A STARTLING CONFESSION. [Pall Mall Gazette, Feb. 26.]

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1223, 1 May 1880, Page 3

A STARTLING CONFESSION. [Pall Mall Gazette, Feb. 26.]

A woman who gave the name of Sarah Nelly Essani made an .extraordinary statement to the pofice a$ v Uxbridge in reference to the Richmond murder this morning. She said that for five weeks previous to Monday last she had been- living, with a man at Ealing with whom she had been acquainted four years, and on Sunday fortnight he made a confession to her "which" she felt she I could no longer keep secret. The man was a carman, and she mentioned his name, also telling the police where he might probably be found. The woman said that on Sunday fortnight they were sitting together at dinner, when the man suddenly jumped up and w^nt into; the parlor, in a great state of i agitation. She followed and asked him what was the matter, and he replied, " For God's sake, Nell, don't ask me. I shall go mad, I know I shall." She begged him to tell her, and he then began to cry, and said !}he matter which troubled him occurred at Richmond, adding that if she spoke of it to anyone she was a dead woman. She said that she would not tell so long as he kept "straight," and he then told her that he was present at the time Mrs Thomas, of Richmond was murdered, and that lie assisted Kate' 'Webffter to cut up and dispose of the body. Kate Webster, he said, committed the murder while he was standing behind the door, and he remained in the house for two days afterwards. He had been acquainted with Webster for some years, and was the father of her children. He also stated that he was on the bridge when the box containing Mrs Thomas' remains were thrown into the river. They had some difficulty in getting the furniture away from the house, but he asserts that Church, was entirely iimosent. He also stated that Kate Webster obtained situations for the purpose of robbing her employers, and that he had always been implicated. She (Webster) told him that Mrs Thomas had £1000 in her house, and that she knew were to find it. He further said that he and Webster made up their minds to do away with Mrs Thomas a fortnight before the murder was committed, and that he had slept at the house two or three nights a week. He also spoke of a great robbery, in which he and a man whom she only knew by sight were concerned. Three weeks ago to day he returned home from his work at Hanwell earlier than usual, and prepared to go out for some hours, telling her to go to bed. From his manner, and the clothing he selected, she judged that lie was "up to no good ;" but he declined to tell her where he was going till she saw him place a short poker down the leg of his trousers, and charged him with having it there. He then told her that a woman whose husband had been sentenced to five years' penal servitude had been brought down from London by the other man referred to, and that she threatened to " open " unless they paid her a sum of £5. He did not have the money and she would not accept less, and he and the other \ man therefore intended to entice her near a canal, give her a blow on the head, and throw her body into the | water, adding that it would be some time before it rose to the surface. The woman, who made her statement in a lucid manner, said that her reason for making it was that she thought the man should be brought to justice. Moreover, she was afraid that he would murder her, as he appeared to regret having made the confession to her. , Jle deserted her on Monday, and she gave up her house immediately because she was afraid of him. On receiving the woman's fotatemen'b, Inspector Eanies immediately placed himself in communication with the Criminal Investigation Department and detained her.