that the offer be accepted and that the reward be published through the medium of the press. This was agreed to and detectives gave particulars of the offer to the press and it was subsequently published in the South Wales newspapers. However, the publication of the reward brought no result whatever.

Fingerprints

During the course of the enquiries, the fingerprints found in the tin cash box were tested at New Scotland Yard in London. In particular, they were tested to see if they could be said to be the fingerprints of the known criminal, or those of another known criminal who had failed to report at Gwaun-cur-Gurwan, and whose whereabouts had not been traced.

Detectives arrived at New Scotland Yard on the afternoon of 23 February 1921, and the fingerprints were photographed. The following morning an examination and comparison of the fingerprints was carried out and it was found that they were indefinite, but that they were consistent with the fingerprints of Thomas Thomas and not those of either of the known criminals whose finger prints they had on file.

End of Investigation

On 28 February 1921, it was determined that practically everything that was possible in the case had been done, and on 2 March 1921 the Scotland Yard detectives returned to London.

Inquest

However, the detectives returned for the inquest on 8 March 1921. The detectives listened to the evidence presented and noted that it became clear from the questions by the jury that they suspected both the landlord and the Colliery Screener from next door to the Star Stores. However, nothing further came out that the police had already not elicited from their investigation.

A verdict of murder by person or persons was then returned.

Left or Right Handed

One point that was brought up at the inquest was whether or not the wounds on Thomas Thomas had been inflicted by a right or left handed man, and the doctor said that in his opinion the wounds were the result of right handed blows. It was noted that if the doctors opinion was correct, that the known criminal could hardly have committed the crime, for as had been stated, he had only the little finger remaining on his right hand.

It was noted that as such, that would throw the suspicion more particularly upon the landlord, and the police report noted again that his conduct in not making enquiries to discover why Thomas Thomas had not returned home from business at 12.30am was extraordinary, and still more extraordinary when, as enquiries showed, he had found on the Sunday morning that Thomas Thomas's boots were not in their usual place in the kitchen and his supper was still in the oven from overnight. The police report stated that that would have made an ordinary man suspect something was wrong, but the landlord said that he didn't suspect anything and instead took Thomas Thomas's supper out of the oven and mixed it with the chicken feed and fed it to the chickens and was unconcerned until the two boys came for him at 10am to fetch him to the Stores.

However, the police report noted that against all that there was his previous unblemished record and the apparent straightforwardness of himself and his wife, and although he was open to strong suspicion, it was difficult to conceive that he could have committed the crime.

It was further noted that the Coroner commented on the fact that the woman that heard the screams at the Star Stores took no action, and said that there were several unsatisfactory features in the case, and in saying that, it was thought that he had been referring more particularly to the landlords conduct.

On 9 March 1921 the police attended the second day of the inquest, in part to see whether the known criminal would say anything that would help them clear up the case, but although he was closely questioned, his statements didn't carry the case any further.

It was noted that when the known criminal was first questioned at Garnant police station on 1 March 1921, that he had said that he had been contemplating buying a horse and cart to set up in business in fish and greengrocery. He also said that the man in Ammanford who his wife worked for had promised to help him. However, when they spoke to the man in Ammanford, he said that the matter had been discussed around Christmas last and that, although he had not promised the man any financial aid, he had intimated that he would put the man in the way of getting goods from Swansea.

Additionally, the police noted that when they had visited the known criminal's house on 18 February 1921, that his wife had shown them, at the request of the police sergeant, her husband’s Post Office Savings Bank Book which showed that he had to his credit nearly £80 which had apparently been deposited from time to time whilst he had been working in a colliery and before the injury to his hand.

Conclusion of the Police Report

Although the conclusion of the police report focussed mainly on the disappointment of failure to solve the case, it concluded that the murder appeared to have been the work of someone in the locality.

Additional Suspects

Although not mentioned in the police report, additional documents in the MEPO files from the National Archives suggested that more could be gained from looking at the two Boy Assistants that found the broom handle in the stream. However, an accompanying letter added that there were no grounds whatever for suspecting their involvement. The letter in the police files, which was from Canada, read:

An internal communication from an inspector to a superintendent on the letter from Canada read:

It was further noted that the boys had first found the broom handle in the brook, and that it was after informing the police that they had gone back to the spot where the broom handle was found and upon closer inspection found the knife.

Location

The Star Stores had been at 2 Commerce Place, which was later renumbered 190 Cwmamman Road. The site was later demolished in 2012.