om prison I was taken up
by a society who taught me motor-driving, and I secured a licence in
another name as a taxicab driver and for twelve months drove a cab on
the streets. At the end of that period I was convicted for stealing
passengers' baggage and was sent to prison for eighteen months.

"It was after my release from this term of imprisonment that I first met
Mr. Thornton Lyne. I met him in the following manner. I had been given a
letter from the Prisoners' Aid Society and went to Mr. Thornton Lyne to
get a job. He took a great interest in me and from the very first was the
best friend I had ever had. His kindness was wonderful and I think there
never was a man in the world with such a beautiful nature as his.

"He assisted me many times, and although I went back to prison, he never
deserted me, but helped me as a friend and was never disgusted when I got
into trouble.

"I was released from gaol in the spring of this year and was met at the
prison gates by Mr. Thornton Lyne in a beautiful motor-car. He treated
me as though I were a prince and took me home to his grand house and gave
me food and beautiful wine.

"He told me that he had been very much upset by a young lady whom he had
looked after. This young lady worked for him and he had given her work
when she was starving. He said that she had been spreading lies about him
and that she was a bad girl. I had never seen this person, whose name was
Odette Rider, but I felt full of hatred towards her, and the more he
spoke about the girl the more determined I was to have revenge on her.

"When he told me that she was very beautiful, I remembered in the same
gang as me at Wandsworth Gaol there had been a man named Selser. That is
the name as far as I can remember. He was serving a lagging [a term of
penal servitude] for throwing vitriol in the face of his girl. She had
let him down and had married another man while he was serving a term of
imprisonment. I believe she was very beautiful. When Selser got out he
laid wait for her and threw vitriol in her face, and he has often told me
that he didn't regret it.

"So that when Mr. Lyne told me that the girl was beautiful, this idea
struck me that I would have revenge upon her. I was living in Lambeth at
the house of an old lag, who practically took nobody but crooks as
lodgers. It cost more than ordinary lodging but it was worth it, because
if the police made any inquiries the landlord or his wife would always
giv