The Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester Telegram. — 1878-11-22 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

THE SHEFFIELD MURDERER.  The inquiries now proceeding as to the career of Peace are bringing to light additional facts of interest. As to his doings in the neighbourhood of Peckham, it is stated that there does not seem to be any doubt that his pony and trap played an important part in his system of robbery; that it was used for the conveyance home of plunder, and that when it was put into requisition for that purpose the driver was some one other than Peace himself, generally his son, the boy "Willie Ward." That he is his son no doubt is entertained. The plan appears to have been for Peace to be driven to the neighbourhood of a house which he intended should be the object of his operations, and make arrangements for being picked up later on. Or sometimes the trap would be packed and sent home by a circuitous route, leaving "the commander-in-chief" to come back by a more direct road. Thompson was once met walking swiftly in the direction of Nunhead from Brockley, at two o'clock in the morning, by some person whom he knew, and the explanation he gave was that he had been out on business and had lost his train. On occasions, it is rumoured, Peace and his son were accompanied by a third party, who used in his dress to assume a rather clerical aspect. Mrs. Peace, alias Mrs. Ward, used to pass, it is alleged, as Peace's sister, and it becoming known to the household that Peace had been seen late at night returning home with boxes in his trap, an effort was made te remove from the neighbourhood the person by whom his actions had been witnessed. Mrs. Peace, or, as she w is called, Mrs. Ward, gave out that she had kept an eating house in Hull, and had saved some little money. She had now nothing to do, she said, and would 1 ke to go into some light business again. Peace was watchful and suspicious in his manner. When he moved from Blackheath he was continually urging the man he employed to use greater dispatch, and some of his things he took care to keep covered up. Though the family at No. 5, East-terrace, appeared to be in a very good position, it is said that they were very close with their money. Two days after Peace was apprehended four boxes, directed to Sheffield, were taken by Mrs. Ward—that is. Mrs. Peace—to the station. This property afterwards came into the hands of the police, and is now at the station at Blackheath. Very shortly after this Mrs. Thompson gave out that her husband had run away with Mrs. Ward. and asked to be taken in at at least two places in the neighbourhood. Also, within a day or two, many of the things at No. 5, were removed, and a man who had been intimate with Peace is said to have been wheeling a barrow backwards and forwards until a very early hour. It has been decided that Peace will be tried at the Old Bailey Sessions upon the charge of burglary at Blackheath, and of feloniously discharging a revolver pistol at P.C. Robinson, with intent to kill and murder. Our Sheffield correspondent telegraphs :—" The letter of Cherie. Pence, the Bsnnercross murderer, recometing a Sheffield gentleman to find a solicitor to defend his ife, has not been answered, and it is not probable, when she is again brought up on Thursday. that any legal gentleman will appear for her. -come more property has been cb.covered, and little doubt is entertained that the Mrs. Ward, of Peckham, is identical with the Mrs. Peace who is now in custody at Sheffield. Mrs. Dyson, the widow of the murdered man, has not been discovered; but the Sheffield police are still pursuing their inquiries at Cleveland, Ohio, to which place Mrs. Dyson went after the murder."