MYSTERY OF 16 YEARS AGO

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 306, 20 May 1911, Page 9

MYSTERY OF 16 YEARS AGO

POLICE IX'VKSTUJAXE DRAMATIC STOiiV. In :i startling dramatic way ai Liverpool a man rivalled a. murder mystery which Hi years ;»<>■<> created a tremendous .msation in tlio West End of London, anil lias ever since remained unsolved. The nuin in question, on surrendering to the police, in the Prescott-district of Liverpool, gave the name of I'redcriek Charles liedford, aged 33, and described himself a laborer. hailing from Exeter. He was of the tramp class, but was quite sober and collected as he untoldud tlm extraordinary story, lie explained that (he crime had for a long time been weighing very heavily on his conscience, and now he was getting old he felt himself at last unable any longer to keep the secret to himself. He therefore requested the ollicei's to note what he had lo say, and. hav in<j briefly outlined his -tory, they saw that he was obviously sincere in what he said, and therefore commit ted his story to paper. Although closely questioned by Detective-Inspector Moore, Bedford adhered steadfastly to his story. The murder thus recalled is that of Henry Martin, lit), a nighl-wateh-man at the Cafe lloyal, Regent Street, London. 011 the night of December 5, IS!)I. The watchman was last seen alive at 1.5 a.m., and at 0.30 a.m. ho was found by a cellannan lving oil the tloor of the cafe, near the kitchen. He had been -hot twice ill the lieatl. On? bullet entered tlit; brain (this causing dentil), and another bullet was embedded in tlltf left jaw. The watchman had also been hit oil the head with a heavy instrument. .Martin was found unconscious on thn tloor of the cafe, lying in a pool of blood. A kitchen hand, summoned to the front entrance by a ring of the bell, observed the watchman lying 011 his back close to the cashier's ollice, and at oticc summoned aid. It was first thought that the unfortunate man had been seized with ft lit, but medical examination soon showed that A TERRIBLE CRIME HAD BEEN" COMMITTED. The Regent Street door of the eafe was found to be closed but not locked. The safe, which contained ;C4OO, and was thought, to have supplied the motive of the murder, had not been tampered with. There was a large hole in one of the cafe windows, large enough for a slim man to have escaped through. At the inquest held by Mr. Troutbeels, the police stated that they had no clue, and the jury returned a verdict that Martin had been murdered by some unknown person. The man now under detention voluntarily furnished the Liverpool police with a long, detailed account of the affair. He states that after the restaurant was closed for the night he secreted himself under a seat, and when all was quiet moved from his hiding place with the intention of rifling the offices. He was confronted, however, by the watchman, who was powerfully built, and would probably have got the advantage of him in a struggle. As Martin tried to secure him he pulled a revolver out of his pocket and fired, afterwards hitting the man over the head with an iron bar. He says he escaped by breaking a window at the back of the premises. Further, he gives a description of the interior of the premises, which shows that he is familiar with them and his account of the known facts. He added the extraordinary information that he gave the revolver to Fowler, who was in 18fl8 banged with Milsom for the, murder of Mr. Henry Smith, at Muswell Hill. For many years he acknowledged that he had been tramping the country. DetectiveInspector Fowler and Detective-Sergeant Vanner, of Vine Street, in which district the crime was commute.!, brought the self-accused man to London, and he was charged at Marlborough street with the wilful murder of Henrv (Maria) Martin by SHOOTING HIM WITH A REVOLVER at the Cafe Royal, Regent-street,_ between December 4th and (Ith, 1894. W hen lie appeared in the dock, prisoner showed himself to be a man of small stature, but well proportioned and stifllv built. Dark-eyed, grey-haired, and an aquiline nose, a' somewhat heavy moustache, and a chin suggesting determination, his facial expression was decidedly striking. He wore gold-rimmed spectacles. His pose throughout the proceedings was one of imperturbability. The brown coat and tweed trousers he wore were shabby, but even then did not seem to suggest that they were the property of a man "011 tramp," He carried a cap in his hand. Detcetive-Tiispector Fowler said that ill company with Detective-Sergeant V,miicr he saw Bedford detained at the Bridewell Police Station, Liverpool. Sergeant Muatt. of the Liverpool Police, was present. Witness told accused what he bad come for. and said lie believed he had made a certain statement at the Prcscott-street police station, about having committed a murder at the Cafe Royal. Regent-street, lfi years ago. Prisoner said, "Yes, sir." Witness then said, "Do you mean that the statement you made is true, or that you committed the murder is true?" Bedford replied: "It is true that I committed the murder, and it is also true that I made the statement." Witness then signed the statement he had made at Prcscottstreet. Inspector Fowler read only the last line of the statement: "If yon make inquiries at Scotland Yard, you will find that what I say is true." Mr. Mead: Does that refer to the last part or the whole ihiiij;. Mr. F.w'cr? Witness said that prisoner made another statement, which witness did not propose to go into that day, •'•[ told him," continued the inspector, "that on his own confession I would take him to London, where he would be charged." The Magistrate—When did he make the second statement? Witness—After I read the first one he made another statement. I told him that 011 his own confession T would take him to London and charge him with the wilful murder of Martin by shooting him at. the Cafe Royal. He said, "You will find it is quite true." Next morning he was charged at Vine-street, police station, and he said, "Yes. sir, quite right. Yon will find it. is true." Mr. Mead asked prisoner if he would like to put any questions, and the renly was in the negative. Accused was then , remanded.