‘Indeed Reverend,’ sympathised Ravenscroft.
‘Do please take a seat. Just throw those papers in the corner, will you.’
Crabb picked up the papers and added them to one of the piles.
‘Mr. Touchmore. We are still making enquiries into the deaths of Mr. Pitzer, Doctor Sommersby and Doctor Gladwyn, and think you may be able to assist us,’ said Ravenscroft sitting down on the dusty chair.
‘I was under the impression inspector that you had solved the case. I believe some old half blind beggar had committed the atrocities, before falling to his death on the hills,’ said Touchmore, laying down his pen and replacing his handkerchief in his coat pocket.
‘We don’t think the beggar committed the crimes, so our enquiries are continuing.’
‘Dear me, what a terrible business all this has been. I have lost three of my dearest friends, all gone in such a short time. We offer up prayers for their souls of course, but that will not bring them back. That which is lost, can never be regained.’
‘Can I ask whether you own a walking stick similar to this one?’ asked Ravenscroft showing Touchmore the stick. ‘I would be obliged if you would pay particular attention to the silver handle, sir.’
‘I do indeed, but where did you get — ?’
‘It belongs to Mr. Pitzer. Both Mr. Sommersby and Doctor Gladwyn had similar sticks. I believe the initials M. B. and W. stand for the Malvern and Worcestershire Bank if I am not mistaken?’
‘That is correct, inspector.’
‘I believe that these sticks were made for the founders of the bank reverend.’
‘You are correct again, Mr. Ravenscroft. When we founded the bank in 1857, we each decided to commemorate the event by having a walking stick made for each of the six founders, so that we would each have a reminder of our commitment.’
‘You say there were six founders?’ asked Ravenscroft leaning forwards eagerly in his chair. ‘Who were they?’
‘There were six of us, as I said. Pitzer, Sommersby, Gladwyn, myself — and the other two were Gastrux and Lambert, I believe.’ replied Touchmore deep in thought.
‘You say, you believe. That would seem to suggest that you have not seen the other two members for a while?’
‘Why, yes, I suppose so. Poor Gastrux — he was of French origin I believe — was killed shortly after the foundation. He died in a hunting accident, whilst out riding with the Ledbury Hunt. I remember it was a terrible business; broke his neck in the fall, there was nothing anyone could do for the poor man,’ replied the cleric, shaking his head.
‘And Lambert, what happened to him sir?’ asked Crabb, impatiently breaking into the clergyman’s flow of words.
‘Lambert? Let me see. What did happen to him? He was a doctor, I believe. Ah yes, he left a year or so after the foundation. I think he went to take on a practice somewhere up north.’
‘Can you remember where exactly? It may have considerable bearing on this case,’ urged Ravenscroft.
‘Let me see. I should remember. Somewhere near the Lake District — something to do with Over Sands. Yes, that’s it — Grange-Over-Sands — funny name, that’s why I remember it. Grange-Over-Sands; a fashionable resort I believe. Not that I have ever been there of course. Not so fashionable or as important as Malvern obviously.’
‘Have you ever heard from this Doctor Lambert since his departure?’
‘No. Not a word inspector, in all these years. Interesting how one fails to keep in touch with people once they have left. I suppose that is where that saying comes from — ‘out of sight, out of mind’.’
‘So let me see, reverend. There were six founders to the bank. Mr. Chase has informed us that not one of the founders has ever drawn any kind of dividend. Why was that sir?’
‘I can see that you have been doing your homework inspector. When we founded the bank it was decided amongst ourselves that the profits would always be reinvested. We were a tontine you see.’
‘A tontine. What’s that?’ asked Crabb, looking up from his notebook, a puzzled expression of his face.
‘It’s a financial agreement drawn up by a number of parties, the chief clause of which is that all the investment or funds, will all eventually go to the surviving member,’ explained Ravenscroft. ‘I know of one or two places in London, where properties have been built by the members of the tontine, and the ownership eventually falls to which ever member of the foundation outlives the others,’ said Ravenscroft leaning back in his chair.
‘That is quite correct inspector. Each of the six of us put in an equal sum of money into the foundation, with the stipulation that whoever was the last to survive would inherit the bank.’
‘Would it be correct to say, that in the days of the foundation, such investment was then of a modest sum, but that over the years the initial investment has grown considerably?’ asked Ravenscroft.
‘Yes, I suppose, it would be fair to say that,’ replied Touchmore.
‘And were you all of a similar age when the foundation was made?’
Touchmore thought for a moment or two, then replied ‘Yes, I suppose we were. One or two of us may have been a year or two older, or younger, whichever way you look at it, but generally speaking, yes I believe we were all in our thirties.’
‘So you each had an equal chance of surviving?’ asked Crabb.
‘That is rather an insensitive way of putting it constable,’ reprimanded Touchmore.
‘Then you and Doctor Lambert, are the only two founders still alive?’ asked Ravenscroft. ‘Whichever one of you outlives the other, will inherit the bank?’
‘Well yes, I suppose we are the only two left, although I cannot say whether Doctor Lambert is still alive or not. I should perhaps say inspector, that our foundation was not quite so straightforward as you have suggested’ said Touchmore leaning forwards in his chair.
‘Please explain sir?’ asked Ravenscroft.
‘The tontine stipulated that the legacy, for want of a better word, could also be claimed by any surviving children of the six partners. That may sound a little involved I know, but we wanted to make sure that if any of us had children, and they survived, then they could inherit the bank.’
‘Let me see if I have this correct sir. If all of the six original members are dead, then the legacy could be claimed by any surviving children, but surely that would cause immense problems?’ asked Ravenscroft somewhat bewildered.
‘We saw the possibilities of that situation arising, so we stated that only the eldest surviving child of each of the original six members could claim, — and not their descendants or siblings — and that it would only go to whichever child who survived above all others. That way the legacy would grow for perhaps seventy or eighty years or more.’
‘Thank you reverend, it is all becoming clear now,’ said Ravenscroft.
‘It’s as cloudy as a Malvern fog to me,’ said Crabb.
‘Pitzer died because he had no children to inherit. Sommersby was killed because he had no children — and Gladwyn, also because there were no children to come after him. Whoever killed these three gentlemen, must have been more than aware of these facts,’ said Ravenscroft.
‘And alas in my case, although my son was alive at the foundation, he died of a fever shortly afterwards, as I previously explained to you,’ offered Touchmore, a note of sadness creeping into his voice.
‘So after your own death reverend, that would leave just Gastrux and Lambert?’ said Ravenscroft.
‘I suppose so inspector, although Gastrux was a bachelor at the time of his hunting accident.’
‘So that just leaves Lambert,’ said Crabb.
‘That would seem to be the case,’ replied Touchmore.
‘Do you know whether Lambert had any children?’ asked Ravenscroft.
‘I believe not. Certainly he was married at the time of the foundation. Yes, now you think of it, when he left for Grange his wife was heavily pregnant. I remember remarking to him at the time, that he should take good care of her on the long journey.’