Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-05-23
Lost His Courage When
Upon the ScaffoId.
SAYS HE WAS INNOCENT
OF the Crime for which He Was Con-
demned to Death.

Detming passed sunday In writing
calmly discussing at intervals his ap-
preaching doom lie said he had no in
tention OF making speech on the scaffold.
Last night he thrice swallowed eagerly a
small allowance Of spirits; after which he
slept soundly until he was awakened at z
o'clock this morning. Then for the first
time since his arrest, the manacles on his
wrists were removed, aud, smoking a
cigar, he conversed with those around him.
lie declared that he was resigned TO his
fate, and had no fear in regard to the fu-
ture. To the governor OF the prison he
said that he had made his peace with God.
He persisted in denying that hewas guilty
OF the Rain Hill murder. He expressed
his gratitude to the governor and
all the prison officials for the consid-
Grafton they had shown him, and also TO
Mr.. Lyle, his counsel, and all concerned in
his defense.
While preparations were being made to
take him out TO the scaffo!d he became
pitiable figure. lie cringed and covered
in a corner OF his cell, first taking down
his Bible, then throwing it from him. NUT
tering to himself and then speaking
loudly and incoherently to the chaplain
As the door opened to let him out he
burst into tears and begged for a few mo-
ments respite. When this was refused,
his mind apparently sank into stupor
lie made one or two attempts to speak
aud then relaxed from all effort. allowing
himself to be half led, half carried from
the building. The chaplain said subse-
qucntly that in all his experience he had
not seen more broken creature.
On the Gallows.
When Dceming was led into the yard
.I "A zI.
prised To STE that he was not chained as
had been expected. He walked unsteadily
between the guards and several times was
about to fall. Several times when the
chaplain spoke to him encouragingly in
al undertone Deeming parted his lips to
reply, but he uttered no sound. He
seemed to he stupefied by his approaching
death. When his arms were pinioued he
y wavered and would have fallen had he not
been caught by the warden. At first he
shook his head when his last opportunity
TO speak was given him. Then he rallied
from his stupor and with a strong effort
called out: Lord, Jesus receive my spirit"
He tried TO say more and stood with his
mouth half open, but no words came. As
the nonse was adjusted his knees Knocked
together and he would have collapsed had
he not been supported until he was swung
into mid-air. lie died without a struggle
and almost instantly.
His Career.
Frederick Bayley Deeming was one of
the most versatile and bloodthirsty
wretches in the history of the worlds
crime. That part of his career which led
Immediately to his arrest, trial and death
at Melbourne began at Rainhill, a suburb
Of Liverpool. on July 81, 1891. He then
took lodgings under the name OF Williams
at the Commercial Hotel in that village,
and shortly began paying court to Miss
Emily Mather, whom he subsequently
married He rented Dinham villa, on the
outskirts of the village, during his court.
ship,and there received woman and four
children who disappeared shortly before
his marriage to Miss Mather. After the
wedding on Sept 90 he and his wife took a
short journey and on Oct II they sailed
for Australia. They went to live in a
house in Windsor, suburb of Melbourne
There, on Dec. "a, nine days after their ar
rival, he killed his young wife and buried
her under the floor. He then disappeared.
Murdered Family Unearthed.
lIAbout ten weeks later, when new ten
ants were about to take the house, a pecul-
lar odor was noticed, the floor was taken
mp, and the body Of Mrs. Deeming was
found. Marks on her head and neck
showed that she had been killed by blows.
When this news reached Kainhill the
police tore up the floor of Dinham villa, to
satisfy their suspicious that the woman
and four children who had been seen
there with Deeming might have suffered
the same fate as did Emily Mather. They
found under the floors, which Deeming
himself had cemented, the bodies of the
woman and children. The woman was
his wife, nee Maria James, whom he mar
ried In England in 1881, and the children
were his own.
Dceming was caught near Perth in Aus
tralia late in March, after he had adver-
tised through matrimonial agency, and
after he had made arrangements to marry
Miss Rouncewell in Perth After his ar
rest and incarceration in Melbourne
awaiting trial, more orless evidence was
found tending to connect Deeming with
dozens Of heinous crimes, including those
OF Jack the Ripper. and a man who knew
Deeming in Halifax came forward with
proof that Deeming while there had writ
ten to the Eddowes woman, one of the
Whitechapel victims. The exact truth OF
the charges was not and never will be as
certained, as Deeming was tried, con-
victed, sentenced and hanged for the mur-
der Of Emily Mather only.
Deeming's Defense
st his trial was insanity, but in their YER
dict the jury found expressly that he was
sane. Subsequently Deeming confessed
to the prison clergyman that he killed
Mrs. Mather- Deeming but he did not re-
member any Of the circumstances. Deem
Ing was about 45 years old and of re-
spectacle English family. The story OF his
life, written by him In prison, he left with
his other effects to his lawyer, Mr.. Lyle,
with instructions that one-tenth Of the
proceeds Of the sale Of his autobiography
be given 10 Miss Rouncewell.