This project sort of took on a life of its own, so I put the entire thing down in a separate blog page Louisa Smith’s Murder Solved. However, here’s a brief summary:
On February 10, 1889, Louisa Smith was murdered by another working girl (Emily Atkinson) who wanted to take Louisa’s labourer “husband,” John Luxford, for herself. Opportunity presented itself when Louisa was conducting business in an alleyway that was Emily’s turf,” and Emily saw the chance to rid herself of competition for John and for the local business. 
When Louisa finished with her final client of the night, Emily came up behind her and hit her in the back of the head with a coal hammer. In the hands of a man, it would have split Louisa’s skull wide open, but in the hands of a woman, the rounded end made an indention behind her right ear and the pointed end fractured her skull at the base of her neck. Lights out for Louisa. This was before women were really suspected of violent murder, so it would have been easy for either Emily or Emma to have escaped the police’s notice as murder suspects.
My solution is told from the perspective from her friend and another working girl, Emma Macguire. Emma saw the whole thing happen, and decided that she would dish out a little justice for Louisa’s murder herself before she disappeared into the distant reaches of the Empire.
Enjoy the read!
Samantha Spade Sleuthing 