Age: 60
Sex: female
Date: 10 Apr 1940
Place: 21 Brondesbury Villas, Kiburn, NW6
Karoline Getta Jones was found murdered in her flat in Brondesbury Villas on 10 April 1940 at 10.15am.
She was found bound and gagged on her bed.
It was thought that she had been murdered about two weeks earlier.
The police report noted that she had a criminal record and that her CRO number was 6877/37.
She had occupied a flat on the first floor at 21 Brondesbury Villas.
The medical evidence revealed that Karoline Jones had been suffocated whilst she was suffering from concussion and that the injuries that she had could not have been self-inflicted.
The Metropolitan Police report into her murder was broken up into 11 sections:
Section 1
21 Brondesbury Villas was a two-storey semi-detached house in Kilburn comprising of a self-contained basement flat, a similar flat on the ground floor and the first and second floors constituting one self-contained maisonette flat in which Karoline Jones occupied the lower floor of, the upper floor being unoccupied. The ground floor flat and upper first floor flat had a common entrance by way of the front door which gave access to a hall from which there were two doors, each giving access to the flats. The entrance to the upper maisonette was secured by two locks, one being of a box type and the other of a Yale pattern. Above the door there was a large fanlight window that opened inwards on two iron stay runners and when opened to its fullest extent, an aperture of about 12 inches was created at the top. The basement flat could only be accessed by way of a side door.
The basement and ground floor flats were each occupied by a family.
The first floor of Karoline Jones's flat consisted of two rooms, a kitchenette and a lavatory and were occupied by Karoline Jones. The top or upper part of the flat was let separately but had been unoccupied since 11 March 1940.
Section 2
Karoline Jones's body was found at about 10.15am on 10 April 1940 by a man that had gone to the address in line with his duties as a clerk to an auctioneer and surveyor to obtain verification or otherwise of rumours that Karoline Jones had moved from the address. The man was incidentally a retired police constable and coroner's officer with X Division. He had worked as a clerk for Messrs Bate and Company, estate agents at 87 High Road in Kilburn.
He admitted himself into the maisonette flat that Karoline Jones lived in with a set of duplicate keys and when he entered the rear room he found Karoline Jones on a bed, bound hand and foot and apparently dead.
The clerk said that there were no other people on the premises and said that he noticed that all the doors to all the rooms in the flat were open, which he said was unusual as on previous visits to the flat he had observed that the door of the rear room where he found Karoline Jones was kept locked by Karoline Jones and that the door to the front room had been secured with a padlock.
The clerk said that he interfered with nothing and at once telephoned the police.
In consequence of his call, the police then went to the address, arriving at about 10.35am and found Karoline Jones dead on the bed. A detective later arrived at 11.10am and communications were made with the Photography and Finger-print Bureaux as well as the Divisional Surgeon, requesting their attendance at the scene.
When the detective surveyed the flat and contents, he said that he found Karoline Jones in the rear room lying, apparently dead, on her back in a diagonal position on two divan beds that had been placed together as one in the far right hand corner of the room. Her legs were hanging over the bottom left corner of the bed. She was fully clothed in outdoor attire with the exception of her hat which was lying on the floor beside the bed and a pair of shoes that were also found on the floor. He noted that her overcoat and skirt were up to her hips and her underclothing was exposed.
The detective said that her wrists were secured together in front of her body with a strip of table-cloth and that her ankles were tied together with another piece of the same tablecloth. He noted that another portion of the tablecloth was found lying on the floor at the foot of the bed. He said that she had the leather strap of a gas mask case looped around her left wrist and the case was on the bed to her left side. He said that the gas mask was out of the case and was lying alongside the case. He added that the strap was also tied to a string net shopping bag that was passed around her right wrist and tied.
He said that Karoline Jones also had two tightly bound ligatures around her mouth, one being a scarf and the other a piece of white linen.
The detective said that when he examined the contents of the room he found a large Gladstone type handbag in the middle of the room about six feet from the bed to the left with the clasps still fastened, but with the sides cut open by a sharp instrument.
He said that scattered about the floor between the bed and the handbag he observed a number of toilet requisites, correspondence and a British passport in Karoline Jones's name, a Post Office Savings Bank book, a deposit book for the Abbey Road Building Society, a National War Savings Certificate book and a bank book for the Baker Street Branch of the Lloyds Bank Limited.
The detective said that he then found a padlock with a key inserted into it on the floor behind the door which was later identified as the one that Karoline Jones had used to secure the front room door, which, it was noted, the clerk had found open when he had arrived earlier that morning.
There was a pair of unlaced lady's shoes near a wash-stand standing against the wall behind the door and about four feet away near the foot of the bed there was a pair of rubber overshoes. There was a brown coloured fibre attache case on an easy chair near the fireplace in the centre of the far wall which, when opened, was found to contain correspondence in Karoline Jones's name.
It was noted that the floor to the room was partially covered by two carpets and that the edge of one of them by the side of the bed was rucked up. The other carpet that was in the centre of the room was also rucked up at the point near the entrance door.
There was a wardrobe in the far left hand corner of the room that had female clothing hanging in it, but the base drawer of the wardrobe, which was open, was empty. There was also a dressing table between the two windows in the room, the drawers of which were open and empty.
The upper and lower panes of the far window were completely blacked-out by coverings of thick brown paper, which was also seen on the upper half of the nearer window, but a thick curtain was used to cover the lower portion of that window although it was noted that it had been left pulled aside. It was also noted that the clerk said that he had found the curtain pulled aside when he had arrived at the scene.
When the detective went into the front room of the flat, he said that he found that the contents were in disorder.
He said that in the far left hand corner of the room there was a divan bed, and another similar one in the near right hand corner. It was noted that the bed clothing on the beds was disturbed and had the appearance of recent use. By the first of the divan beds there was a wardrobe that had its door open and in which there was a gentleman's hat, walking stick and a tennis racket which was later found to belong to Karoline Jones's son.
There was a dressing table in the far right corner of the room on which there was a wireless set. On the wireless set the detective found a key ring with a number of keys and a small brown leather case containing three box keys. It was later found that one of the keys, a Yale pattern key on the key ring, fitted and operated the door lock that gave access to the maisonette flat.
There was a table in the centre of the room on which there were a number of miscellaneous articles amongst which was a penknife that had its small blade exposed.
There was only one window in the front room that had a thick black curtain fitted but it was found to be drawn open by the detective and it was noted that it was also found open by the clerk when he had come into the room earlier that morning.
When the detective went into the kitchenette at the front of the flat, he found it in disorder. The detective said that when he examined the prepayment gas meter there, he could find no sign that it had been tampered with in any manner.
After the detective completed his initial cursory examination of the rooms that Karoline Jones occupied, he went upstairs and thoroughly searched the vacant rooms, but said that he could find nothing to show that any person had been there recently and no clues to assist in the murder enquiry.
When fingerprints were searched for, two sets were found on the inside of the door that gave entrance to the rear room where Karoline Jones was found, of which one set belonged to Karoline Jones and the other to her son.
When the doctor arrived he said that Karoline Jones had, in his opinion been dead for about fourteen days.
The flat was then later searched again scrupulously by several detectives, but nothing was found that would call for immediate action.
In consequence, the detective took possession of all the correspondence and like data that had been found and several of the other articles that were found in the flat.
It was noted that during the searches, no jewellery of any description or cash was found at the flat.
Section 3
Karoline Jones's body was taken to Kilburn Mortuary and on the morning of 1 April 1940, the pathologist carried out a post-mortem. As her body was prepared for examination, a pair of spectacles, an ear-ring and a strong of imitation pearls were found in the chest portion of her clothing which were taken away as evidence. The pathologist then removed the two ligatures from around Karoline Jones's mouth, the strip of table-cloth, the net bag and the leather strap from her wrist nd the piece of table cloth that was binding her ankles. It was noted that the bonds required cutting in order to preserve the knots.
After the examination that pathologist said that in his opinion, her death had occurred about a fortnight previously and that it was the result of suffocation following upon concussion caused by either a blow to the face or by a fall. The pathologist also intimated that such injuries could not have possibly been self-inflicted.
Section 4
Karoline Jones had five convictions recorded against her:
She was born Karoline Ledermann of German Jewish parents at Klein Eilestardt in Germany on 4 March 1880. Her first husband was a German Jew with whom she had a son who at the time of her murder was a soldier in Her Majesty's Army. However, Karoline Jones separated from her first husband in 1900.
It was understood that she married again in 1914 to another German, but it was not thought that she was divorced from her first husband at the time. However, the second husband died in 1918.
Karoline Jones then met an English soldier in 1920 who was on Occupation in Cologne and it was by that marriage that she acquired British nationality. They lived in Cologne until 1930 when they came to London and took up residence in Marchmont Street, WC1. However, after three months, her English husband died.
The police report stated that they were unable to trace her movements from that time until 1933 when she started living alone in the ground and basement floors of 21 Guildford Street, WC1. The police report stated that it was thought that it could be said without reservation that from the time of her English husband’s death until 1933 that she was obtaining her livelihood by prostitution. A hotel proprietress said that Karoline Jones had 'let off' the other rooms tenanted by her at 21 Guildford Street, ostensibly to lodgers, although it was also suggested that Karoline Jones had conducted a brothel at the address. The hotel proprietress said that it was well known in the district that Karoline Jones was running a brothel at the address and said that Karoline Jones would, by monetary gifts, induce taxi-drivers to bring men and women to her address for immoral purposes. The hotel proprietress, who said that she had not seen Karoline Jones for five years, described Karoline Jones's conduct at 21 Guildford Street as most quarrelsome and disgusting.
At the end of her tenancy at Guildford Street in 1935, Karoline Jones rented a flat on the second and third floors at 84 Marchmont Street, WC1 and permitted it to be used as a brothel. However, the state of affairs there became common knowledge to the occupiers of the adjoining premises which resulted in the property owner communicating a complaint to the authorities. In consequence, the police kept the flat under observation and obtained evidence for the offence of brothel keeping and the flat was eventually raided, and Karoline Jones was arrested and convicted on 13 December 1935.
It was noted that the woman that had lived in the first floor flat at 84 Marchmont Street spoke of Karoline Jones's brothel keeping and said that there had been a man there who she described as a German and who appeared to be more than a friend of Karoline Jones in that he was assisting her in the house and appeared to be looking after her affairs. The police report noted that the German had not been identified, but was during the course of their enquiries considered one of the suspects in the case.
After Karoline Jones was convicted, she stayed at 84 Marchmont Street for about a week when she was given 24-hours’ notice to quit after which she went on to tenant a flat at 32 Coram Street, WC1. The police noted that although there was no evidence in substantiation, they thought that no doubtless she had continued to carry on her trade as a brothel-keeper.
In the latter part of 1936 Karoline Jones went to live alone in two furnished rooms at 3 Clissold Road in Stoke Newington, N16. A woman that had lived at 3 Clissold Road for the previous 14 years said that Karoline Jones's conduct during the first month of her occupation there was satisfactory but said that she later showed signs of eccentricity and developed dirty habits.
It was noted that it was whilst at 3 Clissold Road that Karoline Jones was arrested on 15 March 1937 for shoplifting in the West End of London and dealt with at Great Marlborough Street Police Court, and again whilst there that she was arrested for the similar offence on 2 November 1937 and dealt with at Marylebone Police Court. It was heard that the convictions, along with her dirty habits were the reason why her landlady later gave her notice to quit.
It was thought that Karoline Jones then moved to a nearby address at Albion Road in Stoke Newington although it was not known as a fact. The police report stated that the next address that Karoline Jones was known to live at was in No. 1 Flat, Kings House, Plender Street, NW1, on 23 May 1938 which was verified by the landlord. He said that Karoline Jones was regular with her rent until the week commencing 29 August 1938 when she defaulted in payment and vacated the flat without notice. In consequence, the landlord instigated civil proceedings at the Bloomsbury County Court for the recovery of £6. 3. 2d for rent and expenses and an order was made for Karoline Jones to pay 6/- monthly which was later reduced to 3/- monthly, but it was heard that to the date of her death she had made not one payment.
The police report noted that documents relating to that Court order were taken possession of by the police at 21 Brondesbury Villas and which were dealt with under section 6 of the report.
Whilst Karoline Jones was living at Kings House she accused another woman there of stealing a watch. The accusation was made in the presence of a police officer following a quarrel in which Karoline Jones struck the woman on the arm with an umbrella. It was noted that the incidents concerning the association of Karoline Jones and the woman from Kings House were quite lengthy and they were better dealt with under the section of the report covering suspects.
It was also noted that whilst she was at Kings House Karoline Jones became acquainted with a man that lived in Flat 5 who had been living there for 24 years and was a bachelor. When the police spoke to the man, he told them that Karoline Jones had invited him to visit her flat and told him that when she had taken it over it had been in a filthy condition. He said that after that he visited her afterwards and did odd jobs for her around her flat. The police report noted that it appeared that Karoline Jones, having knowledge that the man from Flat 5 was in receipt of a fairly substantial pension from the Metropolitan Borough of St Pancras with whom he had formerly been employed as a cleansing foreman had endeavoured to foist herself upon him, undoubtedly with the object of benefitting from their association. It was said that the attentions paid by Karoline Jones to the man became the talk of the locality to such a degree that the question of a marriage was the subject of local gossip. However, the man told the police that he gave Karoline Jones no encouragement and intimated that matrimony was furthermost from his thoughts and that he avoided her as often as possible.
Her son had by that time fled from Germany as a refugee and had sought her hospitality. They then approached Messrs Bate and Company, Estate Agents, of 87 High Road in Kilburn and consequently began renting the flat at 21 Brondesbury Villas on 10 October 1938. The estate agents later declared Karoline Jones's tenancy as unsatisfactory through rent becoming overdue. The estate agents said that they made efforts to obtain payment of the rent owing but said that in November 1939 they learned that Karoline Jones had been imprisoned for theft and then later again that her son had joined the British Army.
The police report noted that the imprisonment that the estate agents were referring to at that time was the six months for shoplifting dealt with at Great Marlborough Police Court on 14 October 1939.
Karoline Jones was released from HM Prison Aylesbury on 15 March 1940. However, the police report noted that a great deal of information was obtained regarding Karoline Jones’s contacts and movements whilst serving that sentence as well as after her release until she was last seen alive such that it would be better properly dealt with on their own under sections 5 and 7 of their report.
However, the police report continued to deal with Karoline Jones’s time at 21 Brondesbury Villas between October 1930 and the time of her committal to prison in October 1939.
The police report detailed the family that lived in the basement flat as well as their three relatives who would often visit, but it was found that none of them could say much about Karoline Jones, many of them being quite reserved and it was noted that they would have no reason to meet due to their entrances being separate.
The couple that lived in the ground floor flat, a chauffeur, his wife and two young children were also questioned. The husband said that he knew of Karoline Jones but had had no occasion to speak to her and said that at the outbreak of war his employer had evacuated and that he had gone off to live at his residence in George the Fifth Avenue in West Worthing, Sussex. However, he said that his wife had mentioned certain objectionable incidents to him concerning Karoline Jones. When the police spoke to the chauffeur’s wife said that she was at home most of the time and that from the very start of her tenancy at 21 Brondesbury Villas, Karoline Jones had become annoying, referring to trivial matters such as the deliberate banging of doors, use of bad language, and added that furthermore bottles of milk went missing from the door step and that suspicion rested on Karoline Jones, although she said that there was no proof available that she was responsible. As such, the wife said that she did her utmost to avoid contact with Karoline Jones.
However, the police report stated that when they spoke to the people that had occupied the upper portion of the flat, other residents that had spent time there and their friends, they found that Karoline Jones had been a most troublesome woman who systematically stole their milk, opened postal letters addressed to them and had frequent quarrels. The husband of the couple that occupied the upper portion of the flat, who was a coach builder, said that he had never quarrelled with Karoline Jones, but had remonstrated with her concerning her conduct. The husband said that he had frequently overheard Karoline Jones and her son quarrelling and said that he had knowledge that Karoline Jones's son had on one occasion assaulted Karoline Jones by throwing an apple at her. He said that he could not suggest what Karoline Jones's means of livelihood was but said that he was under the impression that she was in receipt of a pension in relation to her late husband.
The wife from the upper portion of the flat who was employed as a counter hand at the tea shop of J Lyons and Company in Praed Street in Paddington said that when Karoline Jones took up residence, she had introduced herself as a widow of German birth and that her son who was living with her was German. She said that Karoline Jones was a most objectionable person, filthy in her habits and language, adding that she was the most quarrelsome woman she had ever met, saying that she would pick quarrels with everybody who she came into contact with. She said that Karoline Jones and her son would quarrel, shouting loudly in German and would throw articles at each other. She said that on one occasion Karoline Jones and her son came to blows during a quarrel over money and that Karoline Jones received a bruised eye. She said that they would both become hysterical during the quarrels and that they were so frequent that the occupants of neighbouring residences became accustomed to their conduct and that passers-by would stop and listen. The wife of the coach maker added that Karoline Jones kept very late hours and that she was of the opinion that Karoline Jones had been living an immoral life. In that direction she also said that she had heard the voices of girls from Karoline Jones's flat. The police report noted that the wife from the upper portion of the flat was the only person to have said that, but noted that it was doubtless true that Karoline Jones had been continuing her former life as a brothel keeper.
The wife also said that she was given to understand by Karoline Jones's son that Karoline Jones possessed about £3,000, noting that the son had complained to her that Karoline Jones had not given any to him even though he was practically destitute, being a Jewish refugee from Germany. The wife further stated that all the neighbours knew of that supposed wealth and that Karoline Jones took a pride in making that matter the subject of all her conversations.
The police report noted that from the evidence that the wife of the coach maker gave them they identified two suspects, a taxi driver who was a frequent visitor to Brondesbury Villas during a fortnight in April 1939 who they were unable to trace, and another man that had been a regular visitor in June 1939 that they had traced, but added that they would be dealt with in section 10 of the report along with the other suspects.
Several other relatives that had stayed in the upper portion of the flat made statements to say that they had heard Karoline Jones quarrelling in her flat. A brother-in-law of the wife said that when he had stayed at her flat whilst he was employed as a shoemaker in London, he had heard quarrels and had heard Karoline Jones calling people filthy names, adding that Karoline Jones nd her son were continually fighting day and night. He also said that Karoline Jones very often didn't return home until the early hours of the morning, however, he said that he was unable to suggest how she gained her livelihood.
The police report then detailed several of Karoline Jones's relatives that they knew had stayed at her flat. The report noted that in the first instance there was her son, but noted that they would deal with him in the section for suspects. The report noted that there was also the son's wife and that although she was not dealt with as a suspect, her movements would be dealt with later with the movements of her husband, Karoline Jones's son.
The report noted that that left two other people, Karoline Jones's sister who stayed at Brondesbury Villas until the latter part of 1939 and her sister's husband who both also fled from Germany as Jewish refugees from Nazi persecution, arriving in the United Kingdom on 6 March 1939. However, after a period of residence at 21 Brondesbury Villas, they both left the country from Southampton on 22 December 1939 and went to Palestine. However, it was said that during their stay, the conduct of Karoline Jones towards them, they both being aged people, was disgraceful. It was said by the wife of the coach maker from the upper floor flat that Karoline Jones's sister was compelled by Karoline Jones to do all the dirty work about the house in spite of her advanced age and that to avoid friction, her husband would stay away from the flat during the day. A landlady who ran a house in Dyne Road in Brondesbury, NW6 said that owing to Karoline Jones's bad treatment of her sister and her husband, her sister rented a furnished room from her at her address from August 1939 until they left in December 1939 for Palestine. The landlady said that whilst Karoline Jones's sister was staying with her, Karoline Jones visited on one occasion and that she created such a disturbance that as a result of the noise she made, another occupier at the same address requested her to leave. It was heard that when he did, Karoline Jones became very abusive and struck him in the face and broke his glasses and then kicked him in the private parts after which she ran from the house and was not seen again.
The police report stated that, based on the documents that they took from 21 Brondesbury Villas and from subsequent enquiries concerning the substance of them, they found that it seemed that Karoline Jones possessed a small fortune at the time of her death. The police report enumerated the following bank deposits and investments:
It was noted on 20 March 1940, ten days prior to the last time she was seen alive, Karoline Jones withdrew £10 from the Abbey Road Building Society and then, on the same day, deposited a similar amount into her account at the Post Office, North Western District in Camden Town, and then at the same time withdrew on demand the sum of £3. However, the police report noted that more of that would be dealt with in the section detailing Karoline Jones's movements after her release from prison.
Section 5
Karoline Jones was released from Aylesbury Prison on 15 March 1940 and caught a train for London, arriving at Baker Street Station at 10.30am where she was met by an Adjutant of the Salvation Army who had been directed to meet her there. Whilst in prison, Karoline Jones had been seen by a lady from the Salvation Army and during her meetings had expressed a wish to reside in a Salvation army Hostel following her release and it was for that reason that the Adjutant had met her.
The Adjutant of the Salvation army that met Karoline Jones at Baker Street Station said that the first thing that Karoline Jones did following their meeting was to go to a branch of Lloyds Bank Limited in Baker Street where she enquired concerning a box and contents she had deposited there for safe custody. It was noted that Karoline Jones was informed by the bank that the case and contents were intact.
Karoline Jones and the Adjutant then went off to 21 Brondesbury Villas were they were seen entering by the woman from the ground floor flat. The Adjutant said that they found Karoline Jones's flat to be in a filthy condition and that in consequence she advised Karoline Jones to stay at the Salvation Army Hostel in Middlesex Street, W1, which she said Karoline Jones agreed to. However, she said that Karoline Jones told her that beforehand she desired to visit the Abbey Road Building Society and the Commercial Street Aliens Office with a view to tracing her sister, after which she intimated that she would go on to the hostel. However, Karoline Jones didn't appear at the hostel as promised and the Adjutant said that she never saw Karoline Jones again.
When the police spoke to the Chief Clerk at the Lloyds Bank Limited in Baker Street, he told them that Karoline Jones did have a locked case deposited at the bank and said that she had called on a number of times to inspect it, the last time being on or about 22 March 1940 when she also enquired about the deduction of tax in relation to her investment with the Abbey Road Building Society. The police said that they also went to see the Chief Cashier at the Abbey Road Building Society in Baker Street but said that he could not verify whether Karoline Jones had called there on the day of her release from prison.
The police report noted that Karoline Jones's intended visit to the Aliens Registration Office in Commercial Street, G Division, was undoubtedly in connection with her sister who had left the United Kingdom on 22 December 1939 without telling Karoline Jones whilst she was in prison. However, the report noted that there was no record of her having made any enquiry at the Aliens Office on 15 March 1940.
The police determined that Karoline Jones later went to the Red Lion public house in Kilburn Bridge, NW6 on the evening of her release from prison, entering the saloon bar between 7pm nd 8pm were she spoke to a painter and decorator that lived in Agamemnon Road. The painter and decorator said that Karoline Jones told him that she was very tired as she had been looking for rooms and had just come up from the country where she had been evacuated to to evade possible air raids. The painter and decorator said that Karoline Jones told him that she had found two rooms but that they were in a filthy condition and that he then offered to clean up the rooms for her at a reasonable price, but said that she didn't tell him where the rooms were situated. However, he said that he wrote his name and address down on a piece of paper and hand it to Karoline Jones and said that that was the last time he saw her.
It was found that Karoline Jones next called at the Citizen's Advice and Help Bureau at 37 Sutherland Avenue in Paddington the following morning, 16 March 1940, at about 10am where she was seen by the secretary there. The secretary said that Karoline Jones called in connection with advice about her pension book that she alleged had been taken from her by the Governor of Aylesbury Prison during her recent imprisonment. The secretary said that she then communicated with the pension authorities and the police report noted that it transpired that the pension book was in the possession of the General Post Office. The secretary said that she advised Karoline Jones to go to the legal advisor of the Bureau at St Michael's Hall in London Street, W9, but the police report said that there was no evidence that Karoline Jones had taken up that advice.
Karoline Jones was next seen by the neighbour from the ground floor flat on the morning of 18 March 1940 who had a conversation with her. The woman said that Karoline Jones asked her to write her name on a piece of paper and to put it on her door, but said that she refused. It was then heard that Karoline Jones then wrote the particulars on the reverse of a visiting card herself. The police report noted that the subject of the visiting card was something that was further dealt with in section 6 of the report.
Karoline Jones next called at the Abbey Road Building Society later that day and raised a question regarding the withdrawal from her account on 20 October 1939 for the sum of £10 7s 3d which she intimated she did not recall making. The cashier said that the particular withdrawal form was not available at that time and promise Karoline Jones that she would obtain it for her inspection.
Karoline Jones then went to the estate agents, Messrs Bate and Company at 87 High Road and complained to them about her inability to obtain water at her flat. The estate agents noted that the tenancy was rented out in the name of her son and that there was £20 in outstanding rent due and that they asked Karoline Jones for that but said that she refused to pay the arrears stating that it was a matter for her son who was serving in the army. The estate agent that she dealt with said that in consequence of her attitude he refused to take any action with respect to the water defect. The estate agent said that he was placed in a somewhat unusual position regarding the legality of her occupation of the flat and said that he allowed the matter to stand over thinking that the water defect would have the effect of causing Karoline Jones to vacate the flat. However, the estate agent said that on 21 March 1940, after obtaining the owners instructions, he placed the matter in the hands of some solicitors from Craven Park with respect to obtaining possession of the premises. It was then said that the instructions were received by the estate agents on 22March 1940 but that no communication on the matter was sent to Karoline Jones or any representative sent to the address to inform her and that the matter rested until they learned of Karoline Jones's demise.
It was noted that no member of the firm of solicitors ever saw Karoline Jones and that none of the estate agents ever saw Karoline Jones following her visit to their office on 18 March 1940.
Karoline Jones was seen the next day by the caretaker of 22 Brondesbury Villas leaving her flat and walking along to the omnibus stop at the junction of Cambridge Avenue with High Road, Kilburn where she eventually boarded a bus. The caretaker said that he knew Karoline Jones by sight owing to the fact that she was a neighbour and that due to her unseemly conduct she was the talk of the residents in Brondesbury Villas. The caretaker added that that was the last he ever saw of her.
The police report stated that it appeared that Karoline Jones next re-visited the Citizens Advice and Help Bureau at 37 Sutherland Avenue in Paddington and told the woman there, who she had met previously, that she had been unable to find the offices in St Michael's Hall, London Street, and sought further advice about her pension book as well as advice in connection with the overdue rent on her flat.
Karoline Jones was next seen on 19 March 1940 just before 6pm at the Willesden Women's Voluntary Services at 22 College Parade in Salisbury Road, NW6. She saw a nurse there and told her that she was a very good cook and asked for a situation. The nurse said that Karoline Jones was advised to see the Centre Leader at 63 Exeter Road, NW2 between 10.20am and 1am on 27 March 1940, but Karoline Jones failed to keep that appointment and the Voluntary Service said that they never heard from Karoline Jones again.
Karoline Jones was seen shortly after 6pm on the same day in High Road, Kilburn by a woman that had been to see an estate agent who said that Karoline Jones had accosted her whilst she was looking into the window of another estate agents in Kilburn High Road. The police report noted that what went on had no bearing on on the overview of Karoline Jones's movements around that time but would be dealt with under sub-section 12 of section 8 of the police report.
After the woman broke away from Karoline Jones, the woman went home, and it appeared that Karoline Jones entered a News Theatre at Marble Arch at about 7.30pm.
The police report stated that nothing more could be ascertained regarding her subsequent movements until the morning of the following day when she called at the premises of Messrs Dutton and Brasier, a firm of estate agents at 8 Cambridge Avenue in Kilburn where she made a request for a single room in the locality. The estate agent said that he gave Karoline Jones an order to view a room at 131 Abbey Road, NW6 and it was established that she did in fact inspect the room.
Karoline Jones then went off to the Citizen's Advice and Help Bureau at 37 Sutherland Avenue, W9 and complained to the same woman that she had seen on the previous occasion that the water at her flat had been cut off and she was again advised to seek the aid of the legal adviser at the Bureau at St Michael's Hall in London Street, Paddington. However, it was found that she didn't do so.
Karoline Jones then called at the Abbey Road Building Society in Baker Street where she was seen again by the same cashier as before and drew a cheque out for £10 on her account.
The police report noted that the form relating to the withdrawal made in October 1939 that Karoline Jones had previously questioned was not on hand when she visited on 20 March 1940 and that Karoline Jones never called at the building society again in connection with that matter. However, the police report noted that they later determined that Karoline Jones had made that withdrawal and that it had been in the favour of her son after her conviction.
It was thought that Karoline Jones had afterwards gone to the Post Office, North Western District Office in Camden Town, NW1 where she deposited the cheque into her account at the Savings Bank at that office, and at the same time withdrew £3 cash. However, no employees there could recall her visit or give any information about the business transacted.
Karoline Jones then went back to the estate agents, Dutton and Brasier in Cambridge Avenue, NW6 between 3pm and 5pm where she saw the same estate agent that had earlier given her the order to view, and told him that the room was suitable and asked him to make the necessary arrangements for her occupation, after which she left.
The next day, 21 March 1940, Karoline Jones called at 54 Shirland Road in Paddington where she was seen by the occupier, a married woman. She viewed the ground floor rooms at that address and then offered a rental that was lower than that required by the owner and the woman referred Karoline Jones to the owner in that regard. The police report noted that the detailed particulars concerning that occurrence were shown under sub-section 2 of section 6 of their report.
It was thought that Karoline Jones then called at the offices of the Unemployment Assistance Board in St Leonards Road, Chase Estate, Park Royal where she made an application for assistance. She was interviewed by an officer of the board there who after obtaining details of her financial position, refused immediate assistance until such time that fuller details could be obtained by officials of the board. The police report noted that fuller details of the incident were dealt with under sub-section 13 of section 6 of their report.
Karoline Jones then called at the Health Department of the Willesden Borough Council at 54 Winchester Avenue, NW6 and spoke to two men there about an alleged water defect at her flat at 21 Brondesbury Villas. It was noted that she made no further calls to the offices of that authority and the police report noted that fuller details regarding the meeting were detailed in their report under sub-section 3 of section 6.
Karoline Jones later went to the YMCA at 90 Sutherland Avenue in Maida Vale, W9 at about 6pm, 21 March 1940, and requested that she could be allowed to wash her hands and said that she would like to stay there, adding that she had been locked out of her flat and that her son was in the army and serving overseas. Karoline Jones then booked a cubicle for a week and paid the full price of 22/6d in advance. Karoline Jones then stayed there that night, and left the following morning, 22 March 1940, at 11am.
She then went to 54 Shirland Road in Paddington where she had been the day before in connection with the ground floor flat that was vacant. However, the woman there told her that the owner had told her that she could not accept her offer for a lower rent and referred her to the owner who lived at 6 St Mary's Square, W9. Karoline Jones then went straight to 6 St Mary's Square where she was seen by the owner of 54 Shirland Road and intimated to her that she was living at the YMCA at Sutherland Avenue and said that she only required the flat for the storage of furniture. In consequence, the woman allowed her to have the flat at a weekly rent of 15/- provided her references were in order and that a week's rent was paid in advance. It was heard that Karoline Jones agreed to that but that she didn't put in an appearance again to complete the contract.
Karoline Jones then returned to the hostel at Sutherland Avenue at about 2.30pm and then left again at 3pm. The police report stated that there was no further trace of Karoline Jones on that day and no record that she had stayed at the hostel that night and it was thought that it could safely be assumed that she had stayed the night at her flat in Brondesbuey Villas as the following morning, 23 March 1940, at about 9.30am, she spoke to a furniture remover who was removing the furniture from a property at 19 Brondesbury Villas and asked him what his charges were for removing her effects as she intended moving. The furniture remover said that he gave Karoline Jones his card but said that he never heard from her again. The police report noted that further details of that incident were outlined in sub-section10 of section 6 of their report.
Karoline Jones then went back to the premises of Dutton and Brasier, estate agents, at 8 Cambridge Avenue in Kilburn at about 10.30am in reference to the vacant room at 131 Abbey Road, NW6. She then later left the office and was seen by one of the staff standing at an omnibus stop in High Road, Kilburn. It was noted that that was the last time that any of the staff at the estate agents saw or heard from Karoline Jones.
She then went off to the YMCA hostel in Sutherland Avenue at about 11am on the morning of 23 March 1940 where she intimated to the warden that she was living at 21 Brondesbury Villas. She was never seen again by the warden there or any other person connected with the hostel.
Karoline Jones then went to 54 Shirland Road regarding the flat where she spoke to the husband of the woman she had previously seem. The husband said that Karoline Jones produced her deposit book for the Abbey Road Building Society and complained about the fuss being made over references and indicated that she would approach the Abbey Road Building Society in that direction. The husband said that he then asked Karoline Jones for the weekly rental in advance and said that Karoline Jones intimated that if the rooms were decorated to her satisfaction that she would pay three or four weeks in advance and then produced a number of War Savings Certificates from her bag which the police report stated was to undoubtedly impress upon the man her ability to pay the rent. Before Karoline Jones left, she declared that she would be back the following Thursday, 28 March 1940, but she failed to keep that appointment and was not seen or heard from again.
Nothing more was known of Karoline Jones's movements until about 11.30am on Sunday 24 March 1940 when she was passed in Brondesbury Villas by a man that had formerly lived at 9 Brondesbury Villas and knew Karoline Jones by sight and reputation.
Karoline Jones was next seen on 29 March 1940 at about 10am when she called at 35 Harnton Street in Kensington where she was seen by the housekeeper to whom she made an application for a situation as daily help. She had apparently called there in answer to a notice that they had inserted in a local newsagent’s shop advertising a vacancy for a daily help. However, the housekeeper said that she was not impressed by Karoline Jones and in an attempt to put her off, she told her that she did not really require a daily help as she had heard that her former daily help would be returning. However, the housekeeper said that Karoline Jones declared to her that she had been walking around all the morning in search of work and that she was very hard up and so she took pity on her and accepted her for the day and directed her to do certain work. However, she said that Karoline Jones told her that if any work involved climbing ladders or kneeling that she would be unable to carry it out owing to a recent serious operation that she had undergone.
The housekeeper said that she found Karoline Jones incapable of doing the work required and dismissed her. She said that she paid her 3/- but that Karoline Jones pleaded with her for a reference, which she said she could not comply with, but that in order to satisfy her and expediate her leaving the house she wrote on a piece of paper, 'Housekeeper, 35 Harnton Street, Kensington, Western 0936', and gave it to her. Her pay was incidentally given to her by a maid and when the maid gave Karoline Jones the 3/- she said, 'My luck is out, but I am glad to have some money to go and have a meal today'.
Nothing further was known of her movements until about 1.30pm the following day, 30 March 1940 when she was observed by a woman that lived at 26 Brondesbury Villas who knew her by sight and reputation. The woman said that she saw Karoline Jones leave 21 Brondesbury Villas and then walk off towards High Road, Kilburn, saying that she noticed that she was wearing dark clothes and a small round hat and was carrying a large handbag.
Karoline Jones was later seen at 5pm on 30 March 1940 by the housekeeper of 35 Harnton Street who said that she was walking in the company of her husband when she saw Karoline Jones looking into the window of an antique shop in Church Street, Kensington. She pointed Karoline Jones out to her husband and referred to the peculiar incident the previous day to him.
However, the police report stated that that occasion, namely 5pm, Saturday 30 March 1940, despite their intensive enquiries, was the last time that they were able to say that anyone saw Karoline Jones alive.
The police report stated that there was no question of mistaken identity on the part of the housekeeper and the police report stated that following their contact with her, they were of the opinion that she was a most observant and reliable person and that furthermore, she readily identified the photograph of Karoline Jones. It was also noted that the piece of paper that the housekeeper had given Karoline Jones bearing her address was later found by the police at 21 Brondesbury Villas.
The police report noted that the clothing that Karoline Jones was found in when she was found dead on her bed fitted the description given by the housekeeper as that that she had seen Karoline Jones wearing when she last saw her in Church Street, Kensington.
The police report then stated that, with regards to the medical evidence and the facts concerning her clothing, that it was thought that Karoline Jones had met her death within a short time following 5pm on Saturday 30 March 1940.
Section 6
Section 6 dealt with enquiries into the addresses mentioned in correspondence found at Karoline Jones's flat and was dealt with numerically for reference:
1) Visiting card of the director of Kosie-Knitwear Ltd, 97-99 Dean Street, W1 with 'K. Jones' written on the reverse side and affixed to the entrance door of the flat. The director was seen and a statement obtained from him but nothing to assist the investigation was gained. It was thought that Karoline Jones had possibly gone to the company, which employed about 20 persons, to seek employment, but no trace of such an incident was found.
2) Paper bearing the name of the landlady of 54 Shirland Road, Paddington, W9, her address at 6 St Mary's Square, Paddington, and the 54 Shirland Road address. It was found that the landlady lived with her husband at 6 St Mary's square and the property at 54 Shirland Road where her son and his wife and child lived in the basement flat. It was found that the first floor flat had been vacant for some time and that a bill advertising it 'to let' had been displayed in the window. It was found that Karoline Jones had gone there in the middle of March 1940, giving her address as 21 Brondesbury Villas saying that she desired to rent the flat. The weekly rental was 16/6d but Karoline Jones stated that she only wanted it to store her furniture, stating that her son had joined the army and that she thought that the rent was excessive and offered 15/- per week. However, the women there said that she could not see her way clear to accept that offer and referred Karoline Jones to her mother-in-law at 6 St Mary's Square. Karoline Jones later went to see the landlady at 11am on 22 March 1940 and after some casual conversation, the rent of 15/- was agreed upon providing her references were satisfactory and that she paid a week’s rent in advance. It was found out that Karoline Jones had intimated that she would obtain references from the Abbey Road Building Society and that she would call back on 28 March 1940 in connection with the matter, but she didn't, and that was the last they saw of Karoline Jones.
3) Paper bearing 'Sanitary Inspector, 54 Winchester Avenue'. The police report determined that the person named on the paper was a man that lived on Cairnfield Avenue in Neasden and who was a sanitary inspector with the Borough of Willesden attached to the Health Department at 54 Winchester Avenue, NW6. It was found that Karoline Jones had called at the department at about 2pm on Thursday 21 March 1940 where she was initially interviewed by a student sanitary inspector who lived at 48 Crediton Road, NW10, to whom she complained that the water supply at her flat, 21 Brondesbury Villas, had been cut off and requested the attendance of a sanitary inspector. It was heard that during the interview, Karoline Jones had mentioned that she was unable to obtain water from the other flats in the house and at neighbouring addresses as they were 'a bad lot'. It was also heard that Karoline Jones had said that her landlord was claiming arrears in rent to the extent of £17 which she alleged was her son's debt as the flat was in his name and that her financial position did not allow her to meet that debt. The circumstances of Karoline Jones's complaint were then given to the Sanitary Inspector who later visited the flat.
The Sanitary Inspector visited 21 Brondesbury Villas at 11am on Saturday 23 March 1940 but got no answer. He then called again on the morning of 27 March 1940 when the door was answered by the woman from the ground floor flat. However, they could not get a response from Karoline Jones's flat or gain access and he again went away. The Sanitary Inspector said that he called again on 28 March 1940 but again was unsuccessful in contacting Karoline Jones. He said that that was his final visit to the premises and that no other member of the Health Department visited 21 Brondesbury Villas. The Sanitary Inspector said that in view of the nature of the complaint and the fact that he had been unable to inspect the alleged defect he decided to wait until Karoline Jones called again before taking further action. He added that Karoline Jones's visit to the Health Department on 21 March 1940 was her first and last visit.
4) Piece of paper bearing '21 Brondesbury Villas. Re no water. Have called, no answer. 5.20pm'. The piece of paper had been left under Karoline Jones's door at her flat by a man from the Metropolitan Water Board who was attached to No.1. Sub-District, 1 Fordwych Road, NW6. He said that he called at her address on 15 or 28 March 1940 as a result of a complaint to his department by Karoline Jones in connection with her water supply. He said that he didn't see Karoline Jones but said that he was informed by the occupier of the ground floor flat that the water to her flat was in order, as was that of the basement flat and suggested to the man that the complainant was obviously Karoline Jones but that she appeared to be out. The man said that he didn't call again and had no knowledge of anyone else from the Water Board visiting the premises.
5) Piece of paper bearing 'School of Cookery 97a, Elgin Avenue, by United Dairy', and on the reverse side, 'Theosphical Society, 50 Gloucester Place, Baker Street, W., for assistance'.
When the police went to 97a Elgin Avenue they spoke to a domestic science teacher and superintendent of the Maida Vale Cookery Centre there who told them that they provided cheap mid-day meals for unemployed women and that that fact was advertised at all unemployment Exchanges. She also said that training of canteen cooks was also undertaken there. However, she said that they had no knowledge of Karoline Jones attending for cookery instruction but said that it was quite possible that she might have on occasions partaken of cheap meals served there and as such, the police report concluded that it appeared quite possible that Karoline Jones had taken advantage of that form of charity.
The police also saw the assistant secretary of The Theosophical Society at 50 Gloucester Place who said that they had no record of Karoline Jones using their services. She said that a number of people had applied to the society for financial assistance but said that no record of such an application existed for Karoline Jones. She concluded that Karoline Jones nor any woman answering her description had ever called at the society's address.
6) Piece of paper bearing, '81 Reighton Road, Northwold Road, NE'. When the police spoke to the owners of 81 Reighton Road, they found that the owners had for about 6 months prior to the outbreak of War in September 1939, rented out their first floor flat to a couple who had themselves employed a servant who it was determined was another one of Karoline Jones's sisters who had also been a refugee from Germany. The owner said that she understood that the servant had two sisters who lived in the Bronesbury district. Although the owner said that she had never seen the sisters it was thought that they were undoubtedly Karoline Jones and her other sister that had left in December 1939 for Palestine. The police later traced the servant to an address in Stanley Road, Bath who said that she had only seen Karoline Jones twice since February 1939 and that both of those occasions were prior to her conviction for larceny on 15 October 1939 and was not able to enlighten to the police as to Karoline Jones's later movements or associates.
7) Piece of paper bearing 'Name of Window Cleaner, 18 Barnsbury Street, N1'. When the police went to see the window cleaner he said that he knew Karoline Jones having had occasion to clean windows at the block of flats at Kings House, Plender Street. He said that he remembered quite clearly an incident in the latter part of 1938 when Karoline Jones had quarrelled with a neighbour who the police said was the woman mentioned in section 4 and who was later detailed in section 10 on suspects. However, the window cleaner said that he had not seen Karoline Jones since then and only found out about her death when the police interviewed him.
8) Envelope addressed 'Name, 10 Leighton Court Road, Streatham, SW16', and bearing in pencil, 'Name, Osnaburgh Hotel, Regents Park, NW1'.
When the police went to 10 Leugham Court Road in Streatham and spoke to the man named in the address they found that he was a clerk that worked at the War Office in Thames House, SW1 and that he was the leasehold occupier to two guest houses, 10 Leigham Court Road, SW16 and 11 Norfolk Square, W2. He said that he had met an elderly woman in June 1939 whilst he was sitting in the ABC Cafe at Victoria Station, SW1, who was said to have been identical to Karoline Jones and entered into conversation with her. He said that after a while had told her that he was the proprietor of two guest houses and said that Karoline Jones shewed great interest, declaring that she two had been a guest house proprietress and intimated that she had made a lot of money through that medium. He said that he mentioned that if she was interested, they could form a partnership, provided that she was in a position to pay off his existing mortgage and said that she expressed an interest in seeing the house at Norfolk Square and said that a day or two later he took her there. He said that after Karoline Jones had looked over the house, she agreed to pay him £300 and in return she was to receive a fixed amount weekly as her share of the business, which the police report noted incidentally was a prosperous one. As such, the man telephoned his solicitor and gave him verbal details of the arrangement and asked that he draught an agreement which he received about two days later. The man said that after not hearing from Karoline Jones after a couple of days he wrote to her with a copy of the agreement which was the item that the police were referring to in this sub-section. However, he said that he got no reply and thought that Karoline Jones had turned down his offer and made no further effort to get in touch with her and said that he had not seen or heard from her since Karoline Jones had inspected the guest house at Norfolk Square in June 1939.
The police report noted that they had no hesitation in saying that if Karoline Jones had taken control in any form of the premises that she would have conducted it as a brothel.
The police report noted that with regards to the other person referred to on the envelope, the man at the Osnaburgh Hotel in Regents Park, NW1, who they found lived at Flat 473, The White House, Regents Park, NW1, that although he agreed that the pencil writing on the envelop was his, that he could not give any explanation regarding its presence there and said that he had no knowledge of any person called Karoline Jones. The police report stated that in view of that, the man was dealt with under section 10 for suspects.
9) Paper bearing, '97 Elgin Avenue'. The address was found to be that of a branch of the United Dairy Company Limited, but the staff there said that they had no records or knowledge of Karoline Jones having been a customer or calling for any purpose.
10) Visiting card of Man, Motor Transport and Removal Contractor, 56 Maygrove Road, NW6. The police report stated that the man referred to was the man that had been removing the effects of another woman from 19 Brondesbury Villas at about 9.30am on 23 March 1940. He said that he was approached by a woman identical to Karoline Jones who asked him for several removal charges intimating that she would be removing in the near future and that in consequence he gave her his card which was later found at Karoline Jones's flat. However, he said that he did not enter into any further conversation with her and had not seen or heard from her since.
11) Piece of paper bearing, 'Name, 49 Agememon Rd., West Hampstead'. The name and address were for the painter that Karoline Jones saw in the saloon bar of the Red Lion public house in March 1940. He said that he had been approached by a woman identical to Karoline Jones and entered conversation with her regarding the dirty condition of her rooms, but said that she didn't mention the address of the rooms. He said that he offered to clean the rooms in question at a reasonable cost and wrote down his name and address on a piece of paper. However, he said that that was the only occasion that he had seen Karoline Jones and that he had never received any communication from her in connection with his offer.
12) Piece of envelope bearing 'Name. 19 Alexndra Mansions, Commercial Street, E1'. The name was of the woman that had met Karoline Jones outside the estate agents in High Road, Kilburn in March 1940. She was a married woman that had lived at 19 Alexandra Mansions with her husband and two grown up children and said that on an unknown day in March 1940 she had intended to remove from her present address and went to the stated Messrs. Bennet and Company at 167 Crisklewood Broadway, NW2 who supplied her with some keys and an order to view several houses under their control. She said that after viewing the houses she returned to the estate agents and gave them back their keys and then went along High Road in Kilburn and that as she was looking into the window of an estate agent’s office there she was approached by Karoline Jones. She said that Karoline Jones forced her conversation on her and in due course learned of her mission to the district and suggested to her that she should take an apartment house as she had made a lot of money from one that she had in Brondesbury. However, the woman said that Karoline Jones then became a nuisance and to avoid any further conversation at that time she gave Karoline Jones her name and address. and then boarded an omnibus. However, she said that Karoline Jones followed her onto the omnibus and persisted in conversing with her. She said that they then both alighted at Marble Arch and entered the Cumberland Hotel where they sat and conversed for about half an hour. The woman said that she was eventually able to break away from Karoline Jones's company and returned home. She said that she had not seen or heard from Karoline Jones since, although did note that she had later read in the newspapers of her death.
However, the woman did say that Karoline Jones had told her that she was renting the rooms there and was expecting a call from two men that evening to take over one of the rooms. The police report noted that as the two men came under the category of suspects that they would be dealt with under Section 10.
13) Letter to Karoline Jones from Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence, 22, College Parade, Salisbury Road, NW6, with envelope thereof bearing in pencil, 'The UAB Offices, St. Leonards Rd. Chase Estate, NW10'.
The police report noted that Karoline Jones had called no offices of the Women's Voluntary Services for Civil Defence on 19 March 1940 and asked to see the Centre Leader seeking a situation stating that she was a good cook and a nurse. However, the centre leader was not available for interview at the time and so she wrote Karoline Jones a letter requesting her to call at the office at 22 College Parade on Wednesday 27 March 1940 between 10.30am and 11am. However, the Centre Leader said that Karoline Jones didn't call as requested and added that she had never seen Karoline Jones or heard of her since her visit to the office on 19 March 1940.
The report then noted that the other address in pencil was for the local Unemployment Assistance Board on St. Leonards Road in Park Royal. An officer of the board said that he saw Karoline Jones on 21 March 1940 when she applied for assistance stating that she had just been released from prison and had no income. He said that Karoline Jones further told him that she was in receipt of a pension of 8/- a week in respect of her dead husband and that her mother had bequeathed to her £2,000 for the use of her son. The officer said that in view of those disclosures, assistance was refused until a visit had been paid by one of the Board's Officials and fuller details obtained.
In consequence of that, an Investigating Officer of the Assistance Board from the Kilburn Area Office at 1 Broadhurst Gardens, NW6 called at 21 Bondesbury Villas on 27, 28 and 29 March 1940 but got no answer to his repeated knockings and was unable to contact Karoline Jones. As such, in view of the apparent indifference of Karoline Jones concerning her claim for relief, the matter was dropped by the Board and no further enquiries were made.
14) Bloomsbury County Court Writ and attendant documents. The writ related to Karoline Jones leaving No. 1 Flat at Kings House, Plender Street, NW1 in October 1938 without notice. The writ had been taken out by the owners of the flat, a man and his sister. Karoline Jones had occupied No. 1 Flat from 23 May 1938 to the week commencing 10 October 1938. The owners had taken her to court for recovery of arrears of rent at the County Court in Bloomsbury. It was noted that the man that had owned the flat and taken out the writ had not seen Karoline Jones since he visited her at Brondesbury Villas in connection with his claim in October 1938 and said that he had not seen or heard from her since.
15) Tariff card of the YWCA, Campbell House, 90 Sutherland House, Maida Vale, W9. The card related to Karoline Jones's visit to the hostel on 21 March 1940 when she called and booked a cubicle for one week. The Warden in charge there said that Karoline Jones paid 22/6d for a week in advance and said that when Karoline Jones opened her handbag, she disclosed about ten £1 notes which she said she thought she had done to impress her. The Warden said that Karoline Jones stayed there until 23 March 1940 and left the hostel at about 11am and had not seen her since and said that there was no record that she returned to the hostel.
16) Piece of paper bearing, 'Salvation Army, Liverpool House, Middlesex Street, nr Liverpool Street Station'. The police report stated that when they went to the branch of the Salvation Army at Liverpool House, they had no trace of Karoline Jones having communicated with them or visited them at all for any purpose.
The police also found a diary at 21 Brondesbury Villas that contained a number of names and addresses which they dealt with in a similar manner. It was noted that a number of them were those of estate agents or persons having rooms to let which led the police to believe that for a period of time before her death, Karoline Jones had been making enquiries for fresh accommodation.
17) Name, Estate Agent, Shirland Road: The address was of a local estate agent who had no knowledge of Karoline Jones.
18) Name, Sutherland Avenue, Paddington, W9: Another estate agent who had no information regarding Karoline Jones.
19) Rylands Estate, Dagenham, Essex: The estate manager was contacted and said that he had no knowledge of Karoline Jones and said that from their records he could say that she had never resided on the estate or made an application to do so.
20) Daltons Weekly, Cecil House, Strand or Lambeth Road: The police interviewed the manageress of the Dalton's Weekly periodical at their branch at Cecil Chambers who said that their records disclosed no trace of Karoline Jones amongst their applications in relation to the acquisition or tenancy of houses, apartments, flats and like properties. The police also communicated with the head office at 27 South Lambeth Road, SW8 with a similar result.
21) Highbury Nursery Training College, 30-32 Highbury Grove, N5: When the police went to 30/32 Highbury Grove, they spoke to a matron there in charge of a Refugee Hostel under the control of the German Jewish Aid Committee at Bloomsbury House, who told them that prior to the outbreak of war in September 1939, that the premises were known as the Highbury Nursery Training College. She said that she had been resident there and in charge of the college for the past four years and declared that she had no knowledge of Karoline Jones, and it was also noted that no other person connected with the Nursery College could give any information.
22) Head Waiter, near BBC, Name, Mansfield Street, W1: When the police made enquiries in Mansfield Street, they identified two men with the surname detailed, although neither of them had the same initial They were both interviewed but neither of them knew Karoline Jones. They had both lived at 2 Mansfield Street, W1 which comprised of a block of service flats to which was attached a restaurant which was the only restaurant in the thoroughfare. Both men worked at the restaurant, one being a cook and the other a porter.
23) Woman, 98 Auckland Hill, W Norwood, SE27: The police found that the woman named was a subscriber to the London Evangelizing Society and attended their meetings at Hyde Park. She said that during the summer of 1938, whilst attending such a meeting, she had met Karoline Jones who appeared to be in great distress. She said that they went to a nearby cafe for a cup of tea where she said that Karoline Jones disclosed to her that she was a German Jew by birth and had married a British subject and was experiencing difficulty in getting her son out of Germany. She said that Karoline Jones intimated to her that she had about £3,000 and at the conclusion of their talk Karoline Jones invited her to her flat which was at that time at 1 Kings House, Plender Street, although no definite arrangement was made and she didn't endeavour to contact her. However, she said that after war broke out, she recalled the plight of Karoline Jones and decided to call on her with the idea of comforting her saying that she went to 1 Kings House, but said that she found Karoline Jones had left and upon making enquiries in the vicinity, she found that Karoline Jones was an undesirable person and consequently made no further effort to locate her. However, she said that a few weeks after that, she again saw Karoline Jones in Hyde Park. She said that Karoline Jones approached her but that in view of what she had learned with the residents of Plender Street, she adopted a cool attitude towards her which she said was apparently understood by Karoline Jones who she said then walked away. She said that after that she neither saw or heard from Karoline Jones again.
24) Name, 15 Anson Road, NW2: The police said that they made enquiries at this address and in the local vicinity but that no knowledge of any person with that name or of Karoline Jones was known.
25) Man, Anglo-Palestinian Club, Piccadilly, Gt. Windmill Street: The police report said that the name was identical to that of a man that had lived at Flat 157 The white House, Albany Street, NW1. The man was an accountant employed by Messrs Simmond Lewis and Company, 4 Broad Street Place, EC2, and a member of the Anglo Palestinian Club, Great Windmill Street, W1. He said that from July 1930 until June 1932, he was the secretary of the club and that during that period the club had been at 13 Warwick Court, High Holborn, WC. He said that from June 1932 until the outbreak of war in September 1939, he had been in business on his own account as an estate agent at 106 Wanstead Park Avenue, E12 and said that he had no knowledge of Karoline Jones. The police report added that it seemed that his details were another instance where Karoline Jones had collated information concerning estate agents. He said that he could not suggest how Karoline Jones had come into possession of his name and club, but intimated that it might have been disclosed to her by one of his many acquaintances who would know his occupation as an estate agent.
26) Name, 20 Thorngate Road, Paddington, W9: The police report stated that the name was identical with that of a police constable attached to Paddington Station, D Division. The report stated that he had formerly been resident at 20 Thorngate Road, Paddington, and that when he had been on duty some 18 months earlier in Sussex Gardens in Paddington, a woman, identical with Karoline Jones had come up to him and complained of being unemployed and in dire straits. The police constable said that he was impressed with her story and referred her to the local Unemployment Exchange and in sympathy, gave her his name and address and invited her to rite to him as he might get to know where a domestic situation was vacant. However, he said that he had since neither seen or heard of her.
27) British Legion, Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1: The police spoke to the honorary secretary of the Westminster Branch of the British Legion at 161 Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1 who said that he had, in his capacity as honorary secretary of the Legion, come into contact with Karoline Jones on three occasions spread over a six month period in 1938.
He said that the first occasion was in January 1938 when she called seeking financial assistance saying that she had been refused assistance by the Unemployment Assistance Board and that she was destitute. He said that he pointed out to her that she was not resident in his district and not eligible for assistance from his branch but told her that he would communicate with headquarters and that, out of pity, he gave her 2/6d from his own pocket. He said that he wrote, as promised, to headquarters but received a reply saying that Karoline Jones was an undesirable person and not one to be recommended for assistance.
He said that six months later Karoline Jones called again and made no reference to the previous visit other than thanking him again for his generosity in giving her 2/6d. He said that on that occasion she endeavoured to solicit his aid in stating that she was having trouble with her neighbours where she was living in Camden Town, He said that she alleged that she had been assaulted, but he said that he formed the opinion from her demeanour that she was a quarrelsome and aggressive person. He sad that he then advised her to consult the police of her district and said that she left stating that she intended to get 'even' with her neighbours.
He said that a short time after her second visit, Karoline Jones called again and appeared to be very distressed and asked him to provide a Counsel for her defence in an up coming civil action. He said that he pointed out to her the impossibility of this to her and persuaded her to leave, saying that she then became hysterical and said that he formed the opinion that she was mentally unbalanced.
He said that since that occasion, in the middle of 1938, he had not seen or heard of Karoline Jones.
28) Name, 4 Tregunter Road, SW10: The man named was a German national and had since moved from 4 Tregunter Road to Flat 2, Craston House, Lettsom Street, Camberwell. The man said that he had been in the Lyons Tea Rooms at Marble Arch sometime in 1938 and that Karoline Jones entered into conversation with him. The police report stated that again, Karoline Jones told the man that she was German and that she had married a British subject and intimated that she had made a lot of money from conducting apartment houses. He said that she also told him that she had a son in Germany and was having difficulties in getting him into the United Kingdom and asked him if he knew of a solicitor who could help him facilitate his entry. The man said that he believed that he supplied her with the name and address of his own solicitors, Messrs Sayle, Carter and Company, but also suggested that he may have given her the name and address of another firm of solicitors, Messrs Gilbert, Samuel and Company. He said that since that occasion, he had neither seen nor heard from Karoline Jones again.
29) Messrs Gilbert, Samuel & Co., 6 Gt. Einchester Street, EC2: The police report noted that the man referred to in sub-section 28 had indeed given Karoline Jones the details of Messrs Gilbert, Samuel and Co and it was found that a managing clerk there said that Karoline Jones consulted them on 21 September 1938. He said that she told him that her son had sent her a watch from Belgium and that it had been detained by HM Customs and Excise at Mount Pleasant. He also said that she mentioned civil proceedings that were being taken out against her in connection with a charge that she had against a woman for the larceny of a watch. The managing clerk said that he advised Karoline Jones to call upon Customs and Excise in regard to the watch, noting that he made no charge for the consultation and said that Karoline Jones had not communicated with them since.
30) Woman, 101 Anson Road: The police report stated that they found an entry in Karoline Jones's diary relating to a call that she had made in Aril 1939 to a woman at 101 Anson Road, Willesden, NW2. Karoline Jones had gone there asking for employment, stating that she was a Jewess and very lonely. The woman said that she informed Karoline Jones that she could not employ her but invited her into her house and gave her a meal because Karoline Jones had stated that she was practically destitute. The woman said that Karoline Jones disclosed details to her about her early life in Germany and told her that she was a British subject by marriage. The woman said that she didn't see or ear from Karoline Jones again.
31) Man, 90 Anson Road: It was found that Karoline Jones had gone to 90 Anson Road in Willesden in April 1939 and asked the woman there if she was seeking a maid to which the woman said that she was. She said that Karoline Jones then told her that she had brought over a number of girls from Germany and placed them as domestic servants in situations in England and then recommended a certain girl who she gave to understand would be in London within a week or ten days with the necessary employment permit. It was noted that the girl in this case that she was referring to was the wife of her son and further noted that the son was being dealt with further under section10 for suspects. It was heard then that three weeks later, Karoline Jones accompanied her son's wife to 90 Anson Road and the girl started work there the next day. The woman said that the next time that she saw Karoline Jones was in May 1939 when she called in respect to a Home Office form that she required filled concerning her son's wife. The woman said that Karoline Jones's son would visit his wife at that address and was later allowed to stay there for some time, but noted that she didn't see Karoline Jones again after May 1939.
32) Name, 108 Cazenove Road, N16: A woman who lived with her husband at 108 Cazenove Road in Stoke Newington, said that sometime in 1938 she had been with her husband in Hyde Park when Karoline Jones had approached them and that after some conversation said that they informed Karoline Jones that her husband informed her that he was a tailor by occupation. The woman said that when Karoline Jones was told that she told him that he was foolish to carry on such a trade as there was more money forthcoming from dealing in house properties. She said that Karoline Jones also told them about her life in Germany and her marriage to a British Soldier. However, both the woman and her husband said that they never saw or heard from Karoline Jones again.
32) Housing Estate, Spring Gdns., County Hall: Karoline Jones called at the Old County Hall, Spring Gardens, SW1 on 15 July 1938 where she was seen by a London County Council Officer in charge of the department dealing with the letting of houses on the council's estates and asked for accommodation near Russel Square, WC and was given an application form to complete. She had said that she wanted a flat with two rooms for herself and her son who at the time was still in Germany and who was expecting to come to England within a week. She disclosed particulars about her marriage to a British soldier and in filling in the form she said that she was a teacher of the German language and in receipt of £1 per week wages plus 8/- per week pension, and also that she had been given notice to quit her present address at 1 Kings House, Plender Street. Her application was recorded in order that further enquiries be made, and she was advised to call again at the office on 20 July 1938 but she failed to do that and was never seen there again.
34) 52 Cambridge Street Hyde Park: Enquiries were made at the address and it was found that the occupant had been there for 15 years. He was an aged man who had no knowledge of Karoline Jones whatsoever.
35) Safe Deposit, Chancery Lane: When the police went to the Chancery Lane Safe Deposit and Offices Company Limited at 63/63 Chancery Lane, WC2 the cashier there told them that there was no record in existence to shew that Karoline Jones had made any application there in that direction or had called there for any purpose.
36) Abbs, Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1: The address referred to Abb and Company at 223 Vauxhall Bridge Road who were estate agents and it was found that there was no record of Karoline Jones having called there.
37) Woman, 82 Claverton St., Pimlico: The police said that they went to 82 Claverton Street but that the individual named could not be traced. It was said that she had lived there until about two years previous at which time she had left and could not be traced.
38) Man, 32 Thayer Street, W1: The address referred to an estate agent at 32 Thayer Street, W1.The police found no record of Karoline Jones having gone there.
39) Muller Bookers, 23 Albion Street, W2, Paddington 7446: This was another firm of estate agents with no record of Karoline Jones.
40) Woman, 9 Cleveland Gardens, W2., Pad. 0834, Agents - Deakin and Allen, Cambridge Street, W2 37 Connaught St: A clerk employed by Messrs. Deacon and Allen, estate agents at 37 Connaught Street in Paddington sid that Karoline Jones called at their office around 19 May 1939 seeking particulars for a property suitable for a guest house. He said that he gave her three addresses, 32 Sussex Gardens, W, 57 Star Street, Paddington and 4 Princes Terrace, W and accompanied Karoline Jones in viewing them. However, he said that she made no definite offer that day. He said that she made repeated calls to the office afterwards and was supplied with further addresses, 10 Connaught Street, W, 57, 65 and 67 Sussex Gardens, W, 76 Bishops Bridge Road, W2 and 31 Arundel Gardens which he said were all empty premises and Karoline Jones viewed each one of them. The clerk said that he later called at 21 Brondesbury Villas in connection with that potential business with Karoline Jones but found that she wasn't home.
The clerk said that in an earlier interview, Karoline Jones had said that she wanted to rent a lease, but that in view of her low offers, no business was effected. He said that Karoline Jones had mentioned that she had a deposit account in the region of £2000 with the Abbey Road Building Society and that she was on one occasion accompanied by a young man who he believed was her son.
The clerk said that the last time they saw Karoline Jones was at the beginning of August 1939 and that no business was ever transacted.
The police report noted that with regards to the Woman at 9 Cleveland Gardens, enquiries were made, but 9 Cleveland Gardens was an empty house and the named woman was never traced.
41) Woman, 14 Cleveland Gardens, W2, Pad. 7537: The person referred to was an Austrian citizen who had arrived in the United Kingdom on 4 March 1938 and obtained domestic situations with a lady at 3 Cambridge Terrace, Regents Park, NW1 and another woman at 14 Cleveland Gardens, W2. However, it was found that she had left those situations in December 1938 and enquiries with the Traffic Index, Home Office, showed that she had left the United Kingdom on 9 December 1938 for an unknown destination. Further, enquiries failed to reveal the connection between her and Karoline Jones.
42) Visiting card found in diary bearing Name, 125 Sussex Gardens, W2: The police spoke to the named woman at 125 Sussex Gardens, and found that she had lived there for the past four years, but she said that she didn't know Karoline Jones. She said that many people called upon her seeking accommodation and said that she invariably gave them her visiting card. The police report stated that it was quite reasonable to think that Karoline Jones had at some point called at 125 Sussex Gardens and been given a card.
43) Visiting card bearing 'Major, 16, 34 and 53 Sussex Gardens, Hyde Park, W2, Rooms with meals as required': The police determined that the addresses mentioned comprised of furnished rooms and apartments and enquiries revealed that Karoline Jones had never occupied any of them. The police noted that many prospective tenants called at the addresses and each caller was given a visiting card similar to the one found in Karoline Jones's diary and it seemed apparent that she could have called there herself and been given the card.
The police report noted that the next items dealt with in connection with their enquiries into the addresses found at 21 Brondesbury Villas were those found indented on notepaper and upon blotting paper found at the scene of the crime. However, it was said that although the material had been submitted to the Photography Department who then caused the items to be photographed in order that the indentations could be made readable, the result was not entirely satisfactory. However, the police report stated that they had made headway as far as possible in the circumstances and the enquiries made were covered in the following sub-sections:
44) Indentation '1 Conduit Street, W1': The premises were found to be a block of offices owned by Messrs. Hanan and Son, Incorporated, of 203 Regent Street, W1. They occupied the basement, ground and first floors whilst the third floor was occupied by Messrs. Moriot Limited and the other fourth and fifth floors were occupied by another and his business. It was noted that the second floor had been unoccupied and had been for some time.
The secretary of the owners said that they didn't know Karoline Jones and said that no one of her description had ever called or communicated with them.
A director of Moriot Limited was also interviewed. He was a German National whose private address was in Tenderton Gardens, NW4. He employed about 20 staff and also stated that he had nothing on record about Karoline Jones and said that she had not been employed there or made an application for such a situation. His staff were also canvassed and equally had no recollection of Karoline Jones.
The man that occupied the fourth and fifth floors also said that he had no knowledge of Karoline Jones as did his 20 staff.
45) Indentation 'Ropemaker Street, EC2 City of London College':: The police went to the City of London College at Ropemaker street and interviewed a clerk there who told them that the college provided instruction in commercial subjects and English classes for foreign students and said that she looked through their records for the last six years but could trace no one by the name of Karoline Jones there or anything to suggest that she had been employed there or called in respect to any matter.
46) Indentation '34 Bishops Bridge Road, W2': The address was found to have been until September 1939 the office of the Kensington College, 170 Gloucester Terrace, W2, but had since that date been vacant. When the police spoke to the secretary of the college she said that the name of Karoline Jones did not appear amongst the past or present students, noting that the majority of their students were foreigners learning the language. She also said that there was no record of Karoline Jones ever having been employed there or having applied for employment at the college.
47) Indentation '61 or 101 Bayswater Road, W2': 61 Bayswater Road was the address of the Marlborough Gate Secretarial College and Intensive Business Course. However, the secretary there was unable to provide any useful information. 101 Bayswater Road was a private residence that had been vacant since September 1939. The company that controlled the address said that they had no application of any description from Karoline Jones and had no knowledge of her. When the police contacted the late occupier of 101 Bayswater Road, W2 and it was found that he had gone to live in South Street, St Andrews, Fifeshire in Scotland. He was seen by the Fifeshire constabulary at the request of the Metropolitan Police and said that since leaving London he had remained in Scotland until 12 February 1940 when he came to London on business, adding that he travelled back the same evening to his home in Scotland and had not visited London since. The man was an officer in the Royal Air Force and said that he had no knowledge of Karoline Jones whatsoever.
48) Indentation '-4 (first figure indecipherable), Grosvenor Place, SW1': The police report noted that the only addresses in Grosvenor Place that that could refer to were Nos. 14, 24 and 34.
The report stated that 14 Grosvenor Place was a private address of certain woman who was at the time of the investigation residing at The Dormers Caves, Isle of Wight. A woman who was employed at 14 Grosvenor Place for the previous five years said that she had no knowledge of Karoline Jones.
24 Grosvenor Place was the address of a branch of William Deacons Bank Limited. The manager there said that he had no knowledge of Karoline Jones, stating that she did not appear in any of their records as a customer of the bank.
34 Grosvenor Place was the address of St. James' Secretarial College. The principle there who had held her position for the last 23 years, declared that she had no record or knowledge of Karoline Jones.
49) Address found on blotting paper '82 Baker Street, W1': The address was that of a branch of Marks and Spencer’s, Departmental Stores. The police made enquiries there, but no information could be obtained.
50) Found on blotting paper, F Farr and Co, 12 Tenter St, EC2': Messrs F Farr and Company were cloth workers and export packers. The police spoke to the assistant secretary there who told them that they had no trace of Karoline Jones. However, he added that the name and address of his firm, may have become known to Karoline Jones through connections they had in Germany prior to the outbreak of war.
51) Address found on blotting paper, '52, Tufnell Park Road, N7': The address was the home of a retired butcher who had lived there for the previous 14 years. He said that he had no knowledge of Karoline Jones or any woman answering her description. However, he said that in 1939 he caused an advertisement to be inserted in the Islington Gazette offering three rooms to let on the top floor of his address and it was thought that Karoline Jones might have taken note of that advertisement in another instance of her endeavouring to seek other accommodation.
Section 7
In section 7 the police report dealt with the enquiries made regarding Karoline Jones's time whilst serving her prison sentence from 14 October 1939 to 15 March 1940 as well as the prisoners she contacted during that period.
Karoline Jones was first received at HM Prison Holloway and then later transferred to HM Prison Aylesbury. The police learnt from both institutions that Karoline Jones was found to have been most objectionable whilst there and said to have possessed filthy habits to such a degree that she was shunned by her fellow prisoners, and in some cases incurred their enmity. As such, the police report stated that in consequence they interviewed various prisoners who were still incarcerated as well as other women who had been released around the same time as Karoline Jones. It was noted that the police had not been able to trace all of the women that had been released around the time that Karoline Jones had been released.
The police first took a statement from a woman who had lived in Westbourne Square, W2 who had been sentenced at Great Marlborough Street Police Court to six months hard labour for larceny and who was released on 13 March 1940. The woman said that she had been in prison with Karoline Jones at Aylesbury Prison and said that Karoline Jones had had dirty habits and had given the prison officers there a lot of trouble. She told the police that on one occasion around Christmas 1939 they had been in the exercise ground when another prisoner pushed Karoline Jones in the back. She said that the assault was reported to a nearby prison officer, but that no notice was taken of the complaint. However, the police noted that the incident had not been dealt with officially and that they had been unable to obtain any evidence to shew that the alleged assault did in fact take place. The woman said that later on, after that incident, the woman that had pushed Karoline Jones became very friendly with Karoline Jones and said that Karoline Jones later told her that, 'she had plenty of money and a nice home'. The police report noted that it was also suggested that Karoline Jones had supplied the woman with her address in Kilburn. The police report also noted that other prisoners also mentioned the friendship between Karoline Jones and the woman such that a certain amount of suspicion rested on her and that she would be dealt with later separately in section 10 under suspects.
The police report also noted that the woman told them that Karoline Jones had been friendly with another woman who had lived in Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush, to whom she had also confided particulars of her financial position. The other woman was released six days after Karoline Jones was found dead, on 16 April 1940, and was as such excluded from the list of suspects.
The woman from Westbourne Square said that she later met another woman, who had lived in Springfield Lane, who had been released prior to Karoline Jones's release, at the Porchester Club in Edgeware Road after it was reported that Karoline Jones had been found murdered. She said that when they met, the other woman had produced a newspaper cutting detailing the finding of Karoline Jones's body at 21 Brondesbury Villas. She said that they then discussed it, and that when she said, 'What do you think of it?', the other woman replied, 'It was a well made up affair of inside', meaning that the 'job' was engineered in the prison. The police report noted that the woman from Westbourne Square told them that Karoline Jones had only two friends in prison, the woman who lived in Uxbridge Road who the police later ruled out from their list of suspects and the woman that had befriended Karoline Jones after being pushed in the exercise yard, adding that they supposed that she was hinting that those two woman had something to fear from the police enquiry into the murder.
It was heard that the woman from Westbourne Square next saw the other woman from Springfield Lane in the same club on 18 April 1940 and said that when they discussed Karoline Jones's murder she said to the woman, 'As far as the paper was concerned, she got a bad beating up', and said that the woman then intimated that Karoline Jones was not beaten up but that she must have been drunk and to have then gone to bed and that the person that she had brought home must have awakened her by going through her room and that when the person was caught doing that she smothered Karoline Jones. The police report noted that the woman from Springfield Lane's theory was totally inaccurate, referring to sections 2 and 3 dealing with the finding of Karoline Jones's body and the medical evidence.
The woman from Westbourne Square said that she herself was not friendly with Karoline Jones and had not seen her since her release from prison on 13 March 1940 and had heard nothing of Karoline Jones's murder until she met the woman in the club with the newspaper clipping.
When the police interviewed the woman from Springfield Lane, Kilburn she told them that she had served 18-months for abortion and had been released on 14 February 1940. She said that she knew of Karoline Jones's filthy habits and quarrelsome conduct in prison and new a little of her friendship with the woman that had pushed her in the exercise yard and the other woman who lived in Uxbridge Road. She added that all the other prisoners except the two she mentioned had shunned Karoline Jones because of her objectionable conduct. She added that when Karoline Jones and the woman that had pushed her in the exercise yard had first met they had been antagonistic towards each other, but had later become friendly from about January 1940 onwards.
The woman from Springfield Lane confirmed that she had met the woman from Westbourne Square in the Porchester Club in Edgeware Road and that they had talked about the murder following the publication of its account. She said of herself that she had no knowledge of Karoline Jones's movements after she had left prison and that she had not seen her since she herself was released on 14 February 1940.
The police interviewed another woman who had been released from HM Prison Aylesbury who had been released on 28 March 1940 after having served three months hard labour for larceny. She said that she had knowledge of Karoline Jones's conduct in prison and said that Karoline Jones had incurred the enmity of all prisoners there with the exception of the the women she had been pushed by in the exercise yard and the other woman who lived on Uxbridge Road and who was not considered a suspect. The police report noted that the woman had been under constant supervision since her release of the Salvation Army and the Moral Welfare Association and noted that it was thus seen that she had not been in contact with Karoline Jones. It was also noted that she had not known of Karoline Jones's murder until the police went to see her on 30 April 1930.
When the police interviewed the woman that had lived in Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush who had been released after Karoline Jones's was found dead, they said that although they had ruled her out from the point of view of direct responsibility for the murder, they exacted a severe interrogation of her as they had not excluded the possibility of her complicity in the crime, but said that not one atom of evidence was forthcoming from their questioning or any other subsequent enquiries at the prison and elsewhere to substantiate such a belief that she had been involved and so they eliminated her from their list of suspects.
The police report noted that the woman who live in Uxbridge Road said that she didn't think that Karoline Jones was mentally stable owing to her continued insulting demeanour and dirty habits. She added that Karoline Jones had been shunned by other women in the prison and was consequently lonely and as such she had taken pity on her and spoken to her to alleviate the monotony of her own incarceration. She also said however, that she did not have a close friendship with Karoline Jones, but did say that Karoline Jones had been friendly with the other woman with whom she had been pushed in the back by earlier in the exercise yard. However, the woman did say that Karoline Jones had been friendly with another woman who she had invited to live with her after she was released in St. John's Wood.
The police report noted however, that it was found that Karoline Jones had put out a general invitation to all prisoners who deigned to speak to her, and even the prison officers, to visit her later at her home. However, the police said that they were unable to find one shred of evidence to show that Karoline Jones had disclosed to any person connected with the prison that her address was 21 Bronesbury Villas.
The woman who lived in Uxbridge Road denied that Karoline Jones had intimated to her that she was a wealthy woman, but did say that Karoline Jones had told her that two of her diamond rings were in the custody of the Reception officer at the prison.
She also said that whilst in prison, another woman who she described as a bit of a mental case had assaulted Karoline Jones in the prison. The police report stated that when they looked into that they found that on 30 October 1939, Karoline Jones had complained to the Deputy Governor that the woman had assaulted her by kicking her. As such, it was found that in consequence of that complaint, Karoline Jones and the other woman were placed in different parts of the building. It was also found that the woman that had kicked Karoline Jones complained on 10 November 1939 that Karoline Jones had been spreading untruthful stories concerning her.
The police report noted that when they made enquiries with the prison regarding the woman that lived in Uxbridge Road, they found that she had received no visitors and that the letters that she had forwarded and received had had no bearing on the case. Bearing in mind the possibility of letters and information being taken out of the prison, the police taxed the woman that lived in Uxbridge Road on the subject but said that she denied ever taking advantage of that form of communication and the police stated that they felt that she was telling the truth.
The police also spoke to another woman at HM Prison Aylesbury who was serving four years for abortion and said that she told them that Karoline Jones had made it common knowledge amongst the prisoners that she possessed wealth and said that Karoline Jones intimated to her that she possessed house properties, shares in various companies as well as owning diamond, pearl and turquoise rings, which the police report stated was another example of Karoline Jones's boastfulness.
The police report noted that they also spoke to another prisoner who was released from the prison at about the same time as Karoline Jones, but stated that she was known to be of a quiet, inoffensive and reserved nature and it was found that she had never had any contact with Karoline Jones and was not considered a suspect.
The police report noted that the woman that had become Karoline Jones's friend who had initially pushed her in the back would be considered in section 10 under the list of suspects.
The report also detailed the names of five other woman that had been released around the time that Karoline Jones was released who they had yet to trace and interview.
Section 8
Section 8 dealt with articles of clothing that were found at Karoline Jones's flat that were not believed to have been hers, and jewellery that was thought to have been in her possession at that time of her death.
When the police thoroughly searched the flat at 21 Brondesbury Villas in the company of Karoline Jones's son they found a blue and white coloured woollen jumper, a blue nightdress and three coloured linen handkerchiefs which Karoline Jones's son said he had not seen before and could not identify as being the property of his mother. However, the police report noted that they did not attach too much importance to Karoline Jones's son's inability to identify the articles stating that they did not think that it was usual for a son to have intimate knowledge of clothing possessed by their mother, as well as the fact that he had been away from home for some considerable time.
The report noted that the handkerchiefs bore no marks of identification but that said that the nightdress was traced to a local laundry through its mark, but found that they were not able to say to whom that particular mark was assigned. The report concluded that it was reasonable to assume that the nightdress had been the property of Karoline Jones, but that they were not in a position to prove that.
The report stated that they later eflt satisfied that the blue and white coloured woollen jumper was also the property of Karoline Jones after tracing the laundry marks in it to a laundry in the Bloomsbury district.
With regards to the question of the jewellery, it was noted that not one piece of jewellery of any description was found on her body or following the intensive search of the flat. When the police attempted to identify the missing items, they questioned her son, but said that he was only able to give a vague description of the articles of jewellery that he knew had been in her possession.
Her son said that Karoline Jones always wore two gold wedding rings and possessed two of his rings, one being a gold ring set with a single diamond which was believed to be chipped or broken, and the other a gold ring with a single ruby. He said that both of them were of the gent's type and marked '585' inside the shank, denoting that they were 18 carat and of continental manufacture.
The police found that the housekeeper at 35 Harnton Street in Kensington also recollected seeing some of Karoline Jones's jewellery. She said that she was very definite about seeing it because when Karoline Jones had first come to her she had told her that she was very poor and that the money that she had given her as pay before she was dismissed, 3/-, would enable her to purchase a meal, noting that her declaration as to her poor financial position appeared out of place with her possession of the jewellery she saw. The housekeeper said that when Karoline Jones was dismissed and was preparing to leave the house, she observed that Karoline Jones took the following articles of jewellery out of her handbag and placed them on her person:
The housekeeper said that their conversation centered around the jewellery and said that she suggested to Karoline Jones that she should pawn her jewellery, but said that Karoline Jones intimated that they were of great sentimental value, adding in particular that the slave bangle was 22 years old and that she didn't want to part with them.
When Karoline Jones's son was given the descriptions of the articles seen by the housekeeper, he could not recollect any of them other that the wedding rings. However, he did then say that he recalled her having a bangle, but said the one that he recalled was a curb albert that had links about a quarter of an inch in diameter with a clip fastening and safety catch attached.
The police report noted that despite their lack of description, every article of jewellery mentioned was circulated to pawnbrokers, jewellers and like places, by special enquiry throughout the Metropolitan Police District , but that they had no success.
Section 9
Section 9 dealt with efforts to trace signs of any possible forced entry into Karoline Jones's flat, the issue of keys and the possible motive for her murder. The report noted that the flat itself was self-contained and formed the first floor of 21 Brondesbury Villas. A fan light was noted above the entrance door which itself was in an open position to the extent of 12 inches. However, when the entrance door and fanlight were examined, the police said that they were perfectly satisfied that no forcible entry had been effected by any instrument, mica or like material. The framework and surrounding portions of the door frame were found to be heavily coated with dust that had not been disturbed and showed that the fanlight had been in an open position for some considerable time.
The police report also noted that all the windows of the flat were properly closed and fastened and that they again found no evidence to suggest any forcible entry.
The police said that there were four known keys to the flat in total. The key that had been used by the family that had lived in the second floor flat had been returned to the estate agents upon their vacation of the premises on 11 March 1940, since when it had not been out of their possession. There was also a duplicate key kept by the estate agents which was later used by the clerk to the auctioneer and surveyor on 10 April 1940 to gain access to the flat. It was found that Karoline Jones had kept a key in her possession, but that prior to her conviction on 14 October 1940 she had obtained a duplicate key from British Home Stores on High Road in Kilburn which she had handed to her son for use while she was away. Whilst Karoline Jones was in Holloway prison, she initially forwarded her flat door key along with others to her son, but she later asked him to return them to her at Aylesbury prison on 8 February 1940 where they were held by the prison until she left on 15 March 1940 and given back to her.
When the police spoke to Karoline Jones's son, he said that when he left 21 Brondesbury Villas for the last time on 5 or 6 February 1940 in order to enlist in the army at Sandwich, he left his key to the flat door that his mother had given him on the wireless set in the front room.
The police report concluded that Karoline Jones would have had two keys to her flat when she returned to her address on 15 March 1940. However, the police said that they only found one key at the flat, stating that the key that Karoline Jones's son had left on the wireless set was missing. As such, the police report stated that the loss of the duplicate key and the somewhat disjointed details of Karoline Jones's movements from the date of her release to the approximate time of her death, made making an accurate reconstruction of the crime rather difficult, stating that it was more in the light of an assumption on their part.
However, the police report surmised that by the presence of the outdoor clothing on Karoline Jones, the gas mask strap and string shopping bag found round her wrist and the hat on the floor near that part of the bed where Karoline Jones's head was resting, that it would appear that Karoline Jones had either just returned to her flat or was just preparing to leave it when she was murdered.
The police report stated that it favoured the first theory adding detailed what they considered to be her earlier movements in favour of that. The report stated that it was known from many people that they had interviewed in order to trace Karoline Jones's movements that she had latterly covered a great distance each day and that in view of her miserly habits had undoubtedly walked in order to save bus or rail fares.
The police report stated that their theory, as such, was that Karoline Jones had met someone whilst out, a person that was probably known to her, or some other person, possibly a stranger, whom she had approached, which they said was known to be her habit in the past, and had then invited them back to her flat, probably for an immoral purpose, or even as a future lodger, noting that it should be remembered that she had ample accommodation owing to the fact that her son had vacated his room, and further noting that it was known that Karoline Jones had given out a general invitation to the prisoners and staff at Aylesbury prison to live with her. The police report then stated that Karoline Jones had accompanied that person or persons back to her flat in the daylight, noting that that would appear to be the case as her 'black-out' had not been affixed, and that they had first gone into her room where Karoline Jones had taken off her coat and hat and then removed her shoes, which were found in an unclean and dirty condition, and placed them near the wash-stand. The police report stated that they thought that the act of taking off her shoes would have been the first act that Karoline Jones would have done, based on the observations that someone of Karoline Jones's age and heavy build would have done so in order to ease her feet after her perambulations. The police report stated that then, still accompanied by her 'friend', that she had approached the door to the front room and then removed the padlock, after which they thought that she was probably attacked.
The police report stated that they thought that Karoline Jones had then, still carrying the padlock, rushed into the rear room, dropped it behind the door, and then, after a brief struggle during which her gas mask was torn from its strap, become concussed by her assailant, either by a blow or by knocking her to the floor.
The police report stated that it was thought that Karoline Jones was then placed unconscious on the bed where she was gagged and bound to prevent her from interfering with the subsequent actions of her assailants.
The police report stated that they thought that her assailant then ransacked the rear room and front room, obviously in search of money or jewellery. The report stated that they thought that although the search appeared to be thoroughly carried out, that it was hurried, noting that they arrived at that conclusion from the state of the rooms and the fact that Karoline Jones's handbag had been cut open by a sharp instrument. The report noted that although the clasps to the handbag were of a somewhat unusual type, they were easy to unfasten and added that the handbag was fitted with an imitation lock that when closed, gave the bag the appearance of being locked, and that as the assailant was in a hurry they had not tried the clasps and simply in haste, cut the bag open.
The report noted that it was thought that the assailants search for valuables in the flat had been unsuccessful, noting that it was thought that it was Karoline Jones's habit to carry all her money and valuables about with her.
As such, the police report stated that it was thought that after finding nothing of value in the two rooms, that the assailant had then turned their attention to Karoline Jones's handbag, and then taken what loose cash there was, and then, in the knowledge that Karoline Jones had sometimes carried money in concealed pockets in her underclothing or stockings, had pulled up her clothing in the front of her hips and searched her. The police report noted that the fact that Karoline Jones's left stocking was undone suggested that that was the procedure. The police report noted that there was no sign or medical evidence to suggest that any criminal interference had been carried out.
The police report stated that following the search of the undergarments, that her assailant had then removed all rings and other jewellery from her body and clothing.
Whilst the police report noted that they considered that that was the course of events that led to Karoline Jones's murder, that there was another possibility worthy of review and that that was that Karoline Jones might have previously given the other missing key to a 'friend' or that that 'friend' might have previously been to her flat with Karoline Jones and stolen the key and then later let themselves in in Karoline Jones's absence and secreted themselves in the upper vacant flat and then when Karoline Jones had returned, had assaulted and robbed her.
In support of the idea that Karoline Jones had given the key to a new lodger or lodgers, the police report stated that they didn't attach much importance to the unmade state of the two beds in the front room, which had been her son's room before he had joined the army, on the grounds that evidence gathered from numerous people interviewed indicated that Karoline Jones was most untidy and filthy in her habits.
However, the police report concluded section 9 by stating that they thought that it could be said, without hesitation, that the motive for the crime was clearly one of robbery and that the death of Karoline Jones was not intended by her assailant or assailants.
Section 10
Section 10 dealt with the suspects of which there were 16.
1) Karoline Jones's son was considered a suspect on the grounds that he had, on occasions, assaulted Karoline Jones and even stolen from her, and that he was further, continually on bad terms with her. However, the police report stated that they eventually completely ruled him out as a suspect.
The report noted that Karoline Jones's son was 30-years-old and was a private of the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps, attached to BEF France. He was born on 9 September 1908 in Reichwlsheim, Bavaria, Germany. His mother had then separated from his father when he was 1-year-old. Karoline Jones's son married a German woman in 1934 who later came to England and at the time of the investigation into Karoline Jones's murder, they were living at 25 Bedford Place in Brighton. However, it was further noted that Karoline Jones's son was himself actually in France at the time of them murder, hence his elimination as a suspect.
Karoline Jones's son had come to England from Germany on 28 September 1938 having been forced to leave owing to Germany's racial laws after which he lived with Karoline Jones at various addresses in London until Karoline Jones was sent to prison on 10 October 1939. Karoline Jones's son continued to live at 21 Brondesbury Villas until 12 February 1940 when he left the district to enlist in the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps at Richborough Camp near Sandwich in Kent.
At the time of the murder, Karoline Jones's son had been in France and through the Ministry for War, War Office, he was returned to England from France in order to assist in the murder enquiry.
The police report noted that he was subjected to an intensive interrogation, during which a lengthy statement was taken from him which included a detailed account of his life with his mother and which did not assist the police in locating the perpetrator of the crime.
It was found that Karoline Jones's son had enlisted in the army at Richborough Camp on 12 January 1940 and had remained in training there until 23 February 1940. He then went to live with his wife in Brighton until he reported back at Richborough Camp at 11.45pm, 25 February 1940. He was later granted a week-end leave on 9 and 10 March 1940, but was not permitted to leave the Sandwich district during that period and spent the whole of his time with his wife who had travelled over from Brighton to be with him.
The police determined that from that time, 10 March 1940, that Karoline Jones's son had no other leave and that he was in fact drafted overseas to France on 18 March 1940, and did not return to England until 13 April 1940 after his return was requested by the police. The police report noted that the dates were verified by the War Office.
The police repot then concluded that in the light that there was conclusive evidence that Karoline Jones had been alive at 5pm on Saturday 30 March 1940 that her son could be completely eliminated as a direct suspect in her murder. The report also noted that the police were satisfied following their extremely intensive interrogation of him that there was no evidence whatsoever to suggest that he had any knowledge of the crime and added that there was also no evidence from any other quarter to show that there was any suspicion against him.
2) The next suspect considered was Karoline Jones's son's 34-year-old wife. She confirmed that she married Karoline Jones's son in Aachen, Germany on 16 May 1934, adding that she had known Karoline Jones before and after the marriage. She said that Karoline Jones was most objectionable and quarrelsome and that it was owing to that attitude that after she arrived in England from Germany as a refugee, intending to stay with Karoline Jones's son, her husband, at 21 Brondesbury Villas, that she left on 24 April 1939 [report actually states 24 April 1940 but that doesn't make sense so have assumed 24 April 1939] and obtained domestic employment in the Willesden district. She said that since 6 February 1940 she had been present at her situation in Brighton and had not left the borough since, except for the period 9 and 10 March 1940 when she went to visit her husband at Sandwich. The police report noted that her uninterrupted residence in Brighton was verified. The report also stated that following a lengthy interrogation of her that they were convinced that she had no knowledge of the crime and noted that no other evidence had been forthcoming to suggest otherwise.
3) A German woman who was a Jewish refugee that Karoline Jones had been instrumental in bringing to England was considered as a suspect. However, it was found that she had been living at 9 Stanley Road in Bath at the time of the murder and had not left the district at any point significant. She had started her employment in Bath on 29 November 1939. Karoline Jones had been instrumental in communicating with the German Jewish Refugee Committee at Bloomsbury House, WC1 and had supplied them with a written guarantee as to her maintenance. However, the police found that once the woman had arrived in England, Karoline Jones had practically ignored her, with the result being that the woman became practically destitute. Inconsequence of that, the woman appealed to the Refugee Committee.
A joint secretary of the Refugee Committee who dealt with her appeal in April 1939, said that the woman made mention of a cheque for £17 that had been sent to her from Berlin which she said she endorsed and then gave to Karoline Jones's son, but said that the money was not forthcoming. In light of that the secretary of the Refugee Committee said that she communicated with Karoline Jones and asked her to obtain the money from her son and forward it to the woman.
It was found that Karoline Jones did in fact get the money from her son, however, she was said to have then made contact with her sister who she then took to the Post Office in Kilburn High Road and forced her to deposit £14 of the £17 in a trust account in their joint names, with the remaining £3 in effect being converted for Karoline Jones's own use. It was further noted that despite continued pleading from her sister for money, Karoline Jones refused to allow a withdrawal. The police noted that the deposit book referring to that account was later found at the scene of the crime. The report also noted that whilst outside the scope of the section on suspects, the action of Karoline Jones was another instance of the despicable actions of Karoline Jones, even in relation to her own relatives.
The police report concluded that their enquiries into the German woman showed that there was no record of her having visited London since her removal to Bath in November 1939, and that she could thus be safely excluded from the list of suspects.
4) A soldier that had lived in the basement flat at 21 Brondesbury Villas was also considered as a suspect. He was a soldier in B Company of the 1st/4th Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and had been at home on leave for three days during the last week of March 1940. The police report noted that unfortunately, at the inception of the murder enquiry, the soldier had been drafted overseas and that since the withdrawal of the British Forces from France, he had been posted as missing and had not been heard of since.
However, the report stated that as a result of their enquiries concerning the soldier’s character, and of having knowledge of the character of his family, they anticipated that they would not find him in anyway connected with the murder. However, they did add that it was possible that he might be in possession of some knowledge concerning the movements and possible associates of Karoline Jones during his period of leave. The police report noted that in consequence of such a possibility, arrangements were made for the police to be informed when his whereabouts were known in order that he might be interviewed.
5) Another suspect was a brother of the woman that had lived for a time in the upper flat above Karoline Jones. The brother had stayed there for three weeks in July 1939 and was later found living in the Redhill district where he had held various situations as a labourer. It was also found that he had attended 21 Brondesbury Villas on 2 September 1939 for the wedding of his sister. It was then later found that the brother had stayed with his sister and brother-in-law at their address at 98 Tennyson Road in Kilburn from the evening of 22 March 1940 until about 6pm on Monday 25 March 1940. When the police first learnt that the brother had been in Kilburn on those dates, they were not at that time in possession of the evidence that shewed that Karoline Jones was alive after those dates following 25 March 1940 until 5pm on 30 March 1940. The police report noted that after interrogating the brother, who they described as a straightforward and simple Irishman, that they were satisfied that he had not been in London since the occasion between 22 and 25 March 1940 and that they were perfectly satisfied that he had no knowledge of the crime whatsoever.
6) Another suspect was a retired glazier who Karoline Jones was said to have assaulted at some point and who might have born a grudge. He had lived at 29 Dyne Road in Kilburn and had retired 11 years earlier. It was heard that on 10 August 1939 two of Karoline Jones's relatives, her sister and her husband, commenced occupation of a furnished bed sitting room at his address. The husband of the couple told the retired glazier that they had been living at 21 Brondesbury Villas with Karoline Jones but that they had left there owing to her unbearable conduct towards his wife.
It was heard that after the couple had been resident at his address for about ten days that Karoline Jones called, and the retired glazier saw her. The retired glazier said that Karoline Jones then asked him for her sister, but he said that he had received instructions not to admit Karoline Jones and so refused her entry. However, he said that before he had time to prevent her, Karoline Jones pushed passed him and ran up the stairs to her sister’s room. He said that he then followed Karoline Jones upstairs and then waited outside the sister's room and heard Karoline Jones shouting at her sister. He said that in consequence of that he then entered the room and requested Karoline Jones to leave the premises, whereupon which he said she lifted her hand and struck him between the eyes, breaking the metal bridge of his spectacles and also kicked him in the private parts, which he said affected him for some weeks.
However, he said that after the assault, Karoline Jones ran from the house and he said that he had not seen her since. The retired glazier said that he didn't institute proceedings for assault out of consideration for the sister.
The police report noted that the retired glazier was a very respectable person and not of the revengeful type and that they were perfectly satisfied that when he said that the occasion of the assault was the last time that he had seen Karoline Jones that he was telling the truth and added that there was no other evidence to show otherwise.
7) The married woman from 2 Kings House, Plender Street in Camden Town was also considered a suspect. She had been the next-door neighbour of Karoline Jones when she had occupied a flat in Kings House from 23 May 1937 until the week commencing 10 October 1938. The woman said that whilst she had been living at Plender Street that Karoline Jones had continually been trying to foist her conversation upon her, but that she had avoided Karoline Jones as much as possible. During her interrogation, the woman spoke of Karoline Jones continually knocking on her door and making herself a thorough nuisance. She also said that when in the street, Karoline Jones would lift up her clothes and use disgusting language. She said that in August 1938 she had been in her garden when Karoline Jones had thrown water over her and said that in consequence that a policeman was sent for, but said that prior to the arrival of the policeman, Karoline Jones struck her on the arm with an umbrella. She said that in return, in self-defence, she then wrestled the umbrella from Karoline Jones and then struck her with it.
She said that when the police did arrive, Karoline Jones accused her of stealing her glasses but the police constable found them lying on the ground nearby. However, she said that Karoline Jones, so as not to be thwarted, then accused her of stealing her watch which she said had been pinned to her dress. She said that Karoline Jones however, pressed the accusation with the result that she was then arrested and subsequently charged with larceny. She said that she appeared at the Clerkenwell Police Court and was remanded for a week on bail. However, she said that during that period, she obtained a summons against Karoline Jones for assault and at the same time she herself received a cross summons from Karoline Jones for a similar offence. She said that the charge of larceny was then withdrawn and that after evidence had been given in respect of the assaults, the case against the woman was dismissed and she was awarded £3.3s costs. However, she said that both she and Karoline Jones were then bound over to keep the peace for a period of six months.
The woman said that since the occasion of the Court proceedings on 29 August 1938, that she had not seen or heard from Karoline Jones. The police report noted that there was no evidence to show that the woman knew of Karoline Jones's address at 21 Brondesbury Villas or that she had ever visited the Kilburn district, or any other evidence to show that the woman and Karoline Jones had contacted each other afterwards.
8) A man, aged 40 to 45 years, 5ft 10in tall with a long thin face, a slim build and wearing a taxi driver's cap was identified as a suspect following the evidence of the woman from Tennyson Road in Kilburn who said that she had seen such a person in April 1939, saying that he had been a constant visitor of Karoline Jones at 21 Brondesbury Villas. However, it was not known exactly who he was. She said that he used to arrive in his taxi at about 10am each day, stay for an hour, and then go out and return at about 1pm for food and then leave again at about 2pm. The woman said that that carried on for about a fortnight but that she had not seen him since.
However, the police said that the woman was not able to identify the man any further and that following enquiries made at all nearby taxi cab ranks and garages and of taxi owners, including private motor car hire services in the locality and surrounding districts, revealed nothing that would help establish his identity.
9) The same woman from Tennyson Road in Kilburn said that she had also seen another man, aged about 30, about 5ft 6in tall, with a round face, fair complexion, long and greasy fair hair that was brushed back and with a stout build and wearing a white smock visiting 21 Brondesbury Villas. The police stated that their enquiries determined that the man was identical with a man that lived at 62 Guinness Buildings on Hackney Road, E5 and that they interrogated him at length.
The police report stated that he was a married man but that he had been unemployed at the time but that he had previously been a greengrocer's assistant at 139 High Road, Kilburn until the business failed in December 1939.
The police stated that they determined that Karoline Jones had previously been a customer at that shop and that she had usually been served by the man and that she had confided in him that she and her son were always quarrelling and had asked him if he could obtain a situation for her son irrespective of what it was or what he earned. The man said that when Karoline Jones called at the shop she would always make a point of speaking of her poverty and that she always purchased the cheapest vegetables and would even beg the vegetables that had been put to one side as unsaleable. The man said that he was impressed by Karoline Jones's continued declarations of poverty and formed the opinion that she was without money because of her reticence in paying for the food she required.
The man said that on account of the way that he attended to her at the shop that Karoline Jones invited him to her flat to have a drink and that her invitation was accepted on two occasions and that on those two occasions he was further convinced regarding her poverty because of the untidy and poorly furnished condition of her flat.
However, the man said that since he had left the employment of the greengrocers in the latter part of 1939 that he had never visited the Kilburn district and that he had neither seen nor heard from Karoline Jones since, with the exception of when he read the account of her death in the newspapers.
The police report stated that following their lengthy interrogation of the greengrocers assistant that they were of the opinion that he was truthful in his account of Karoline Jones and that there was not the slightest trace to prove the contrary and that they were absolutely satisfied that he had no connection whatsoever with her murder.
10) The woman that had lived in the ground floor flat at 21 Brondesbury Villas said that she had seen a man, aged about 40 years, about 5ft 10in tall, of a medium build and dressed in a grey tweed coat and trilby hat on the afternoon of 21 March 1940. She said that she opened the door to her flat thinking that someone had knocked and saw Karoline Jones standing in the hall with the man. However, she said that she then found that the knock on the door was not for her but for Karoline Jones. She said that she gained the impression that the man was from the Water Board, as it was around the period that Karoline Jones had been seeking aid to rectify the defective water system at her flat. She said that that was the only time that she saw the man who she said then accompanied Karoline Jones upstairs to her flat.
The police report stated that after causing enquiries to be made regarding the man with officials of the Metropolitan Water Board, they were informed that none of their employees visited 21 Brondesbury Villas on 21 March 1940 and further stated that it was a regulation of the board that all official visits to consumers were made by officers in uniform. The police also determined that no employee of the local branch of the Metropolitan Water Board answered the description of the man given to them by the woman.
It was also noted that the man was also seen by the man from the basement flat who said that the man came into his flat to inspect the water system and said that he tested the taps and then left. However, it was noted that the man from the basement flat was very aged and unobservant and said that he would not be able to recognise the man again.
The police report went on to say that by what they knew of Karoline Jones's visits to her estate agents, the authorities at the Health Department of the Willesden Borough Council, and the Metropolitan Water Board, in connection with the alleged water defect and the persons that she had spoken to concerning the matter, coupled with the fact that the man did not introduce himself as a representative of the Water Board, the police stated that they felt that there was no doubt whatsoever that the man was one of the many local plumbers or building contractors called in by Karoline Jones to remedy her complaint.
However, the police report stated that whilst there was no evidence to connect the man with the murder, they had yet to identify him.
11) The other man that the woman from the ground floor flat said that she saw was described as being aged 30-45 years, about 5ft 4in with a slim build, a fresh complexion, clean shaven and dressed in a medium grey suit with no hat. She said that she saw him on 3 or 4 April 1940 and that she believed that he came from Scotland. She said that the man called and said that he wanted to see Karoline Jones but that when it appeared that Karoline Jones was not at home, he told the woman that he would call again the following Saturday and left. However, it was noted that he didn't explain his business with Karoline Jones to the woman.
The woman said that the man called again on the afternoon of 6 April 1940 and said that he was again unable to contact Karoline Jones and on that occasion told the woman that he had met Karoline Jones sometime previously and that they had discussed some business concerning offices and that his call was in furtherance of that business. However, the woman said that the man didn't give his name and she said that she gained the impression that he was from Scotland because of his accent. She said that he then left stating that he would not trouble to call again.
The police report noted that it would be remembered in sub-section 46 of section 6 that the addresses of 61 or 101 Bayswater Road, W2 had been found indented on a piece of paper found in Karoline Jones's flat. It was then noted that they had in that part of the investigation excluded the resident of 101 Bayswater Road, who was at the time in Scotland and who was questioned via the Fifeshire Constabulary from their enquiries as a possible suspect, noting that he was the only person connected with their enquiry that had any connection with Scotland.
The police report then stated that they felt that the person that had called was none other than one of the many estate agents who Karoline Jones had contacted since her release from prison but noted that they had not been able to identify him.
12) A suspect identified by the police whilst carrying out enquiries with Messrs George Witt and Son, Estate Agents, 63 High Road, Kilburn, NW6 which was found during their 'house to house' enquiries. He said that the clerk employed there told them that Karoline Jones was a frequent caller there between December 1938 and March 1939 and that she visited houses in the locality with a view to purchase. He said that no business resulted from her numerous visits, but said that on two occasions when Karoline Jones had visited that she had been with a man that he described as being about 45 years of age, about 5ft 4in, with a stout build and who appeared to be of the refugee type and could not speak English.
The police noted that whilst it was possible that the man had been Karoline Jones's son or her brother-in-law, they said that when they showed the clerk photographs of each of them, he stated definitely that neither of them were identical to Karoline Jones's companion.
The police report noted that the man might well have been the man that the woman from 84 Marchmont Street, WC1 had mentioned in her statement that had assisted Karoline Jones in moving her effects into the flat at that address in 1935. She said that he was a German man.
The police also heard from Karoline Jones's son that on the day following the outbreak of war in September 1939, than an unknown man who answered the description of the man that Karoline Jones had been seen with at the estate agents to some degree, had called upon Karoline Jones and that he had been ushered into the rear room of the flat at 21 Brondesbury Villas where he said they were together for about two hours after which he left. Karoline Jones's son said that he never saw the man again. He said that after the man left, he asked Karoline Jones who the man was and said that Karoline Jones refused to tell him but later stated that she intended marrying the man.
The police report noted that there was the possibility that the three isolated instances were connected with one and the same man and noted that enquiries were being made upon that assumption but that they did not know any more.
13) A bootmaker was spoken of by Karoline Jones's son who said that a youth that he named, from 15 or 17 Brondesbury Villas and employed by a bootmaker in the locality had called at their flat. The police report stated that the youth was traced and that he was identical with a youth that lived at 86 Kingsley Road in Hounslow, Middlesex.
It was heard that Karoline Jones' son had said that apparently at the request of Karoline Jones in connection with repairing of shoes, the youth had called a the flat on three occasions in July 1939 at about lunch-time.
When the police interviewed the youth, he intimated that for a period of two years prior to January 1940 that he was employed as a shoe repairer by a man at 5 West End Lane, NW6 and had lived for a time at 13 Brondesbury Villas. The police report noted that it appeared that Karoline Jones had been a customer of the man and that she was aware that the youth worked for him and said that around July 1939 Karoline Jones had accosted the youth and asked him to repair her son's shoes. The youth said that he consented to do that and called at 21 Brondesbury Villas the following day and collected the shoes, noting that Karoline Jones handed him the leather with which to do the necessary repairs. He said that he eventually returned the shoes and that on that occasion he was introduced to Karoline Jones's son.
The youth admitted visiting Karoline Jones's flat on the three occasions referred to by her son, adding that each visit was at Karoline Jones's request. He also said that Karoline Jones had endeavoured to persuade him to change his lodgings to her address.
However, the youth said that since those occasions, he had not seen Karoline Jones and had no knowledge of her again until he read of the account of her death in the newspaper.
The police report noted that in the case of the youth, they once again had an instance of Karoline Jones pleading poverty, noting that the youth had said that Karoline Jones had told him that she found it difficult to live on the small army pension that she received in respect of her late husband.
14) The police also considered one of Karoline Jones's son's friends. Karoline Jones's son said that he had become acquainted at the '33' Club at 33 Seymour Place, with a German Jewish refugee, who he had invited back to his home. The police report noted that at the time of the investigation the friend was a private in the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps.
Karoline Jones's son said that the friend stayed at 21 Brondesbury Villas with him for six days during November 1939 whilst Karoline Jones was in prison but said that he could not remember the dates. He said that the friend occupied the rear room at the flat and paid him 10/- for that. Karoline Jones's son said that the friend stayed again at the flat on the night of 14 January 1940.
The police report noted that the friend enlisted in the Pioneer Corps at Richborough Camp near Sandwich in Kent on 26 February 1940 and was drafted to the BEF France on 26 April 1940.
The police report noted that they were unable to find any evidence that the friend had ever met Karoline Jones, but that in view of the possibility that he may well have been in a position to assist them with their enquiry, the Chief Constable communicated with the CID staff seconded to the BEF for the friend to be interrogated. However, the report stated that unfortunately, the matter could not be attended to in that manner owing to the withdrawal of the British Forces from France.
The police report noted that there was great difficulty in tracing the friend owing to the state of emergency, but they later found that he had later been located with the 88th Company of the Pioneer Corps stationed at Berrington Hall near Leominster in Hereford. However, the police report stated that the military authorities could not permit his temporary transfer to London, although said that on 19 August 1940 the friend visited the district whilst on leave and was interviewed then and a statement taken from him concerning the matter.
In his statement, the friend said that he had met Karoline Jones once, that being in early 1939 when he had seen her at the '33' Club in Seymour Place, W1 with her son. He said that he was not introduced to her and said that he didn't know that her name was Jones and that it was only when the police produced a photo of Karoline Jones that he identified her as the woman he had seen at the '33' Club. The friend admitted to staying with Karoline Jones's son at the flat at 21 Brondesbury Villas for a week in November 1939 and then again for a night in January 1940 when he left his employment in the provinces and came to London to join the Pioneer Corps. He said that prior to his departure for France on 25 April 1940, he only visited London on one occasion, that being during embarkation leave of 48 hours from 8 to 10 March 1940, a fact which was verified by reference to official documents that he had had in his possession.
The police report noted that the friend said that Karoline Jones's son had told him that Karoline Jones possessed a certain amount of wealth and that he shewed him what he believed to be two bank books referring to investments totalling about £1,000. The friend also said that he could not say that on the one time that he had seen Karoline Jones at the Club or when he had been at 21 Brondesbury Villas, that he had seen jewellery of any description.
The police found that when the friend had joined the army, he had deposited all his personal effects with the German Jewish Aid Committee, and stated that bearing in mind the question of jewellery missing from the possession of Karoline Jones, they searched his property, but no articles to arouse their suspicion were found.
The police concluded that in view of the conduct o the friend during the interview, they were perfectly satisfied that the friend had no knowledge whatsoever of the crime.
15) The police noted that the woman that Karoline Jones had accosted on High Road, Kilburn on 19 March 1940 outside the estate agents who had lived at 19 Alexandra Mansions in Commercial Street, E1 had noted that during her conversation with Karoline Jones, Karoline Jones had given her her address at 21 Brondesbury Villas and told her that she had been expecting two men to call upon her that evening to take over one of her rooms. As such, the police put the two men on their list of suspects, however, no further particulars were given about them, such as descriptions or other details. The police noted that they were unable to prove the existence of the two men and observed that it might have simply been that Karoline Jones had been talking for the sake of talking. However, the police stated that not excluding the two men from their scope of enquiries, they caused special enquiries to be made of local newsagents, shops and like places where 'Rooms To Let' notices were exhibited, but said that no traces had been found of Karoline Jones having caused such an advertisement to be displayed.
16) The last suspect listed by the police was the woman from HMP Aylesbury who had initially hit Karoline Jones in the back in the exercise yard and with whom Karoline Jones had later become friendly with. The police stated that in consequence of Karoline Jones being friendly with the woman and the fact that Karoline Jones had practically invited all of the prison inmates to visit her home, they made efforts to trace the woman and later found out that she had been received in HM Prison Holloway from Pulborough in Sussex following a conviction for drunkenness. As such, the police visited her at Holloway prison on 6 May 1940 and subjected her to a lengthy interrogation.
The police determined that the woman had been sentenced to six months hard labour in October 1939 at Hastings for Larceny and had been released from Aylesbury Prison on 5 March 1940. It was found in her statement that she mentioned Karoline Jones's objectionable conduct whilst in prison and admitted to holding conversations with Karoline Jones, but denied having been particularly friendly towards her, and stated that in fact she endeavoured to avoid her. She said that Karoline Jones had told her that she had plenty of money and had a beautiful home in London, but said that Karoline Jones never told her the exact address. As such, the woman said that in view of the fact that Karoline Jones was a Jew, she assumed that she lived in the East End of London. The woman said that when Karoline Jones invited her to visit her at her home upon their release, she said that Karoline Jones didn't tell her where she lived and said that she informed Karoline Jones that it was her habit to travel the country and not to stop at any particular place and as such refused the invitation and said that the matter was not discussed again.
The police stated that regarding the woman's movements upon her release from prison on 5 March 1940 that she had obtained a situation as a machinist at Maples Limited in Tottenham Court Road, W1 and had lived at 89 Warren Place, in Warren Street, W1. It was found that after a week of such employment that the woman was then arrested for being drunk and incapable and was fined for that offence at Great Marlborough Street Police Court after which she had commenced once again her wanderings. She went to Barnet where she entered a hospital for two or three days after which she travelled by road to St Albans, Watford and then to Luton. She said that she didn't stop long at any of those places, but continued on to Havant, Chichester and Brighton and then eventually to Lewes where she was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and on 2 April 1940 was sentenced to seven days imprisonment which she served at Holloway Prison.
The woman was released from Holloway Prison on 9 April 1940 and issued with a Railway Warrant to Basingstoke where she went, after which she went to Southampton where she was again arrested on 24 April 1940 at Pilborough, Sussex, for being drunk and disorderly.
The police noted that they had a great deal of difficulty in obtaining a statement from the woman, who they said on her own admission, was mentally unstable.
The police report stated that her movements were checked and that they found no evidence to suggest that she had been in the company of Karoline Jones since 5 March 1940, the date of her release from prison.
Further, in her statement, the woman denied any association with Karoline Jones since Karoline Jones's release from prison on 15 March 1940, and the police stated that they thought that her denial was genuine. The police report stated that the woman claimed that the first that she had heard of Karoline Jones's death was when she was interrogated and the police state that her demeanour when learning of her death was one of surprise and that her expressions of surprise were genuine and not the result of play-acting and concluded that the woman was in no way connected to the murder of Karoline Jones.
Section 11
The police report concluded by stating that from the foregoing sections it was clear that they still had to trace and interrogate suspects (4), (8), (10), (11), (12), (14) and (15) and adding that they were making efforts in that direction as well as endeavouring to locate the ex-prisoners referred to in the concluding portion of section 7 who they had not as of yet traced.
The report noted that continuing enquiries were also still being made in connection with the jewellery that Karoline Jones was believed to have possessed and which was missing.
The report further stated that the task of obtaining evidence to apprehend the assailant or assailants of Karoline Jones was made more difficult by reason of the time that had elapsed between the apparent date of her death and the date that her body was found, and the fact that they had been unable to trace any person that she had associated with after her release from prison. The report noted that the unquestionable fact that Karoline Jones was leading an immoral and possibly a criminal life, meant that by reason of that mode of life she had undoubtedly come into contact with, and incurred the enmity of people of all walks of life who had not come within the scope of their enquiries. However, the report noted that energetic enquiries were being undertaken to establish contact with such people with a view to obtaining information that would assist them in solving the crime, noting that they had requisitioned the services of informants who had a thorough knowledge of the criminal and prostitute classes residing in and frequenting the vast area about the scene of the crime.
see www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
see National Archives - MEPO 3/1744
