Clare Marie Dawson

Clare Marie Dawson (died March 3, 1885) was the victim of an unsolved [...]. She was found mangled, raped and bound in a heavily wooded area near Ightham, Kent. She was engaged to Charles Howard, a wealthy businessman, but there is hard evidence pointing to her having an affair with Mr. William Thomas Rose. Howard and Rose were both found innocent; Rose later hanged himself. It is widely believed that Howard hired someone to [...] the girl.

Background

Clare Dawson was born 1869 in Haworth, England youngest daughter of Thomas Dawnson and Caroline Smith. In 1867 she meet one of her father’s friends Charles Howard (43) a wealthy business man who was looking to do business with Dawson, when he fell smitten with the girl and got engaged to her in 1868. The two moved to Igthham, Kent, for Charles' business. It was there where Clare met William Thomas Rose (22). The two connected and it was rumored that they were planning to run away and elope before Clare’s [...].

The [...]

On March 3, at about 3:30pm, Miss Dawson was scheduled to have an afternoon tea with a friend, Mrs. Jean Hanyle. Miss Dawson was supposed to have arrived for tea at four, but she had not shown up. Mrs. Hanyle was worried about her friend because Mrs. Howard was always on time.

Around 4:30pm Mrs. Hanyle and her husband Jack Hanyle set off on the road that led to Howards Estate on there way they noticed one of Dawsons shoes in the road. Curious, the two left the path, and about a quarter mile into the woods they found the body of Clare Dawson

She was [...], bound and gagged, her throat slit, with a gash through her abdomen and many cuts and bruise along her face, in appearance of a struggle. There were no witnesses.

The Aftermath

Scotland Yard was immediately involved in the investigation and two bloodhounds, named Gregory and Hades, owned by a Major Richardson of Stratford-upon-Avon, were brought in to sniff out the route by which the killer had made his escape. However the trail went cold after about three miles in the woods.

The initial inquest hearing into Miss Dawsons death was held at the Hanyle residence. Dr Manson, who had carried out the post-mortem examination of Miss Dawson reported that she had initially been hit on the back of the head and that the blow had been of sufficient force to knock her to the ground, an assumed struggle took place, she was found raped, her throat slit and her abdomen cut vertically.

Charles Howard was informed of his fiancée’s [...] and was asked to write an account of the events of his day on the 3 of March along with William Rose. Both were about twenty miles away from the home, with valid alibis and witness. Prior to the inquest the Hanyles had been encouraged to write an account of the events of the afternoon In describing the discovery of Clare Dawson’s body Mr. Hanley stated that, ‘I have never seen anything so ruthless , her dress had been thrown aside, I examined her dress and found that it was torn. Her pocket at the back of the skirt had been torn open. Then cast aside. There was not blood on the dress, her abdomen was slit vertically open and her throat slit horizontally. It appeared none of Miss Dawson's money or jewelry was gone from her person’

Charles Howard was put into custody , for it was believed he found out about the affair, but was released after there was not enough evidence to support this theory. William Rose, was put into custody for his relations with Mrs. Dawson, but was found not guilty due to lack of evidence, and a clean alibi.

It is rumored that Mr. Howard had hired a hit man to kill Mrs. Dawson, after hearing a rumor that her and William were planning to runaway and marry. Though there is no confirmation in questioning William admitted having an affair with Mrs. Dawson. “ Of course I loved Clare, she wasn’t going to Marry Howard. I’ll never stop loving her.” Both had solid alibis. She was buried in the backyard of her family home in Haworth .