By Tim Lambert
Franz Muller, a German, was the first person to murder on a train in Britain. Muller was born on 31 October 1840. He became a tailor. In 1864, he was living in England, but he struggled to make a living.
At that time, trains were divided into carriages, each with its own separate compartment. On 9 July 1864, a train was travelling between two railway stations in North London, Fenchurch Street and Hackney. It arrived at 10.11 pm. Two men entered a carriage, and they immediately spotted blood. They called the guard, who also saw blood. He found a stick, a beaver skin hat and a bag. The carriage was sealed and sent for examination.
At 10.20 pm, a train was travelling in the other direction when the crew spotted the body of a man lying by the track. The man was still alive, but he died of head injuries the next day. He was identified as 69-year-old Thomas Briggs, a chief bank clerk. Mr Briggs had been beaten and thrown off the train. Whoever killed him had stolen his gold watch and chain, but failed to take £5 (a large sum of money at that time) from his pocket.
Thomas Briggs’ relatives identified the bag and the stick found in the carriage, but they did not recognise the hat.
It seems that in his hurry, the attacker had taken the wrong hat, leaving his behind. He also failed to search the victim’s pockets.
A jeweller named John Death said that a man with a German accent came to his shop on 11 July, two days after the murder and sold him a gold watch chain (but not the watch). The chain was identified as belonging to the victim. A reward of £300 was offered for anyone who gave information leading to the arrest of the murderer.
A cabdriver named Jonathan Matthews didn’t hear about the murder until nine days after it happened. Matthews said he didn’t read newspapers, as they were expensive. He knew Franz Muller, and he became suspicious. Muller had given his youngest daughter a box from Death’s jewellers. Matthews took it to the police. Fortunately, he also had a photo of the suspect. The police took the hat found in the carriage to Muller’s landlady. She confirmed that it was his. He had foolishly left it behind and taken the victims.
Muller had boarded a ship to the USA on 15 July, but two policemen boarded a faster ship and they arrived in New York before Muller. When the ship carrying Muller arrived, they went on board and arrested him. Among his luggage, they found Thomas Brigg’s watch and his hat (although it had been altered, it was still identifiable). Muller was then extradited to stand trial in Britain.
