at No. 44, High Holborn, London, as a manufacturer of such brass
instruments as are used by bookbinders. Cook, his murderer, was a
bookbinder at Leicester. Mr. Paas was in the habit of taking occasional
journeys in the way of business, and in the course of his travels Cook
became his customer, and ordered goods of him to the extent of about
25_l._ Cook at this time was twenty-one years of age, and he had only
recently entered upon the business of his deceased master in a small
yard leading out of Wellington-street, Leicester, upon his own account.
In the month of May 1832, the usual period of credit had expired, and
Mr. Paas wrote to Cook saying, that he should visit Leicester in a few
days, when he hoped to receive the amount of his bill. On Wednesday, May
the 30th, Mr. Paas accordingly arrived in Leicester, and put up at the
Stag and Pheasant Inn. In the afternoon he quitted that house, and
proceeded upon his rounds for the purpose of collecting the accounts due
to him in the town. He called at several places, and amongst others at
the house of Cook; but after leaving there, he was seen by one of his
customers, of whom he made inquiries as to Cook's solvency, and whom he
informed that he had already called upon him to pay an account, and that
he had been requested to call again in the evening. Mr. Paas was not
seen alive again after this; and the result showed that he had been
wilfully and most diabolically murdered by his customer and debtor.
The only proof by which the unfortunate gentleman was traced to the
workshop of Cook was that of his apprentice boy, Charles Wilkinson, aged
fourteen years. He was at the shop of his master on the afternoon of
Wednesday, and he saw a person come there, whose appearance, from his
description, agreed with that of Mr. Paas. Immediately on his being seen
by his master, he told him (Wilkinson) that he might go away and remain
at home until he called for him--a circumstance quite unusual, and
rendered the more remarkable from the great quantity of work which his
master then had to do.
The circumstances attending the discovery of the murder, and the
consequent apprehension of Cook, are of an extraordinary and interesting
nature. The workshop which he occupied, it appears, was situated over a
cow-house in the occupation of a Mr. Sawbridge, a milkman. On the
evening of Wednesday, the 30th of May, a very large fire was observed to
be blazing in his workshop; but as considerable heat was known to be
occasionally necessary to be employed in his trade, no notice was taken
of the occurrence. At about eight o'clock Cook visited the Flying Horse,
a beer-shop in the immediate neighbourhood of his workroom, and having
called for some drink, and played a game of skittles with an undisturbed
aspect, he requested change of a sovereign. The landlord, Mr. Nokes,
produced the coin necessary, and Cook on giving him the sovereign took
from his pocket a silk purse containing money to a very considerable
amount in gold, silver, and notes. This excited some surprise, but no
remark was made, and Cook went away returning apparently to his
workshop. After a short time, however, he went to Mrs. Sawbridge, and
told her that he should work during the night in order to finish some
articles which he had in hand, and desired her therefore not to be
frightened if she should see that he had a fire. At half-past ten
o'clock he returned to his workshop, being let in by Sawbridge; and from
that hour until half-past four o'clock on the next morning nothing was
seen of him, although it was evident that he remained in his room, as he
was unable to quit the premises without the knowledge of his landlord. A
strong light was observed in his workshop, and he was heard occasionally
moving about, both in the house and in the yard; but although his father
went to look for him and to inquire into the cause of his unexpected
absence from home during the night, he made no answer.
At half-past four o'clock Sawbridge rose for the purpose of milking his
cows. He found his tenant still in his workshop, attired in his usual
working clothes, and apparently employed at his trade of bookbinding.
Cook inquired whether he was going to milk his cows, and he answered
that he was, at a place called Stoney-gate House, about four miles off
on the London road. Cook declared that he felt faint and sick after
sitting up all night, and that he should like a walk to refresh himself;
and having locked his room, he walked away to the fields in company with
his landlord and a man named Sumpter, who joined them. They talked upon
indifferent subjects, and Cook employed himself in keeping the cows
together, while Sawbridge milked them in succession; and then they
walked back to Wellington-street, the former re-entering his own
workshop, while the latter proceeded to his ordinary occupation of
carrying out the milk.
On Thursday evening the murder was discovered. At about ten o'clock the
appearance of an unusual degree of light in the workshop of Cook
attracted observation, and the neighbours having assembled, fears were
expressed that the premises had caught fire. The window-blinds were
down, and from without no distinct information could be obtained of the
existence or non-existence of any conflagration, and an entrance to the
building was in consequence determined on. Mr. Timson, a broker residing
within two doors, was the person by whom the performance of this work
was undertaken, and reaching the top of the stairs leading to Cook's
workshop, he burst open the door, and immediately entered that
apartment. He found that the fire which had been kindled in the grate
was extended far beyond its usual bounds, and a large piece of flesh was
on the top of it burning. The flesh was taken off and put on the floor,
and then the fire was raked out and extinguished. Many persons had by
this time reached the spot, and great curiosity was expressed to know
the nature of the flesh which had been found, as well as the reason for
consuming it. Many declared their impression that it was horse-flesh;
but Cook was sent for, in order that he might explain the mysterious and
suspicious circumstances attending its discovery. He was found at his
father's house undressed, and apparently about to retire to rest; but on
his being informed of the nature of the inquiry which was proceeding, he
immediately dressed himself, and accompanied the messenger who had been
despatched in search of him to Wellington-street. On his way thither, he
asked with great anxiety whether the flesh which had been found was
scorched all over; and being answered in the negative, he exhibited much
agitation. He, however, afterwards learned the nature of the supposition
of its discoverers of its being horse-flesh, and appeared more easy. On
his reaching Wellington-street he was questioned upon the subject of the
flesh, and his answers showed the facility with which he was able to
coin plausible excuses for the act of which he had been guilty. He
declared that the flesh was horse-flesh, and that he had bought it for
the purpose of feeding a dog, for the purchase of which he had been
bargaining; but he added, that the owner of the dog having refused to
allow him to become its purchaser, and the meat having become partially
putrescent, he had determined to burn it to get rid of it. He was told
that he had nearly set the house on fire in his exertions; when his
answer was, "Well, it's all out now, so let us lock the door and go." In
answer to further inquiries, he said, that he had purchased the flesh of
a man, whose name he did not know, in the Humberstone-gate. The
circumstances which had been ascertained, however, aided by the
discovery of an attempt on the part of Cook to conceal his proceedings
in his workshop by pasting thick paper over his windows, tended to
attach considerable suspicion to his conduct in the transaction, and
Measures, a constable, having arrived on the spot, he deemed it to be
his duty to take him into custody. An undefinable terror appeared to
pervade the minds of all upon the subject of the flesh which had been
found, but none could fix any idea even in their own minds as to the
real nature of the occurrence which excited at once their alarm and
suspicion. The flesh was taken by Measures to his own house for better
security, and his prisoner was conveyed by him at once to the mayor's
office. Here, however, a difficulty presented itself. The mayor could
not be found, and the constable was driven to act upon his own authority
and responsibility. From his acquaintance with Cook he knew him to be a
person to whom a good general character attached, and he was unwilling
upon suspicions so vague as those which were entertained to lock him up
all night. He, therefore, informed him, that if he could procure good
bail for his appearance on the next day, to answer any charge which
might be preferred, he would liberate him; and his father having become
responsible for his re-production when he should be required, he was at
once discharged out of custody.
On the following day he was sent for by the mayor, with a view to his
examination upon the subject of the discoveries of the preceding night,
but he had absconded.
The suspicions already entertained were now still further excited, and a
surgical examination of the piece of flesh was determined upon. Its
result was the expression of the belief of Messrs. Denton, and others,
surgeons, that it was part of a human body!
Instant minute inquiries were set on foot with a view to its being
ascertained whether any person was missing from the town; and the
non-return of Mr. Paas to his inn at once led to a belief that he had
fallen a victim to the barbarous machinations of Cook, and that he had
been murdered, and his remains thus mutilated and consumed. A universal
sensation of horror was created as this idea gained ground, and evidence
confirming the general impression was soon obtained upon an examination
of the premises of the supposed murderer. In the chimney of his workshop
was found all that remained unburnt or unscorched of the body of the
unfortunate Mr. Paas. Two thighs and a leg, separated from each other
and from the main trunk of the body apparently with great determination
by a knife and a saw, were found suspended from a nail by a cord, in the
chimney, about a yard and a half above the fireplace, evidently awaiting
only the favourable opportunity when they too might be consumed, and so
all trace of the murder be destroyed. In the room were also discovered
the leg of a pair of black trousers, covered with blood, together with a
snuff-box, an eye-glass, a pencil-case, with the letter "P" engraved on
it, and some fragments of cloth, much stained with blood. Among the
ashes were found the horrible remains of the deceased, in the shape of
calcined bones; but there was also discovered a gaiter, of a description
known to have been worn by Mr. Paas. The floor of the room had evidently
been recently scraped and scoured; but evident marks of some dark fluid
having flown over it were still visible. Other evidence, presented by
the discoveries in this room, pointed out the mode of the death of the
deceased, and the method in which his body had
[Illustration: _Apprehension of Jerry Avershaw._
_p. 348._]
been cut in pieces, in order the more readily to be burned. On the table
was seen a bill, in the name of Mr. Paas, on Cook for 12_s._; and at the
foot of this instrument was the word "settled," followed by the two
letters "J. P." It had been the habit of Mr. Paas invariably to sign his
name in full to such receipts, and in this instance it appeared as if he
had not intended to depart from his custom, but that having reached the
completion of the letter P, he had received a severe blow, by which the
pen in his hand had been driven in a direction across the preceding
letter "J," a deep and heavily pressed ink-mark being perceptible on the
paper, as if such had been the case. The instrument of attack was
discovered, in a heavy species of hammer used by bookbinders in their
trade.
A new and minute examination of the fireplace proved that the murderer
had not so far succeeded in his object of destroying the body of his
victim as was at first supposed. A mis-shapen and most unsightly mass of
matter, which no one would have supposed, upon an ordinary inspection,
could ever have formed any portion of the human frame, was found among
the cinders; and upon its being submitted to the scrutiny of surgeons,
it was declared by them to be the lower part of the abdomen, and a part
of the thighs of the human body; but all was dreadfully disfigured by
the action of the fire, and it was evident that large collops of flesh
had been cut from it, with a view apparently to its more speedy
destruction and disfigurement. The fireplace was found to have been in
some degree enlarged by the removal of one or two bricks; and across the
top of it were to be seen two bars of iron, placed there so as to serve
as a gridiron, on which the flesh might be placed in its progress of
consumption. No trace of the trunk of the body or the head of the
deceased, however, could be found, and it became the general impression
that these had been removed, and had been buried somewhere in the
outskirts of the town.
These new discoveries at once fixed the identity of the deceased, and
the fact of his having been murdered, with intelligence of the
melancholy occurrence, was immediately conveyed to the friends of the
unhappy gentleman, in London, together with an intimation of the flight
of the murderer. The feelings excited by such a communication to Mrs.
Paas and her family were of a nature to be more easily imagined than
described; but the firm of Barker, Denton, and Choffin, attorneys of
Gray's Inn, was at once called upon to take the necessary steps to
secure the apprehension and conviction of Cook. Mr. Barker, in
consequence, applied immediately at Bow-street for the assistance of the
metropolitan police-officers, and a warrant was at once issued, and
placed in the hands of an officer for execution. A reward of 100_l._ was
also offered for the apprehension of Cook, and every step was taken by
which it could be hoped to bring him to justice.
On Sunday the 3rd of June, an inquest was held upon the remains of
deceased, at the Dog and Gun, in the Market-street, Leicester. The facts
which we have detailed were then proved in evidence, and the additional
testimony of a person named George Cooke, living at Loughborough, and
occasionally driving the coach between that place and Manchester, was
obtained, which tended to confirm the suspicions entertained against
Cook, and at the same time to exhibit the line which he had taken in his
endeavours to escape from the pursuing hand of justice. Cooke stated
that on the previous Friday morning, at a quarter after five o'clock, he
was in the stable-yard of the Black Horse Inn, at Loughborough, when he
saw a person who was a stranger (but who was now known to be Cook, from
the description given of his appearance) conversing with the stable-boy.
He appeared dirty, as if he had been up all night and in the roads; but
as it was fair-time, he concluded that he had been larking, and did not
take much notice of the circumstance. The witness joined in the
conversation, and presently the stranger produced a small broach from
his shirt-front, which he said he had picked up. He expressed a wish to
sell it, and the witness finally bought it for two shillings. The man
afterwards produced a silver watch, with a gold chain and seals, which
he said his father had purchased for him for 40_l._; and then he
declared his desire to procure change for a 5_l._ or a 10_l._ note. He
brought a green silk purse from his pocket, and took a note of each
denomination from a number of papers which it contained, and at the same
time exhibited a large sum of money in gold. The witness endeavoured to
procure change for him, but could not, and left him. He subsequently
learned that the man had gone on by coach and railroad to Liverpool. The
brooch was produced by the witness, and it was instantly recognised by
several friends of the deceased gentleman to be one which he had
constantly worn, and which he had received as a mourning token upon the
death of a friend named Mancell.
Upon this testimony the jury returned a verdict, that the remains which
had been discovered were those of Mr. Paas, and that he had been
wilfully murdered by James Cook.
A few days sufficed to bring this atrocious malefactor to justice.
Cummins, an officer of Leicester, had started in pursuit of him, and he
succeeded in apprehending him on Tuesday on the point of joining a
vessel just sailing from Liverpool for America. It had been ascertained
by this active officer, that the object of his search had made for
Liverpool; and he entertained little doubt that his intention was to
reach one of the vessels which was then about to sail for America, after
their quitting the harbour. For the purpose of more easily watching the
anticipated movements of his prey, he and his assistant stationed
themselves on the Chester side of the river Mersey, and, with a boat and
crew always ready, remained anxiously awaiting the anticipated necessity
for exertion. A constant look-out enabled them to criticise the
appearance of every boat which put out, and their watch did not extend
to a very long one. To the disgrace of the watermen of Liverpool, there
were to be found among them men who, for adequate remuneration, were
always ready and willing to succour those who were flying from
punishment--no matter what their crimes might be--by carrying them off
to the ships which should be lying in the channel, outward-bound. Cook
had succeeded in procuring the aid of a crew of these men, and, at an
early hour on Tuesday morning, the 5th of June, he put off from the
shore. The movements of the party did not escape the vigilant
observation of Cummins and his well-experienced assistants, and their
object soon became apparent. They were allowed to get well out to sea,
however, before any effort was made to pursue them; but then Cummins,
with his active crew, immediately started in pursuit. They gained
rapidly on the small boat in which the object of their search was; but
he, finding himself in danger of being secured, at once ordered his men
to make for the shore. They had already reached the shallow water, when
the pursuing boat came close astern. Cook, who appeared frantic with
desperation, jumped overboard, with an intention to drown himself; but
the water was too shallow for his purpose, and finding himself
disappointed in this object, he drew a phial from his pocket, the
contents of which he was about to drink, when, however, his hand was
seized by Cummins, and so forcibly compressed that the bottle was
broken, and its liquid contents, whatever they may have been, lost in
the sea. The wretched man was now secured by the officers and conveyed
to Liverpool, and he there immediately underwent an examination before
the magistrates of that city. The nature of the charge was stated, and
his identity having been proved, he was at once ordered to be conveyed
to Leicester.
At his own request, he was allowed to remain at the Bridewell that
night; but on the following morning he was carried back to the scene of
his diabolical crime by coach, in custody of five constables. On his way
he exhibited the utmost levity, and frequently laughed at the people who
came out of their houses to catch a glimpse of him as he passed by. He
ate and drank heartily, and requested, at almost every stoppage, to be
supplied with brandy-and-water and cigars--a demand which was complied
with. The coach did not arrive at Leicester until near ten o'clock; but
the streets were, even at that hour, crowded with persons looking for
his coming. He was safely lodged in jail, without any disturbance taking
place.
From the moment of his apprehension he made no attempt to deny that Mr.
Paas had fallen by his hands; but he sought to palliate his offence by
asserting that that gentleman had attacked him first with one of the
implements of his trade, in consequence of his refusal to pay him a bill
which he owed him. He declared that he paid him the twelve shillings on
his first visit, and denied most positively that he had any previous
intention to commit the murder.
At a meeting of the borough magistrates of Leicester, at the town-jail,
on Thursday afternoon, Cook was brought before them for the purpose of
affording him an opportunity of making any disclosure or explanation he
might see fit.
Mr. Burbidge, the town-clerk, addressed him, and said that he was not
bound to say anything to criminate himself.
The prisoner, after a short pause, replied in substance and words nearly
as follows:--"I am innocent of wilful murder, and my conscience is not
burdened in the manner that you gentlemen seem to suppose. Mr. Paas
called on me in the morning, but what morning I cannot exactly say, my
agitation of mind has been so great ever since. I paid him a bill of
twelve shillings. There were two bills due. The other was for a larger
sum. Mr. Paas wrote "Settled" on the twelve-shillings bill, and I told
him I would strive to pay part of the other if he called again in the
evening. Mr. Paas did call in the evening, but I was not able to give
him anything. He was angry, and I was angry; disagreeable words took
place, and a scuffle ensued, and in this manner I was brought to this
shameful and disgraceful end."
Mr. Burbidge said they had reason to suppose that the upper part of the
body had been moved from the premises, and probably buried, and they
understood he had admitted as much to one of the constables. The
prisoner, after hesitating a short time, said he would consider of it.
In addition to the above, the prisoner had previously told the
constables that, during the scuffle, Mr. Paas had thrown the great
hammer at his head, and that it struck his shoulder, and that in the
heat of the moment he snatched up the press-pin (a strong iron bar), and
hit him with it on the back of the neck, and he fell dead instantly.
On Friday morning the prisoner was visited in his cell by Mr. Burbidge,
accompanied by the governor of the jail and his son. He was found
reading and extracting from one of the many religious books with which
he had been supplied. Mr. Burbidge asked him whether he was willing to
tell what he had done with the trunk of the body. The prisoner replied,
"I know I shall suffer, and as there is a just God, I burnt the whole of
it; but how I did it, I can hardly tell."
Mr. Burbidge asked when he burned it? He replied, "In the course of
Wednesday night." Mr. Burbidge then asked how he did it; and he said
that he cut it up into fragments, and so placed them on the fire. Mr.
Burbidge told him that he had been informed by surgeons that it would be
impossible for him to destroy the lungs by any ordinary fire. The
prisoner, in a composed but melancholy tone, replied, "Ah, sir, they
never tried the experiment." Mr. Burbidge next observed, that he was
given to understand that it was impossible to destroy the intestines by
fire, without their causing a stench that would be smelt all round the
neighbourhood. The prisoner, in answer, said, "I know nothing about
that, sir; it was a very stormy night, and a great deal of rain
fell--perhaps that may account for it." Mr. Burbidge asked, if his story
were true, how he could explain the circumstance of no remains of the
bones of the skull or trunk being found? The prisoner replied, that they
were all burned so that he could crush them with his foot easily. He
added, placing the fingers of his right hand upon the palm of his left,
"I could mash them thus."
Mr. Burbidge asked how he could think of such a horrible mode of
disposing of the body? The prisoner answered, "What was I to do with it,
sir? the dreadful deed had been committed: I must get rid of it some
way, and I had no other mode of disposing of it." Mr. Burbidge observed
to him, that if he had cut up the body as he had stated, a great flow of
blood must have taken place, and yet there were very few marks of blood
on the floor: how did he account for that? In answer, the prisoner said
he had first strewn the floor thickly with hay and straw, which he
afterwards collected and burned.
This gives the substance of the various statements made by the prisoner,
although he was repeatedly questioned upon the subject of the murder;
and, on the 9th of June, he was committed to take his trial.
The remains of Mr. Paas having been conveyed to his late residence in
Holborn, they were, on the 11th of June, carried to their last
resting-place, followed by a host of mourning friends.