The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1888-09-29 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE MURDERER STILL AT LARGE.  FUNERAL OF THE VICTIM.  The police are still eugaged in their work of I ecouring the di.tri t The murderer has been very skilful in leaving no trace behind I him so far, and not even the instrument with which he so brutally accomplished the crime has beau discovered. The authorities insist that in the missing man Waddle lies their hope j of solving the mystery, but as yet the rumours of the ironworker's arpearance at many different places about the same time have proved to be myths created in alarmed imaginations. No clue to his whereabouts has yet been found. The theory of suicide seems no longer tangible, as the most vigorous and diligent search has not revealed the whereabouts of his body. The scene at the funeral was an affecting one. For miles round the inhabitants had turned nut to show their respect for the deceased, and the procession which was formed from the house of the poor victim's parents to the picturesque vihaire churchyard of Birsley was nearly half a mile long. The coffin bore the simple inscription, " Jane Beetmore. Died September 22nd, lea." At the churchyard the officiating clergyman, the Rev. Arthur Watts, of Durham, conducted the ordinary Church Service for the burial of the dead, and referred to the solemnity of the occasion. Waddle's mate, William Kibbens, in the course of conversation with a reporter stated some facts that throw some light on his proceedings. Kibbens bore testimony to Waddle being a good mace and a hard worker, but agreed with everybody else who knew him as to hie very meagre display of conversational powers, except that he stated him to be fond of discussing bowling matches. On Saturday, however, he says W addle "went on" as he never did before. He would, without any apparent reason, laugh and spar at his mates, and persisted in tapping is lad who was working beside him on the bead with • his knuckles. Kibbens remonstrated with Waddle once for pushing the lad, and Waddle replied that he would "like to kill him," and a little later he took up a pickaxe and said to his mate, "I would like to kill you, von b " This, of coarse, was all regarded as a -joke by the men beside him, but, at the same time, they were completely puzzled by such a rare eccentricity of behaviour on Waddle's part. During the morning a large piece of slag rolled down the heap where they were working against Kibben's leg. Kibben stooped to pick up his shovel to prevent it being broken, when Waddle shouted, "Let it go and kill the old b—." While getting dinner Waddle shook his knife at a lad near, saying he "would like to stick him." It is considered possible that this knife is the weapon with which Waddle committed the murder, supposing him to be the culprit. He obtained it a fortnight ago from a lad named Thomas Falloon in exchange for a new knife that he had just purchased. In conversation with James Falloon, the brother of the youth who gave Waddle the knife, j he informed the reporter that when his uncle, James Falloon gave 'Thorny the knife be I scratched his initials " J.F." on the blade. An effort to secure a. similar knife at the shop where it was purchased has proved unsuccessful. The knife, Falloon states, is a working man's dinner knife. It is brown-hafted, and has & broad blade j which is three inches or so in length. It is of I excellent steel, and takes an edge of razor-like I keenness. Falloon, who served in the last Afghan campaign in the 15th East Yorkshire Regiment I of the Line, is a man of considerable intelligence, I and states that. knowing Waddle very well, and observing his peculiarities, he studied him rather closely. His appearance, he said, was calculated to give a more unfavourable impression than his acquaintance sustained. Ile would sit, , he says, al company for hours, scarcely ever remove his looks from the door, and only speak , when directly addressed, when he usually con, I lined his remarks to " Yes " or " No.' He  frequently tried to draw him into conversation about Looks, theatres, and kindred subjects, but I could only get a half-idiotic laugh out of him. 1 He was a very illiterate man. He had a heavy, 1 slouching gait, and it was difficult to tell his real height. He was, however, very fond cf boxing, I and when he had the gloves on was quite a different man in appearance, as he straightened up and carried himself well. He Ni as a neat boxer, and a fa:rly skilful one. He was very toud of going long walks alone, and would often leave home after breakfast and not return for many hours. He frequently , walked to Sunderland, Newcastle, and 1 other places and tack, and, as will be at once seen, would be perfectly acquainted with all the roads and by-roads over a considerable radius. In his lonely walks, as in company, he appeared to keep his eyes fixed on the ground. A trait in Waddle that Fa'loon did not like was that even after he had had a few glasses of peer, :he was not a whit more talkative, but kept j silent except when addressed. Other men who 1 knew him, however, state that, thot-gh a silent man, be used to readily join in the laugh when jokes were passing. Ealloou last saw Waddle on• Saturday evening at six o'clock. when he passed their house on his way to tea in a very drunken state. In speaking of Waddle's disposition and athletic powers Falloon states that, knowing the ma.n as he does, he feel confident he will never allow himself to be taken alive.