The Northern Guardian. — 1898-12-24 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

TALK WITH THE MYSTERIOUS WITNESS.  j (" LONDOY DAILY MAIL " 6I'ECIAL  The young woman who gave the police the information upon which they arrested William Johnson, alias "Harry the Valet," on the charge of being concerned in the robbery of the Duchess of Sutherland's jewels, proves to be Maud Richardson, for-r merly of the Gaiety and other theatres. She was, she says, in "Frankens*'- "and "Esmeralda" at the Gaiety, in the "Robinson Crusoe" pantonY4' lat Drury Lane, and has also appeared at the Comedy. It will be recalled that when she gave evidence against Johnson a day or two ago her identity was concealed. We found out, the woman's identity, and when a "Daily Mail" representative called upon her yesterday she had no objection to the publication of her name.  She retold the sensational story she gave in evidance, and added many other particulars, some of which maybe given without further prejudice to the prisoner on the present charge than her sworn testimony has already established. Asked what decided her to give her former companion over to justice. she said it was the only thing she could do under all the circumstances. She was in dread that at any moment he might drag her into complications over the robbery of the Duchess's jewels, her knowledge about which was, she felt, a secret too dangerous to keep, especially as she had herself worn the jewels. Prisoner had one day decked her all out in the Duchess's treasures, she esphtined. Another thing which decided her to give information was Johnson's violence to her, 'and h's handiness with his revolver.  _ "You think I exaggerate when I. talk of shooting." she exclaimed, 'but what do you think of this?" and she drew forth a pretty little watch with distinct dents on its cover.  "This was done at Ostend. John-son tried his hest to kill me when he fired this shot, and I was only saved by this watch and my other jewellery. That, was in a cab, coming from the Mariakerke Bains. A second time in the same week Johnson. who was, I believe, incited by others who were aware I knew their secret, tried to dispose of me, but I managed to escape him. For this second attempt the manager of the Palace Hotel had him locked up. Johnson pleaded so hard, however. that I got him out of the cells at a cost of £l2O. " Then when at Bruges I complained to the police of Johnson's threats to murder me. but all the satisfaction I got was the asstn-ance that if he did so he would be locked up. "It was as a result of the Bruges incident that Johnson had an interview with the intelligent local police, while he was carrying the Sutherland jewels in his pockets. It was one day in Paris just after Johnson had decked use out in the jewels, as I told you, and had just taken them off, when a police officer was announced. I knew who it must be, became of my complaints to the Bruges authorities. but Johnson was dumbfounded. He sat on the 1 lounge—it makes me laugh to think of it even now —and the great, open mouthed detective told him that he must come down and see the juge de la pais. It took Johnson about half-a-minute to make an excuse and clear out of that hotel."  The young woman added much more, but as it carried the story further than her evidence in the Court had done, we do not feel at liberty to print it, until she states it on oath, as she will probably bk invited to do at the trial.