The Windsor-Ramhill Tragedies

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 121, 9 April 1892, Page 2

The Windsor-Ramhill Tragedies

VERDICT OF WILFUL MURDER. [ TER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. I London, April 7. Replying to a question in ths HougJ of Commons, Sir Kichard Webster, A't.n* ney»General, snid that Deeming would only be brought to England to stand bis trial for the Kainliill murders in the event of his being acquitted for the Windsor murder. i April 8. A dressmaker who was acquainted with Deeming (whom she knew as Lawson), states that she walked with him on the mebt one of the Whitechapel murders wns committed. She left lum early, but met him again later in the evening. He then appeared to be Tery agitated ond conversed about the murder in an excited manner, showing an intimate knowledge of the way in which the body of the victim had been mutilated. He declared it WJIB impossible that he personnlly could be guilty of the crime, notwithstanding the wonderful knowledge he possessed of all the details of the affair. Melbourne. April 7. The Coroner who is conducting the Windsor murder inquest received an anonymous letter, ostensibly written by a woman, threatening that if the enquiry was not conducted in an impartial manner, it would be tho worse for him ; and also stating that an attempt would be made on the life of the Coroner in open court. At the conclusion of the evidence Mr Lyle, the prisoner's council, intimated that he would not set up any defence at the present stage. Throughout his remarks he frequently referred to the prisoner as " this strange and pitiful creature," and indicated that the defence would be one which had concerned the minds of thft greatest scientific men of the age. The jury after an absence of 40 minutes returned a verdict of wilful murder against Williams. April 8. Williams will be tried at the Supremo Court, the trial commencing on the Ss2nd When the coroner prepared the commitment warrant, Williams told him to put it in his pipe and smoke it.

WILLIAMS PRETENDING MADNESS.

(Received April 9, 11.30 a.m.) Melboubne, Tins Day. Williams' behaviour in gaol is said to be erratic and peculiar, but the medical officers are of opinion that the prisoner is not insane, but merely acting a part.

[Per s.B. Wairarapa at the Bluff.] Melbourne, 29th March. On the way from Perth to Albany crowds flocked to the various stations, and the greatest excitement prevailed, cries of " Lynch him " being frequent as Swanston appeared. After leaving Beyerley the demonstrations ceased, but the prisoner was evidently very nervous. He had been thoroughly frightened at York, and the scene at Beverley had not tended to calm him. He lay down at full length on the seat, and dropped off into an uneasy sleep, which lasted for about two hours. Then he was apparenly seized with a fie. Four men in the compartment threw themselves upon him, but though his arms were useless his struggles were so desperate that it was hardly possible to hold him. When the train arrived at Katauninga, Swanston completely collapsed, and fell into a sleep, which lasted until late in the morning, when he woke up, to everybody's astonishment, without showing the slightest sign of exhaustion. Looking at his wrists, which were badly swollen by his severe struggles with the handcuffs he said, " Hullo, what's this '? I must have been doing something last night " The prisoner was kept in Albany Gaol in charge of two policemen, and he spent a whole day playing draughts and putting a heavy weight. In both of these he was defeated, and he excused himself by saying that having a mental strain had nnI fitted him. He asked repeatedly for his spectacles and for brandy. At 10 p.m. Detective Cawsey saw the prisoner, and found that everything was all right, but at half-past 5 next morning, when he went to prepare the prisoner for embarkation on the steamer, he found him clean shaved. Swanson, when questioned, j laughed and merely said that he had 1 wanted a shave badly. He could not dis- ! guise his triumph at the success of bis , manoeuvres, and his face wore a grin all i the way to the steamer. Since thia episode, it has been decided to always handcuff the prisoner to another man. The whole affair deepens the impression that the fits in the railway carriage were only a part of a clever scheme to get j his handcuffs taken off. They were ! moved in the gaol, and thus the plot sue- 1 ceeded. He made the alteration with a piece of broken bottle, chopping off his moustache in such a way as to completely alter his appearance, making him look about 20 years younger. Some of the hftit WftS found in the cell, and 75 per cent. appears to have been plucked out by the roots.