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Chapter 14
The next morning, Harriet and Agatha sat patiently waiting in the study for James’s cab to arrive. The carriage clock on the mantlepiece said quarter to nine, the public gallery in the magistrate court opened in fifteen minutes and the two women were hoping to be on the road by now.
“Something’s up.” Harriet said, now looking out of the study window into the square below.
Agatha didn’t want to alarm Harriet, but she thought the same too. “We’ll give it five more minutes than we’ll start making our own way there. The court is not in session until nine-thirty.”
Just then, Harriet spotted a hansom cab coming into the square. “He’s here!” she exclaimed. Not waiting for him to ring the door bell, Harriet and Agatha left the study and quickly walked down the stairs and opened the front door.
Both women saw the cab come by their front gate, but instead of slowing down it continued on to the house two doors down.
Harriet and Agatha stood on the door step and watched as a tall middle-aged man in a dark blue suit carrying a small black leather bag, got into the cab. “Doctor Parks, doing his rounds to the bed-ridden.” said a rather deflated Harriet.
“Look!” said Agatha. “For whatever reason, Mr Carter is not coming to collect us. We are going to have to travel by ourselves.”
Harriet nodded and the two of them were about to walk out of the square, when an empty cab came by touting for business. Harriet immediately hailed the driver, then bribed him by saying she’ll pay double the fare if he made good time in getting them to Bow Street.
With the promise of an ha’penny instead of a farthing, the cab driver weaved in and out of the busy London traffic and even managed a few ‘off the route’ alleyways to get them outside Bow Street Magistrate Court, Public Entrance for ten-past nine!
“Here you go, my good man!” said Harriet reaching up to pay the driver.
Smiling as he took the shiny bronze coin he asked, “Would you like me to come back for you later?”
Harriet thanked him, but said she didn’t know how long they would be. The driver then tipped his cap towards them and pulled away.
The public gallery was not as full as first feared and Agatha spotted a couple of spaces on the first bench. The two of them took their place and while Harriet was leaning over the balustrade watching the courtroom below fill up with officials, Agatha was trying to see if James Carter was in the gallery.
At precisely nine-twenty, Harriet tapped Agatha on the arm, drawing her attention to the door opening in the far left-hand corner of the court. The both of them watched, as first to come out were two police constable, followed by Phoebe Carter.
Despite being in handcuffs, Agatha thought Phoebe looked a little more composed than when she saw her the day before. Maybe the presence of her lawyer, who followed out behind her, was having a calming effect.
Her lawyer was a tall man in a black morning suit, he guided Phoebe towards the front bench where they both took their seats accompanied by the two police constables.
The clock on the wall above the magistrate bench now showed 9:28am. Agatha could hear someone behind her, she looked around hoping it was Mr Carter, but unfortunately it was only a policeman closing the door to the public gallery. Agatha saw him give her a brief glance, then placing his hands behind his back he just stared ahead into the public gallery.
“No sign of Mr Carter then.” whispered Agatha. Harriet gave a quick scan of the gallery before shaking her head.
Upon the clock striking the half-hour, the court usher stood up and shouted, “All stand!”
Immediately a door to the right of the magistrate’s bench opened and three elderly gentlemen dressed in grey suits came through and sat in the tall green leather chairs.
Once the magistrates were seated, the usher proclaimed, “You may all be seated.”
When Harriet took her place, she asked Agatha. “Where are their wigs and black gowns?”
“Those men are not crown court judges, just magistrates.” Agatha then started to explain the juridical system to Harriet, when the constable standing at the back barked at them.
“You two, no talking in the gallery or I’ll have you ejected!” Both Harriet and Agatha, cowed down rather sheepishly to the sound of tutting all around them.
Harriet and Agatha were relived when everyone’s attention was suddenly drawn towards the centre of the court as the clerk rose from his desk and holding a piece of paper, he addressed the magistrate bench.
“Your Honour we are gathered today to hear the plea of Mrs Phoebe Mary Carter abiding at 14 Sycamore Drive, Cheam, Surrey. Who is being accused of murdering her husband, Thomas Robert Carter late of the same abode. The accuser is Inspector Ernest Cosgrove of Scotland Yard.”
“Thank you, Mr Wildes.” said the leading magistrate. Then directing his gaze to the constable seating on Phoebe’s left, he asked. “Constable could you please escort the accused to the stand.”
Taking Phoebe firmly under the arm, the constable placed her in the stand as instructed.
Both Harriet and Agatha could clearly now see Phoebe from their high-up position in the gallery. She was still wearing her mourning dress from the previous day, and her hair was looking a little dishevelled.
But despite her untidy outward appearance, she stood poker straight neither looking to the left nor to the right or even glancing up at the gallery. She had been instructed by her lawyer to focus straight ahead and only answer the questions given to her.
The leading magistrate felt he needed to give a few taps of his gavel just to settle the court. Once the room fell silent, he asked. “Phoebe Mary Carter how do you plead for the changes brought against you for the murder of your husband, Thomas Robert Carter. Guilty or not guilty?”
Phoebe Carter, threw back her shoulders and with a slight upward tilt of her head she cried out, “Not guilty your honour!”
On hearing the plea of ‘not guilty’, the gallery erupted with shouts of ‘Shame’, ‘Harlot’ and ‘Hang her.’ The policeman standing on duty in the gallery, immediately opened the gallery door and blew his whistle for assistance. Soon, the sound of boots could be heard thundering up the gallery stairs to reinstate order.
The leading magistrate continued to rain down his gavel demanding to have order in the court. After sometime, calm returned and the leading magistrate gave his starkness warning yet.
“Gentleman of the gallery, may I remain you that this is still a court of law and you are to respect it so. Mrs Carter has answered a plea of ‘not guilty’ and as the law of this land stands, she remains innocent until proven guilty. If you wish to continue watching these proceedings, I must order you to remain silent, otherwise I will instruct my constables to eject you from this court and you will all be changed with contempt of court which I’m obliged to remind you carries a statutory sentence of one-month hard labour. Do I make myself clear!”
The gallery mumbled like a hive of angry bees before falling silent once more.
“Good, now Inspector Cosgrove you have heard the plea from the accused. Can you now convince the court that you have sufficient evidence why Mrs Phoebe Carter should be trialled in a crown court for the murder of her husband?
I need not have to remind you Inspector that the accusation you have brought forward against Mrs Carter is of a very serious nature and if found guilty by a jury of twelve men, Mrs Carter will face the death penalty.”
Inspector Cosgrove stood up and stared directly ahead at the magistrate bench. “I perfectly understand the severity of this matter your honour. And now if you please, I would like to present my case.”
“Here we go.” whispered Agatha to Harriet.
The Inspector then gathered up his evidence and approached the bench.
© Alice White
“Something’s up.” Harriet said, now looking out of the study window into the square below.
Agatha didn’t want to alarm Harriet, but she thought the same too. “We’ll give it five more minutes than we’ll start making our own way there. The court is not in session until nine-thirty.”
Just then, Harriet spotted a hansom cab coming into the square. “He’s here!” she exclaimed. Not waiting for him to ring the door bell, Harriet and Agatha left the study and quickly walked down the stairs and opened the front door.
Both women saw the cab come by their front gate, but instead of slowing down it continued on to the house two doors down.
Harriet and Agatha stood on the door step and watched as a tall middle-aged man in a dark blue suit carrying a small black leather bag, got into the cab. “Doctor Parks, doing his rounds to the bed-ridden.” said a rather deflated Harriet.
“Look!” said Agatha. “For whatever reason, Mr Carter is not coming to collect us. We are going to have to travel by ourselves.”
Harriet nodded and the two of them were about to walk out of the square, when an empty cab came by touting for business. Harriet immediately hailed the driver, then bribed him by saying she’ll pay double the fare if he made good time in getting them to Bow Street.
With the promise of an ha’penny instead of a farthing, the cab driver weaved in and out of the busy London traffic and even managed a few ‘off the route’ alleyways to get them outside Bow Street Magistrate Court, Public Entrance for ten-past nine!
“Here you go, my good man!” said Harriet reaching up to pay the driver.
Smiling as he took the shiny bronze coin he asked, “Would you like me to come back for you later?”
Harriet thanked him, but said she didn’t know how long they would be. The driver then tipped his cap towards them and pulled away.
The public gallery was not as full as first feared and Agatha spotted a couple of spaces on the first bench. The two of them took their place and while Harriet was leaning over the balustrade watching the courtroom below fill up with officials, Agatha was trying to see if James Carter was in the gallery.
At precisely nine-twenty, Harriet tapped Agatha on the arm, drawing her attention to the door opening in the far left-hand corner of the court. The both of them watched, as first to come out were two police constable, followed by Phoebe Carter.
Despite being in handcuffs, Agatha thought Phoebe looked a little more composed than when she saw her the day before. Maybe the presence of her lawyer, who followed out behind her, was having a calming effect.
Her lawyer was a tall man in a black morning suit, he guided Phoebe towards the front bench where they both took their seats accompanied by the two police constables.
The clock on the wall above the magistrate bench now showed 9:28am. Agatha could hear someone behind her, she looked around hoping it was Mr Carter, but unfortunately it was only a policeman closing the door to the public gallery. Agatha saw him give her a brief glance, then placing his hands behind his back he just stared ahead into the public gallery.
“No sign of Mr Carter then.” whispered Agatha. Harriet gave a quick scan of the gallery before shaking her head.
Upon the clock striking the half-hour, the court usher stood up and shouted, “All stand!”
Immediately a door to the right of the magistrate’s bench opened and three elderly gentlemen dressed in grey suits came through and sat in the tall green leather chairs.
Once the magistrates were seated, the usher proclaimed, “You may all be seated.”
When Harriet took her place, she asked Agatha. “Where are their wigs and black gowns?”
“Those men are not crown court judges, just magistrates.” Agatha then started to explain the juridical system to Harriet, when the constable standing at the back barked at them.
“You two, no talking in the gallery or I’ll have you ejected!” Both Harriet and Agatha, cowed down rather sheepishly to the sound of tutting all around them.
Harriet and Agatha were relived when everyone’s attention was suddenly drawn towards the centre of the court as the clerk rose from his desk and holding a piece of paper, he addressed the magistrate bench.
“Your Honour we are gathered today to hear the plea of Mrs Phoebe Mary Carter abiding at 14 Sycamore Drive, Cheam, Surrey. Who is being accused of murdering her husband, Thomas Robert Carter late of the same abode. The accuser is Inspector Ernest Cosgrove of Scotland Yard.”
“Thank you, Mr Wildes.” said the leading magistrate. Then directing his gaze to the constable seating on Phoebe’s left, he asked. “Constable could you please escort the accused to the stand.”
Taking Phoebe firmly under the arm, the constable placed her in the stand as instructed.
Both Harriet and Agatha could clearly now see Phoebe from their high-up position in the gallery. She was still wearing her mourning dress from the previous day, and her hair was looking a little dishevelled.
But despite her untidy outward appearance, she stood poker straight neither looking to the left nor to the right or even glancing up at the gallery. She had been instructed by her lawyer to focus straight ahead and only answer the questions given to her.
The leading magistrate felt he needed to give a few taps of his gavel just to settle the court. Once the room fell silent, he asked. “Phoebe Mary Carter how do you plead for the changes brought against you for the murder of your husband, Thomas Robert Carter. Guilty or not guilty?”
Phoebe Carter, threw back her shoulders and with a slight upward tilt of her head she cried out, “Not guilty your honour!”
On hearing the plea of ‘not guilty’, the gallery erupted with shouts of ‘Shame’, ‘Harlot’ and ‘Hang her.’ The policeman standing on duty in the gallery, immediately opened the gallery door and blew his whistle for assistance. Soon, the sound of boots could be heard thundering up the gallery stairs to reinstate order.
The leading magistrate continued to rain down his gavel demanding to have order in the court. After sometime, calm returned and the leading magistrate gave his starkness warning yet.
“Gentleman of the gallery, may I remain you that this is still a court of law and you are to respect it so. Mrs Carter has answered a plea of ‘not guilty’ and as the law of this land stands, she remains innocent until proven guilty. If you wish to continue watching these proceedings, I must order you to remain silent, otherwise I will instruct my constables to eject you from this court and you will all be changed with contempt of court which I’m obliged to remind you carries a statutory sentence of one-month hard labour. Do I make myself clear!”
The gallery mumbled like a hive of angry bees before falling silent once more.
“Good, now Inspector Cosgrove you have heard the plea from the accused. Can you now convince the court that you have sufficient evidence why Mrs Phoebe Carter should be trialled in a crown court for the murder of her husband?
I need not have to remind you Inspector that the accusation you have brought forward against Mrs Carter is of a very serious nature and if found guilty by a jury of twelve men, Mrs Carter will face the death penalty.”
Inspector Cosgrove stood up and stared directly ahead at the magistrate bench. “I perfectly understand the severity of this matter your honour. And now if you please, I would like to present my case.”
“Here we go.” whispered Agatha to Harriet.
The Inspector then gathered up his evidence and approached the bench.
© Alice White
