The signature illustrated above in the middle - George Smith - was that of a man who was to become a notorious serial killer hanged on August 13th, 1915, for what was known as the "Brides in the bath" murder case heard at the Old Bailey between June 22nd and July 1st, 1915.
The names were on the document related to the leasing by George Joseph Smith of a small shop at 1A Waldeck Road, Luton, from builder Mr Isaac Ashton, who lived at No. 1, on the corner of Waldeck Road and Bury Park Road, opposite Bury Park Congregational Church.
A preliminary hearing at Bow Street Magistrates Court in April 1915, heard that the agreement was dated February 28th, 1909, and was for three years at a yearly rental of £32. The premises were to be used as a second-hand furniture dealer's shop - with the sale of drapery and underclothing, sales by auction and sub-letting being prohibited.
Smith was refused permission to have advertising matter affixed to or painted on the front of the premises. Instead, he put up what The Luton News described as "a peculiar erection in front of the shop which was used to advertise the business". Ironically, this was known locally as 'The gallows'.
A witness in the Bow Street trial was Miss Edith Peglar, "a Bristol girl with whom the prisoner went through a form of marriage in 1908". She said that in the early part of 1909 they went to Bedford to look for a house and a shop but failed to find one. They then went to Luton to look for a shop and found the one in Waldeck Road, where they stayed for several weeks, afterwards going to Croydon.
The Luton News said it understood from Mr Ashton that the couple occupied the shop for just about three months, and then left very suddenly. Smith had a fairly considerable stock of furniture on the premises, but most of this was sold to a dealer in the town. It was alleged that when Smith left there were certain liabilities which were left unsettled.
Smith had married under an assumed name in 1898 and was involved in several bigamous marriages, usually taking the women's money and selling their possessions before disappearing. The victims of the three murder charges - all drowned in a bath - were Bessie Williams (Weymouth, July 1912), Alice Smith (nee Burnham, Blackpool, December 1913) and Margaret Lloyd (nee Lofty, Highgate, December 1914). Smith was eventually arrested in February 1915, charged on March 23rd, and found guilty at the Old Bailey on July 1st, 1915, after a jury took just 20 minutes to reach its verdict. He was hanged on August 13th, 1915.
The Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph of August 14th, 1915, reported: "George Joseph Smith, the notorious murderer of the 'Three brides' was executed at Maidstone Gaol [Kent] yesterday morning. Ellis, of Bury, was the executioner, and Smith went to his doom in the presence of the Deputy Sheriff, Under-Sheriff, the Governor and half-a-dozen warders of the gaol.
"Smith was served with usual breakfast soon after six o'clock, but scarcely touched the food. The Rev Stott, the Wesleyan Chaplain, afterwards remained with him until the executioner entered his cell a few minutes before eight. During the procession to the scaffold Smith showed signs of feebleness, but walked the short distance without assistance.
"There was no tolling of the bell nor was the black flag hoisted as in former times. The police refused to allow any photographs to be taken of the outside of the prison on the ground it was in a prescribed area under the Defence of the Realm Act.
"There is a rumour that Smith has left some statement in writing, but no confirmation of this is obtainable. He last wrote to Miss Peglar, the woman with whom he was in Luton for a short time in a shop at Waldeck Road, and he protested his innocence."
[The Luton News: Thursday, April 29th, 1915, and Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: August 14th, 1915]