River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-05-26
DEFINING DIES.
His Career of infamy Ended on the Gal
lows at Melbourne story of His
Grimes.

His Career of infamy Ended on the Gal
lows at Melbourne story of His
Grimes.
MELBOURNE, May 23.-Deeming was
hanged at 1901 o'clock a. IN. Deeming
passed Sunday in writing, calmly dis
cussing at intervals his approaching
doom. He said he had no intention of
making a speech ON the scaffold. On
Sunday night he thrice swallowed
eagerly small allowance of spirits,
after which he slept soundly until
he was awakened at o'clock
this (Monday) morning. Then for the
first time since his arrest the manacles
on his wrists were removed and, smok-
ing a cigar, he conversed with those
around him. He declared that he was
resigned to his fate and had no fears in
regard to the future. To the gov
ernor of the prison he said he
had made his peace with God. He
persisted in denying that he was
guilty of the Rain Hill murders. He
had never, he declared, lost his self
control in Engllrd as he had since his
arrival in Australia. He expressed
gratitude to the governor and all the
prison officials for the consideration
they had shown him and also to Mr..
Lyle, his counsel. and to all concerned
in his defense. lie said he thought he
would not falter or make any scene on
the scaffold.
A few moments before the time
set for the execution Deeming was al
lowed glass of brandy, which he swal-
lowed at gulp, and he was told that
he might have more if the prison doc
tor so ordered. The doomed man was
then led to the gallows and in a few
moments all was over. The drop was
feet.
The execution was witnessed by a
large gathering, including government
and civil officials, magistrates, police
and clergymen. There was an immense
crowd outside the prison from an early
hour in the morning until long after
the execution was over. Order was
maintained by strong force of police.
With the execution of Deeming there ended
the life of one Of the greatest criminals the
world has ever seen. At the beginning Of March
last the police at Liverpool received dispatch
from the police at Melbourne stating that the
murder OF a woman had just come 10 light at
Windsor a suburb Of Melbourne, and that from
certain facts that had been revealed IL was
thought that the Windsor murderer had killed
another woman at Rain Hill, suburb OF Liver
pool. The police of the latter place at once
started an investigation and soon most horri-
bic crime was unearthed. Beneath the hearth
stone of a residence known as Dinham villa, at
Rain Hill, there were found the bodies of q
woman and four little children
II was soon learned that the house had been
occupied by man who had given his name as
Williams, but who, ii was subsequently ascer-
tanned, was Frederick Bailey Deeming, whose
family resided in Birkenhead, across the river
from Liverpool Williams, or to call him by
his right name, Deeming, had married at Rain
Hill young and beautiful girl, Miss Emily
Mather, and had sailed for Australia with her,
and il was her body that had been found at
Windsor. She, too, had been buried under the
hearthstone of the house and her grave was
covered with coating of cement
The police inquiries into Deemings career
soon revealed that he was a monster Of iniquity,
guilty OF nearly all, if not all, the crimes in the
calendar. Numerous swindling transactions
were traced to him, principally in mining lands.
Detectives followed him 10 England, where it
was found he was living in Birkenhead Deem
ing, however, had evaded his pursuers, hav-
ing left Birllenhead that morning. The pur-
suit was continued but Deemiug always
managed 10 evade his pursuers, in one instance
escaping by Just seven minutes. Deeming
later appeared in Liverpool under his
alias of Williams. He paid addresses
10 a number OF Liverpool ladies, among
them one who, from his conversation
about the Jack the Ripper" crimes became
terribly afraid of him. one night he had an en-
gagement to take tea at her home, but he did
not appear and she never saw him again 1t
was Just about this time that he appeared at
Rain Hill, where his wife and family subse-
quently joined him.
Shortly afterward Mrs. Deeming and the
children disappeared, but as Deeming had rep
resented the woman as his sister nothing was
thought OF their disappearance. 1t was not
long after this that he married Miss Mather
and sailed for Australia. During their
voyage he developed traits of thought
fulncss and consideration hardly in
keeping with the character OF the man as
seen in the light of subsequent developments.
He doctored the sick and saved titbits from his
table for the sick steerage passengers. Miss
Mather relates that in addition TO his medical
qualifications her husband was a skillful model
and that he filled in a lot of his time working
at his models in their cabin
The subsequent facts in connection with the
murder of the second Mrs. Deeming are OF 100
recent date to need detailed mention After
Deeming killed her he became engaged to a
Miss Kate Housewife, who was on her way to
the Southern Cross gold fields in west Australia
10 meet and marry him when she learned of his
arrest for the murder of his former wife.
When he was taken to Melbourne he assumed
jovial and careless air, but at his trial he
showed in his manner the terrible mental strain
he was undergoing. After he had been con-
demued to death he made speech in court in
which he confessed that he had killed his wife,
Miss Mather. He appealed to the Victorian
executive and 10 the British privy council for a
respite, but both refused TO interfere, and ac-
cordingly he has paid the fun penalty of the
law. Had he escaped justice in Australia he
would have been taken 10 England, where he
would undoubtedly have been hanged for the
Rain Hill murders.