The Pontypridd District Herald and Rhondda Valley, Llantrisant, Caerphilly, and Mountain Ash News. — 1892-05-14 (Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

THE CONVICT DEEMING.  DATE OF EXECUTION FIXED.  The executive have fully considered alleuestions relating to the case of Deeming, and have decided that the execution of the convict should take place on the 23rd inst. The Melbourne Herald announces that Deeming has made an important statement, which the Executive will likewise take into consideration The prisoner has also made a confession. There is no allusion in it to the Rainhill murders. In regard to the Windsor tragedy, however, although not actually avowing. that he committed the crime, Deeming has, it Is said, made such admissions as amount to a practical confession of his guilt. The convict's statements would seem to indicate the 19th of December as the date of the murder, a date which conflicts with the evidence which was brought forward at the trial. Telegrams from Melbourne state that Deeming, or, as he is better known there, Williams, has eonleased to the Rev. Mr. Scott, the prison chaplain, that he made four attempts to murder his wife E:nily Mather—namely, once in London shortly after their marriage, once at the Federal Coffee Palace, Melbourne, and tWice in Andrew-street, Windsor. He took the house in Windsor, lie said, on December 15 last, and slept that night on an air mattress. On the night of the 19 li, in obedience to the commands of his mother's spirit, he made an attempt to cut his wife's throat, but she suddenly awoke, and he was thus prevented from carrying out his design. The following night he a oke at 2 o'clock, and found a candle burning beside his wife, who was sitting up in bed peeling an apple, with a large clasp knife. He wrenched the knife from her hand and cut her throat. He then rushed out of the house much terrified at what lie had done, and at daybreak found himself on the pier at St. Kilda. He there saw a man thing, and gave him £lO to bury the body. Deeming declares that he knew nothing it how the murdered woman was buried until lie heara it in Western Australia. He cannot accfmnt for his purchase of the ()intent befoi eller:id, because, he said, he was sometimes not himself. He cannot account for tke wounds on his wife's head. He repeated the story of the man whom he calls "Old Ben" at Rainhill, and to whom he alleges he gave f. 50 to secure the disappearance of his first wife. Emily Mather, he declared, committed the Rainhill murders. A knife has been found among his luggage which agrees with the prisoner's description of the one used by him at Windsor. Deeming states his intention of making a full 'confession of the Rainhill murders. Miss RounseI fell, the sister of the girl to whom the convict was engaged, had a long interview with him in the condemned cell. The object of the visit has not transpired, but Miss Rounsefell seemed much agitated. Letters full of religious advi‘'e have been I addressed to Deeming from all parts of Australia. IA lady correspondent has sent him a silk bag filled with earth, alleged to have been brought from Mount Sion; another, of a more businesslike type, 1 offers to erect a monument to his memory on condition of his assigning to her the copyright of hie autobiography.