THE MOAT-FARM MYSTERY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1636, 8 July 1903, Page 73 (Supplement)

THE MOAT-FARM MYSTERY.

The mystery of the “Moat Farm,” recently unravelled, is one of the most remarkable murder storie s beard for a long time. It dates back four years. In February last, moved by rumours, the police began inquiry, and on April 27th (it was announced at the time by cable) was found the body of a woman who had been missing since May, 1899. The Moat Farm, was the name of' a email property in Essex, England, near Saffron WaldenMiss Camille Holland, was a, single woman, past middle age, who had come into about <£lo,ooo. She spent her time in travelling in England and the Contin_ ent, and appeared to lead an agreeable life until in 1898 in Brussels she met an ex-army sergeant named Samuel Herbert Dougal. It turned out afterwards that Dougal had left the army with a bad record, but when Miss Holland met him he was an attractive man, with plenty of style. Whether she went through the marriage ceremony with him or not is-unknown. She called herself Mrs Dougal, vet she still drew cheques and transacted business as Mis tf Holland. At Dougal’s suggestion the Moat Farm was bought in her name. For two or three months, pending the confdetion of the purchase, the two lived in odgings with Mrs Wisken, at Saffron Walden. They moved into the Moat Farm", as the place was called, on April 27tl\, 1899. (It was on the fourth anniversary of that day that, the body was found.) “I can't think what my Imsband means by taking the place.,” she said to Mrs Wisken. They had only been in occupation for 20 days when. Miss Holland disappeared. In a very short time unhappiness arose. Dougal caused disturbance in the house by making love to the servant girl, who, out of fright, locked herself in her room. Mrs Dougal (Miss Holland) tried to restore propriety, a s she did not wish the girl to leave. But the girl gave notice, and wrote for her mother. At half-past six in the veiling (May 19th, 1893). Miss Holland got into a pony cart with. Dougal and. drove away. She had no luggage, and called out at the front door, ‘'“"Goodbye ; I shan't be long.'' About half-past eight the same evening- Dougal returned alone. The-girl ivag so scared with the fright Dougal had already given her that after the departure of Miss Holland slie decided not to go to bed. Dougal, she said, kept driving backwards and forwards “from the farm to the station,” and "meeting every train up to midnight in the expectation of Miss Holland's return .” Dougal told the girl that Miss Holland had gone for a short stay with some 'friends in London, and iron Id be back again in a few days. Miss Holland wa s never again seen. Dougal staved on at the farm, and after the, servant girl's departure wife I. was brought on the scene under another name, as housekeeper. Dougal gave it out that Miss Holland had gone to stay with friends. The vicar of Clavering, making a duty call at the end. of May, was informed that Mrs Dougal. as she was universally called, had gqne to the Continent. After the disappearance of Miss Holland Dougal was often seen about in the district, in a dogcart or a motor-car; he dressed well. Though interested in farming, he made no effort at work on a large scale as far as the many acres attached to the farm were concerned. 'Rumour was busy with the fact of the disappearance a few days after Miss Holland had left- Some people declared that she had been seen in a lane near the house dressed only in night-wear. A thousand theories were mooted, and the matter was discussed in every house in the villages of Quendon and Clavering. But nothing was done. The lady's relatives assumed that she had reasons of her own for not answering their letters. Her banking business was apparently transacted as usual, deals were made apparently by her, and letters addressed to her wem duly delivered, and taken in at the Moat house. So the.- talk died down, and was only revived' early in 1903. owing to a long series of remarkable circumstances. On February 28th Inspector Marden began his investigations. Part of bis duty was to ascertain what had become of Miss Holland. He saw all ber relatives, took statements from everybody In the village and elsewhere who might know anything of the matter, and conducted the case with diligence and skill. On March 18th he went to the Moat house with a very considerable fund of information in Ms possession. By this time Sergeant Scott, of the Essex Constabulary had been assigned to assist the inspector, and the search was begun. From top to bottom the house was overhauled, and a remarkable state of affairs was disclosed. All that Miss Holland seemed to have possessed was still there. Her linen was there, with her name in Hill or in initials on it. Some of it that still bore her aunt's name was there. The grand piano which sha had. owned was in the

drawing-room; pictures which she had painted and signed were still hanging on the walls; songs which she had written and composed still lay in the musicchest, many of them bearing her autograph. Her books filled a large bookcase —all things which. Miss Holland is known to have prized were found and identified as hers, and in most of them her name was written on the fljdeaf. On some of them a die which she had used had. impressed a design on the cover. Dougal himself showed the police over the premises, and frankly answered ail inquiries.

Soon afterwards it was decided to arrest Dougal. It was found that he had operated on Miss Holland's account with forged cheques. He was only just caught in time. The arrest was made outside of a West End branch of the Bank of England, where he had kept an account, and he wa« found in possession of <£sß3. This was assumed to be money which he had drawn in Miss Holland's name from time to time and banked in his own name. He was apparently on the point of quitting England. The police arrested liim for forgery, and said nothing about any supposed murder.

Systematic search was begun at the farm. The place derived its name from a, moat in the form of a figure 8, and the principal loop surrounded the house. Away from the house, beyoncl a road, way, stood the farm-yard, with a pond. Near this pond, in a. ditch (filled in) that ran from the yard to the moat, the body was found. But it was not discovered until three 'weeks after the search began. In the first instance the police- emptied the moat and fo-und nothing. Then they dug- open several likely “buries.” At last, on April 27th, the discovery was made in the ditch by which the farm-yard had been drained. It used to be an open ditch, but at the time of Miss Holland's disappearance it was in process of being filled up. Three weeks previously to the discovery the re-opening of the ditch was undertaken by tire police, and the excavation had reached so close to the spot where the body was found that half-a-dozen more strokes of pick and shovel would have solved the mystery there and them But the ground became so wet that work could not be proceeded with. _lt resumed on April 27th by Policeconstable Lindsay, with three labourers for assistants. They began where they left off, 20 yards from the farmyard and about 40 from where the ditch. after running underneath the roadway empties into the moat. A labouring man named Tom Barker made the discovery. Indications appeared of newly-made ground in the Avail of the ditch, and Barker, thrusting his spade in, struck something hard. On removing it he found a little boot Avith a foot in it. Careful removal oj" the surrounding clay and chalk revealed the whole body.

The comb which Miss Holland wa s wearing Avas picked up; by it lay a hairpin. From the first there had not been the least doubt as to identity on ine part of anyone avlio knew the unhappy lady. • “Poor . little thing: poor little thing.’' the neighbour*, said as one by one the articles Avere recognised. More pathetic than all the- comments was the dumb interest taken in the proceedings bv the dead lady’s Pomeranian dog “Jack.” , _ He and his mistress had been devoted friends. After her disappearance he declined all friendships until Sergeant Scott came on the scene to prosecute his patient search. In the sergeant the little dog seemed immediately to recognise an allv and friend. When operations Avere agoing on he manifested an eager interest, “as if,” as one of the officers expressed it, “he had been a child.” • After the discoAmry, Mrs Wiskin. of Saffron Walden, remembered the dog being with Mr and Mrs Dougal at henhouse. A day or two after miss Holland's' disappearance Jack turned up at Mrs Wiskin’s. evidently looking for his mistress. Word Avas sent to Dougal, avlio fetched it aAvay, and it afterwards stayed about the farm. One of the things found with the body was a Avire framework, which at first was thought to be the “foundation" of a lady's bonnet, but the shape of it Avas puzzling, and non© of the trimming of the bonnet could be found among- the mud at the bottom of the hole. “This frame Avas shewed to me,” said Mrs Wiskin, "and I recognised it. a* a hair-frame similar to one Avhich Miss Holland used to Avear. I know of the existence of the frame, because I Avas accustomed to dress Miss Holland’s hair for her. These frames are used to make the hair stand out on the head similar to the old-fashioned pad or ‘bun.’ " Miss Holland’s remains were also identified by means of the tiny shoes she used to Avear. It Avasi evident from the way in. whie.li the hody had heen buried that Dougal had calculated on its neA’er being found.

The spot Avas at one time, and since the ditch had been, filled in, surrounded by a number of freshly-planted trees 1 , ancl piled over it Avas a stack of faggots from Avhich tbe supply of firewood Avas draAvn. The police AVer© induced to reopen the ditch by noticing that after rain the farmyard became flooded, a circumstance Avhich sliOAved that the drainage had been interfered Avith. At the inquest. Dr Pepper, of St. Mary’s Hospital, London, avlio made the post-mortem examination of the body, stated tliat he found a bullet in the skull, beloAV an orifice on the right side, behind the ear, through Avhicli it had entered. The shot must have been fired from behind. fDouga] has since been tried for and found guilty of tbe murder of Miss Holland.l