Ex Policeman murdered in Little Lever... Ive been reminded of this story that I heard a few years ago by a post earlier on a Bygone Bolton. The unsolved murder of Reuben Mort Before the First World War there was an ex policeman called Reuben Mort. He travelled every day from Little Lever up Hall Lane to Farnworth. Then one day he was found battered to death in the cottage he lived in Little Lever. They never arrested anyone for it but one of the suspects was the local blacksmith. Early in the morning of Monday, January 19, 1920, the inhabitants of Little Lever, safe and snug in their beds, slept on peacefully unaware that a brutal attack had been made on one of their neighbours. The victim of the crime -- still unsolved -- was an ex-councillor, Mr Reuben Mort, a 78-year-old recluse known to most folk in the village as Owd Reuben. For years he had been the village blacksmith. Although his best friends would have had to admit that he was, to say the least, a bit peculiar, Reuben hadnt an enemy in the world. At least that seemed to be the case until he was found in his shop at 3, Market Street, suffering from shocking head injuries. He was taken to Bolton Infirmary and died from the injuries. A bachelor, Mr Mort had followed his normal routine on the previous (Sunday) night. He had been last seen alive and well by his nephew, Mr W H Stringfellow, who had a drapery business at 88, High Street, Little Lever. That was about 8pm on the Sunday evening. The first inkling of the tragedy that shocked the neighbourhood came at 4.20am. Mr and Mrs J T Lomax, who had a tripe shop next door to Mr Morts property, heard a knocking on the wall. They werent too alarmed at first because they knew that Reuben often came downstairs about 3am. to make himself a cup of tea. However they got up and dressed, and before going in to see what was wrong, roused a Mrs Davies of 6, Fletcher Street, who had formerly been Mr Morts housekeeper. They then all went round to the rear of the house where they knew there was broken window-pane, which had been smashed in a gale some weeks before. Mrs Lomax called out to Mr Mort through the window, and at once they heard him say: Hello, is that You? Ahm fain youn come. Despite his injuries, Mr Mort managed to open the back door to let them in to his home. When they saw him they were shocked at his appearance. The old man had terrible wounds about his head and there were pools of blood on the floor. Faint from loss of blood, Mr Mort was able to tell them that he had gone downstairs in the early hours to make himself a cup of tea. Then, he told them, a man had suddenly appeared in the room. The intruder demanded the keys of the safe. The old man said he hadnt got them with him. At this, the intruder suddenly began to hit the victim about the head with savage blows, calling out Ill kill you! Mr Mort then lost consciousness and did not know how long he had lain there, until he came round and began to knock on the wall to arouse his next door neighbours. All he could add to the story was that his attacker was a big man and that he was disguised but in what way he was unable to tell them. By that time he was very faint and hardly able to speak. Dr Nuttall was sent for and he at once had the old man sent to the Infirmary, where he died not long after admission. There was plenty of evidence discovered by the Police that the murderer had made a thorough search of the premises after the attack, yet the safe, which was upstairs and was reported at the time to have held about £2,000 was still intact. Obviously the assailant had not been able to find the keys -- yet ironically enough they were found on a small shelf at the foot of the stairs where apparently they had gone unnoticed. The motive was fairly obvious, Mr Mort was known to have plenty of money and owned property in the village. A reward of £100 was offered to anyone who could give any information likely to lead to the person responsible for the outrage, but without any success. No trace was ever found of the weapon used to attack Mr Mort. The police theory was that it may have been a piece of wood which had been taken away by the intruder. Huge crowds turned out to watch the funeral on Friday, January 23. The coffin bore the simple inscription Reuben Mort, died 1920, aged 78 years. He had also been a sidesman at St Matthews, and was a well-known member of Little Lever Conservative Club. At the inquest on January 31, a verdict of Murder against some person or persons unknown was recorded. The Coroner, Mr J Fearnley, said he did not propose to take any heed of the many wild rumours that had swept the village. He went on: You will probably have heard all sorts of silly, idiotic rumours -- Such a person had done it -- even such cruel rumours that relatives have done it. He said he mentioned this because of hints made to him, and he thought it very cruel of people to make suggestions of that description. Police carried on with intensive inquiries. A retired burglar came forward with an offer to help the police in their investigations! A police spokesman said that the file is still open, and if any important facts came to their knowledge the inquiries could be reopened -- but after 90 years this seems hardly likely.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 10:25:40 +0000