MURDERED NURSE CHILD.

New Zealand Mail, 15 February 1900, Page 47

MURDERED NURSE CHILD.

William Chard Williams aged 41, described as a clerk, of 26, Gainsborough road, Hackney-wick, and his wife, Ada, aged 24, were brought up on remand, says a London paper of December 23, at the South Western police court, on December 22nd, charged with being concerned in the murder of Selina Ellen Jones, a nurse child, whose body was found in the Thames at Battersea in September last. The female prisoner was dressed in black, with a boa round her neck, and on being placed in the deck she looked about unconcernedly. She smiled at times, and seemed to look on the whole thing with profound indifference. The man’s demeanour was more interested.—Mr Frayling, who attended to prosecute for the Treasury, said on that occasion he only proposed to call sufficient evidence to justify a remand.—De-tective-inspector Cox said he and Detective Gough visited the coffee-shop at 26, Gainsborough road, Hackney-wick (where the woman, was manageress), on the Bth instant. The male prisoner was in the kitchen, and the woman was found packing a large American trunk in a room upstairs. He told her who he was and she ■#'plied, ‘‘l know what you have come about; it is the Battersea job. T knew it was you as soon as I heard your step on the ttairs.” Later on she said "Hava you got my letter I, sent to Scotland-yard r” He answered, "Yea,” and she then said, "That letter is God’s truth: I know I can’t clear myself. My husband was not in the house when I took the child away. Both prisoners were then charged, and removed 1 to Battersea police - station, where they were identified by witnesses.— Detective Joseph Gough said he arrested and charged the man, who replied. "We are fuilty of fraud, but not of murder.”—Mr 'rayling . intimated that the evidence would conclude the investigation for the day, and Mr Garrett remanded the prisoners. As they left the dock there was some hissing at the hack of the court, and tli3 woman looked round and scowled.— Mr Superintendent Saines, of the V division, watched the proceedings on behalf of the policOv

the PRISONERS’ ANTECEDENTS. Since the arrest of Mr ancl Mrs "Hewetf.°” on tlie charge of cruelly murdering little uejma Ellen Jones whose body was found m the llianies at Battersea in September last, the police, acting under the instructions ot Superintendent Saines and Detective-inspector Scott, of the V division, nave been busily engaged in pursuing their inquiries in order to complete the chain ot evidence which is to be adduced against P iT nei ' S - ? hat the task imposed th F m is not an easy one will be llna gired when it is stated that there is scarcely a part of the Metropolitan Police district that has not been visited by the accused. Some very sensational developments are promised in the course or the case. A representative of "Lloyd's,” as the result of inquiries made during the few days, has learned that the female tke daughter of a Sussex farmer named Street, and passed her girlhood days in the neighbourhood of Horsham. She bears the character of having a , v ery troublesome girl, and ittif sal^.tkat tvhen she was only 16 she attempted to commit suicide. or "Cliard-Williams,” as he prefers to be called, is a native of India, and claims to be a Bachelor of Arts of Cc,r-pu3 Chnsti college, Cambridge. His a fcl in eSpCct ha 's not been put to the test, but he is certainly a man of educational attainments, and is the master of several languages. How he came to hear of the whereabouts of the young woman who was , destined to become his wife has not jet been ascertained, but it is known a*j 4 f T into correspondence with her, 4 t} i elr courtship was ten tLe most part carried on through the pest. Miss May Street was in her IStli year when six years since, she was married to Chard-Williams at West Grinstead, Sussex, the man being many years her senior. Soon after tho wedding the couple came to London, and opened a

newsagent's shop in a passage close to Turnstile, High-Holborn. Hero they eked out a precarious existence, their income being slightly augmented by Chard-Wil-liams giving lessons in French. Thenstay in Holborn was of very brief duration, and it is alleged that for a period of at least five years they have lived by their wit 3; in fact, it was opc-nly stated bv the police at the Battersea inquest they had “paid no rent for years,” and that there were warrants out for their arrest for fraud all over London. Singularly enough their principal victims appear to be monevlenders and tradesmen who supply furniture on the hire-purchase system. Their last known address was at Grove-villas, Grove road, Barnes, a house they had furnished on “easy terms,” and since their arrest it has transpired that they disposed ox the whole of thein goods before leaving tne district.

In the earlier stages of tlieir investigation the detectives were informed in several quarters that the accused possessed a very large doll—as large, in fact, as a. welldeveloped child 12 or 14 months old. It was alleged by people who knew their habits that Mrs Hewetson would- bring -home a baby, which, in the course of a few days would disappear, the doll bein'* substituted for the real child. It was thought by the detectives that the doll would form an important clue, and prominence was given to the fact in the printed description of the persons “wanted.” When the police came to search Mrs Hewctson's boxes at the Gainsborough road (Hackney) coffee-shop they discovered a very large •quantity of baby linen, and carefully nacked away underneath it was a remarkable wax doll with large blue eves. Its face was covered by a white veil, and it had the exact appearance of a baby. As an illustraion of how anyone might be deeeivin the matter, when one of the police officers took the doll into the police station lie told some of his comrades that he had found a dead child, and the men thought he was in earnest. Great importance is attached to the finding of the doll. A certain amount of doubt exists as to the prisoners’ real names, and as they are believed to hsife had dealings with a very large number of children it may not be out of plac; to mention the various aliases

they have- passed underrfrem time to time. The man has described himself as William Henry Williams, William Williams, William Carew-Williams, Herbert B. Preston, Allred Herbert Adams, George Hatton, Edward Harper, and Carr-Smifcb, while for the purposes of the charge he styles himself Chard-Williams Heweison. The following are among the different names used by May Hewetson (the name under which she “adopted” Selina Ellen Jones) —Mrs W illiums, Mrs Mitchell, and May Preston. Any persons who have parted with children to people giving any of the above-mentioned ■ names should conunnai* cate with the Scotland Yard . authorities without delay. ' .. It may.be remembered that at the time they were.' apprehended . they had with, them a little boy about 15 months old. This child has since been claimed by fc:s mother, . • ■ ' - After leaving Barnes, and before the woman took the situation, at the coffee-shop; Hewetson and his' wife went to Brighton/ From there . they . journeyed to - HorSfcasSy and thence -to Kingston-on-Thames, wheiie' it is stated Mrs Hewetson has a sister living. In.not a single instance did the. man put in. an appearance in the daytime', always deferring his visits to his wife until night, when he would come disguised. Had the arrest not taken place when it did the prisoners freely admit that they were' about to start for America, via Eustc.o and Liverpool.