SENSATIONAL BLACKMAILING CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2392, 30 August 1892, Page 3

SENSATIONAL BLACKMAILING CASE.

Considerable interest is being felt in London in connection with the charge of blackmailing against Thomas Neill, who is undergoing his trial on account of letters purported to have been written by him to two well-known and distinguished public men —Dr Broadbeut, who so capably attended the late Prince Albert Victor at his deathbed, and Mr Frederick .Smith, M.P., son of the late Mr H. W. Smith. These letters brought charges of the most serious nature, and the present trial is the result thereof. The Extradition Court was filled to its utmost capacity. Reporters, artists, witnesses, and police, fully occupied the limited space. Even the seat reserved for the counsel was filled, while the solicitor for the defence found it as much as he could do to squeeze himself into position at the table in front of the magistrate, Ah air of suppressed excitement prevailed, due to the belief entertained by most of those present that startling revelations were about to be made in connection with the South London poisoning mysteries. The prisoner, Neill, was dressed ir a black Melton morning coat, and was looking worn and thin, his closely clipped beard giving him gather 9 flmftrt appearance. It will be remembered {hat the girl Matilda Clover, one of the girls to whom Neill’s letters referred, was buried at Tooting, on October 27 last year, a medical certificate haying been granted that death resulted from syncope following upon delirium tremens. However, the charges contained in the letters aforesaid caused the body to be exhumed and the presence of strychnine was discovered. This discovery rather startled everyone. The following Is one of the letters referred to above, and received by Dr Broadbeut on November 30 London, November 28,1891.

Dr W. EL Broadbont. —Sir, —Miss Clover, who, until a short time ago, lived at 27, Lambeth road, S.E., died at the above address on October 20 (last month), through being poisoned with strychnine. After her death a search of her effects was made, and evidence was found which showed that you nut only gave her the medicine which caused her death, Ipt that you had been hired tor tiro purpose of poisoning her. This evidence if) in the hands of one of our detectives, will give the evidence either to you or to the police authorities for the sum of £2500 (two thousand five hundred pounds sterling). You can have the evidence for £2500, and in that way save yourself from ruin. If the matter is disposed of to the police, it will, of course, be made public by being published in the papers and ruin you for ever, You know well enough that an accusation of that sort will rijin you for ever. Now, Sir, if yon want the evidence for £2500 just put a personal in the Daily Ohromolo laying you will pay Malone £2500 for his services, and I will send a party to settle this matter. If you do not want the evidence, of course it wili be turned over to the police at once, and published, and ruin will surely follow. Think well before you decide on this matter. It is just this—£2soo sterling on the one hand, and ruin, shame, and disgrace on

I,'ic other, Answer by personal on the i lirst pa<m of tha Daily Chronicle and i time next week. I am not humbugging ■ you. I have evidence strong enough to ruin you for ever. M. Malonr. The other letter to Mr Frederick Smith, M.P., reads as follows : London, November o, 1891. Mr F. W. D. Smith, care of Wm. H. Smith and Sons, 180, Strand, London, England.— Sir,— On Tuesday night, October 13 (last month), a girl named Ellen Donworth, but sometimes called Ellon Linell, who lived at 8, Duke street, Westminster-bridge road, was poisoned with strychnine. After her death among her effects were found two letters criminating you, which if they ever become public property which will surely convict . you of the crime. I enclose you a copy of one of the letters the girl received on the morning of October 13 (the day on which she died.) Just read it and then judge for yourself what hope you have of escape if the law officers ever get hold of these letters. Think of the shame and disgrace it will bring on your family if you are arrested and put in prison for this crime. My object in writing to you is to ask if you will retain me at once as your counsellor and legal adviser. If you employ me at once t? !xct for y ou in tlliK matter, I will save you from all exposure and shame in the matter, but if you will wait till arrested before retaining me then I cannot act for you, as no lawyers could save you after the authorities get hold of these two letters. If you wish to retain me just write a few lines on paper saying, “Mr Fred. Smith wishes to see Mr Bayne, at once.” Paste this in one of your shop windows at 186, Strand, next Tuesday morning and when I see it I will drop in and have a private interview with you. I can save you if you retain me in time but not otherwise. —Yours truly, H. Bayne Mr Frederick Smith. The enclosure referred to was a warning letter to Miss Ellen Linell, which is given here ; Miss Ellen, —I wrote and warned you once before that Frederick Smith, of W. H. Smith and Son was going to poison yon, and I am writing now to say that if you take any of the medicine he gave you for the purpose he intended you will die. I saw Frederick Smith, prepare the medicine he gave you and I saw him put enough strychnine in the medicine he gave you for to kill a horse. If you take any of it you will die. —H.M.B. Thece three letters, though signed with various signatures, are pronounced by the expert employed to be in the handwriting of the prisoner, Thomas Neill. The police are hard at work upon the career of the prisoner, and have discovered that he is a native of Glasgow ; real name Thomas Neil Cream. He was always a person of much eccentricity. He engaged in one or two enterprises which were not greatly to the credit of the family, and his father when dying cut him off from his inheritance. Neill then engaged in litigation with his brothers, but he was only partially successful in his claims. One of the features of the case against him’is the appearance in the witness-box of a young lady to whom he was engagad to be married, and whose acquaintance he made during his residence here. She belongs to a highly respectable family, and to her he made many presents of jewellery during the last few months. She was present in court, and paid much attention to the evidence. This young damsel is said to be in possession of Neill’s will, he having executed and signed it in his own name since his arrest. Her evidence, it is believed, will be of the greatest value to the police in fixing the charge of blackmailing upon the prisoner. One fact which seems at present to be of considerable importance is that the whole of tho letters which the police have in their possession are written upon the same style of paper, of peculiar make. It is thin, crisp paper, ruled with a faint blue line, and water-marked “ Fairfields, superior quality.” Up to the present the police have been wholly unable to discover where paper of this kind is bought. It is supposed to have come from America, and a detective has been promptly despatched thither to make the necessary inquiries. He will return with the full details of the prisoner’s career in that country. A most curious point in connection with the affair is that some of the letters were signed “W. H. Murray.” This myssterious person, whom Neill says he saw on one occasion, is described by him as a man of about sft 9jn ill height, and about 40 years of age, wearing a dark coat, with light-colored trousers, and a hard felt hat. Murray’s hair, he said, was dark, and he had dark whiskers and moustache, with straggling grey hairs in them. This, it will be remembered, is not unlike the description of another “W. Murray” given by William Henry Hurlbert, in the notorious breach of promise case brought against him. Scotland yard has devoted its best intelligence to unrflYcUiiig the mystery of “ hlurruy,” but so far without success'V--no one seemed anxious to answer to the description. It is probable, should Neill bo convicted upon the present charge, there will be others of far more serious nature to follow. For one who openly avows his knowledge of an unsuspected murder places himself in rather an awkward position.—Correspoqdedt Otago Daily Times?,