THE MUSWELL HILL MURDER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1265, 28 May 1896, Page 8

THE MUSWELL HILL MURDER.

The following cablegram lias been received from London this week : The two men Fowler and Milison, arraigned in connection with tho murder of Mr Henry Smith at Mus well Lodge, have been convicted and sentenced to death, Fowler, who confessed, was charged with the capital offence. Milison on leaving tho dock fought desperately, and seven constables had to bo called in to overpower him. Fowler also lias confessed to tho Lewisham jewellery robbery on January 3.lst. In this robbery the shop of ono Evans was entered by three men, and Evans received a violent blow on tho head, after which the keys of a safe, his money, and his watch and chain were taken from him. Tho alarm was raised, but tho men decamped. Fowler exonerates the two men committed in connection with tho affair. DISCOVERY, CHASE, AND ARREST OF THE CRIMINALS. A TELL-TALE LANTERN. With reference to tho abovo cablegram tho following particulars of tho chase and capturo of tho criminals will lie of interest. Our special correspondent writes under date London April 18 : It is, as I observed when first discussing tho Muswell Hill murder mystery, almost impossible for members of tho criminal classes to commit a murder without having it brought homo to them. All ex-convicts are secretly but most carefully watched, and their movements noted. The first question put when a big burglary or murder happens is, “ What were So-and-So, and So-aud-So, and So-and-So doing that night?” Any men who can’t fully account for the essential hours soon find themselves in parlous position. It was by this system tho Muswell Hill tragedy would seem to have been sheeted homo to the culprits. Tho murder was, it will be remembered, committed in February, the victim, Mr Ilenry Smith, being a gentloman of independent means, living alone in a house of his own design called Muswell Lodge. Here lie devoted his attention to , gardening, and his sole companion and attendant was a gardener, who, however, did not remain in tho house at night. On tho night in question tho house was visited by burglars, who effected an entrance, in spite of the numerous burglar alarms with which the house was surrounded. The old man disturbed them at their work, and, after a desperate struggle, they silenced him most effectually, and he was found next morning gagged, bound hand and foot, and with iiis head horribly battered, quite dead. Tho search following the crime disclosed to the police only certain footprints in the garden (which were at once modelled), and a sixpenny bull’seye lantern such as is used hy boys on winter nights, and a common tobacco-box very much worn, and which might have belonged to a man of the labouring class. Furthermore, Detective Inspector Nutkins and Detective Sergeant Masey wore further handicapped from the fact that they could trace no person in the neighbourhood who had seen any one or even heard a sound during the night of the crime. Towards the end of March, when tho failure of persistent inquiries had almost disheartened tho detectives, Chief Inspector Marshall and Inspector Nutkins alighted upon the fact that a well-known ex-convict had with his family disappeared from Kcnsal New Town. It was discovered that, in addition to his wife and two children—one VI months old and tho other 2 years—this man was accompanied in his sudden and mysterious disappearance by another man, who was only released from prison after a sentence of five years’ penal servitude and five years’ police supervision in January. As has been stated, the burglars loft behind at Muswell Lodge a bull’s-eye lantern and a cheap tobacco-box. Tho first-named of these articles has been identified by a lad named Millard, who is said to be ft

brother-in-law of Millson. The lad stated | that the lantern was his own property, and had been taken away by Millson. No doubt can be entertained on this point, since the youth was able to describe the inside of the lamp, to which he a portion of a penholder to make it burn better, whilst the wick was made from a piece of flannel. A piece of this material still forms the wick in the lantern found. Other details corresponded with the lad’s description, and he has since identifying the lantern been taken care of by the police, as his evidence forms an important link in the chain. A search in London for the missing men proved fruitless. The officers in charge of the case searched Birmingham with a similar result. A considerable share of the credit of the capture evidently belongs to Constable Burrell, of Kentish Town, who tracked Fowler and Millson from London to Liverpool, and thence to Cardiff, Newport, and Bristol, where they stayed at Bedminster and also at Lawrence Hill. Next the party went to Swindon, from Swindon to Chippenham, whilst, their arrival in Bath accompanied by Sinclair and his wife dates from Monday week last. It appears that the acquaintance of Sinclair was made in Cardiff, and the whole party were undoubtedly in very straitened financial circumstances, their only apparent means of subsistence being from the practice of palmistry by Mrs Sinclair. Their poverty is also shown by the fact that a revolver was pawned at Bath, and it was really this fact which led to the arrests. The pawnbroker acquainted the police with the circumstance, and Inspector Marshall and Inspector Nut-kins were wired for, and arrived in Bath on Sunday morning. Fowler had not been lodging in the same house as Millson and the Sinclairs, who, it may be mentioned, will not be charged with complicity in the Mus well Hill crime, and it was the knowledge of the fact that Fowler was visiting them which decided the police to make the arrest. The following are the descriptions of the men which have been circulated ; Millson, alias Smith, Mead and Wilson, aged 32, short, has dark brown hair, with hazel eyes. Fowler is described as nearly six feet high, aged 31, dark brown hair. Ho possesses a mole on the left side of his nose. He was a billiard-marker.

Telegraphing later, a correspondent at Bath says: The police have definitely come to the conclusion that Sinclair and his wife are not implicated in the Muswell Hill tragedy, and, after investigation of their statements, they have been released. They stated they met the Millsons at Cardiff six weeks ago, and had no idea they wei’e connected with the robbery. Inspector McCarthy and another officer from Scotland Yard have arrived in Bath to escort Fowler and Millson to London. The constables who entered the room when the arrest was effected state that Fowler and Millson came at them like bulldogs. Fowler evidently intended to shoot Inspector Newport with the revolver at which he grasped when Inspector Marshall struck him down.

Another account says that the arrests were attended with sensational circumstances. Among other places the suspected parties were traced to Nowport, Cardiff and Bristol, and they appoar to have stayed at Bedminster and Lawrence Hill, which are portions of the last-named city. From Bristol they were traced to Swindon, and from Swindon back to Chippenham, and on Monday last they went from Chippenham to Bath, and took lodgings in Monmouth street, near the Theatre Royal, where they appear to have all occupied one doubleboddod room. Their names are “ Professor” Sinclair and his wife (described as phrenologists and palmists), Albert Millson and his wife, and Henry Fowler. The last-named was also accompanied by his wife and two children, but Mrs Fowler and the children wore not arrested. By the time they reached Bath they wore evidently at the end of their resources, and Mrs Sinclair seems to havo gone about visiting confectioners’ shops and other places practising phrenology and palmistry, making sometimes as much as 17a a day, which was divided between them. What led to their detection was the pawning of a revolver at a local pawnbroker's. There appears very little doubt that in their travels other burglaries were committed. Only recently, thero was a daring burglary at Swindon, and there was one in Bath last week, the police believing that theyj were the work of the same people. Detective Inspectors from Scotland Yard arrived in Bath on Sunday, and, assisted by Inspector Noble and Detective Smith, of the local police, a searching inquiry was made, with the result that the officers were able to locate the party in Monmouth street. At about eleven o’clock at night the police surrounded the house, and Inspector (Nutkins led the assault on the room with a loaded revolver. Twenty members of the Bath police wore in readiness, and as soon as the occupants of the room were aware of the presence of the police a lively struggle commenced. Inspectors Nutkins and Marshall caught hold of Fowler, who struggled as if for his life, while the other officers turned their attention to Millson, who was more subdued. Fowler fought desperately with the two Inspectors, and tried his hardest to get possession of a revolver, which was afterwards found loaded in all six chambers, lying under a sofa in the room. Blows were freely exchanged, and the man was eventually knocked down by Inspector Nutkins, who used the butt end of his weapon across the prisoner’s head. Inspector Marshall, who was bitten on the thumb by Fowler in the latter’s fruitless efforts to make his escape, also vised his revolver, but without firing it, in selfdefence. On being handcuffed Fowler was taken to the Royal United Hospital on a stretcher, where his wounds were attended to by the house surgeons. He was detained in charge of three officers of Bath, she other two men and the women being

taken to the Central Police Station by various members of the force. A search of the room was made by the Scotland Yard Inspector, and a portmanteau was found containing a large number of housebreaking implements, including a large jemmy, a brass centre bit and a gimlet, and about 40 cartridges, all of which fitted both the revolver found under tho sofa and the one which had been offered in pledge at a local pawnbroker’s.

The scene in the room at tiie time of the capture is thus described by a correspondent : When, at half-past 10, it was decided to proceed with the arrest, Detective-Ser-geant Smith, of the Bath police, knowing the position of the rooms of the house, led the way, closely followed by Inspector Nutkins, Chief Inspectors Marshall and Noble, Inspector Newport, Sergeant Waters and Detective Burrell. As the detectives advanced, constables of the Bath police force closed in on all sides of the house to prevent escape. Proceeding cautiously and quietly up the staircase, Sergeant Smith, when all the officers were ready, threw open the room door, and Inspector Nutkins, revolver in hand, entered the apartment, with the remark, “Hands up, all of you.” Instantly the other officers rushed in, Chief Inspector Marshall covering, with Inspector Nutkins, Millson and Fowler with their rove Ivors. Everything became confusion, for their prey did not intend to bo taken too easily. Fowler leaped at the officers like a tiger, fearless of both them and their revolvers. He aimed a terrific blow from the shoulder at Mr Marshall’s head, literally smashing the silk hat he was wearing. Indiscriminately he dealt blows, and sought to find a weapon. To secure him was rougher work than anticipated. The other occupants of tho apartment were all under arrest, Millson’s opposition being slight i compared with Fowler’s. But still Fowler 1 fought violently, and in his fury severely [ bit Mr Marshall’s thumb. Nothing daunted, , Mr Marshall and Mr Nutkins stuck bravely I to their man, the furniture in the room | being scattered and smashed in tho desperate melee. Working tho officers towards the sofa, Fowler attempted to reach underneath it, and it was apparent that absolute forco was necessary to curb Fowler, whose fury and strength seemed to increase in violence. Both Mr Nutkins and Mr Marshall had already 7 struck Fowler on the head with the but ends of their revolvers, but it was not until the blows had been many times repeated that Fowler showed signs of declining strength. Even after the handcuffs had been made secure on his wrists it was found necessary to get leg-irons and chains to effectually secure him. Thus chained up, ho was conveyed to the Bath Hospital, and at once admitted as an in-patient under a strong police guard. Meanwhile Millson had been handcuffed, and lie, with his wife and children and tho Sinclairs, were escorted to tho police station in the Cathedral square and placed in the cells. Returning to the house the officers instituted a thorough search, and then for the first time discovered Fowler’s motivo for endeavouring to get his hand under the couch on which he slept. There they found a bull-dog revolver fully 7 loaded in six chambers.

When tho two men Albert Millson and Henry Fowler arrived at Paddington Station, a large crowd had collected on the arrival platform, but a strong force of police was in attendance for the purpose of maintaining order. Barriers had been erected opposite where the men were likely to bo detrained, and the approaches to tho station were also guarded by tho police. It was then seen that besides Millson and Fowler a woman and a child were included in the party, and these, it was said, wero Mrs Millson and her child. The two male prisoners wero handcuffed, and Fowler was still wearing the bandage around his head, which was applied in the Bath Hospital to the wounds inflicted by the police. Inspector Marshall quickly got the prisoners into a pair-horse omnibus, which was driven away amid much hissing and many cries of “ Lynch them.”

A Ilighgate correspondent writes that that district was thrown into great excitement by the arrival of the suspected murderers. At a quarter to eight a largo crowd had assembled outside the police station in South-grove. The officials inside had received information by wire that the suspects had arrived at Paddington from Bath, and that they would be driven straight to Ilighgate via Kentish Town. The first of a small procession to arrive was a mounted officer, and on his appearance a dozen constables filed out of tho station and kept a clear passage to tho door. Immediately following the horseman was a hansom cab, from which Superintendent Vedy, Chief Inspector Crofts, and Sub-Divisional Inspector Mountifleld, all of the l r Division, stepped out. Then came a pair-horse omnibus belonging to the Great Western Railway, the first to alight from which was Chief Inspector Marshall, who assisted the prisoner Fowler from tho vehicle, and both quickly disappeared into the station. The prisoner Millson, alias Wilson, Mead, and Smith, was the next to alight. Two policemen took him inside, and his wife, carring a baby, followed him. Inspector Nutkins followed. He carried a bright-looking, well-dressed child about two years old, and then Detective Sergeant Masey, who had collected various articles belonging to the travellers, was the last to leave the ’bus. This vehicle had been followed up the steep West Hill, Ilighgate, by a cab containing policemen, who now alighted and joined tho men on duty outside the station, where the crowd was then very large indeed. The prisoners were at once formally charged with the murder of Mr Henry Smith, of Muswell Lodge, on February 13th, exactly two months ago. The woman was charged with being an accessory after the fact.