THE WINDSOR MURDER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2331, 17 March 1892, Page 4

THE WINDSOR MURDER.

Sydney, March 14. Williams resided in Sydney in 1882 and served a sentence for larceny here. He was subsequently arrested for fraudulent larceny and absconded from his bail. He then had a wife and family, whose present whereabouts are unknown. Quite a choice crop of William’s alleged misdeeds are reported from several parts of Australia. When arrested he offered no resistance and made no statement. A telegram from Melbourne to the Hobart Mercury gives the following details of the Windsor murder : A ghastly crime came to light at Windsor on Thursday evening. A five-roomed brick house being to let, a lady went into it for the purpose of inspecting, purposing to rent the premises if they proved satisfactory. She was accompanied by the landlord, Mr Stamford, and noticed a fearful smell, and drew Mr Stamford’s attention to it. He made light of it at the time, but subsequently went to the agent for the house and spoke to him about the smell. The agent, accompanied by men, proceeded to the house for the purpose of investigating the cause, and they found that the smell came from the fireplace in one of the bedrooms. Suspecting that a crime had been committed, the agent sent for the police, who, on their arrival, took up the slate slab hearthstone. They there found a body huddled within a space of about 18in by 30in, literally buried in cement, which adhered to every part of the body, and had to be removed with a pick. When this had been done it was found to be the body of a woman in an advanced stage of decomposition, and of about 30 years of age. She was rather below medium height and of slender proportions. An examination of the body showed that she had been struck on the back of the head with a blunt instrument, inflicting a terrible wound. A week or so before Christmas a stranger rented the house from Mr Stamford, giving no name but paying a week’s rent in advance. Some days later the tenant complained to the agent of the ravages of the cockroaches, and paid another week’s rent, which was then nearly due, at the same time giving a week’s notice. Before the end of the week, however, he paid a mouth’s rent in advance. The man was of a respectable appearance, and described himself as a toolmaker’s engineer, stating that he had come from Sydney, and was awaiting th. arrival of a lady to act as his housekeeper and was not bringing any furniture from Sydney until her arrival. He was a man of medium height, fair complexion, light moustache and beard, the latter being about an inch long. He seemed to be mild mannered and of a gentlemanly demeanour. During the first part of the tenancy a neighbour saw a female in the company of the man. She was somewhat under the height of her companion, well but showily dressed, light brown hair, and about 35 years of age. The neighbour saw both of them leave the house on more than one occasion. The tenant, although of a seemingly slight build, had solid, square shoulders, and his erect stature gave an idea of strength. The body had been built in in so workmanlike a manner that only an expert workman could have done it. There was no clothing on the body, and nothing to lead to the identification of the woman. A post mortem examination revealed that the cause of death was fracture of the skull caused by a very heavy weapon, the skull being broken in three places. The throat was also cut. The movements of the tenant have been traced on three occasions before or at Christmas. About December 18, two carriers were respectively engaged to convey boxes and hampers to the house where the murder was discovered. One states that he took goods from amongst the luggage at the Custom shed just arrived by a German steamer, and that a woman answering the description of the body was with the man. Whilst the carrier was loading his van the pair quarrelled, the man remarking, “It cost me £7O to come out here ; I wish I had not paid now. I’d like to be able to send you back again.” The man also had a quantity of clothing washed by a laundryman at Windsor, consisting of male and female wearing apparel, principally underlinen, all of good quality and evidently the accumulationof a sea voyage. To the landlord’s agent he gave the name “ Drewn,” but to the carriers he gave the name of “ Wilson.” He impressed them as being either a Norwegian or Swede but free from any foreign accent.