Murder of Mary Money
Mary Sophia Money is the victim of an unsolved murder in Surrey, England, from 1905.[1]
Discovery of body
Her body was found in Merstham tunnel by sub-Inspector William Peacock shortly before 11pm on 24 September 1905.[1][2] He was the foreman of a gang of workmen.[2] Her remains were quite mutilated and there were no identifying papers, letters or a ticket on her.[1] Peacock immediately reported his discovery to the Merstham station master.[1] The workmen brought her body to the station, where police directed them to bring it to The Feathers Inn.[2]
Investigation
Initially her death was thought to be a suicide, but the discovery of a scarf thrust down her throat and marks on the walls of the tunnel changed this opinion.[1] After her description was circulated Robert Money, a dairy farmer from Kingston Hill, came forward the following day to identify her as his sister, Mary.[1][2]
Last known movements
She had worked for a dairyman named Bridger and lived in Lavender Hill.[1] She shared accommodation with another dairy employee, Emma Hone, who had last seen her at 7pm the day of her death when she said she was going for a walk and wouldn't be long.[1] Emma didn't know of any boyfriends of Mary.[1]
Miss Golding, who owned a sweetshop near Clapham Junction railway station said that Mary had bought some chocolate and mentioned that she was going to Victoria station.[1] A ticket collector identified her as a woman he had seen at about 7:20pm and that she had said she was going to Victoria - he was the last person known to have seen her alive.[1] Mary had a purse with her when she left Clapham, which was never found.[1]
A young man, a railway clerk who had dated Mary, had an alibi for the time of her death.[1] Her employer and his brother said that they had been on good terms with her until her death.[1]
Possible sightings
A guard on the train said that he had seen a man and woman together in a first class compartment at East Croydon and that she matched Mary's description.[1] He saw them again at South Croydon railway station and at Redhill he saw the man leave what he thought was the same compartment and exit the train.[1] He was described as thin, with a moustache and a bowler hat, a description that didn't help identify him and he was never traced.[1]
A signalman at Purley Oaks said that he had seen a man and woman struggling in a first class compartment but he hadn't attached much importance to it.[1]
Train
A 9.33 train from London Bridge passed through the tunnel around the time of her death.[1]
Expert witness evidence
A Home Office expert said that her injuries had been sustained before death, probably because of a violent struggle, that she had been dead approximately one hour when found and that there was no sign of sexual interference.[1] The autopsy showed that she had had a meal about three hours before her death.[1]