Brighouse & Rastrick Gazette. — 1893-07-08 (Brighouse, West Yorkshire, England)

THE RAMSGATE MYSTERY.  William Noel was again brought before the Ramsgate Magistrates on Friday charged with the murder of his wife.—lnspector Ross,cross-examined by Mr. Hills, raid he had received information of robberies committed quite recently at various houses in Adelphi-terrace. The thieves were not discovered. In the course of his search in prisoner's deek he found a will, but he did not think it was important enough to put in.—Mr. Hills here read the will, which was made by prisoner under date of December 18th, and in it he bequeathed without reservation all he possessed at the time of his death to his wife.—Witnees, continuing, said that on the night of the murder the Chief Constable gave him instructions that the prisoner was to be kept under close observation. A person was deputed to watch the prisoner's house on May 14th and 15th. By the instructions of the Chief Constable the watch was withdrawn on the 16th.—Mr. Hills: Did you concur in those instructions P—Witness: That is a very delicate question for me to answer.—Mr. Hills: I suppose, sir, the neck of the accused is equally delicate.—The Chairman: Now, now, Mr. Hills, I don't think that question should be put.—Witness said he did not exactly concur in the instructions, but knew his duty in obeying his superior officer. Witnces, continuing, said it was intended to call another witness residing in Ramsgate, who would give evidence which reflected on Noel's moral character during four years.—After the cross-examination of Inspector It ,ss had concluded, the Court adjourned. On Saturday the case for the prosecution closed, and Mr. Hills proceeded to address the Bench for the defence. He said the crime was the most extraordinary one of modern times, and he went on to contend that Noel had received un-English treatment at the hands of the Treasury. The prosecution adopted the course of endeavouring to fix the mime on Noel on grounds absolutely untenable, and not a line of legal evidence that could possibly justify a primd-facie case against the prisoner had been produced. He characterised the with' of the proceedings for the prosecution as a desperate effort to fix the guilt of the crime on Noel. By their own admission the police had neglected every other reasonable means of finding the possible criminal. With regard to the duty of the Bench, lie held that they could not have a primil-facie case unless they could answer sati-factorily the question as to whether, if they sent the prisoner for trial, a jury of 12 intelligent men would convict the mat i of murder on such flimsy, irresponsible, and imaginary evidence. In analysing the evidence for the proseWire, Mr. hills commented strongly on the action of the Treasury in not calling certain witnesses who had been examined before the Coroner's Court, and who would have given evidence of great iinportance in regard to the character and the movements of the prisoner on the day of the murder. Ho would himself call those witnesses, and prove that a shot was distinctly heard at a quarter to 3 on the 14th of May, when the accused was at Sundayschool. The whole country had been scoured to find something against the prisoner's moral character, and it was a monstrous thing that a man should be branded in this way for incidents in his career which had nothing to do with the alleged offence under notice. The man had lived Dn affectionate terms with his wife, and there had been no evidence of recent squabbles, and not the faintest motive for this horrible crime was shewn. The medical evidence was so contradictory as to be absolutely unreliable. At the conclusion of the address for the defence the Bench held a consultation, and after an absence of 20 minutes, the Chairman announced that they had unanimously come to the conclusion that there was a primd-facie case against the prisoner, who, on being formally charged, said, "L have nothing to say but that I am innocent."—He was then remanded. On Tuesday evidence for the defence was taken.  The witnesses spoke of the affectionate relations which subsisted between the prisoner and hin wife, of the genuineness of his grief at her death, and of his arriving at the Sunday-school at 25 minutes past 2on the afternoon of the murder. One witness w. ibed two men who passed and repassed her floor on tricycles between 20 minutes past 2 and 3 O'clock on the day of the murder, and whose moveMats excited her suspicions. The case was again ailloursed.