Eugene de Vere

Eugene de Vere murdered Polly Edith Walker 16 at 58 Arlington Road, Camden Town, London on 1 January 1926. Eugene de Vere's real name was Ewen Anderson Stitchell. Eugene de Vere would eat his food at 58 Arlington Road.

Eugene de Vere kept pestering Polly Walker to go out with him but she wasnt interested. Eugene de Vere was a cripple with one leg and an artificial one and was a tailor by trade. Polly Walker was a cashier. Over the New Year period there were a number of disagreements between them with Eugene de Vere becoming more aggrivated about Polly Walker not returning his affection. He became particularly annoyed when a group of them played Postmans knock, a kissing game and Polly Walker's mother told Eugene de Vere that if he didnt stop pestering Polly Walker she would have to send her away to her aunts or something. He also became jealous when Polly Walker became friendly with another man, a chauffeur. He even told him that he couldnt go out with him as she had promised to go out with him which was a lie.

This resulted in them having a row in which he slapped her, she bit his finger and then he hit her with a pair of tongs and then strangled her with a pair of stockings. In court he said he did not go to the house with the intention of killing her, and he did not kill her out of jealously. He said that he killed her because she bit his finger.

see National Archives MEPO 3/1620, CRIM 1/346, CRIM 1/344, HO 144/6825

see Derby Daily Telegraph - Tuesday 19 January 1926

see Gloucester Citizen - Thursday 11 February 1926