NURSE ALICE YAPP'S EVIDENCE AT THE TRIAL OF FLORENCE MAYBRICK (Thursday 1st August, 1889)

Transcription

1 NURSE ALICE YAPP'S EVIDENCE AT THE TRIAL OF FLORENCE MAYBRICK (Thursday 1st August, 1889) Nurse Yapp was the children's nanny at Battlecrease House, the home of the Maybricks, at the time of James' death. She had joined the household in September 1887 when she replaced Nurse Parker. According to Trevor Christie, Yapp was part of the deadly cabal, along with the Janion sisters, who stirred up hatred and suspicion against Florence. The most controversial incident involving Yapp came when Florence asked her to post a letter she had written to Alfred Brierley. Instead of posting it, Yapp opened it and read its contents. According to Morland, the case against Florence really began when Alice Yapp opened a letter she should not have touched. She later claimed that she had only opened it as Gladys, the Maybricks daughter, had accidentally dropped it in the wet by the post box at Wokes Chemist. Shocked by the contents of the letter, she returned to Battlecrease and gave it to Edwin Maybrick. He read it and then also sent a telegraph to Michael asking him to come to Liverpool. After James death, Nurse Yapp accompanied the Maybrick children when they went to live in Gateacre with Mrs Janion. At her trial, Florence's barrister, Sir Charles Russell repeatedly asked Nurse Yapp why she had opened the letter. He also said that if she was concerned that the envelope had become dirty, then she could have placed the letter unopened into a clean envelope. Nurse Yapp replied: I never thought of that. Russell s questioning clearly upset Nurse Yapp and many observers at the trial felt that she had, through her actions, betrayed her mistress. Yapp, when she was being re-examined by Addison, told the court that apart from the flypapers and the Brierley letter, her suspicions had also been aroused because she had been told by Mary Cadwallader and the cook, that some of the food tasted different to how it should taste. ALICE YAPP, examined by Mr. ADDISON - I was a nurse in the family of the Maybricks, and when Mr. Maybrick died I had been with them one year and eight months. During that time there had been nothing the matter with my master. There was an inner room near the bedroom in which Mr. Maybrick slept sometimes, but I am not certain. I remember the day of the Grand National, the 29 th April, and before that I was aware that my mistress had gone to London. Before going she said she was visiting London to see her mother, and I promised to write to her. On the day of the Grand National Mrs. Maybrick came home at ten minutes to seven, and my master returned a few minutes after. Mrs. Maybrick entered the nursery and so did Mr. Maybrick; but neither spoke. Mr. Maybrick carried the youngest child down to the nursery. I heard Mr. Maybrick say to Mrs. Maybrick, "This scandal will be all over the town to-morrow." They then went down into the hall, and I heard Mr. Maybrick say, "Florie, I never thought you could come to this." That was all I heard. They then went into the vestibule, and I heard Mr. Maybrick say, "If you once cross this threshold you shall never enter these doors again." I did not know that a cab had been ordered at that time. I went down to Mrs. Maybrick, and asked her to come to her bedroom. She did not answer, and I put my arm around her waist, and took her upstairs. I made the bed for her that night, and she slept in the dressing-room. The next day, on the Saturday, Mrs. Maybrick went out, and Dr. Hopper came in the afternoon.

2 About a fortnight or three weeks after the Grand National the housemaid, Brierley, told me something in the nursery which caused me to go into Mrs. Maybrick s bedroom. I went there, and I saw the wash-basin covered with a towel, which I took off. There was another town on a plate. I lifted the plate and say a basin containing some fly-papers. I cannot say how many. I knew that they were fly-papers, because I saw "fly-papers" written upon them. There was also a small quantity of liquid in the basin. I put the things back as I found them. Mr. Addison: What did the household consist of besides Mr. and Mrs. Maybrick? Nurse Yapp: I was nurse, Brierley was housemaid, Humphreys was the cook, and the waitress, Cadwallader. Mr. Addison: Did you ever up to that time see any fly-papers in the house at all for killing flies, or anything of that kind? So far as I know there were not any flies giving trouble. I do not know what became of the fly-papers, and I never say any again. About ten o clock in the morning of the Wirral races, 27 th April, Mrs. Maybrick spoke to me after the master had left to go to his office. She said that Mr. Maybrick had taken an overdose of medicine. I asked what kind of medicine, and she said, "Some ordered him by a doctor in London. He was very sick and in great pain." That was all that passed. When I went to bed that night my master had not returned. On the next day, Sunday, 28 th April, I heard the bedroom bell ring. It was not my duty to answer the bell. As I was coming downstairs I saw Mrs. Maybrick on the landing. She came to the night nursery door, and asked if I would stay with the master. I went into the bedroom and I found that he was lying on the bed with his dressing gown on. My mistress came to the bedroom a few minutes afterwards with a cup in her hand and said to her husband, "Do take this mustard and water; it will remove the brandy and make you sick again if nothing else." I did not see much of him on the Monday and two following days. I was attending to the children at the top of the house. I only know generally from what I heard from the other servants. In the evening of Friday, 3 rd May, Mrs. Maybrick brought the children up to see him, and I followed them in to the room. I heard him say that he had been sick again. Later on Mrs. Maybrick told me that he had been sick again. Justice Stephen: Did she say "sick" or "ill"? Nurse Yapp: I am not sure which one. I said that it was very strange that he was sick so long, and that she had better get another doctor. She said that Dr. Humphreys said it was only his liver that was out of order, and then she added, "But all doctors are fools. They say that because it covers a multitude of sins." On Monday, 6 th May, Mrs. Maybrick went out shopping. After she had gone, I went into the bedroom, as I heard the master moaning. He seemed flushed and hot, and was moving from one side of the pillow to the other. He asked me if I would rub his hands as he complained of numbness. I did this, and I stayed with him, I should think, for ten minutes. When I went out he said he thought he could go to sleep. I did not see my mistress until the afternoon, when I spoke to her and said that I had seen Mr. Maybrick. I added that I thought she should call for another doctor. I wanted to send for Dr. Hopper, but Mrs. Maybrick said that if he came Mr. Maybrick would

3 not take anything he prescribed. I replied that I did not think but that he would see him if he came. Mr. Addison: Where were the medicines kept at that time? Nurse Yapp: Some on the table in the bedroom and some in Mr. Maybrick s room. On Tuesday, 7 th May, there was a table with medicine bottles near the bedroom door. I saw Mrs. Maybrick on the landing near the bedroom door. Mr. Addison: What was she doing? Nurse Yapp: She was apparently pouring something out of one bottle into another. Mr. Addison: What sort of bottles were they? Nurse Yapp: Medicine bottles. On Wednesday, 8 th May, I asked Mrs. Maybrick how the master was, and she said "About the same." I was then near the bedroom. I heard Mr. Maybrick ask Mrs. Maybrick to rub his hands. She said, "You are always wanting your hands rubbed; it does you no good." About three o clock that afternoon I was in the roadway near the house. Mrs. Maybrick came to the garden gate and gave me a letter to send by the 3.45 post. I opened the letter and read part of it; in the consequence of what I read I did not post it. I gave it to Mr. Edwin Maybrick. Mr. Michael Maybrick and Mr. Edwin Maybrick were in the house that night, and I spoke to both of them. On the next morning, 9 th May, I saw Mrs. Maybrick in the night nursery. She said to me, "Do you know I am blamed for this?" I said, "For what?" She answered, "For Mr. Maybrick s illness." From what Mr. Michael Maybrick told me, Bessie Brierley in the night nursery we found a chocolate box and packet. They were in a tray inside a trunk belonging to Mrs. Maybrick. I opened the chocolate box in the presence of Nurse Wilson. I noticed the label, "Arsenic poison for cats." I took the chocolate box and parcel as they were found to Mr. Michael Maybrick, and I saw him take the lid off the box. I observed a piece of handkerchief in the box with two bottles underneath. Mr. Addison: This is still Mrs. Maybrick s trunk? It was Mrs. Maybrick s handkerchief. Sir Charles Russell: Do you remember Mrs. Maybrick coming to you and saying that she had been blamed for his illness? Sir Charles Russell: Did you say, "Why"? Sir Charles Russell: What did she say? Nurse Yapp: She said it was for not sending for another doctor and nurse. Sir Charles Russell: I want to go back a little and understand the position of things. You heard the quarrel after the day of the Grand National? Sir Charles Russell: There had been up to that time no quarrel of any serious nature? Sir Charles Russell: And non after the reconciliation?

4 Sir Charles Russell: They appeared to be reconciled? Sir Charles Russell: Were you aware that Dr. Hopper had, in the matter of bringing about the reconciliation, acted as Mrs. Maybrick s friend? Nurse Yapp: Yes, sir. Sir Charles Russell: On that night you know that Mrs. Maybrick had ordered a cab? Nurse Yapp: I heard afterwards. Sir Charles Russell: You knew the cab was there waiting, and she was apparently going away? Sir Charles Russell: She came down into the hall dressed, apparently for that purpose? Sir Charles Russell: And I think you made some appeal to her yourself, and made some reference to the children? Sir Charles Russell: You appealed to her to come and see the baby? Sir Charles Russell: Did she yield? Nurse Yapp: When I put my arm round her waist she came with me. Sir Charles Russell: About this question of the fly-papers. Have you ever acted as lady s maid? Nurse Yapp: No; only as nurse. Sir Charles Russell: Was it in the morning that the girl Bessie Brierley told you as to having seen these fly-papers? Nurse Yapp: No; it was soon after dinner. Sir Charles Russell: But did she tell you that she had seen them in the morning when she was doing up the room? Sir Charles Russell: And you, out of curiosity, went into the room after the dinner was over? Nurse Yapp: It was about two hours after when I went into the room. Sir Charles Russell: Out of curiosity? Sir Charles Russell: You had no business in the room? Sir Charles Russell: And having been told by Bessie Brierley that she had seen them in the morning, you found them still there as she had described them?

5 Sir Charles Russell: Where were they? Nurse Yapp: On the washstand. Sir Charles Russell: In the principle bedroom? Sir Charles Russell: That is to say, in the bedroom which is directly approached from the landing? Sir Charles Russell: Whereabouts was this washstand placed? Nurse Yapp: By the door leading to the inner room. Sir Charles Russell: And in a position in which you could see it on entering the door of the bedroom? Sir Charles Russell: These were reported to you by Bessie Brierley as having been there early in the morning, and you have no reason to suppose that they did not continue there the whole of the day till you saw them? Sir Charles Russell: That would be about three o clock? Sir Charles Russell: You did not think it right to ask your mistress anything about them? Sir Charles Russell: You were asked about Mr. Maybrick s health. Do you know that he had been attended to by Dr. Hopper almost constantly, or that he had gone twice to London to consult another doctor? Nurse Yapp: No, I did not know that. Sir Charles Russell: But you said before the coroner, at the inquest, that although you did not hear him complain, he had not looked well for some time. When you say he was in good health, you mean he did not make any complaint which came to your ears? Nurse Yapp: I mean not before the Grand National. Sir Charles Russell: Now, you were examined at the coroner s inquest. Do you remember giving an answer to this question, "Do you really mean to say that up to the 27 th of April he seemed to everybody to be in perfect health?" You answered, did you not, "No, he did not look well for some time, but I did not hear him complain." Now, it is true that he did not look well for some time? Nurse Yapp: Yes, he did not look well after the Grand National. Sir Charles Russell: The fact is that, whatever time you refer to, he did not kook well for some time? Sir Charles Russell: Do you know that he had been ordered to Harrogate for his health in the previous year? Nurse Yapp: I remember him going there; but I do not know what it was for.

6 Sir Charles Russell: Now I come to the 27 th of April, when he went to the Wirral races, at the other side of the river. Did you hear that he had been riding there on a wet day? Nurse Yapp: Yes, I have heard so. Sir Charles Russell: And he dined on the other side of the water with some friends. He did not dine at home, at all events? Nurse Yapp: No, he did not. Sir Charles Russell: What time did he come home? Nurse Yapp: I cannot recollect. Sir Charles Russell: You did speak to your master on one or two occasions when you went to his room? Sir Charles Russell: Did you ever see him about this medicine which was said disagreed with him? Sir Charles Russell: I wish to call your attention to the fact that, from the 25 th April, Mr. Edwin Maybrick was in the house? Sir Charles Russell: He slept there from the 25 th April to the 11 th May, when your master died? Sir Charles Russell: Therefore he saw your master every day? Nurse Yapp: I should think so. Mr. Addison: I object to this. She does not profess to know anything about it; she says she should think so. Justice Stephen: She does not definitely affirm he did see him. Sir Charles Russell: At all events, he had the opportunity of seeing him? Nurse Yapp: Oh, yes. Sir Charles Russell: Do you recollect, on Sunday, the 28 th, hearing your mistress s bell violently rung, but it was not your business to attend to it? Sir Charles Russell: Don t you know that as soon as possible after that time as soon as possible after the bell had rung Dr. Humphreys had come and was in attendance on your master? Sir Charles Russell: You have referred to the drinking of mustard and water that was on the Sunday? Sir Charles Russell: Did you know whether that was made by Humphreys, the cook? Nurse Yapp: I don't know. Sir Charles Russell: I think you heard Mrs. Maybrick say to her husband that he should take it, and that it would make him sick?

7 Sir Charles Russell: That it would relieve his stomach? Sir Charles Russell: I think you said that she went down for the mustard, and that she asked you to go and see Mr. Maybrick while she was getting it ready? Sir Charles Russell: Did you say that you saw your mistress on Tuesday, the 7 th May is that the right date? apparently pouring or putting medicine from one bottle into another? Sir Charles Russell: I wish you to follow this again. Was that on the landing on the first floor? Sir Charles Russell: Opposite the bedroom? Sir Charles Russell: And is that the landing which all the servants all the persons in the house, in fact who desire to go up and downstairs must pass? Sir Charles Russell: For instance, if you wanted to go up to the nursery? Sir Charles Russell: At that time you did not attribute any importance to the incident, I presume? Sir Charles Russell: Now, with regard to this letter, you had heard the name of your mistress couples with the name of Brierley before you got the letter? Nurse Yapp: Never. Sir Charles Russell: Why did you open the letter? Nurse Yapp: Because Mrs. Maybrick wished that it should go by that post. Sir Charles Russell: Why did you open that letter? No reply. Justice Stephen: Did anything happen to the letter? Nurse Yapp: Yes, it fell in the dirt. Sir Charles Russell: Why did you open the letter? Justice Stephen: She has just said so now. Sir Charles Russell: Well, I did not catch it. Anyhow, I want to have it out again. Why did you open that letter? Nurse Yapp: I opened the letter to put it in a clean envelope. Sir Charles Russell: Why didn t you put it in a clean envelope without opening it? No reply. Sir Charles Russell: Was it a wet day? Nurse Yapp: It was showery. Sir Charles Russell: Are you sure of that? Sir Charles Russell: Will you undertake to say that? I ask you to consider. Was it a wet day?

8 No reply. Sir Charles Russell: Aye or no? No reply. Sir Charles Russell: Was it wet or dry? No reply. Sir Charles Russell: Had the day before been a dry day? Nurse Yapp: It was showery. Sir Charles Russell: Will you swear that on Wednesday it was showery? Nurse Yapp: I cannot say positively. Sir Charles Russell: Was the child in a perambulator? Sir Charles Russell: Was the child able to walk? Sir Charles Russell: What do you say you did with the letter? Nurse Yapp: I gave it to Mr. Edwin Maybrick. Sir Charles Russell: No, no. I mean when you got it from Mrs. Maybrick? Nurse Yapp: I gave it to the child to post. Sir Charles Russell: Did you ever do that before? Nurse Yapp: Always, and Mrs. Maybrick always gave letters to the baby to carry to the post. Sir Charles Russell: I was asking what you did with it? Nurse Yapp: I gave it to the baby. Sir Charles Russell: Always did? Sir Charles Russell: Did this incident ever happen, or anything like it, before? Sir Charles Russell: Let me see the letter. Have you got the envelope? Where did the child drop it? Nurse Yapp: Right by the post office, in crossing the road. Sir Charles Russell: Which side? Nurse Yapp: Near the post office. Sir Charles Russell: Then you had securely passed the road and were stepping on to the kerbstone? Sir Charles Russell: Did any one see it but yourself? Nurse Yapp: I don t know. Sir Charles Russell: Then you picked it up? Sir Charles Russell: And saw this mark upon it, did you? Sir Charles Russell: Just take it in your hand. Is the direction clear enough? Nurse Yapp: It was very much dirtier at the time. Sir Charles Russell: It hasn t obscured the direction, which is plain enough? Sir Charles Russell: You didn t rub the mud off. What did you do?

9 Nurse Yapp: I went into the post office and asked for a clean envelope to re-address it. I opened it as I was going into the post office. Sir Charles Russell: Did it never occur to you that you could get a clean envelope, if you were particular about cleanliness, and put it unopened into that? Nurse Yapp: Oh, I never thought of that. Sir Charles Russell: Then, between the picking of it up on the post office side of the pathway and your going into the shop you formed the design of opening it, and did, in fact, open it as you were going in? Sir Charles Russell: If, as you suggest, this fell in the mud and was wet, there is no running of the ink on the direction? Sir Charles Russell: Can you suggest how there can be any damp or wet in connection with it without causing some running of the ink? Nurse Yapp: I cannot. Sir Charles Russell: On your oath, girl, did you not manufacturer that stain as a excuse for opening your mistress s letter? Nurse Yapp: I did not. Sir Charles Russell: Have you any explanation to offer about the running of the ink? Nurse Yapp: I have not. Sir Charles Russell: I put it to you again for the last time. Did you not open the letter deliberately, because you suspected your mistress? Nurse Yapp: No, I did not. Mr. Addison (cross-examining): Did you suspect your mistress? Mr. Addison: When you saw the fly-papers did you suspect her? Mr. Addison: Why did you look at them? Nurse Yapp: I thought that Bessie Brierley had made a mistake when she said there were fly-papers in the bedroom. Mr. Addison: Was that your reason? Mr. Addison: When you did see them, what them? Nurse Yapp: I did not think anything of them. Mr. Addison: When you opened the letter you still thought nothing of it? Nurse Yapp: Yes, when I was what was in the letter. Mr. Addison: What that the first time that you had any suspicion about it? Nurse Yapp: No, sir; I had been told of soup, and bread and mild, and things tasting differently. Mr. Addison: Had you been told this by some of the other servants? Nurse Yapp: Yes, by Cadwallader and the cook Humphreys. Mr. Addison: That was before you opened the letter?

10 SOURCE: Irving H. B., Trial of Mrs Maybrick, (William Hodge and Company, Edinburgh, 1912) pages