Robert George Clements
Encyclopedia
Robert George Clements was a physician
and a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
from Belfast
, Northern Ireland
. He is suspected of the murder of his fourth wife, who died of morphine poisoning. His first three wives also predeceased him, raising suspicions that he murdered them as well. Clements committed suicide before he was caught by the police and therefore never stood trial.
in 1925, aged 25, and his third, Kathleen, died of cancer. His last wife, Amy Victoria Burnett, was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist. She died on 27 May 1947 in suspicious circumstances in Southport
. The previous day Clements had called in another doctor when his wife fell ill. She was taken to a nursing home where she died the next day. Both Clements and the other doctor called in diagnosed myeloid leukaemia, which was confirmed by a botched post-mortem carried out by another physician, Dr James Houston.
The circumstances of Burnett's death caused people at the time to question the deaths of Clement's first three wives. All, with the exception of the third, were wealthy women when he married them and were almost penniless at the time of their deaths. Clements signed the death certificates himself and although there was some suspicions voiced following the death of his third wife there wasn't any opportunity to perform a post-mortem as her body had already been cremated.
When the police came to arrest Clements they found that he had committed suicide, leaving a note:
A second autopsy was conducted by a Dr Grace who deduced that she had died from morphine
poisoning. This was confirmed by Dr J.B. Firth, Director of the Home Office
Laboratory in Preston. Clements is thought to have murdered Burnett in order to inherit her money. When Dr Houston found out that his post-mortem had missed the presence of morphine, he too committed suicide
.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons
Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons is a professional qualification to practise as a surgeon in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland...
from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. He is suspected of the murder of his fourth wife, who died of morphine poisoning. His first three wives also predeceased him, raising suspicions that he murdered them as well. Clements committed suicide before he was caught by the police and therefore never stood trial.
Marriages
Clement married four times. His first wife, Edith, died of "sleeping sickness" in 1920 aged 40. His second, Mary, died of endocarditisEndocarditis
Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium. It usually involves the heart valves . Other structures that may be involved include the interventricular septum, the chordae tendineae, the mural endocardium, or even on intracardiac devices...
in 1925, aged 25, and his third, Kathleen, died of cancer. His last wife, Amy Victoria Burnett, was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist. She died on 27 May 1947 in suspicious circumstances in Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
. The previous day Clements had called in another doctor when his wife fell ill. She was taken to a nursing home where she died the next day. Both Clements and the other doctor called in diagnosed myeloid leukaemia, which was confirmed by a botched post-mortem carried out by another physician, Dr James Houston.
The circumstances of Burnett's death caused people at the time to question the deaths of Clement's first three wives. All, with the exception of the third, were wealthy women when he married them and were almost penniless at the time of their deaths. Clements signed the death certificates himself and although there was some suspicions voiced following the death of his third wife there wasn't any opportunity to perform a post-mortem as her body had already been cremated.
When the police came to arrest Clements they found that he had committed suicide, leaving a note:
- "To Whom It May Concern: I can no longer tolerate the diabolical insults to which I have been recently exposed."
A second autopsy was conducted by a Dr Grace who deduced that she had died from morphine
Morphine
Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
poisoning. This was confirmed by Dr J.B. Firth, Director of the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
Laboratory in Preston. Clements is thought to have murdered Burnett in order to inherit her money. When Dr Houston found out that his post-mortem had missed the presence of morphine, he too committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
.
See also
- Dr John Bodkin AdamsJohn Bodkin AdamsJohn Bodkin Adams was an Irish-born British general practitioner, convicted fraudster and suspected serial killer. Between the years 1946 and 1956, more than 160 of his patients died in suspicious circumstances. Of these, 132 left him money or items in their will. He was tried and acquitted for...
- George ChapmanGeorge Chapman (murderer)George Chapman was a Polish serial killer known as the Borough Poisoner. Born Seweryn Antonowicz Kłosowski in Poland, he moved as an adult to England, where he committed his crimes...
- Dr Thomas Neill CreamThomas Neill CreamDr. Thomas Neill Cream , also known as the Lambeth Poisoner, was a Scottish-born serial killer, who claimed his first proven victims in the United States and the rest in England, and possibly others in Canada and Scotland...
- Dr Jeffrey MacDonaldJeffrey R. MacDonaldJeffrey Robert MacDonald , is an American convicted in 1979 for the murders of his pregnant wife and two daughters in February 1970. At the time of the murders, MacDonald was an Army officer, medical doctor and practicing physician...
- Dr William PalmerWilliam Palmer (murderer)William Palmer was an English doctor who was convicted of murder in one of the most notorious cases of the 19th century.-Early life:...