“Brides in the Bath.”

Hokitika Guardian, 8 December 1922, Page 3

“Brides in the Bath.”

FAMOUS TRIAL RECALLED. AA’hen Scotland Yard laid its hand on George Joseph Smith, of “Brides in tho Bath” fame, ho speedily figured in the official view as the most deadly and dangerous criminal in the annals of modern crime. Mis exploits and end are now graphically told in the "Trial of George Joseph Smith,” edited by E. R." AA'atson (Notable Trials). Smith was caught by the merest coincidence. There appeared in the Press during the last days of 1914 the report of a quite conventional inquest on a young bride who, according to the jury’s verdict, died at a house in Bismarck-roiul (since renamed AA’ater. 100-road), Highgate, N., as tho result of stiff catioii by drowning in her bath. The detailed facts were simple and straightforward. -Air and Airs Lloyd were a young couple on their way to Scotland for their honeymoon, staying for a few days in London in a furnished room. Lloyd had called first ill order to -see and engage this apartment, and had asked whether there was a hath. On tiie evening after the arrival of the couple Airs Lloyd asked for a hot hath. She went to it about halfspust seven. The landlady, who had got the hath ready, went hack to her ironing in.the kitchen. A few minutes afterwards the Loll rang and when she went to the door she found Air Lloyd, who said that he had been out to buy some tomatoes for bis wife’s supper. He went, upstairs, called at the bathroom door and received no answer, and ATrs Lloyd was found dead in the hath. Suffocation bv Drowning was the verdict. BLACKPOOL CIMAIE. , The newspaper reports of the .inquest on Airs Lloyd attracted the attention of the relatives of another young bride who had died from drowning a hath in a Blackpool apart- ; incut house in December 1913. This ; young woman, Alice Burnham, met at the chapel she attended George Joseph Smith, who made violent love to her. She drew nil her money—627—from the hank. There was also due to her Cl(10, which the bridegroom took very speedy steps to secure. Oil the (lay before their marriage she was insured for 9560. Six weeks later she was found drowned in her hath in n house at Blackpool. An inquest was held and a verdict of Death from Drowning was returned. AA'ith two such similar deaths brought to their notice, the police presently established lliat. Lloyd, of Highgate, and Smith, of Blackpool, bridegrooms were one and the same man. Patient investigation presently linked up Air George Joseph Smith with yet a third bride, who was dis- . covered drowned in her bath in a house ;si Herne Bay in 1912. In this case the bridegroom ,a “Ah' AA'illinms,” had taken the house on a yearly tenancy. He made with his “wife,” Aliss Bessie Alundy, whom fie bigamouslv married in 1910. mutual wills, under which lie became heir to her very considerable property, while she would have inherited nil he possessed—which was nothing. Tho theory of the prosecution satisfied the jury that the death of Bessie Ahmdy was r-ausud by-the lifting of the legs and submerging of tho face in the bath. Tie was hanged at Maidstone in .August, 1915, for her murder. Ho was I I at the time. Born in Bothna. Green, he was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment for larceny when ho was 19, and during the next ten years he served two other terms of imprisonment,.