Pocket Book Stories

THE WROTHAM MURDER.

On the evening of the 22nd July, 1905, Samuel Curtis, a labourer, of no fixed abode, aged 6o years, who had been working in a field in the neighbourhood, was walking, with another man, in the street at Wrotham, when he met a woman whom he recognised as one, Alice Clover, with whom he had previously lived in one of the Midland counties, and who had had children by him. The woman, some time previously, had left him, leaving the children with him. After the woman had left him, Curtis placed the children in the Union. A Warrant for the arrest of the woman, for deserting the children, was subsequently issued.

Knowing of the existence of the Warrant, Curtis went to the house of the village Constable, (P.C. Field) to inform him of the woman's presence in the village. The Constable however, was out, and his wife did not know where he was.

Curtis went away and, sometime later, again visited the Constable's house. The Constable had not returned. Curtis then said to his companion, "Well, she is not going to get away with it now that I have seen her". He had in his possession a large Jack knife, the point of the blade being broken. He went into a shop and purchased a similar knife. The woman, with a companion, had, in the meantime, entered the 'Post Boys' Public house. Curtis went into the Public bar of the 'Post Boys' and there saw the woman. He invited her outside. She left the bar, preceded by him. As she passed through the doorway, Curtis struck her in the neck with the knife, pulling it forward.

The woman fell dead.

There were a number of people about at the time, and, before anyone had realised what had happened, Curtis had run away. A hue and cry was raised, and information was sent, via the railway signal boxes, to West Malling Police Station, and every available man in the Division turned out to assist in the search for the murderer. About 1am., on the 23rd July, 1905, Curtis was found under some pea bines in a field where he had been working. He was arrested and conveyed to Malling Police Station, arriving there about 3 am. Whilst at Malling Police Station, awaiting the return of Supt. Hoare, who had joined in the search, he related to the Constable, who was left in charge of him, his past experiences, and said that once, when in prison, he had cleaned out a pit after two murderers had been hanged; and that someone would now have to clean out the pit after he had been hanged.

Curtis was tried at the Kent Assize on the 8th August, 1905. When the charge was read, he insisted on pleading 'Guilty' saying "I did it, and the sooner you hang me the better". He was found guilty, and sentenced to death. He was subsequently executed at Maidstone prison.

Curtis maintained a most callous end indifferent demeanour from the time of his arrest up to the morning of his execution.

This article was taken from the earliest of Kent Police internal magazines, 'The Patrol', dated 15th June 1933

If you are a former Kent Police Officer and have any short stories about your time and experiences with Kent Police we would like to hear from you. Just drop an email to info@kent-police-museum.co.uk with your story (up to 1500 words) and we will add it to our past times section.