THE COLCHESTER CRIME

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 55, 25 March 1901, Page 4

THE COLCHESTER CRIME

EVIDENCE TO BE CALLED IN KNGLANP.

Tv, «u article d.-». w S with the Ool-ch*str-r isin:d(«r, iu cotmfciion with which she uisa Li:iywhites afbsßlatsh, m now upon hi w*y to EagUnd, the London Daily Express gives these) particulars t£ evideiioe that is likely toj he sailed in En-lard r.o establish the prisoner'* identity. It til a of the 'ruitlesa search for Dho nurderer and aftihe fact that the case had bo«o re'og&t-d to the list cf un-Jiscovrr.-d, crireei, and a;.y^: Then * a'arciing thing happened in New ZeeUnd. A year cr two bsfore a Coiche6ter m«n naai*d Drawbridge, a former cioae acqasintanse of the murdered min, hid gone oat to Wellington and opsuetl a labour bureau. One d*y th--re walked info hie office <»n individual in search cf wsrk, whom, in spite of h'3 d'.wn-»!< heel "ppsaranc, the labour agtrt inrtanfely rdinfcfied es Blatch

» Concealing his surp ue ts best he| could, the agent questioned the man as to his acquaintance with Sngland, and aiked him to call later, going in, the meantime to the police. Bnt the recognition had evidently been mutual, and Blatch dida't call the second time

For a time he disappeared, bnt daring his absence, Mr. Drawbridge had another start iag adrrntare, which was destined at last to losd to the wanted man's arrest

Walking one d»y in the streets at Wellington the agent vas xcco-.t-id by, a woman, who *ished him to di«pos<of cartaia property which, she said, hod been given her by a Oflinamau whom she had met in New Zealand after leaving Colchester tome years before, as she put if, '■ under a cioed " "Colchester," said the agint; "if you come from Colchester you muat> know Blatch."

'■ Blatch/' the woman answered Id su'prife, " why that is the name cf the saau who i iiiaed me."

' Well," said the agent, as a climax' to thii seneational scent, " Blttch is h?re in Wellington." He wasn't than, but be returned to his old haunt* a lirtie lstir, acd the wotnitn, who had been an old swretheait in Colchester, Bnd whose name was Margareo Archer, met and recognised him.

A'thoT-g'» she had bean tome time married, sad was now Mrs. Wong Toe ( the Chinamen referred to being her husbajw), the nveiiug with her former lover <woke tba old passim, and the continually met him. Thu agent Draw bride mentioned the matter to the p-.lica ugsia, but they regarded his story as improbable, and one cay the woman left We'lington suddenly for England. Then it was that Drawbridge, feel ingeonviacid of the identity of the man, cablc'd straight to the English police, thi rem t being that cu the arrival of ohe host Defective Bimmone,j of Colchester, met the vroman and questioned her as to the man at Well- j ingtcn. I

Then she admitted reluctantly thati B'atch wes io reality in Wellington,' ard under pressure as to further' particulars, made the startling statement that bfcf >ie her departure Beaten, who had always denied all knowledge, of the murder, had admitted in a moment of over confidence that he had committed it, and begged her for o'd ime'a sake not io " give him away." Cress-examination only served to convince the prlice of the truth of the woman's story, acd a cable was hurriedly despatched to the Wellington police, the result of which was tho arrest of the suspecb as be was painting pillar boxes in the street. The man claims to be a natuia'iisdj American and has papers in his pot j seision, but these, it is baliev: J, have! baen obtained from fomscne else, audi the prisoner will short'y sail for home to take his tiial, which should prove! oaeofthemest sensatioosl of reccßt! ears. ,