Samuel Crozier

Samuel Crozier was convicted of the murder of his wife Ann Crozier and sentenced to death.

He had been assaulting her over a period of time at the Admiral Rous Inn, which they ran, at Galleywood Common, Chelmsford and finally killed her on the night of Monday 25 June 1899 after he threw her down on a couch, causing her to hit her head and die from a blood clot. She was found dead from her injuries the following morning.

They had only recently married on 7 January 1899 and on 10 March 1899 they took up the Admiral Rous Inn.

However, it was heard that even shortly after their marriage that they had started quarrelling, usually over money.

Woman at Victoria Road, Chelmsford

The woman with whom they had lived from 7 January to 10 March 1899 in Victoria Road, Chelmsford, said that on one occasion she heard them quarrelling and heard Samuel Crozier say, 'You had not a d----d ½d when I married you'. She noted that she heard them quarrel three times.

She noted that she had never heard Samuel Crozier complain that Ann Crozier had spent money in drink.

She said that she had seen Ann Crozier fall down once in her presence, but didn't think she had been in drink at the time, noting that she didn't see her fall, but saw her afterwards. She added that Samuel Crozier suggested that she had fallen because she was intoxicated.

Friend of Ann Crozier

A friend of Ann Crozier said that she had known her since 1888 and that she had been in her employment three times, totalling six years altogether and that she got her a place in Chelmsford. She said that she knew her very well and had never seen her otherwise than sober, both in business and out of it.

She said that she visited Ann Crozier at Victoria Road, Chelmsford whilst on business there about 20 March 1899, staying for 2-3 days and said that Ann Crozier showed her her shoulders and arms down to her elbows which were very much bruised and saw that her neck was one mass of bruises from shoulder to shoulder.

She noted that Ann Crozier had been a very quiet woman indeed and that she had never had an angry word with a fellow servant whilst with her although added that she had seemed to have been on the very best of terms with Samuel Crozier.

She said that she saw Samuel Crozier again in May 1899 and saw again she had bruises in the same place whilst she had been dressing, and didn't think they were the same marks as before.

She said that she later got a letter from Ann Crozier on 10 June 1899 but never saw her again.

Miller

A miller that had lived at 4 Rainsford Road in Chelmsford said that he had known Samuel Crozier for four years and had gone to the Admiral Rous Inn to lodge there about nine weeks before the murder, although after a fortnight he went to live in Chelmsford but lodged there occasionally for a night, but was in the house every day for about nine weeks.

He said that he did odd jobs outside and during the last fortnight he served behind the bar.

He said that during his time there that he heard Samuel Crozier and Ann Crozier having words about the cooking, and also other words, but could not say what they were.

He said that about a fortnight before her death that Ann Crozier showed him a bruise she had on her leg, below her knee.

The miller said that he remembered Samuel Crozier coming home from the market on 9 June 1899, the worse for drink. He said that he had been in the bar and that Samuel Crozier had asked where Ann Crozier was and that he said, 'Upstairs' and that Samuel Crozier asked, 'Is she abed', and that he replied, 'I don't know'.

He said that Samuel Crozier then went to the stairs and called her very loudly and that Ann Crozier came to the top of the stairs and that he stepped up and got hold of her legs and pulled her down very roughly, almost momentary, and that they had a scuffle at the bottom of the stairs, noting that he couldn't see her as she was on the ground.

He said that she then got up and went into the kitchen and Samuel Crozier came into the bar and said, 'I know what I'll do, I'll get her to the top of the stairs and push her down and break her neck and say she was drunk'. He said that Samuel Crozier then went into the tap room and sat down and had a glass of ale.

He noted that when Samuel Crozier had pulled Ann Crozier down the stairs that he had been very angry and violent and that he had been in a passion because she was not attending to business. He said that he had got hold of Ann Crozier by holding her legs and her dress with one hand when he pulled her down and that she came down lumbering, not sliding, and didn't stop until she got to the bottom of the stairs.

He said that there were eleven stairs and that when he saw her after she was sitting on the second step from the bottom with her feet on the floor and that Samuel Crozier left her in that position.

He said that Ann Crozier was about all that day and not under the influence of drink.

The miller noted that he had seen Ann Crozier before with bruises on her arm, from her shoulder to her elbow as well as her legs, but that it was worst on her right arm which looked like congealed blood. He added that she also had a black eye after he pulled her down the stairs.

He said that the last day he was there was the Saturday morning when he noticed no marks, but said that her black eye was getting green. He said that the doctor came in the afternoon and that he went down into the garden and left Ann Crozier and Samuel Crozier in the house. He said that he wasn't out long, and that when he came back in he couldn't see either of them and that he looked about and then saw Ann Crozier lying on the sofa in the bar parlour with blood running from a wound on her nose.

He said that he rose her up and took out her handkerchief and wiped the blood from about her mouth that was coming from the wound, noting that that was between 11am and 12pm. He later noted that he gave her a drop of whisky, but that she could not keep it down.

He said that he then found Samuel Crozier sitting on a stool outside the front door and said to him, 'Have you seen her lately?' to which Samuel Crozier replied, 'No'. He said that he then said, 'She's got a rare cut on the nose', but Samuel Crozier said he knew nothing about it.

He said that he later left the house around 6pm or 6.15pm.

He said that Ann Crozier had always been very kind to Samuel Crozier and never spoke to him in a quarrelsome way ever.

He added that he had heard Samuel Crozier ask Ann Crozier to sing several times when people were there, saying that he had heard him stop her and ask her to sing and that she did what she was told.

He said that he had seen her take more drink in the last fortnight than she did before, and that he noticed her drinking more after she had been pulled down the stairs. He said that when she was under drink that she used to go into the parlour and lay on the sofa and that he would go in and do the best he could.

He added that he had heard Samuel Crozier complain frequently about her drinking, saying that she was drunk, but that he had never seen it before he pulled her down the stairs. However, he said that he never saw Samuel Crozier strike Ann Crozier.

He noted that the last time he was in the house that he had a quarrel with Samuel Crozier about some tools that he had missed.

The miller noted that he left the house because Ann Crozier would not cook and that Samuel Crozier often complained of that.

Brickmaker

A brickmaker said that he had been in the Admiral Rous Inn on 9 June 1899 at about 5.30pm when Samuel Crozier came in rather excited about some golf players, noting that he was not drunk and walked into the house all right.

He said that Samuel Crozier said he had a brewer's bill in for £28 and that Ann Crozier had only £7 to pay it with and that he had had to borrow a £20 cheque from his brother, and then said, 'If that ain't enough to break a man's heart, I don't know what would. I can't make out what she done with the money. I expect she's laid it up for a rainy day'.

He said that Samuel Crozier then called up to Ann Crozier two or three times, but that she would not come down and that he then went and pulled her down, noting that he could see her about half-way up the stairs. He said that Samuel Crozier called two or three times, 'Minnie I want you', but she was not coming down the stairs and that he then grabbed at her dress to bring her down.

He said that when Ann Crozier then came into the bar he was sitting at the tap-room door and could see her face and didn't notice anything the matter, noting that he was sitting down and that the stairs curved round and that he had had to look through the window to see.

He noted that he had seen Ann Crozier under the influence of drink before, but never drunk.

Labourer

A labourer from Galleywood said that he had been at the Admiral Rous Inn on Sunday 18 June 1899 and saw Samuel Crozier and Ann Crozier, noting that Samuel Crozier had had a little beer, but could stand up straight.

He said that he said, 'Hello Sam. How is the missis getting on' and that Samuel Crozier replied, 'Buggered if I know. There's no b---- grub cooked for me. I'll bloody soon settle the old sow'.

He said that later at 2pm he was in the garden and saw Ann Crozier behind the house and saw Samuel Crozier come out and hit her in the chest and knock her down, saying, 'I'll b---- soon settle you you old sow'. He said that Ann Crozier then got up crying and went in, but didn't say anything. He noted that he didn't say anything either and didn't try to prevent it although he had  seen that Samuel Crozier had intended to strike her.

The labourer noted that it wasn't until a fortnight after Ann Crozier's death, after the inquest, that he told the sergeant what he had seen, after the sergeant came to him and said, 'I've heard you've something to say about Crozier', after which he told him.

Retired Publican

A retired publican said that on 21 June 1899 he met Samuel Crozier driving on the road about half a mile from the Admiral Rous Inn and asked him how he was and how he was getting on at home and that Samuel Crozier said, 'D----d d----d bad', and then complained that Ann Crozier had been on the drink and was abed and would not get up and do anything for him and that he had given her a slap or two in the face and that she had been worse since'.

He said that he then told him to drop that and that if he could not get on better than that  that he should get a separation order and make her an allowance else he might get a rope round his neck, to which he said Samuel Crozier replied, 'That would not do'.

Second Labourer

Another labourer said that he had been at the Admiral Rous Inn about a week before the murder and heard Samuel Crozier ask Ann Crozier to sing, which she did. He said that when she started on a second song that Samuel Crozier began to swear at her and told her she should not kick up that row there, saying, 'You b----r, don't' etc.

He said that Ann Crozier stopped singing and that Samuel Crozier then asked her to trust him a pot which he had and that he then asked for another on trust, noting that a pot was a quart, and that Ann Crozier replied, 'You know the beer will be out and I shan’t have the money here', but that Samuel Crozier then swore at her. He noted that no one was going to pay for it and that there had been several people there and that they had all drunk it.

Former Landlord

The former landlord of the Admiral Rous Inn said that he lived within a quarter of a mile of the house and knew Samuel Crozier and Ann Crozier and that he went there on Wednesday 14 June at about 8am or 8.15am and that when he saw Ann Crozier she pointed to her eyes which were both dark green. He said that Samuel Crozier was, he thought, upstairs and that Ann Crozier then bolted the door and showed him her left leg on which there was a large wound across the shin.

He said that he saw her again on the morning of 24 June 1899 in the morning when she was going out of the house and that he offered to fetch the milk for her which was about 300 yards off. He said that she went with him, but was a little weak. He noted that there was nothing amiss with her face then whatever and that he didn't notice anything amiss with her except for the fact that she couldn't walk very fast.

He said that he had been at the Grand Stand on the same evening between 7pm and 8pm and that he walked to the house and heard sounds from within that appeared to come from upstairs. He said that one of the windows was a little open and that it seemed like someone was thumping the floor or something like that, hammering something on the floor or whatever it was. He said that it seemed to last about ten minutes. He noted that he first heard the noise a little before he arrived at the house.

He said that he then went in with another person and found that the noise was still going on and that he could hear Samuel Crozier's voice, noting that he was using bad language, saying, 'You b----r. I'll try and make you get up'. He said that he distinctly heard his voice and that he heard no other voice.

He said that he then knocked on the counter and that Samuel Crozier came down looking very red and excited and thought that he had been the worse for drink.

He said that he could see no one in the house but him and that he then asked him for a pint of ale, which he served.

He said that he was in the house again the following day, Sunday 25 June 1899 about 1pm, at which time Samuel Crozier looked as if he had had beer although he was not as bad as he had been on the Saturday.

He said that he saw him again between 8pm and 9pm when he looked through the window of the bar parlour from outside, noting that he could see quite well, and that he saw Samuel Crozier in the room and heard his voice talking very bad, using bad words against her, swearing, 'You b----r. I'll make you get up'.

He said that he then went away, but noted that there had been several other people also outside at the time, including several lads and one or two women.

He said that the following morning, Monday 26 June 1899 that he had been on the common and that Samuel Crozier was at his door and he beckoned to him and said, 'My wife is dead', to which he replied, 'You don't mean that', and that Samuel Crozier said, 'Yes, she's dead as a nit'.

He said that Samuel Crozier looked rather bad and that he went into the parlour and saw Ann Crozier lying dead beside the couch on the floor with her feet towards the stand and her head towards the floor. He said that her left hand was on her breast and the other beside her body, and that Samuel Crozier then said, 'That's where I left her last night at 10.30 and that's where I found her this morning at 6.30'.

The former landlord said that he then undid Ann Crozier’s things and saw that she was very black in the face, and that Samuel Crozier then said, 'It looks very much like getting into a bit of bother over this job', to which he replied, 'It looks very much like it could. Well, I must go for the police', and that he then went and fetched a police constable.

Baker

A baker that lived in Galleywood Common said he had been walking past the Admiral Rous Inn on the evening of Saturday 24 June 1899 at about 8pm when he heard Samuel Crozier say, 'You drunken old cow ', and 'You drunken old b----'. He said that the sound came from the bedroom and that the window was open. He said that he stayed and listened and heard some heavy thuds on the floor and that after that he heard Samuel Crozier say, 'How does that suit you', and then heard some more blows delivered, like blows with the hand on a person’s face.

He said that he then heard Samuel Crozier say, 'I'll make you', and then imitated groaning, and also, 'I'll make you', and then imitated retching.

He said that he then heard the thuds over again followed by the same words, 'How does that suit you'.

He said that the previous landlord of the Admiral Rous Inn came by and that they then went in together and that he heard Samuel Crozier say, 'You b----r, b----r'.

He said that the previous landlord then knocked on the bar and Samuel Crozier came down and the previous landlord called for a pint and that he soon after went out.

He noted that he didn't hear what could be described as hammering, stating that the thuds were much heavier and louder than the blows, as though something were being dropped on the floor, and that he heard them five times altogether.

Engineer

An engineer who lived in Springfield, about three miles from the Admiral Rous Inn said that he first saw Samuel Crozier at the inn on Sunday 25 June 1899 when he was there with two friends, arriving between 11am and 12 midday. He said that Samuel Crozier came out of the door and he asked if he could be served and Samuel Crozier asked where they were from and he told him Springfield and Samuel Crozier said he could be served.

He said he called for three bottles of ginger beer and Ann Crozier served them. He said that her eyes were discoloured and she had a slight cut or mark on her chin and her eyes were swollen.

He said that she seemed very weak and ill, although perfectly sober.

He said that he opened the ginger beer out of pity towards her, noting that she tried to open it, but staggered and fell on to her elbow on the counter.

He said another person then came in and asked Ann Crozier whether she had met with an accident, but she remained silent and that Samuel Crozier then said she had fallen over the settles, saying, 'I tell her she will kill herself and a b----y good job for me when she does'. The engineer said that he didn't recall Ann Crozier saying anything.

He said that after that he left the bar.

Labourer From Felstead

A labourer from Felstead said that he rode 13 miles with some other people, about a dozen, from Felstead to the Admiral Rous Inn on Sunday 25 June 1899, arriving about 2pm. He said that when they arrived, Samuel Crozier said, 'How are you getting on, you've come to see me then' and that one of his group asked him how Ann Crozier was, and he said, 'I think she's getting on rather funny. She's upstairs in bed with two black eyes. It's the second wife I’ve had. The first went to a lunatic asylum and died there, and this one's a d----d sight worse than the other. I'll settle this b----r off before night!'.

Tailor

A tailor from Felstead who was part of the riding group said that his wife, who was also part of the group, said something to Samuel Crozier and that Samuel Crozier replied, 'I've seen a piece of beef in the oven but I don't know if it's cooked or not'.

He also said that he had a recollection that he also said that Ann Crozier had fallen down and had a fit, as well as, 'I’ll kill that b-----r to night and have another'.

He said that another of his group then said to Samuel Crozier, 'Sam, you'll kill half the women in the country'. The tailor added that he thought that if Samuel Crozier was not drunk, then he was half mad, noting that he was excited.

Second Labourer From Felstead

Another labourer from Felstead in the group said that he asked, 'Well Sam, how are you getting on?' and that Samuel Crozier replied, 'I don't know. Rather queer'. He said that he then asked, 'How's the missis' and that Samuel Crozier replied, 'I don't quite know. She's upstairs with two black eyes', and that when he asked him how she came by them, Samuel Crozier said, 'I hardly know. She had a fit and fell down somewhere there', pointing down with his finger.

Samuel Crozier then said, 'She's a worse one than the other. She's always drunk. I'll settle her off before night'.

The labourer said that that conveyed to his mind that if she went on, the drink would kill her.

Labourer From Chelmsford

A labourer from Chelmsford said that he had been in the Admiral Rous Inn on Sunday 25 June 1899 between 4pm and 5pm and saw that Samuel Crozier was half drunk and very excited. He said that Ann Crozier had been sitting down in the bar parlour and he went round to speak to her and saw that she was crying and had two black eyes and that her face was bruised. He then saw Samuel Crozier and saw that there was blood on his right arm, on the shirt, about the size of a 5/- piece.

Slater

A slater that had been in the bar said that he had been in the Admiral Rous Inn on 25 June 1899 between 5.30pm and 6pm and that when he went to the door leading into the parlour and looked in, he saw Ann Crozier lying on a sofa there under the window with her feet towards the door.

He said that her dress sleeve was turned up and that he saw a cut on her left arm and bruises on the elbow of her right arm.

He said that he spoke to her and she answered and that when she touched her left elbow that her arm fell down straight and was black all along the front of the upper arm. He said that he also noticed that she had two black eyes and that her lip was very much swollen and nearly touched her nose.

He said that he then went back to the front door and spoke to his friends and then saw smears of blood on the right sleeve of Samuel Crozier's shirt.

He said that his friend then asked him whether Samuel Crozier had been painting and Samuel Crozier replied 'no', and that he had not changed his shirt since the previous week.

He said that at about 6pm Samuel Crozier went into the house and shut the door and then heard, 'Get up and b----y well show them', but there was no answer.  He said that he then looked through the parlour window  and saw Ann Crozier sitting on the end of the couch with her handkerchief up to her face as if she was making signs.

He said that another man that arrived about 6pm asked Samuel Crozier how he was getting on and that Samuel Crozier replied, 'D----d rough. I've had one wife before. She went to a lunatic asylum and that’s where this one will b----y soon go. She came from Kent and is no b----y good, and if she doesn't alter I shall b-----y soon settle her'.

Brass Moulder

A brass moulder said that on 25 June 1899 that he had been in the Admiral Rous Inn between 5.30pm and 6pm and heard Samuel Crozier say, 'What have you got this b-----y door open for', and 'Get up and b----y well go and show them'.

He said that Samuel Crozier then came out and lay on the grass and said that his wife had fallen over the stool in the bar picking pieces of mud up and that he wished she were dead.

Woman From Galleywood

A woman who lived in Galleywood said that at about 8pm on Sunday 25 June 1899 she and some of her family and friends had been looking in through the parlour window of the Admiral Rous Inn and saw Ann Crozier lying on the couch under the window. She said that she then saw Samuel Crozier take hold of her arm and throw her to the floor. However, she said that she then left the window and saw nothing more.

Woman

Another woman that had been outside said that she looked through into the bar parlour and could plainly see Ann Crozier lying on the sofa just under the window, lying on her left side. She said that she constantly kept looking in and that Samuel Crozier then passed her and went round to the back of the house and went into the parlour where he went up to the couch and said, 'You b----r. If you’re not sober now i'll make you so',  however, she said that Ann Crozier didn't move hand or foot.

She said that Samuel Crozier then took her by both her wrists, pulled her up violently, and then sent her violently back again onto the couch, causing her to hit her head on the top of the couch. She said that Ann Crozier put her hands over her face and that Samuel Crozier then took her by the hands and pulled her up and threw her violently to the floor, causing her head to hit the couch as she went down. She said that she hit the back or side part of her head on the couch,  but could not say whether it had been the padded or wooden part.

She said that she then called the attention to other members of her party, but that she then became unconscious and could remember no more, noting that she was liable to faint when she got frightened.

Labourer

A labourer that had been in the party said that he was outside the Admiral Rous Inn on 25 June 1899 at about 8.30pm looking in through the parlour window and saw Samuel Crozier take Ann Crozier and shake her a good deal roughly after which he lifted her up and smashed her down onto the sofa. He said that Samuel Crozier then said, 'Get up' and that he said to him, 'You'd better stop that', and that Samuel Crozier said, 'What's the matter Jack?' and that he said, 'You ought to be ashamed of yourself'. He said that Samuel Crozier then left Ann Crozier alone and he left the window.

He noted that Ann Crozier made no sound or struggle.

Another Labourer

Another labourer sad that he had been outside the Admiral Rous Inn on 25 June 1899 at about 9.40pm after having been drinking there earlier. He said that after he left Samuel Crozier locked the door and he stayed outside with a friend for a while. He said that at first there was no light on in the parlour but that it then went on and there was no blind and he could see in and saw Samuel Crozier there with a lamp in his hand and Ann Crozier on the floor on her back, just away from the couch.

He said that she was perfectly motionless and that he never saw her move.

He said that Samuel Crozier then kicked her once in her side with a hard kick and then went out of the room and went upstairs and shortly after that the lamp went off.

Police Sergeant

A police sergeant who called at the Admiral Rous Inn on Monday 26 June 1899 at 11.30am said that when he arrived he found Ann Crozier dead in the parlour with two very black eyes, a cut on her nose and a piece of skin off her chin.

He said that he then asked Samuel Crozier for particulars of her death, and he said, 'I went to bed about 10.30 last night. I saw her on the couch in the parlour. She was then in my opinion drunk. I said to her, 'Minnie dear are you coming to bed'. She said, 'Leave me alone I am coming presently'. I left her on the couch and went to bed. I went to sleep. I did not wake till between 5 and 6. I got up about 6.30 and found her lying in the hearth rug against the sofa on her back leaning towards the left side. I said to her, Minnie aren’t you going to wake'. She did not move and I found she was dead. I called the previous landlord and he went for the pc. She had taken to drink for about three weeks back. She has stopped up of a night before. I did not see any difference in her last night except that she was the worse for drink'.

The police sergeant then said, 'There are some ugly rumours about you, It is alleged that you have illtreated her and knocked her about and I feel it my duty to caution you against anything you may say respecting her'.

He said that Samuel Crozier then said, 'The bruises she has were caused by her falling about the night before, Saturday. She lay on the floor in the bedroom. I could not get her into bed. She got up about 7 and came down about 11 in the morning. She was sweeping up the tap-room bar. She stooped to pick up some dirt she had swept up and fell on her face on the edge of the settle in the bar. I asked her if she had hurt herself. She replied, 'I have hurt my lip'. She then sat on the seat. She only hurt her lip then. I first noticed her eyes being black between 11 and 12am yesterday. I have never knocked her about or kicked her. The doctor attended her last Tuesday. He saw her on Saturday last'.

Her post mortem found that Ann Crozier had a large clot of blood on the right side of her brain that must have been caused by violence and that that had caused her death. He said that her injury to her head was more consistent with her head having been dashed against the side of the couch, rather than on the couch or on the floor.

The doctor noted that her organs were healthy, but that there was slight congestion of the liver and kidney which he said was more consistent with recent drinking rather than old habits.

He also added that her stomach and intestines were empty and that he noticed no smell of alcohol.

Following his trial at the Essex Assizes at Chelmsford on Thursday 16 November 1899 Samuel Crozier was sentenced to death.

He was executed at Chelmsford on 5 December 1899.

He slept well on the Monday night before his execution, and on the Tuesday morning partook of breakfast consisting of bread and butter, eggs and coffee. When he was asked whether he had anything to say before his execution, he said, 'No, sir, no, nothing more than I have said'. He was said to have walked steadily to the scaffold and his death was said to have been instantaneous.

The Admiral Rous Inn is now residential, and is noted for its blue plaque to Admiral Rous.