The trial at the Central Criminal Court was the most important murder case heard in England since Rex v. Palmer. The method of this murderer was entirely novel, and demonstrated the ease with which an adult woman could be drowned in a bath without bruising her.

It is known that he killed at least three women in this fashion, and the motive in each case was purely mercenary. An old reformatory boy and jailbird, so ignorant that in 1915 he spelt "German" with an initial "J," he yet succeeded in winning golden opinions from most men and women with whom he came in contact.