The Warwickshire Herald. — 1894-07-12 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

THZ SOUTHEND MURDER.  ARAM OF READ.  The arrest Cl Janne Canham Bead, for murder oar Southend, was effected on Saturday afternoon at Mitcham by Detective-inspector Baker, of the Criminal Investigation Deparenent. Mead, it seems, ass resided at Mitcham for some months, running lovrn from town generally on Saturday night, but sometimes earlier in the week. His landlady, the wife of a clergyman, told • reporter that she knew Read as "Mr. Benson," and her acquaintance with aim oonunenced in February last, when she inserted an advertisement in a morning paper to the effect that she had "comfortable, quiet apartments to let." In response, she received a letter, addressed from Mile-end-road asking for particulars, the writer giving the name of Benson. Read, stating that he was the person who had written, called and inspected the rooms, but said he could not decide until he had seen his wife, who was at Ryde, Isle of Wight. Eventually, he returned with her and a newly-born baby, and entered into occupation of a furnished sitting and bedroom. Read described himself as • clerk and traveller to • City firm of tea merchants, and he said that his business engagements kept him away from home the part of the week. The landlady explained =tie never read the newspapers, iind her suspicions, therefore, had not been aroused by Read's remaining at home during the past fortnight, especially as he stated that he was taking his annual holiday. She noticed, however, that ho looked ver7 dejected and worried. He accounted for lus altered appearance by saying that he had great business troubles. On Sunday, June 24th—the day of the murder of Florence Dennis Read was not in Mitcham, but he returned home on the following night, when he said be had been detained at Canterbury. On the next day, Tuesday, he went to Croydon, and purchased the light suit and the straw hat he was wearing when arrested. In the interval between then and Saturday he had been out almost every day in Mitcham village. Miss Kempton, described by Read as his wife, is 27 years of age. She states that she is the daughter of a retired printer at Cambridge, and met Read— Benson she always believed his name to be—at Kensington about two years since. By Read's persuasion she left home, and went with him to Little Baum. bury, Bishops Stanford, where her child, now six months old, was born. He treated her with great kindness during her illness, and it was shortly afterwards that they removed to Mitcham. She was astounded on learning that his name was Read, and that he had a wife and six children in the But-end of London. She had been quite under the impression that he was • traveller in the employ of some tea merchants in Eutaw, and had no idea that he was ever engaged at the Albert Docks. The prisoner was taken by Detective-Inspector Baker and Sergeant Warden to Fenchurch-street Station, and thence by train to Southend. Read had effected • marked change in his appearance by shaving off his moustache, and when arrested he was wearing a pair of dark-coloured spectacles, • light tweed suit, and a straw hat. At the time of his disappearance he was clad in a black coat and vest and a dark brown hard felt hat. On the prisoner's arrival at Southend large crowds gathered at the station the entrance to which was guarded by a stroneody of police. Read was driven in • cab to the County Police-station, followed by a large number of people, who occasionally raised cries of "Lynch him. There was also a great deal of hissing and hooting. On his arrival at the police-station the I prisoner was charged with the wilful murder of Miss Dennis. When searched at the station a large sum of money was found in his possession.