The Rynox Mystery

by Philip MacDonald

  2

  (Letter from Magnays Bank Limited to Messrs. Rynox, dated 30th March, 193—)

  DEAR SIRS,—I am to express the deep and sincere regret of my directors and myself at the tragic demise of Mr F. X. Benedik.

  I have, I fear, also to state, in regard to the A. and B. Accounts of your firm, that it is unfortunately impossible for me to allow any further drawings until those accounts are placed upon a sounder basis.

  With respect to the C. Account this, as you know, (vide my letter of the 27th instant) has been closed as regards any further drawings.

  So soon, of course, as one or more of the accounts is placed upon a credit basis, we shall be only too glad, not only to permit drawings upon that account, but to consider the possibility of re-opening accommodation upon the other accounts.

  In the meantime, however, I fear that my directors will not countenance any applications for further accommodation, that already granted to your firm being considerably in excess of the usual.

  Yours faithfully,

  ALBERT PERCIVAL HERRING,

  Manager.

  3

  (Letter from the Midland and Capital Bank Limited, Lombard Street, to Messrs. Rynox, dated 30th March, 193—)

  DEAR SIRS,—I have the painful duty of expressing the very sincere regrets of my directors and myself at the tragic and untimely end of Mr F. X. Benedik.

  I have also to state, on the explicit instructions of my directors, that it is unfortunately impossible for the bank to allow any further increase in the overdraft with which your firm is at present being accommodated.

  The directors hope that they will see, within a few days, the substantial reduction which was personally promised—by Mr F. X. Benedik himself—a few days ago.

  Yours faithfully,

  MAURICE HIPLAM.

  Manager.

  4

  (Letter from The Arcade and General Finance Corporation to Messrs Rynox, dated 30th March, 193—.)

  DEAR SIRS,—We note that the last interest payment on our loan (B4124) to you on the 27th February last is still unpaid.

  We would ask you to take immediate steps to meet this. Failing your satisfactory reply within this week, we shall—though we are, in the present painful circumstances, most reluctant to adopt such a course—be compelled to place the matter in other hands.

  Yours faithfully,

  DOUGLAS IAN MACFARLANE,

  Director.

  5

  (Departmental Report by Detective Inspector F. Wellesley, C.I.D., 1st April, 193—.)fn1

  Subject. F. X. Benedix, deceased.

  Place. 4 William Pitt Street, W1.

  Time. Approx. 10.30 p.m.

  Plans Attached. Proceeded to William Pitt Street as above, on Superintendent Fox’s instructions, at midnight on Friday, the 29th ult. Found there, Police Sergeant (BL. 342) Humphreys and Police Constable (BL. 413) Lawrence. Copy of Sergeant Humphreys’s report is attached at A together with a copy of Constable Lawrence’s Preliminary Report (A. 1.) Attached at B is a plan of the study at No. 4 William Pitt Street and at B. 1. the ground floor plan of the house and garden.

  Position of Body. The body of deceased had not been moved when I arrived. It was lying face downwards across the sill of the window (marked X on Plan B). The head and shoulders were out of the window and also the left arm. The right arm was hanging down inside the room; in the hand a small five-chambered .44 Colt revolver. From this revolver four shots had been fired.

  Cause of Death. Deceased had been shot through the head, bullet entering above the right eyebrow and coming out behind the left ear, at short range, bullet inflicting this wound being from a heavy Mauser automatic pistol. Deceased had obviously been shot from just outside the window as he leant out. Bullet was found embedded in the western wall of the study midway between the end of the fireplace and the junction of the western and northern walls (marked A). This bullet has been submitted to Professor High who gives it as his considered opinion that it is undoubtedly the one which caused death.

  Bullets Found in Room. Other bullets (nine in all) were found in the room. Three of these were from the Colt revolver in the dead man’s hand and six from the Mauser pistol. The six Mauser bullets (this is excluding, of course, the one which caused death) were embedded in the eastern wall of the study where it forms a party-wall to the passage leading from the hall. The three bullets from the Colt were found grouped together in the angle made by the junction of the western and northern walls.

  Mauser Automatic Pistol. I found a Mauser automatic, recently fired and with its magazine empty, in the shrubbery which lies on the far side of the path from the house. (See Z on Plan B.) The markings on the Mauser bullets found (including that which caused death) corresponded with the rifling of this pistol. Professor High is prepared to state on oath that they were fired from this pistol.

  Enquiries show that this Mauser pistol was purchased from Selsinger & Co., Vigo Street, W1 on the morning of Friday the 29th ult.

  Colt Revolver. The Colt revolver found in deceased’s hand was known by the household to have been in his possession for many years.

  Hat. In a chair (see Y on Plan B) was found a black hat of the ‘sombrero’ variety. Inside the band is written B. Marsh.

  Summary of Statements Taken P.C. (BL. 413) LAWRENCE heard several shots while on beat and running up William Pitt Street, met:

  (Wiggin) ARTHUR WIGGIN, Potman at Foxhound Public House.

  Wiggin was returning from an errand and walking out of William Pitt Street when he heard the shots and guessed, from their direction, that they were proceeding from No. 4.

  (Prout) WILLIAM PROUT, manservant to deceased.

  Prout stated that deceased dined at 7.30 p.m. on Friday and then went out stating destination to be house of Samuel Rickforth of No. 18 Consort Gardens, South Kensington.

  Deceased, Prout states, left instructions to the effect that a Mr Marsh was going to call at about 10 p.m. and that if he (deceased) were not back when Marsh called, Marsh was to be admitted and left in the study. Prout states also that deceased gave him permission to go out so soon as Marsh should have been admitted, as he (deceased) would not be more than a few minutes after Marsh.

  Prout states that at 10.10 he admitted a man who stated his name was Marsh. He wore the hat subsequently found in the study.

  Prout’s description of Marsh is: tall, heavy build, grey moustache and imperial beard, dark glasses, peculiar limp with left leg which he seemed ‘to drag after him.’ P. can’t say as to clothes except hat but it is definite that the clothes were not evening dress but a ‘dark suit.’ States Marsh’s manner violent and hectoring.

  Five minutes after admitting Marsh, Prout left the house and proceeded to Foxhound P. H. in Shepherds’ Market. Remained there until closing time at 11 p.m. (this statement substantiated by numerous witnesses) when returned to 4 William Pitt Street to find Sergeant Humphreys in charge.

  (Fairburn) ELSA VICTORIA FAIRBURN (Widow), Housekeeper of deceased.

  Fairburn, accompanied by the other two female servants (see below) left the house at 7.30 p.m. to proceed to the Royal Theatre for the evening performance. Returned home with aforesaid companions at 11.20.

  Fairburn states that upon Thursday evening the 28th ult. a letter was brought to the house by a District Messenger Boy, this being addressed to ‘Housekeeper and Staff, 4 William Pitt Street.’ She opened it and found that it contained three back stall seats for Friday evening’s performance at the Royal Theatre. Nothing else was in the envelope. Across the corner of the tickets, Fairburn states (and this evidence is corroborated by the other two servants) was written in pencil in printed characters ‘Compliments.’ Fairburn states (corroborated by Prout) that she told deceased on Friday morning the 29th ult, of this incident and received his permission to go to the theatre taking the servants. She has no idea at all of where the tickets could have come from. She also states that she mentioned the ‘mysterious origin’ of the present to deceased and he, too, w
as mystified but thought ‘it was part of a publicity campaign.’

  Fairburn had been housekeeper to deceased for seven years.

  (Briggs) SARAH JUBILEE BRIGGS, Cook to deceased.

  Corroborates evidence of Fairburn.

  Briggs had been in the employ of deceased for two years.

  (Watson) VIOLET DORIS EMMELINE WATSON, House-parlourmaid to deceased.

  Corroborates as above. Watson had been in deceased’s service for eighteen months.

  (Rickforth) SAMUEL FARADAY RICKFORTH, Partner in deceased’s business, Rynox.

  States that at approx. 9 o’clock on Friday evening, the 29th ult., deceased called to see him on a business point. They discussed the point and deceased, refusing to join a party which was going on at that time in Mr Rickforth’s house, left, stating he must get home as he was expecting a visitor, such visitor being a man named Marsh. (N.B. The name found in the band of the sombrero hat dropped in deceased’s study.)

  Questioned as to his knowledge of Marsh, Mr Rickforth states that he had not personally come into contact with Marsh. He knew, however, that Marsh was a one-time acquaintance of Mr Benedik’s. They were together in South America during some part of the period 1911–1913. Mr Rickforth had frequently heard deceased speak of Marsh who, deceased stated, was a madman who imagined himself the real inventor of the Synthetic Rubber process (Paramata Synthetic Rubber Co.) which has lately been the main concern of the firm Rynox.

  Mr Rickforth further stated that Marsh was always writing letters to deceased both at his home and his office and frequently telephoning for appointments. Upon one occasion Marsh visited the office of Rynox without an appointment and created a disturbance. None of the partners (deceased, Mr Rickforth, or Mr Anthony X. Benedik) was in and eventually deceased’s secretary, Christabel Pagan, had to have Marsh threatened with ejection by Commissionaires.

  Mr Rickforth further stated that after telling him of Marsh’s intended visit to his house that night deceased added some words to this effect: ‘For the past two or three years he’s been worrying my life out. I’m going to settle with him.’ Deceased, Mr Rickforth states, then added that he intended to make Marsh an offer of a small payment for the sake of getting rid of him: if Marsh did not take the payment, then matters would have to take the ordinary course.

  Questioned further, Mr Rickforth stated that deceased had never even hinted at the possibility of personal violence from Marsh.

  (Pagan) CHRISTABEL PAGAN, Secretary of deceased.

  States that she knew of the appointment at 10 p.m. at William Pitt Street with Marsh as she heard deceased making this over the telephone. Marsh had twice already rung up that morning. Corroborates re Marsh’s letters, telephone calls and visit. States that deceased never seemed more than very much annoyed over Marsh’s pestering; certainly never gave any hint that Marsh might be dangerous.

  Showed to me file of letters (two specimens attached at C 1 and 2)—(whole file available if necessary) from Marsh. The address on all letters except four in the file is: Pond Cottage, Little Ockleton, Surrey (see later statement by George Hillman). The other four bear no address.

  Miss Pagan’s description of Marsh’s appearance tallies with that given above by Prout. She also states that his manner was ‘frightening and very snarling’; curious inflection to voice; guttural r’s; walked with a dragging limp of left leg.

  (Woolrich) BASIL WOOLRICH, Secretary and Treasurer to Rynox.

  States he heard deceased once or twice make mention of a man, Marsh, who was pestering him. Had also heard some mention of the incident (see above) when Marsh called at the office. Had never thought much about this matter. Could not help further.

  (Musgrove) LESLIE MUSGROVE, Box Office Clerk, Royal Theatre.

  States that on the morning of Thursday the 28th ult. sold three stalls (J. 15, 16 and 17)—the numbers sent to Fairburn and staff at No. 4 William Pitt Street (see above) to what he describes as a ‘queer character.’ No name was given, of course, during the transaction. Musgrove’s description of the purchaser of the tickets tallies exactly with the description above. States the man was ‘very rough-mannered and had a domineering way of talking. Rather foreign-looking. Used plenty of bad language.’

  (Butters) EMANUEL BUTTERS, Manager, Crofton Street Branch, District Messenger Service.

  States that at 12.15 p.m. on Thursday last the 28th ult. he was given a letter addressed to the housekeeper and staff, No. 4 William Pitt Street, and was asked to have this letter delivered between 6.30 p.m. and 6.45 p.m. Instructions were most explicit. According to Butters (corroborated by two boys) this letter was handed in by ‘a big man with a limp. Very excitable and violent in his ways.’ His further description tallies with that given above. Butters also states that the man made ‘quite a scene’ until he was definitely promised that the letter should be delivered exactly within the times he mentioned.

  (Selsinger) CHARLES BYRON SELSINGER, Gunsmith. States that at approximately 11.40 a.m. on Friday last the 29th ult. a strange customer came into his Vigo Street shop and purchased a Mauser automatic pistol. (This pistol he subsequently identified as the pistol I found—see above—dropped in the shrubbery outside the window of the study at No. 4 William Pitt Street.)

  Selsinger states that the customer who made this purchase was eccentric and violent in his ways. Among other offences, he used foul language in front of a lady client. At one time, he (Selsinger) asked his assistant to fetch a constable but withdrew this command on the purchase being completed. Selsinger’s description of the purchaser of the Mauser agrees in detail with that given by other witnesses of Marsh. States that he was most offensive in speech and most alarming in behaviour. Walked with a sinister and peculiar dragging limp. States also that the name of the lady customer in the shop at the time was Miss Rickforth. (This is a peculiar coincidence.)

  (Hopkins) FRANK ALBERT HOPKINS, Assistant to Selsinger.

  Corroborates Selsinger’s evidence down to last detail.

  (Miss Rickforth) PETRONELLA RICKFORTH, daughter of Samuel Rickforth, Partner in Rynox Ltd.

  Corroborates evidence of Selsinger and Hopkins and adds that she thought the man not only dangerous but insane.

  (Hillman) GEORGE HILLMAN, of Pond End Farm, Great Ockleton.

  States that a Boswell Marsh rented Pond Cottage, Little Ockleton, from him on a year’s lease, the transaction taking place on the 3rd September last. States knew nothing personally of his tenant except what he saw of him at the interview. Describes him as a ‘big, queer-like, foreign sort.’ When asked, agreed with the description of Marsh given above. States also that he received several minor complaints, but being ‘an easy-going sort of chap,’ had never taken these up, not living in Little Ockleton and rarely going there. Knew nothing else. States that he had no reference from Marsh and didn’t consider this necessary as the whole amount for the yearly tenancy was paid by Marsh at the time the lease was signed. It was not paid by cheque but in notes.

  General Opinion of Marsh—Little Ockleton District.

  Bears out all previous evidence to show that Marsh was eccentric in behaviour as well as appearance. Cordially detested by all villagers. Varied tales of threatened violence towards men and children.

  (Chigwell) SARAH CHIGWELL, Charwoman employed by Mr Marsh.

  States that she was never frightened of Mr Marsh. Also states that, except to pay her and give her instructions, he never spoke to her. Also states (statement corroborated by various as above) that Marsh did not use Pond Cottage more than a few days in each month. Nearly always his visits were over weekends although on more than a few occasions he came down for a night in midweek. Description of Marsh tallies with all those above. In further description of Marsh without a hat, states that his hair was ‘black with a lot of grey about it.’ Could not state colour of eyes as never saw Marsh without spectacles.

  (Benedik) ANTHONY XAVIER BENEDIK, son of deceased.

  States he was in Paris from Friday evening last until Saturday mornin
g at 2 a.m. when re-called by his fiancée, Miss Rickforth (see above). States had heard his father frequently mention Marsh but had never paid any serious attention to the possibility of Marsh’s being dangerous. Knew nothing of Marsh and had never seen him. Had once spoken to him over the telephone. No further help possible.

  (This concludes the testimony of the persons interviewed to this stage.)

  (Summary) BOSWELL MARSH, having, by correspondence and telephonic and personal message extending over the past six months, expressed the opinion that he had been unfairly treated by deceased, obtained on Friday the 29th ult. an interview with deceased. He and deceased were alone in the house. The interview commenced at approximately 10.15 p.m. At approximately 10.30 p.m. P.C. (BL. 413) Lawrence heard a repeated succession of shots from the neighbourhood of William Pitt Street and, upon investigation, made the discovery of deceased’s body. In the room was a hat which bore Marsh’s name and was habitually worn by Marsh. In the shrubbery across the path immediately beneath the open window of the room was a Mauser pistol purchased that morning by a person answering exactly to the description of Marsh.

  The house was empty because the manservant, as usual, had been given permission to go out between ten and eleven; because Mr Anthony X. Benedik, son of deceased, was in Paris; and because the housekeeper and two female servants had gone to the theatre, the tickets for the theatre having been presented to them anonymously, the anonymous buyer being a person whose description tallies exactly with that of Marsh.