MURDER MYSTERY AT THAMES DITTON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 146, 20 June 1903, Page 5 (Supplement)

MURDER MYSTERY AT THAMES DITTON.

MAN AND WOMAN ARRESTED.

A married woman named Tuffin was found dead on Thursday in a house at Thames Dltton under circumstances which left no doubt that she had been brutally murdered (says "Lloyd's Weekly" of May 10). Alexandra road is one of a number of streets by the river forming a small working class residential quarter that is known locally as The Clump. The houses In Alexandra road are small six-roomed cottages. Three months ago a young man and woman came to reside in the road. They gave the name of Tuffin. The man is described as being of apparently 24 years of age, his wife, a pretty, darkhalrod woman, looking rather younger. There was a baby, too —a child of 12 months or thereabouts. The Tufflns are said to have had few visitors. A next-door neighbour remembers only one caller apart from tradesmen —a young lady of about 20, gcodlooklng, and well-dressed. She was a frequent visitor, and frequently went out in company with Mrs Tuffln and the baby. She was also seen in Mr Tufflu's company taking walks In the lanes and by the riverside.

About three weeks ago a. next-door neighbour had reason to complain of the noise created In the house by the young couple and the lady visitor. "Frequently of a night," she told a reporter, "my husband and I have been unable to get any sleep till tlie early hours of the morning on account of the singing and shouting and laughing that went on. Sometimes, too, there would be shrieks." As a result of this complaint the neighbour was Informed by the land.ord that he understood the Tufflns had "come into a good deal of money," and were celebrating the occasion. But the annoyance was discontinued.

A fortnight ago on Thursday the blinds in the Tuffins' house were not drawn up. The neighbour remarked upon this to her husband, and also on the fact that the baby was not seen. Other neighbours say they understood the child was taken to Its grandmother's. Nothing more appears to have been seen of Mrs Tuffln. From that day onward a young lady is said to have takeu up her residence in the house with a man. She spoke scarcely at all to the other dwellers in Alexandra road. Some of these as&ert that they learned she was a "shopmate" of Mrs Tuffln's, and they had worked together in a draper's establishment. The couple Beemed to live on the best of terms in the house. No disturbances were heard; tradesmen called In the usual way, and the couple went In and out freely. The Minds, however, were very often down for the greater portion of the day.

On Wednesday a stranger is said to have called at the house in the early evening and asked for his sister—Mrs Tuffln. A man I opened the door, and remarked that Mrs Tuffln was dead, and had been buried for a fortnight. The visitor expressed the gieatest surprise,! and asked to be shown over j the house. It is alleged that che man showed him Into every room in the house with the exception of one. In that room Mrs Tuffin lay dead. Apparently, not satisfied wiU the information given to him. the caller further asked to be told where his sister was buried. He requested to see the grave, and the two set off, presumably to visit the cemetery. On the way the visitor missed his guide. During the evening the man and woman were seen in Alexandra road by the neighbours. A number of them hooted and Bhouted at the pair, who went off in the direction of Kingston. Meanwhile the brother, reported to have come lrom Woking, paid a visit to the police station, and recounted the strange story of the reported death and burial of his sister. This, together with the euspicious of the neighbours, led to the police visit.

1 In the early hours of Thursday morning Police-sergeant Steere and another officer called at the house in Alexandra road. They knocked at the door several times, but, receiving no answer, forced an entrance. Downstairs everything was in order and the rooms (luite clean, but a strange od.im was noted, and on ascending to the floor above it became more pronounced. The doors of two of the upstairs rooms were open. The other was closed, and on opening it a shocking sight met the officers' gaae. Lyiug at i'ull length on the bed was the partiallyclothed body of a woman. The head was lerribiy bruised, and above tbe ■ eye was a wound, evidently inflicted by some uluut instrument. Tne face was aiinosc iiiack, and ou closer examination ox corpse a suing was found titd so tighuy louud the neck as to be almost hidden iv ihe rolds of the flesh. SpiasiKS o£ bkod were seen on the bed clothing, and i' Is stated, though not confirmed, tuat a biOoaatuined axe was lound in the corner Oi tae room. The body was very uiueu decoaipoied, and the atmosphere in tbe room was unbearable. A medical man %sas immediately summoned. After examination he piououueed the opinion that the woman had ..eeu dead about two weeks. Immediate inquiry was commenced for the husband and the young woman. Before noon the police, who were ou the look-out at Norbiton, arrested a young man and woman, each of a little over 20 years of age, just ac they were about to leave by train