Case of the Winchester Bottles

First time in its history, Scotland Yard opens its official files to bring you the true stories of some of its most baplicases. These are the true... Research for Whitehall 1212 is provided by Percy Hoskins, Chief Crime Reporter of the London Daily Express.

The stories for Radio are written and directed by Willis Cooper. And this voice is out of the custodian of Scotland Yard's famous black museum, Chief Superintendent John Davidson. Good afternoon. One one's put this so far back on the shelf.

Here it is. This is what is known as a Winchester bottle. This one is the 80 ounce size, half a gallon, but a 20 ounce is in an English pipe. A Winchester bottle is frequently used in hospitals for the storage of liquids which are shortly to be used.

Nelp, for example. That's what this one was used for. You will know that there are two fairly clear fingerprints on it here. Here, ring with the chalk marks. There were once a great many more.

But all have disappeared except these two, which have been covered with a plastic solution to preserve them. These are a murderous fingerprints. Things are the crews which put Scotland Yard and the Lancashire Constabulary onto him.

He was of course hanged. Now perhaps you'd like to hear what was done to find him. Chief Inspector Leslie Crawford here was in on the most of it. Four years ago I was a hard-working Chief Inspector at Scotland Yard.

I didn't know how hard an officer could work before this case. I was roused at 3am by a telephone call from a town in Lancashire. The late chief constable was calling. Now I'll take the first train, sir.