Re: For ALL (Also especially for Jim)
I wrote this on the YoLiverpool site on 01-08-2009.in answer to many myths that people were writing about, this is the truth of the case.
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01-08-2009 captain kong
Hi , I have just read the interesting comments you have all written about the `Cameo Murders`.
I was involved, in a way, from day one.
I was in my house when the the door burst open and Balmer and his men stormed in and searched upstairs and down while Balmer held me by the throat slapping my face. They thought my brother was a suspect, he was on his way to Japan on a ship at the time. They kept my parents in the Police Station all night being questioned about the where abouts of my brother, they did not believe he was on his way out East. This was proved two weeks later when a letter arrived home, confirming where he was. The Police admitted that was correct, no apology was given after Mother and Dad had two weeks without sleep. They were told a man had confessed to the killings. This was one of the Johnson Brothers. He was aquited after being defended by Rose Heilbron KC.
I sailed with Charles Connolly`s father on the `GEORGIC`on a five month trip to Australia and the far East in 1955. We got to be friends and he told me that Charles was completely innocent. He said that Balmer forced him into a "Confession" with the threat of a death sentence if he didnt. This was just after George Kelly was convicted and sentenced to death, after being defended by Rose Heilbron, KC.
At this time Charles was serving his ten year sentence in Wakefield Top Security Prison.
A few years later, Charles told me he shared a cell with the killer of PC Miles, Christopher Craig, whose partner in the crime was Bentley, who was hanged for the murder that Craig committed.
In November 1956, I was in Melbourne, Australia, on a ship, the Dunedin Star.
A Liverpool bum, known as a `beachy`, came on board and was bumming food and supping our beer that we had brought back on board, the pubs shut at six pm in those days so we got carry outs and drank in the messroom.
This bum was sleeping in the messroom, eating and drinking for free. He was getting very objectionable, no one liked him. He had stowed away on a ship to Australia and spent his time on a ship and then when it sailed he went aboard another.
One night he got hold of one of my beer bottles and began to drink it. I gripped his wrist and I said I would break it if he didnt let go.
He threatened to kill me and said he had "done it before and got away with it".
I said who was that, and he replied he "had killed two men at the Cameo".
Now this was more than seven and a half years after and 12000 miles away.
and of all the people he had to say it to was me.
I dived over the table smashed him to the deck and battered him. All hands were dragging me off him. Whats the matter some one said. He killed two men at the Cameo I told them, but no one knew anything about the murders, most of the crew were from London and Glasgow. It was a sheer coincidence that it was me that he told. and even I do not come from Liverpool and have never lived in Liverpool.
I dragged him out on deck and threw him down the gangway. In hind sight I should have held on to him and found out who he really was but in the heat of the moment and being young I didnt think about it.
A few years later I was introduced to Charles Connolly and we eventually became very good friends, after I had passed various tests. Charles had been used by a lot of people in the past and so was always very wary of people, until they proved they were genuine. I spent a long time searching around the streets and pubs in Preston for the fellow called Graham who had lived there. Charles wanted him to confess he had told lies for Balmer. There was no sign of him so we thought he must have died or moved on. A friend in Age Concern also tried to search for him but he wasnt on their books.
I also spent a lot of time searching around the Trafford area of Manchester looking for Jackie Dickson, I could not find her, I believe she was a consumptive and could have died at an early age.
Charles also introduced me to his very good friend Lou Santangeli, who was a man who was impressed by Charles`s` sincerity, and decided to help Charles in his quest to clear his name.
A couple of writers wanted to write the story of the Cameo Murders. Charles wasnt too impressed at first.. He thought they were trying to make names for themselves at his expence.
I met George Skelly and we got on very well with each other and then Charles co-operated. George Skelly was the only man that Charles trusted to write the story. He wrote the book, "Cameo Conspiracy" after a lot of very detailed investigation. No one else has written the story the way that Charles would have wanted, the True story.
A few people tried, I had to warn one writer, that Charles was still alive, he thought he was dead, he was writing from old newspaper cuttings and knew nothing about it at all, he was implying that Charles and George Kelly were gangsters. I soon put a stop to him. So not all the books written about the case are authentic. Stick with the "Cameo Conspiracy"
Unfortunately Charles died in Norris Green ASDA whilst out shopping, he had been experiencing a lot of stress with various investigations in his quest to clear his name. Charles was a Gentleman. I am still in contact with his widow, a lovely lady who didnt deserve the heart ache.
When the appeal went to London I wrote a statement about the Liverpool Bum who I had battered in Melbourne, who had confessed to me that he had done it, and gave it to the Solicitors as evidence that he could possibly be the original murderer.
Afterwards a lady wrote to say she had thoughts that a long deceased relative may have been the killer, his description was very similar to the `bum` I met in Australiia.
After all these 60 years, there are very few people alive now who had any connection to the Murders.
At last the appeal went through and Charles and George Kelly were finally cleared of the murders. Unforunately too late for them both.
George Kelly was exhumed from under the car park at Walton Gaol and had a funeral service at the Roman Catholic Cathedral. George Skelly and I went there and the family refused us entry, they had security men on the door. Very sad, we were part of the enquiry to clear his name.
We took photos of the funeral as they came out after the service and left in their cars.
Now George Skelly has a lot of work on in other investigations and I am sure you will find out the results when he feels he can release a statement.
I hope I have covered some ground into this very sad and tragic story.
Brian Aspinall.
