Marsh, as the evidence collected will show, bore, or thought he bore, a definite and bitter grudge against deceased.
Deceased was lying half in and half out of the window. In his right hand was his own revolver from which three shots had been fired. Deceased had been shot through the head by a bullet from the automatic pistol bought that morning by the man whose description tallies with Marsh’s.
Documentary evidence—specimen letters attached and also extracts, attached at D, from deceased’s diary—shows that Marsh, for some years, had imagined himself (rightly or wrongly) to be a victim of sharp practice on the part of deceased. (N.B.—It will be noted that this documentary evidence of Marsh’s ill-will begins as early as 1912—see extracts from deceased’s diary covering the period 1912 to the present year referring to interviews and letters with Marsh to the number of at least four a year. See also specimens of recent letters from Marsh. These letters begin, as will be seen, when Marsh arrived in England six months ago.)
(Conclusions) Concluded that deceased was shot by Boswell Marsh at the end of the interview commencing at approximately 10.15 p.m. on the night of Friday, March 29th, 193—such shooting being the result of an interview at which Marsh sought to obtain redress for imaginary or real grievance against deceased. There seems no doubt that the interview began stormily and ended with the threatening of deceased by Marsh with his automatic pistol. Deceased must, atop of this threatening, have produced his own revolver; whereupon shots must have been exchanged and Marsh, having jumped out of the open window, must have turned and, seeing deceased leaning out after him, gun in hand, must have fired the last shot, which killed deceased. Marsh then must have run straight across the gardens, in his fright dropping the pistol (see Point Z on Plan B) and made exit by one of the passages upon the other side of the gardens, i.e. passages between the houses in Fox Street. The ground being very hard, he left no footprints, but his way of exit must have been as suggested. (The fact of Marsh’s having been frightened out before actually killing deceased is borne out to my mind by the finding of his hat within the room. If he had gone after killing deceased, he would not have left his hat as testimony against himself.
(Action) Every effort is being made to trace the present whereabouts of Marsh. Warrant for Marsh’s arrest is made out and held pending discovery.
F. WELLESLEY, D.-I.
6
(Letter from Messrs Rynox to Magnay’s Bank Ltd., dated 1st April, 193—.)
DEAR SIRS,—In reply to yours of the 30th ultimo, I have to express the gratitude of my Directors for your kind expressions of condolence concerning the tragic end of our senior partner, Mr Francis X. Benedik.
I have to inform you with respect to the remainder of your letter under reply that by the end of this week the firm will be placing upon a credit basis both the A and B accounts, paying £12,750 into the A account and £17,312 17s. 3d. into the B account.
Yours faithfully,
(for Rynox)
BASIL WOOLRICH,
(Secretary and Treasurer).
7
(Letter from Messrs Rynox to Midland and Capital Bank Ltd, Lombard Street, dated 1 April 1930—.)
DEAR SIRS,—In reply to yours of the 30th ultimo, I have to express the gratitude of my Directors for the expressions of condolence concerning the tragic end of our senior partner, Mr F. X. Benedik.
I have to inform you with respect to the remainder of your letter under reply that by the end of this week the reduction of our overdraft promised by by Mr F. X. Benedik (£7000) will be made.
When this sum has been paid into the account I shall be glad if you will favour me with an interview at your earliest convenience.
Yours faithfully,
(for Rynox)
BASIL WOOLRICH,
(Secretary and Treasurer).
8
(Letter from Messrs Rynox to the Arcade and General Financing Corporation, dated 1 April 193—.)
DEAR SIRS,—Your letter of the 30th ultimo: I send you herewith this firm’s cheque, dated for the 7th inst., for £279 13s. 11d., being the last interest payment on our loan (B. 4124).
Yours faithfully,
(for Rynox)
BASIL WOOLRICH,
(Secretary and Treasurer).
9
(Letter from Basil Woolrich to Hugh Gleason, dated 1st April, 193—.)
PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.
DEAR GLEASON,—Don’t worry about Rynox. It’s all right. Our accounts not only with your firm but with our brokers and others will be settled within a short period—ten days at the outside.
I’d be much obliged and so would A. X. Benedik if you would do what you can to counteract the rumours which are going round about the firm’s insolvency. I think you would find it would be not only to your own but to everybody’s advantage if you could work along these lines for us.
Perhaps you could meet me for lunch tomorrow at the usual place.
Yours sincerely,
BASIL WOOLRICH.
10
(Memorandum from Anthony Xavier Benedik to Basil Woolrich, marked CONFIDENTIAL, dated 1st April, 193—.)
Hope you have written Banks, Arcade, and Gleason as arranged. Rickforth fixed. He won’t trouble us just yet awhile. When he comes back he may be more reasonable. Destroy this.
11
(Letter from Naval, Military and Cosmopolitan Assurance Corporation to Anthony Xavier Benedik, dated 1st April, 193—.)
DEAR SIR,—
Policy No. HI.32. Francis Xavier Benedik, decd.
We have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of today’s date containing claim for payment of £277,777, the amount for which Francis Xavier Benedik, deceased, was insured with this Corporation.
The matter is receiving the attention of the President himself and you will hear from us within a short while. We trust that you will appreciate that the unusual and very tragic circumstances of Mr F. X. Benedik’s death, coupled with the unusually large sum assured, put the matter outside mere routine.
I am, Sir,
Yours faithfully,
(for Naval, Military and Cosmopolitan
Assurance Corporation),
E. THURSTON MITCHELL,
(Vice-President).
12
(Letter from Rynox to Grey Friars Trust Ltd, dated 2nd April, 193—.)
DEAR SIRS,—In reply to your letters of the 28th, 29th, and 30th ulto., and your telephone messages of yesterday, I have to inform you that I have now discussed the situation with Mr Anthony X. Benedik.
Mr Rickforth, to whom your letter is addressed, is at present in the country suffering from a nervous breakdown brought on by the terrible shock of the news of Mr F. X. Benedik’s tragic end.
Mr Anthony Benedik, on behalf of the firm, empowers me to state that the balance of our debt to you (£3254) over our joint deal in the matter of Rampole’s, Ltd. will be paid to you within the next few days.
Mr Anthony X. Benedik also wishes me to state that if necessary he will meet you over this matter. He is, however, very busy and trusts that this letter will serve the same purpose as an interview. The latest date for payment would be ten days from today, but in all probability the payment will be made some little time before that.
Yours faithfully
(for Rynox),
BASIL WOOLRICH.
(Secretary and Treasurer).
13
(Letter from Fielder, Puckeridge, Fielder and Fielder, Enquiry Agents, to Naval, Military and Cosmopolitan Assurance Corporation, dated 2nd April, 193—.)
DEAR SIRS,—
Policy HI. 32. Francis Xavier Benedik deceased.
Further in re yours 30th ult. Our agents have now covered whole field of enquiry. Attached is our report plus résumé of Police Report kindly lent by Scotland House. From this you will see that there is no doubt as to cause of death, deceased having been undoubtedly shot by Boswell Marsh. Police now searching for Marsh but so far unsuccessfully. Think they must get him within a day or two.
Considered opinion:Claim lies; Corporation liable for full amount of Policy, £277,777.
(For Fielder, Puckeridge, Fielder & Fielder,
A. K. MIMRAM.
14
(Letter from Petronella Rickforth to Anthony Xavier Benedik, dated 3rd April, 193—.)
DARLING,—I hope you are having my medals struck. In regard to ribbons for same, please consult yours faithfully as I don’t trust your eye.
I know you didn’t think I could do it, but I’ve done it. I am, you know, rather an extraordinary young woman. As soon as I got your note on Monday I tackled Samuel, going to the office to do it. I’m sorry to say that I found him, although he is my father, in a most deplorable condition of pure funk. To tell you the truth, Tony, I hadn’t quite believed you until the sight and sound of him made me realise that it was true. If I’d been a creditor of RYNOX I’d have tried to get whatever it is they do—Petition filed, isn’t it?—just after one glimpse of him.
It was very funny really. When I walked in he tried to shoo me out like a hen shooing its young. But I wasn’t to be shoon. As a matter of fact, I went into the room and locked the door. And then I told him what you told me on Sunday night. I pointed out to him that you and Woolrich were quite undoubtedly the stuff. I told him that, equally undoubtedly, be wasn’t. I told him that no Rickforth should ever show such blue toes. I told him that if he’d only come away from that office and give it a chance under you and Woolrich, the whole thing would come so straight that in a very little while he’d be even more opulent than he had been. I asked him what he thought, F. X. …—Oh, Tony, darling, isn’t it dreadful? He was so utterly dear!
To go back to Samuel, however, I told him this, I told him that, and I told him several sorts of the other. All to no purpose. All he could say, when I kept ramming your name and your excellence and your F. X.-ishness down his throat—all he could say was (you know, Tony, I’m almost ashamed to tell you this, but, poor old fellow, he’s never been in a school where they develop guts) that he was surprised that after what had happened you could give your mind to the office!
I’m afraid that finished me, or perhaps I should say glad. Anyway, I suddenly became the complete Cassandra, or whoever the lady was who was always very clever. I pretended to crack. I pretended to give way to parental and superior knowledge. I said that of course he must know best now I came to think about it. I was very, very sad. I was very, very unhappy. I was very, very frightened. I left the office and went home.
When he came back in the evening—I suppose you and Woolrich managed to keep him from doing anything too utterly silly during the day—when he came back I was absolutely prostrate. I was having a real, double-barrelled, super A quality nervous breakdown. I couldn’t stand London—no, not for one minute longer could I stand London. I wept and shuddered and started at little noises. Most convincing performance. It brought out all the man in Samuel. Asked what had best be done for her, the maiden replied, ‘Take me, father, to the country! Take me away from—all this!’
Samuel, driving the Sunbeam himself (poor old fellow, the maiden couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else being in the car except her father) took me away from all that. We went to where we are now. You know my best time, Tony—an hour and ten minutes. Samuel took four and a half! Ye Gods! it was terrible. The nervous breakdown was almost genuine at the end. We hurtled through the night at well over twenty. Every time a rabbit looked out of a hedge we stopped. Every time a lorry pulled out across us we went on!
But we got here—I think the time was about 3.75 g.m.—and we went to bed, having found, to Samuel’s horror and my apparent dismay, that Kate was not there as she should have been but paying a visit to that mother of hers who will never die. (Please note, dear sir, that Kate’s absence was due to the machiavellianism—is that spelt right?—of our Miss Rickforth who, by telephone, presented Kate with a holiday.) Now read what our special correspondent has to say:
STRANGE MYSTERY in SURREY WEEKEND COTTAGE.
Prominent Business Man Loses Understandings.
Our frightfully special correspondent writes:
‘Mr Samuel Rickforth, a prominent Director of Rynox, is held a prisoner in his charming and palatial country residence on Hindhead. Mr Rickforth, the best of fathers, had, although pressed and hedged about by the cares of business, himself driven his daughter, that well-known and extraordinarily beautiful young leader of Hammersmith society, down to the country on the previous night.
‘On arriving at his country residence (chming view, 45 mins. stn., Co’s water c; unusual offices); Mr Rickforth was horrified to find that the whole of the extensive staff had absented themselves without leave. He therefore took over the duties of housekeeper, cook and nurse and tenderly put Miss Petronella Rickforth to bed. Then, exhausted, he himself retired.
‘On waking next morning with the lark at approximately 10.30 a.m. Mr Rickforth leapt from his bed, intending to attire himself and then to see to Miss Petronella’s wants, obtain attention for her, and proceed immediately, driving his high-powered car, back to London and work.
‘Imagine Mr Rickforth’s dismay when he found that not only had the trousers of the clothes he had been wearing the night before had disappeared but that also there was not, so far as he could find, another pair of these far from decorative but almost essential garments in the house.
‘In something very much like panic and a dressing-gown, Mr Rickforth hurried along the numerous and softly-carpeted passages to the room of Miss Petronella Rickforth. Miss Petronella Rickforth seemed a good deal improved in health. She could not, however, throw any light at all on the mystery of the missing leg-wear.
‘Later. Mr Rickforth still without trousers.
‘Later still. Mr Rickforth, for fear of sciatica, sitting up in bed swearing, and reading Pilgrim’s Progress.
‘Later than ever. Mr Rickforth, with Napoleonic flash of insight, decides to telephone for trousers, but is horrified to find that the telephone is cut off.
‘Too late. Mr Rickforth, having conducted a hunger strike for some time in protest at Miss Petronella’s most unfilial refusal to do anything about trousers and having rejected harshly her offer of a brassiere (almost new) and a pair of cami-bockers, breaks down and descends to the charming dining-room with its outlook over the Surrey hills in order to eat the by no means despicable meal prepared by Miss Petronella’s own fair hands.’
Seriously, darling, after twelve hours of this I began to get the wind up. After all, one never knows what a parent will do if driven far enough. After all, thank the Lord, it’s all come out all right. He really is, when he can get over himself, rather an old dear. He’s given me his parole that he won’t go back to London until told. And I have given him back one pair of trousers. I have, however, cut a piece out of the seat so that he can’t go out of doors.
If you can, do come down and see me. I shouldn’t come in in case he has a suspicion—most unjust I’m sure, Mr Benedik—that the scheme has been anything to do with you. Just pull up in the lane outside and hoot about four times.
Do come if you can, dear, I’m longing to see you. If you were anyone but you, I should say I hope you don’t think the rather idiotic tone of this letter shows that I’m not feeling for you and for myself. As you’re you, I’m not going to trouble to say it.
Do come as soon as you can, but if you can’t I shall understand.
Bless you!
PETER.
15
(Extract dated 4th April from official shorthand record of Coroner’s inquest held on the body of Francis Xavier Benedik. Coroner, Doctor Ongle. Extract is from Dr Ongle’s summing up, but also contains the jury’s verdict.)
… And so, gentlemen, I think you will not find any other course open to you than to fix upon this man, Boswell Marsh, as the person directly responsible for the shooting of the deceased. You have listened to the chain of evidence, which proves that Marsh was a man of violent and unpleasant nature, imagining himself wronged by th
e deceased. You have seen, too, documentary evidence supporting this. You have seen and read the very full diary left by the deceased, covering the last twenty years of his life, and from that have gathered that right from their first acquaintance in South America in 1911 Marsh and the deceased were at loggerheads. You have had it conclusively proved to you that Marsh visited the house in William Pitt Street on the night of deceased’s death and that the pistol found, dropped by Marsh in his flight, had been purchased by Marsh that morning. You will have seen, from the evidence, the subterfuge employed by Marsh to ensure that the housekeeper and two female servants should be absent from the house that night, and you will assume that Marsh had sufficient knowledge of the ways of that house to know that the manservant, too, would be absent at the time of the arranged appointment.
These are just a few points which come to me as after-thoughts. I do not think, gentlemen, that there is anything else which I need say. You will now please consider and confer if necessary, and then let me have your verdict …
Mr Coroner, I have consulted with the jury and I find that there is no need for us to retire. Our verdict is one of murder against Boswell Marsh.
16
(Letter from Naval, Military and Cosmopolitan Assurance Corporation to Anthony Xavier Benedik, dated 7th April 193—.)
DEAR SIR,—
Policy HI. 32. Francis Xavier Benedik, deceased.
Further to our previous communication and also to the interview which our President had with you yesterday, I have pleasure in enclosing herewith the Corporation’s cheque for £277,777 (Two Hundred and Seventy-seven Thousand, Seven Hundred and Seventy-seven Pounds).
I am, Sir,
Yours faithfully,
MARADICK FOWLER,
(Treasurer).
17
(Memorandum from Chief Commissioner of Police, Major-General the Earl of Styng, K.C.B., D.S.O., M.V.O., C.I.E., etc., to Superintendent Shanter, dated 19th April, 193—.)
The Rynox Mystery Page 8
