Eugenia Falleni - convicted murderer

After Annie's disappearance, Harry told friends and neighbours that Annie had left him for another man.  He soon sold off the family belongings and furniture from their home.  Annie Birkett's son Harry never believed that his mother had absconded and not made contact with him or his aunt in the subsequent years. He placed this missing notice in the Police Gazette three years after Annie's disappearance. When Annie's body was identified, suspicion fell on her husband, Harry Crawford. He was arrested by the Chatswood Police on 22 July 1920 and taken to the Central Police Station for questioning and to take part in identification parades. Harry had just married another woman and was still wearing men's clothes, had short dark hair and looked very masculine.  He only revealed his true identity as a woman when he was threatened with going to a mens' gaol. From NRS 10958 Police Gazette NSW, 1920 [1/3252, p.474]                

This photo displays the two main records of the Falleni trial held in the State archives. On the left hand side is the typed record from the Court Reporting Office of the trial. The other volume is the handwritten notebook of Chief Justice Cullen, the trial judge. Both volumes are open to the first day of the trial. Falleni pleaded Not Guilty to the charge of 'feloniously and maliciously' murdering Annie Birkett.  Eugenia claimed to have been 'unnerved by three months detention in Long Bay gaol and could not speak as she wished in declaring her innocence'. The 'Man-Woman' trial caused a media sensation not just in Sydney but Australia wide. No real explanantion was offered though, as to why Falleni acted as she did.                

The transcript is open to the first day of trial. Falleni continued to deny the charges and made a statement in her defence from the dock: 'I do not know anything at all about this charge. I am perfectly innocent. I do not know what made the woman leave her home'. Falleni continued with this line of defence even though the body of Annie Birkett was identified by dental records, clothing and jewellery. The evidence of Henrietta Schielblich was perhaps the most damning though. Henrietta spoke of a conversation with Falleni in the weeks following Annie's death when a distraught Falleni claimed to have had an argument with Annie: 'I had a jolly good row with her and gave her a crack on the head and cleared [off]'. NRS 2713 [6/1077 p.68], Court Reporting Office.                

Image 1 of 2: Falleni requested leave to appeal her conviction on 13 October 1920. This request was refused on 13 November 1920 but a State Cabinet meeting on 30 November 1920 agreed to commute her death sentence to a life sentence. She was eventually released from gaol early due to continued ill health in 1931.      

Image 2 of 2: One of many letters that relate to Falleni's attempts at appeal. This one notifies her of the dismissal of her application to appeal her sentence. There are a number of letters relating to Falleni in this volume but many are hard to read as the volume contains carbon copies of letters only. NRS 2698 [3/4819], Court of Criminal Appeal letter book.                           

This is a later gaol photo of Falleni, taken in 1928. This image shows an older Falleni in three different poses. The clothes Falleni is wearing in the photo were often provided by the gaol or the photographer and were not necessarily her own. In comparison to the previous goal photo taken in 1920, this photo shows a softened and more feminine Falleni. She is about 53 years old in this photo and she was released from gaol in 1931, three years after this photo was taken. Her early release was on compassionate grounds due to continued ill health. From NRS 2496 [3/6007 photo 741, 1928], State Reformatory for Women, Long Bay, Photo description book.