THE WINDSOR TRAGEDY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 9700, 14 April 1892, Page 5

THE WINDSOR TRAGEDY.

DEEMING IN GAOL, The Melbourne Age of April 5 reports:-* There has been very little change in the' demeanour of the murderer Deeming, and he continues to preserve an outwardly even and composed aspect. He had a lengthy consultation with his solicitor yesterday, but owing to his fatuous persistence in his innocence Mr Lyle was unable to gain much material for the defence. To all questions Deeming returns the same answer —that he is guiltless of all the charges laid against him—and refuses to consider the probability of his being found guilty. But his denials are by no means consistent, for at times he inquired curiously as to the strength of the police case, as if he were considering the advisability of confessing to portions of the terrible indictment that has been formulated against him. Indeed, even his denials since he has been in gaol go to show thAt he lacks the ability to be a consistent liar, although what he lacks in talent he makes up in quantity. However, he keeps up his air of indifference with considerable succees, and did not appear in the least degree moved yesterday by the formidable list of crimes that is attributed to him.

The main thing that appeared to exercise his mind was the desire to see Mies Rounsefell, and when he learned yesterday that the young woman absolutely refused to see him the news had an extraordinary effect upon him. For a few minutes he appeared to be moved by real passion end feeling as he strode furiously up and down his cell crying out that he must see her. that he must speak to her. For the rest, his behaviour is marked by the strange mixture of utter apathy and childish pettishness that appear to be his distinguishing characteristics. He will listen with the utmost stolidity to a recital of the revolting crimes with which he is charged, and then when it is finished he will break out. into complaints about the cell, the prison, food, the library books, and the conduct of the police. On the last subject he is particularly eloquent, and with a great show of virtuous indignation he condemns the •“•un-English” mode of procedure that is being used against him. He declares that the police have no right to retain his personal property which they seized at Southern Cross and elsewhere, and yesterday he wrote a letter to the Crown la® authorities, couched in the most peremptory terms, demanding that these should be surrendered to his lawyer for th© purpose of his defence. This incident, among many others, furnishes a fair idea of the weak state of the creature’s mental apparatus, for it would have been thought it would ha apparent, even to him, that the police are scarcely likely to surrender such valuable evidence as to his guilt. _ Deeming, however, is ever changing his note, and his swagger and brag take a different complexion every day. His latest move is to threaten the direst penalties to Cawsey and the detective department generally for accrediting to him the .ownership of clothing that he declares belongs to an entirely different individual, whilst he makes numerous other and quite as empty boasts. THE MOUSTACHE INCIDENT. It will be remembered that Deeming, after his arrest, managed to disguise himself by removing his moustache. The hairs from the moustache have now been got together. They show beyond doubt that he pulled them out; seventy-five per cent of the hairs picked up have roots upon them, and the others look as if they had been broken off. The suffering undergone during the operation must have been exceptionally severe; but there is no doubt he braced himself up to endure it. Had he shaved with a piece of glass as suggested, the hair would have grown: again before the trial; but by ontrooting it the risk of its reappearance is not so great. It is not true that Williams was not watched. He was carefully _ watched throughout the night, the police in charge walking up and down outside and looking in at him every few minutes. Shortly after ten o’clock, however, Williams turned over in bed with his head towards the wall and covered it up to keep off the draught which came in through the open door. Every time his warder came.jn he snored, and this led to the supposition that he was asleep. It is now evident that this was only a ruse, inasmuch as he was all the time engaged in divesting himself of his moustache. While in Perth lookup Williams requested to be shaved, but when Inspector Waldoofc would not allow this, he declined anything else. When he had himself got his moustache off at Albany, he again saw Inspector Waldock, but only smiled at him sarcastically. AN ELABORATE WARDROBE. A SUSPICIOUS CLOAK. The greater portion of Saturday, Ap 2, was occupied by Detectives Considine and Cawsey in making an examination of the prisoner’s effects, which were brought over in the steamer Ballarat in the boxes and hampers in which they were originally found. The articles brought to light form a moat miscellaneous collection. All sorts of knick-knacks were discovered lying cheek by jowl with a variety of articles of, apparel, many of which it is difficult to believe ever belonged to Deeming or’to any of his wives. There are about fifty photo*' graphs of men, women and children, which 1 appear to have been collected from all' parta-of the civilised world, judging from the inscriptionswihiohithey'bMur^-rSotaoof

them, it is thought, are pictures of Mias Matheris-friends. There are no less than thirty pairs of trousers, andJromthe differing dimenßions of these; gSalhtaitseemsiihely Dee““g never measured for them all. What his object was in hawking about the Colonies material which would have provided an acceptable stock for any enterprising man who contemplated startiig business in the old clothes line is beat known to himself There are a great number of birth<iayi_ Christmas and .New Tear cards, which appear, from the inscriptions on their hacks, to have been sent by friends to Mies Mather previous to her unfortunate marriage. A silver glove box came to light, Engraved with the name ‘•Emily,” doubtless a present to the murdered woman; frfld the silver flask, which Deeming was Jkthehahib of having filled with spirits ' whilst staying. in Melbourne, bearing a Aonogram formed by the letters “ J.8.D.,” "initials of his own name, was also jtfMft.'V.’three ladies’ dresses were found 6f" the, trunks, the seams glbeen. rippod asunder. . The 'matei in one of - thein is of a rather and striking character, and it has mtified hy Mr Hirsohfeldt as that of » drees whichwea frequently worn by thAricthn during the voyage from Englisd.'' More than one hamper was packed fffiflafrladiea’ underclothing and hosiery, a .(npi deal of which undoubtedly belonged jeMiaa Mather. A email steel aigrette has ttens identified as having been worn by vibe ißurdered woman whilst on the Kaiser Wilhilas. OKI OF, THE 1 HOST NOTEWORTHY \ DISCOVERIES .yairie' bn Saturday was that of as old dark ulster' with a cape. _ Detective Cawsey/who has a strong leaning towards the. theory that Deelning has had some connection with the Whitechapel murders, who u the limited leisure time which heat present enjoys, is engaged in testing the_thebry from different points of view, states a fact, which will be remembered by those who followed the “Kipper ” horrors Sfr the tjme of their commission, viz., that the-mysterious ‘ assassin was described liy*the'only persons who are believed to have seen the actual criminal as wearing a cloak exactly corresponding in design to tfoe.onV'found in Deeraing’s trank. The ftriMYiA -ilfagtrated papers, repeatedly represented the man in this garb. That Deeming, -if ha should prove to be . the Whitechapel fiend, should have retained ■ in' hi* possession a garment of such an incriininitihg character is certainly strange, but; hot* more so than that he should havq’ carried about with him after the annmfefcion' of the Windsor murder a Hundred articles which clearly establish his connection -with the dead woman, and a variety of other things which give the due to thecoirect name which he discarded for a dozen aliases. The long knife/which: it is by no means certain is hot- one intended for surgical purposes, and the little, ornamental battle axe, with which it is believed the fractures in the sknlTof the Windsor victim were inflicted, hive already been referred to.