The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-12-23 00:00:00

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MURDER IN LONDON.

Oa Friday afternoon in last week, Mr. John Collins, of
99, Stanley•street, St. George's-road, Pimlico, a buildtr, and
much respected in the neighbourhood, was mardered by a
young man named Frederick Treadaway.—The following par-
ticulars iaave been given :

It appears that for some time past Treadaway has
been paying his addresses to Miss Caroline Stevens, a
niece of the deceased. It is not known whether his
attentions as a suitor were approved by Mr. Collins,
but at any rate he was invited to dine at the house,
and both on Thursday and Friday, after dinner, wished
to see Mr. Collins privately in relation to the young
lady, who resided, with other members of the family,
at Paddington. Mrs. Collins retired from the room
at the request of Treadaway, and left the deceased and
his murderer talking together. Some short time after-
wards she heard a loud report of a pistol, and on
mailing into the room was confronted by Treada-
way, who knocked her down without saying a word.
Ho seized her by the throat, dragged her to the area
door, and there, with his hands tightly clenched on
her neck, knocked her head against the paving stones
till blood ran from her ears and eyes in consequence
01 the violence used. The report of the pistol
alarmed one or two of the passers-by, and a Mr.
Moffatt, who was intimately acquainted with the de-
ceased, was informed of what had occurred. See-
ing a man leave the house and run in the direction
of Lupus-street, he gave chase through several of the
streets, but at length lost sight of him.
Meanwhile .he house had been entered, and Dr.
Folivall, of 55, Gloucester-street, was sc at for and
arrived almost immediately. On proceeding down-
stairs he found the woman in a state of complete ex-
haustion and incapable of giving any information. The
peace arriving, the breakfast-room was entered, and
Mr. Collins was found I) her on the fl or covered ssih
blood. A,n examination showed that death had been
instantaneous, for a bullet either from a revolver or a
pistol had penetrated be the side of the left eye just
below the brow, and taking r diagonal nourse through
the brain came out at the back of the skull behind the
right ear. The doctor then gave his attention to the
woman, as she also presented much the appearance of
having been shot. She was conveyed to an upper
room. The friends of the deceased were at once sent
for, and a most heartrending scene ensued as each '
near relation arrived. No motive can be assigned for
the crime. The family conjecture that the conversa-
tion between the murderer and his victim related to
the matrimonial prospects of the young lady, and that
the former was displeased at what was communicated
by her uncle. It is stated that Treadaway has followed
no employment for more than six months.
Immediately after the crime had been made known
to the divisional police, and this was at once, Superin-
tendent Hayes, the chief of the division, in order to
further the ends of justice, called in the aid of the
Scotland-yard detectives, and Inspector Sayer, of Scot-
land-yard, and Chief Inspector Foynett, of the Pimlico
division., acted together in ()Her to secure the appre-
hension of the accused man. At first it was believed
that the crime was the result of passion' but, the fact
being known that the deceased was in the habit of wear-
ing a belt worn by travellers who presumably have
large sums of money in their possession and the dis-
arrangement of the deceased's clothes, showing that an
attempt had been made to search this belt, it was con-
sidered not improbable that money had been obtained.
The police quickly obtateed.all information about the
accused man—that he was Mt. 7in. in height, was 22
years of age, that the niece of the deceased, to whom
he was paying his attentions, lived in Green-street,
Harrow-road, that his father lived Lear the Hornsey-
road, Holloway, and that he was in the habit of going
down to laleworth and Twickenham. A copy of his
portrait was quickly painted off, and, with all the other
information, distributed broadcast among the police,
and thfs Thames police were strictly enjuintd to keep
a watch on the rive:, all the railway stations were
watched, the police et all ports of the kingdom were
apprised of the "wanted," and all the outgoing
passenger ships were watched. At about eight
o'clock on Saturday night a constable stationed at
Isleworth easy, the prisoner go into a cottage at Isle-
worth, having all the appearance of being thoroughly
tired and weary. He was allowed to enter unmolested
but the policeman seen followed and charged him with
being the missing Frederick Treadaway who was
aocused of the murder. He had entered the cottage,
knowing the man who 11)eed there'' and had asked to
borrow is sovereign. He was taken to Isleworth
police-station and seapched, and it was found that
he had the revolver, an empty purse, a pipe, a
pair of spectacles, and some papers relating to
Civil Service examinations. He said be had
picked up the spectaclss; and from what else he said
it was gathered that he had been walking
about, tramping from London across the north road to
St. Alban's and, then. south-westerly, to Isleworth,
where he wailer the habit of spending his idle time. A
telegram was sent to the Rochester-row Station, and
Inspectors Foynett and Sayer proceeded at once to
Isleworth and took the prisoner to Rochester-row,
where he arrived at between two and three o'clock on
Sunday morning. The prisoner seemed fully to realiz 3
the terrible position in which he is placed,and in answer
to a question whether he desired that his parents
should be sent for, replied that he should like to see his
father. His parents saw him on Sunday afternoon,
and the meeting was very distressing.
Mr. Collins was a man of about fifty. five years of
age, and Mrs. Collins was some five years his junior.
He was a retired builder, and the possessor of four
houses in Caldwood-street, as well as of the house in
which he resided, and had recently Bold, at a good
price, some houses in Winchester-street. He lies left
no children. He was a man of middle stature, stout
and hale in appearance.

On Monday, Frederick Treadaway, aged 20, described as
an outfitter's askistant, was charged at the I'4 estmlnater
Police-court, with the wilful murder of John Collins by shoot-
ing him with a revoLver, ati)i), Stanley-street. Pimlico, on the
afternoon of the Friday previous Ile was also charged with
attempting to murder Mrs. Xlizabeth Collins at the same
time and place.

Mr. George Reader appeared for the prosecution ; Mr.
Smyth watched the case for persons concerned.

After his arprehension the prisoner expressed a strong
desire, not to be mane a common show of, and the police
took precautions for keeping the court clear. In spite of
this. however, largo numbers of persons thronged the build-
ing, and it was with difficulty that the witnesses could get to
and from the box.

The prisoner is a youth of respectable and not unple/sing
appearance. of light hair and fair comphition, beardls3, hat
esrlins a slight monst•iche. His hair was careinny psrted
down the miorife, and from the neatness of his dark, double-
beeasted frock coat, turn-down collar, and black cravat, he
would appear, even now, to have paid some attention to per-
sonal appearance. He was evidently in a sta`e of the deepest
dejection, and was bareiy able to stand erect in the dock,
where he was placed in the custody of a warder.
Scarcely bad he been put in that position when Mrs.
Collins was led into conrt to give evleence. Still suffer-
ing from the wounds inflicted on the day of the murder,
her face bound rip with a white bandage, she was ghastly-
pale, and she appeared to he in an exceedingly sickly condi-
tion. On coming within sight of the dock where the prisoner
was standing the painful nature of the situation became too
much for her nervous system to bear, and shrieking loudly,
she fain ted and fell into the arms ot those about her. At the
same moment the prisoner's head fell on his hand, and Le
sank like one dead on the seat belling him. hestoratices
were administered, and both were partially recovered, but
throughout the whole proceedings the effect on tam Collins,
and on the prisoner himself were of the most painful
character.

Mr. Reader, In opening the case, said he was instructed
by the widow to prosecute, and he proposed to give a short
narrative of what he believed to be the facts of the case.
The prisoner, it seemed, went to Mr. Collins's house last
Thursday. He stopped some little time, and had some con.
versation with Mr. Collins about money matters. On the
following day he went there shoat haltpast ten in the morn-
ing and asked to see Mr. Collins. The deceased was out at
the time, and on his return shortly afterwards the prisoner
again had a long conversation with him. llebre thio he had
told Airs Collins that he had been walking about the streets
all night, and In consequence she made him comfortable with
some pillows in an easy-cludr. The prisoner remained
till
it
ha Past three, keeping up a conversation
_ While attending to her house-
holdwfew minutesdec ete
duties, Sirs. Coffins was suddenly alarmed by the
report of firearms. else rushed to the door of the breakfast-
room, where she met the prisoner in the act of leaving.
Being asked what was the matter, he said he did not know,
but struck her a violsant blow in the mouth, shot ether, end
by means of desperate violence succeeded in effecting his
escape. The only motivo that could be suggested for the
commission of the crime was that the prisoner was bent on
plunder, as Mr. Collins was kncrwn to keep a large sum in the
house and to wear round his waist a strong belt containing
gold and other valuables. On the Thursday the prisoner
asked Mrs. Collins to lend him £10; but this request was net
consified witb. Having proved theme facts, Mr. Reader
WOlll4l ask f )r a remand, so as to be able to produce evidence
of the purchase of the revolver by the prisoner on the day
prior to the murder.

Mrs. Collins was then put in the witness box, but she ap-
peared so ill and weak that Mr. Woolrych said he did not
think she was in a fit state to be examined. Dr. Folewell,
who was in attendance said he thought she was well
enougb, and therefore the examination proceeded. She
said that she had known the prisoner eight or nine months as
Payteg addresses to one other nieces. be came to her house
at a quarter to one on Thursday last, and asked for her
niece. Withess raid the was not there. Mr. Collins was at
home when he csine, and he entered into conversation with
him. Witness left for Paddington leaving them together.
When rhi returned tire prisoner was gone. Witness did not
hear what they were talking about, but her husband told
her afterwards that the prisoner wanted to borrow ,ClO.
Mr. Woolryeh said that that could not be evidence agaizet
the prisoner air she did not hear it.
Waness, contiunint, said the area door- w—st's op-en on Friday
•
morning at half past ten, when he called twain. Witness
answered his knock from the area, and let him in. Ile asked
if Mr. Collins was in. Witnen replied in the negative. ile
s,,id he wanted to speak to him. Witness asked him to come
in and wait in the front kitchen. Ile laid he was very tired,
hiaing been walking about all night. 'Witness, alter in
dining him to at down in the easy chair, in which she planed
two pillows, aeked him if ice had i.n his pocket a letter
which he bad received from Benne, her niece, raakinB