Frederick Bailey Deeming
Encyclopedia
Frederick Bailey Deeming (30 July 1853 – 23 May 1892) was an English-born Australian gasfitter and murderer.
Deeming was born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch
, Leicestershire, England, son of Thomas Deeming, brazier, and his wife Ann, née Bailey. He was a "difficult child" according to writers Maurice Gurvich and Christopher Wray. At 16 years of age he ran away to sea, and thereafter, he began a long career of crime, largely thieving and obtaining money under false pretences. He was also responsible for the murder of his first wife Marie, and his four children, at Rainhill
, England, on or about 26 July 1891, and a second wife, Emily, at Windsor
, Melbourne, on 24 December 1891.
Less than three months elapsed between the discovery of Emily Mather’s body in Windsor, Melbourne, in March 1892, and Deeming’s execution for her murder in May 1892; a remarkably short time by comparison to modern western legal standards. Not only was this due to unusually efficient police work, it was also a result of the considerable international media interest the murder attracted. For example, it was an English journalist working for the Melbourne Argus
who first approached Emily Mather’s mother in Rainhill, delivering the news of her daughter’s murder. Another factor was Deeming’s behaviour in public; for while often using different names, he usually drew attention to himself with behaviour variously described as aggressive, ostentatious, ingratiating and overly attentive to women.
. The money was never repaid. Deeming is known to have worked for a Sydney gasfitter, where he was charged with theft of brass fittings from his employer. Deeming indignantly denied the theft, but the items were found at his home and he was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment. Deeming pretended to faint when the sentence was pronounced. After his release he continued to work in Sydney as a gasfitter until, in December 1887, he was again committed for trial, now on a charge of fraudulent insolvency. He disappeared from New South Wales
while on bail.
Deeming was accompanied by his wife while in Australia, “a typical welsh lass,” Marie, née James. Deeming had married her in Lower Tranmere, England in February 1881 and they had lived briefly at Birkenhead
before leaving for Melbourne. His brother Alfred, had married Marie’s sister, Martha. By 1886 Deeming and Marie had two Australian born daughters, Bertha and Marie. In 1888 his brothers Alfred and Walter learned that Deeming and his family were returning to England “with a considerable fortune”.
, South Africa in 1888–1889, but his exact movements at this time are unclear and it appears he returned to Birkenhead
, England, at least once. Marie had another child at this time. He was known to have been involved in conducting a Transvaal
diamond mine swindle in 1889. His return to England via the steamship "Yumna" was well remembered by the Captain and passengers for his ostentatious display of jewellery and money, and his unwanted attention to some of the female passengers.
He had arrived at Hull
by November 1889, lodging in the nearby town of Beverley
. Here he passed himself off as “a retired sheep farmer named Harry Lawson from Mount House Farm, Rockhampton, Queensland
, living on 1,500 pounds
a year. He wooed Helen Matheson, the 21 year old daughter of his landlady and married her, bigamously, on 18 February 1890. About a month later, after a honeymoon in the south of England, he suddenly disappeared, taking his expensive gifts to Helen with him. Deeming’s wife and extended family had heard of his bigamous marriage to Helen according to Gurvich and Wray.
Deeming was later found to have then visited Marie and his (now) four children in Birkenhead
. He apparently gave Marie several hundred pounds and announced he was leaving for South America. He would send for her and the children once he was settled. Before leaving he conducted another swindle at a jewellers in Hull. He was arrested for this on arrival at Montevideo
and extradited back to England on a charge of “obtaining goods by false pretences,” being sentenced to nine months prison.
area, settling into a hotel in the village of Rainhill
, Merseyside under the name Albert Williams. A mysterious woman (almost certainly his wife Marie) who appeared at the hotel was dismissed as his “sister”, visiting before she left for Port Said
. Deeming then took a lease on Dinham Villa, a house in Rainhill, supposedly on behalf of a military friend, a certain Colonel Brookes. However, Deeming himself took up residence at Dinham Villa, while a woman and several children seen at the house were again dismissed as merely his “sister and her children,” visiting, who had “since returned home.” Shortly afterwards, Deeming complained that the drains at Dinham Villa were defective, and the kitchen floor needed to be replaced. He closely supervised the work on the floor.
While in Rainhill, Deeming began to court Emily Lydia Mather, the daughter of a widowed local shopkeeper, Mrs Dove Mather. Emily and Deeming (as Albert Williams) married on 22 September 1891.
, a suburb of Melbourne. On 24 December or early on 25 December 1891, he murdered Emily and buried her under the hearthstone of one of the bedrooms, covering the body with cement. He had paid a month's rent in advance, giving the name Mr. Drewn, but almost immediately left the property. The owner, nearby butcher John Stamford, had been happy to rent to the man, because of his air of respectability, and at first had not even known the man’s name.
On 3 March 1892 a prospective tenant of the Windsor house complained of "a disagreeable smell" in the second bedroom. The owner and estate agent later raised the hearthstone to investigate whereupon the smell became so overpowering "they found themselves barely able to breathe". The police were called and the body of Emily Mather found. A postmortem conducted on 4 March found that although her skull had been fractured by several blows, the most likely cause of death was that her throat had been cut.
Publicity surrounding the gruesome finding of Emily Mather’s body was considerable. Within a few days, The Age
newspaper had connected the murder to the Whitechapel murders of London;
Through clues found at the vacant Andrew Street house and from information provided by local tradespeople, investigating Victoria Police
sergeants William Considine and Henry Cawsey were able to trace the recently arrived Mr. Williams to the "Kaiser Wilhelm II." They were then able to interview other passengers, who gave corroborating descriptions of Mr. Williams and his wife Emily. In the weeks at sea, Emily had talked to other passengers of her family at Rainhill, and the connection was now made. Deeming’s behaviour as Mr. Williams had also attracted considerable attention during the voyage. Many passengers stated they “detested Williams, [but] all agreed he had treated his wife in a loving and considerate manner”. Police now also had a very good description of Mr. Williams, which they circulated to other Australian colonies, but at this stage his real identity was still unknown.
At an inquest held on 8 March, it was discovered that a man answering Mr Williams’s description had auctioned a variety of household goods, possibly wedding presents, in the city in early January 1892. At this time he was staying at the Cathedral Hotel in Swanston Street, Melbourne, registered as Mr. Duncan. It later transpired that Deeming had also written an affectionate letter (as Albert Williams) to Emily Mather’s mother several days after Emily’s murder. Deeming had found time to approach Holt’s Matrimonial Agency (as Duncan), wishing to meet a young lady with matrimonial intentions. He had also found time to swindle a local Melbourne jeweller.
. On 22 January 1892 Baron Swanston departed for Fremantle. Again, Deeming as Baron Swanston made a name for himself on the ship, boasting of his wealth and position in society. He made approaches to Miss Maude Beech, a young woman in the care of her uncle and aunt, Mr and Mrs Wakeley. In this case, Deeming’s charm came to nothing. Mr Wakeley told Swanston; “I may tell you plainly, that I don’t believe your stories and I am not in the habit of allowing men of your class to enter my family circle.” Once settled at Southern Cross, Deeming maintained a barrage of pleas to Kate, writing on 8 February; "Don’t keep me waiting dear. If you love me half as much as I love you, you would not keep me waiting a day". Police were closing in, however and following telegrams by Victoria Police
to Western Australia, Deeming was arrested at Southern Cross on 12 March 1892. He began by denying he was Deeming, but later said “I think I know the party who has been murdered. I don’t believe anyone would have the heart to murder a girl like that”. Found in his possession at the time of the arrest were a number of Emily Mather's belongings, including her prayer book.
At about the same time Deeming was being returned to Melbourne, news of the discovery of the Rainhill murders in England arrived in Australia.
The Rainhill murders had gone undetected for eight months. It appears Deeming’s brothers and Marie’s sister had been led to believe that Marie and the children were in Brighton
on a holiday, and then assumed they were overseas again. Deeming had made several visits to Birkenhead to reassure Martha her sister and the children were well. Detection of the murders was also obstructed by Deeming’s lease (as Williams) on Dinham Villa, which stipulated that the house should not be sold or relet for six months, because of the imminent arrival of Colonel Brookes and/or Williams’ sister. The lease also allowed Williams to reconcrete the floor.
, and again on the way to Albany
. Tried at Melbourne Supreme Court on 25 April 1892, Alfred Deakin
, his counsel, tried to mount a plea of insanity. The defence also questioned the impact of newspaper reporting of Deeming on the jury. Perhaps wishing to aid the defence of insanity, Deeming also claimed to have caught syphilis
in London, and to have received visitations from his mother’s spirit, which urged his actions. Before the jury retired, Deeming made a "lengthy,... rambling, speech of self-justification." He repeated a story he had told police that Emily had "run off with another man". "That is my one comfort...knowing that she is not dead".
Deeming was found guilty as charged, however. Deeming spent the last days writing his autobiography and poetry; "The Jury listened well to the yarn I had to tell, But they sent me straight to hell." He also spent time talking to the Church of England
ministers, to whom he supposedly confessed. The sentence of the court was confirmed by the Executive Council on 9 May 1892 and the judicial committee of the Privy Council refused leave to appeal on 19 May 1892. Deeming was hanged at 10:01 am on 23 May 1892, he weighed 143 pounds (64.9 kg), 14 pounds (6.4 kg) less than when he entered prison. The autobiography which Deeming wrote in jail was destroyed.
As Australians struggled to comprehend the savageness of the Windsor murder, significant press speculation grew, suggesting Deeming was Jack the Ripper. The speculation was also found in overseas reports of the case. For example, on 17 March 1892 The New York Times
reported the story with the headlines:
Deeming's movements at many stages of his career are obscure, but it appears he may have been in England in late 1888, the time of the Whitechapel murders. Kreitmayer's Melbourne waxworks of 1912 probably reflected widespread public opinion when it depicted in wax Deeming burying Emily, commenting that it was suspected he was "identical with Jack the Ripper". Speculation that Deeming was Jack the Ripper continues today.
Deeming's death mask is on display at the Old Melbourne Gaol in Melbourne, where he was executed, and at the Black Museum at New Scotland Yard.
Deeming was born in Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, within the National Forest. It is twinned with Pithiviers in north-central France....
, Leicestershire, England, son of Thomas Deeming, brazier, and his wife Ann, née Bailey. He was a "difficult child" according to writers Maurice Gurvich and Christopher Wray. At 16 years of age he ran away to sea, and thereafter, he began a long career of crime, largely thieving and obtaining money under false pretences. He was also responsible for the murder of his first wife Marie, and his four children, at Rainhill
Rainhill
Rainhill is a large village and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England.Historically a part of Lancashire, Rainhill was formerly a township within the ecclesiastical parish of Prescot, and hundred of West Derby...
, England, on or about 26 July 1891, and a second wife, Emily, at Windsor
Windsor, Victoria
Windsor is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Windsor had a population of 6394....
, Melbourne, on 24 December 1891.
Less than three months elapsed between the discovery of Emily Mather’s body in Windsor, Melbourne, in March 1892, and Deeming’s execution for her murder in May 1892; a remarkably short time by comparison to modern western legal standards. Not only was this due to unusually efficient police work, it was also a result of the considerable international media interest the murder attracted. For example, it was an English journalist working for the Melbourne Argus
The Argus (Australia)
The Argus was a morning daily newspaper in Melbourne established in 1846 and closed in 1957. Widely known as a conservative newspaper for most of its history, it adopted a left leaning approach from 1949...
who first approached Emily Mather’s mother in Rainhill, delivering the news of her daughter’s murder. Another factor was Deeming’s behaviour in public; for while often using different names, he usually drew attention to himself with behaviour variously described as aggressive, ostentatious, ingratiating and overly attentive to women.
Australia in the 1880s
Police investigations after his arrest in 1892 revealed that Deeming had moved to Australia in 1882, chiefly working in Sydney, but also working for John Danks, a Melbourne importer of plumbing and gasfitting supplies. His Melbourne employers regarded him as an excellent worker and extended him 200 pounds credit, supposedly to open a business in Rockhampton, QueenslandRockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
. The money was never repaid. Deeming is known to have worked for a Sydney gasfitter, where he was charged with theft of brass fittings from his employer. Deeming indignantly denied the theft, but the items were found at his home and he was sentenced to six weeks imprisonment. Deeming pretended to faint when the sentence was pronounced. After his release he continued to work in Sydney as a gasfitter until, in December 1887, he was again committed for trial, now on a charge of fraudulent insolvency. He disappeared from New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
while on bail.
Deeming was accompanied by his wife while in Australia, “a typical welsh lass,” Marie, née James. Deeming had married her in Lower Tranmere, England in February 1881 and they had lived briefly at Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
before leaving for Melbourne. His brother Alfred, had married Marie’s sister, Martha. By 1886 Deeming and Marie had two Australian born daughters, Bertha and Marie. In 1888 his brothers Alfred and Walter learned that Deeming and his family were returning to England “with a considerable fortune”.
South Africa and return to England
Later police and newspaper research discovered Deeming had been active in Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa in 1888–1889, but his exact movements at this time are unclear and it appears he returned to Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, England, at least once. Marie had another child at this time. He was known to have been involved in conducting a Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
diamond mine swindle in 1889. His return to England via the steamship "Yumna" was well remembered by the Captain and passengers for his ostentatious display of jewellery and money, and his unwanted attention to some of the female passengers.
He had arrived at Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
by November 1889, lodging in the nearby town of Beverley
Beverley
Beverley is a market town, civil parish and the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, located between the River Hull and the Westwood. The town is noted for Beverley Minster and architecturally-significant religious buildings along New Walk and other areas, as well as the Beverley...
. Here he passed himself off as “a retired sheep farmer named Harry Lawson from Mount House Farm, Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
, living on 1,500 pounds
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
a year. He wooed Helen Matheson, the 21 year old daughter of his landlady and married her, bigamously, on 18 February 1890. About a month later, after a honeymoon in the south of England, he suddenly disappeared, taking his expensive gifts to Helen with him. Deeming’s wife and extended family had heard of his bigamous marriage to Helen according to Gurvich and Wray.
Deeming was later found to have then visited Marie and his (now) four children in Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
. He apparently gave Marie several hundred pounds and announced he was leaving for South America. He would send for her and the children once he was settled. Before leaving he conducted another swindle at a jewellers in Hull. He was arrested for this on arrival at Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
and extradited back to England on a charge of “obtaining goods by false pretences,” being sentenced to nine months prison.
Rainhill
On his release from prison in July 1891, Deeming headed to the LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
area, settling into a hotel in the village of Rainhill
Rainhill
Rainhill is a large village and civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England.Historically a part of Lancashire, Rainhill was formerly a township within the ecclesiastical parish of Prescot, and hundred of West Derby...
, Merseyside under the name Albert Williams. A mysterious woman (almost certainly his wife Marie) who appeared at the hotel was dismissed as his “sister”, visiting before she left for Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
. Deeming then took a lease on Dinham Villa, a house in Rainhill, supposedly on behalf of a military friend, a certain Colonel Brookes. However, Deeming himself took up residence at Dinham Villa, while a woman and several children seen at the house were again dismissed as merely his “sister and her children,” visiting, who had “since returned home.” Shortly afterwards, Deeming complained that the drains at Dinham Villa were defective, and the kitchen floor needed to be replaced. He closely supervised the work on the floor.
While in Rainhill, Deeming began to court Emily Lydia Mather, the daughter of a widowed local shopkeeper, Mrs Dove Mather. Emily and Deeming (as Albert Williams) married on 22 September 1891.
Windsor murder
In November 1891, Deeming (still using the name Williams) took Emily to Australia in the German steamship "Kaiser Wilhelm II." They arrived in Melbourne on 15 December 1891. Deeming rented a house in Andrew Street WindsorWindsor, Victoria
Windsor is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Windsor had a population of 6394....
, a suburb of Melbourne. On 24 December or early on 25 December 1891, he murdered Emily and buried her under the hearthstone of one of the bedrooms, covering the body with cement. He had paid a month's rent in advance, giving the name Mr. Drewn, but almost immediately left the property. The owner, nearby butcher John Stamford, had been happy to rent to the man, because of his air of respectability, and at first had not even known the man’s name.
On 3 March 1892 a prospective tenant of the Windsor house complained of "a disagreeable smell" in the second bedroom. The owner and estate agent later raised the hearthstone to investigate whereupon the smell became so overpowering "they found themselves barely able to breathe". The police were called and the body of Emily Mather found. A postmortem conducted on 4 March found that although her skull had been fractured by several blows, the most likely cause of death was that her throat had been cut.
Publicity surrounding the gruesome finding of Emily Mather’s body was considerable. Within a few days, The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
newspaper had connected the murder to the Whitechapel murders of London;
Through clues found at the vacant Andrew Street house and from information provided by local tradespeople, investigating Victoria Police
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
sergeants William Considine and Henry Cawsey were able to trace the recently arrived Mr. Williams to the "Kaiser Wilhelm II." They were then able to interview other passengers, who gave corroborating descriptions of Mr. Williams and his wife Emily. In the weeks at sea, Emily had talked to other passengers of her family at Rainhill, and the connection was now made. Deeming’s behaviour as Mr. Williams had also attracted considerable attention during the voyage. Many passengers stated they “detested Williams, [but] all agreed he had treated his wife in a loving and considerate manner”. Police now also had a very good description of Mr. Williams, which they circulated to other Australian colonies, but at this stage his real identity was still unknown.
At an inquest held on 8 March, it was discovered that a man answering Mr Williams’s description had auctioned a variety of household goods, possibly wedding presents, in the city in early January 1892. At this time he was staying at the Cathedral Hotel in Swanston Street, Melbourne, registered as Mr. Duncan. It later transpired that Deeming had also written an affectionate letter (as Albert Williams) to Emily Mather’s mother several days after Emily’s murder. Deeming had found time to approach Holt’s Matrimonial Agency (as Duncan), wishing to meet a young lady with matrimonial intentions. He had also found time to swindle a local Melbourne jeweller.
Capture
In the meantime, on or about 12 January 1892, Deeming had travelled to Sydney, and was now using the name Baron Swanston. During the voyage and in Sydney Deeming met and courted Kate Rounsefell. He told Kate that if she agreed to become his wife, “she would never regret it, and would always congratulate herself on having entered into matrimony with him”. After a whirlwind romance, during which Deeming gave Kate several items of what was later shown to be stolen Melbourne jewellery, Kate consented to marry Baron Swanston. Having also agreed to follow him to Western Australia, Kate and Deeming parted company. By means of forged testimonials Deeming had obtained a position at a mine at Southern CrossSouthern Cross, Western Australia
Southern Cross is a town in Western Australia, 371 kilometres east of Perth on the Great Eastern Highway. It was founded by gold prospectors in 1888, and gazetted in 1890. It is the major town and administrative centre of the Shire of Yilgarn...
. On 22 January 1892 Baron Swanston departed for Fremantle. Again, Deeming as Baron Swanston made a name for himself on the ship, boasting of his wealth and position in society. He made approaches to Miss Maude Beech, a young woman in the care of her uncle and aunt, Mr and Mrs Wakeley. In this case, Deeming’s charm came to nothing. Mr Wakeley told Swanston; “I may tell you plainly, that I don’t believe your stories and I am not in the habit of allowing men of your class to enter my family circle.” Once settled at Southern Cross, Deeming maintained a barrage of pleas to Kate, writing on 8 February; "Don’t keep me waiting dear. If you love me half as much as I love you, you would not keep me waiting a day". Police were closing in, however and following telegrams by Victoria Police
Victoria Police
Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of Victoria, Australia. , the Victoria Police has over 12,190 sworn members, along with over 400 recruits, reservists and Protective Service Officers, and over 2,900 civilian staff across 393 police stations.-Early history:The Victoria Police...
to Western Australia, Deeming was arrested at Southern Cross on 12 March 1892. He began by denying he was Deeming, but later said “I think I know the party who has been murdered. I don’t believe anyone would have the heart to murder a girl like that”. Found in his possession at the time of the arrest were a number of Emily Mather's belongings, including her prayer book.
At about the same time Deeming was being returned to Melbourne, news of the discovery of the Rainhill murders in England arrived in Australia.
Rainhill murders
Following publicity surrounding the discovery of Emily Mather's body at Windsor, investigations at Rainhill revealed the decomposing bodies of Marie Deeming and the four children; Bertha (aged 9), Marie (7), Sidney (5) and Leala (18 months) buried beneath the re-concreted floor of Dinham Villa. The throats of most had been cut (Bertha had been strangled). The murder and burials had apparently occurred while Deeming (as Albert Williams) was courting Emily Mather, on or about 26 July 1891. At an inquest held at Rainhill on 18 March 1892, Deeming’s brothers identified Marie and gave some accounts of his activities.The Rainhill murders had gone undetected for eight months. It appears Deeming’s brothers and Marie’s sister had been led to believe that Marie and the children were in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
on a holiday, and then assumed they were overseas again. Deeming had made several visits to Birkenhead to reassure Martha her sister and the children were well. Detection of the murders was also obstructed by Deeming’s lease (as Williams) on Dinham Villa, which stipulated that the house should not be sold or relet for six months, because of the imminent arrival of Colonel Brookes and/or Williams’ sister. The lease also allowed Williams to reconcrete the floor.
Trial
Furious demonstrations against Deeming were made on the journey to PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, and again on the way to Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
. Tried at Melbourne Supreme Court on 25 April 1892, Alfred Deakin
Alfred Deakin
Alfred Deakin , Australian politician, was a leader of the movement for Australian federation and later the second Prime Minister of Australia. In the last quarter of the 19th century, Deakin was a major contributor to the establishment of liberal reforms in the colony of Victoria, including the...
, his counsel, tried to mount a plea of insanity. The defence also questioned the impact of newspaper reporting of Deeming on the jury. Perhaps wishing to aid the defence of insanity, Deeming also claimed to have caught syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
in London, and to have received visitations from his mother’s spirit, which urged his actions. Before the jury retired, Deeming made a "lengthy,... rambling, speech of self-justification." He repeated a story he had told police that Emily had "run off with another man". "That is my one comfort...knowing that she is not dead".
Deeming was found guilty as charged, however. Deeming spent the last days writing his autobiography and poetry; "The Jury listened well to the yarn I had to tell, But they sent me straight to hell." He also spent time talking to the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
ministers, to whom he supposedly confessed. The sentence of the court was confirmed by the Executive Council on 9 May 1892 and the judicial committee of the Privy Council refused leave to appeal on 19 May 1892. Deeming was hanged at 10:01 am on 23 May 1892, he weighed 143 pounds (64.9 kg), 14 pounds (6.4 kg) less than when he entered prison. The autobiography which Deeming wrote in jail was destroyed.
Aftermath
A family acquaintance of the Mather family, Edward Thunderbolt, Melbourne’s Inspector of Public Nuisances, arranged a public subscription, and a monument to Emily Mather was erected at Melbourne General Cemetery.As Australians struggled to comprehend the savageness of the Windsor murder, significant press speculation grew, suggesting Deeming was Jack the Ripper. The speculation was also found in overseas reports of the case. For example, on 17 March 1892 The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
reported the story with the headlines:
Deeming's movements at many stages of his career are obscure, but it appears he may have been in England in late 1888, the time of the Whitechapel murders. Kreitmayer's Melbourne waxworks of 1912 probably reflected widespread public opinion when it depicted in wax Deeming burying Emily, commenting that it was suspected he was "identical with Jack the Ripper". Speculation that Deeming was Jack the Ripper continues today.
Deeming's death mask is on display at the Old Melbourne Gaol in Melbourne, where he was executed, and at the Black Museum at New Scotland Yard.
External links
- Bigamy, Theft and Murder: The Extraordinary Tale of Frederick Bailey Deeming, an online exhibition at Public Record Office Victoria.
- http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/4064526Examination of remains by William Colin MackenzieWilliam Colin MackenzieSir William Colin Mackenzie , usually known as Colin Mackenzie, was an Australian anatomist, benefactor, museum administrator and director. He was best known for creating the Healesville Sanctuary.-Early life:...
to determine Deeming's connexion with apes] - Dictionary of Australian Biography entry by Percy Serle