The Times (London).
30 March 1892

Melbourne, March 29.
The Commissioner of Police wholly discredits the statement that Deeming committed the last two Jack the Ripper murders, whether he actually confessed to them or not. He regards Deeming's attempts to disguise himself by cutting off his moustache as utterly futile, as the hair will grow again before the trial comes off, and in any case the preliminary proceedings can be postponed if there is any difficulty in getting the Melbourne witnesses to identify him in consequence of the change in his appearance.

It is understood that Deeming will offer a stubborn defence to the charge of being the perpetrator of the Windsor murder. He has engaged a local solicitor to conduct his defence, and two of the ablest members of the Common Law Bar have been briefed on his behalf.

Dalziel (The Times Special)

Perth, March 29.
A piece of bottle glass was discovered in one of the pockets of Deeming's clothes, and in the cell which he occupied in Albany Gaol there was also found the neck of a medicine bottle. Of the hair found on the floor of the cell fully 75 per cent had evidently been pulled out of his moustache by the roots, the glass having chiefly been used to cut off the hair growing above the corners of his mouth. The Melbourne detective, Cawsey, considers that Deeming's attempts to disguise himself only helps to clinch the case against him. He does not think that the police were to blame in the matter, as it was hardly possible to prevent him from plucking out his moustache if he chose to do so. It is believed that Deeming picked up the piece of glass in the prison yard at Albany, as the wall which encloses it is studded with bottle glass.

Dalziel (The Times Special)

Adelaide, March 29.
The local agents of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company have given instructions that the public shall not be admitted on board the Ballaarat during her stay in Largs Bay.

Dalziel (The Times Special)

Albany, March 29.
The only disengaged cabin on the Ballaarat which could be allotted to Deeming and Detective Cawsey was on the second class deck, the door being within four feet of the bulwarks. It was therefore necessary to take extra precautions to prevent Deeming from throwing himself overboard. There are 200 marines on board the steamer, four of whom were sworn in as special constables to assist Detective Cawsey in keeping an unceasing watch over the prisoner. Cawsey started from Albany with the firm conviction that Deeming was identical with Jack the Ripper, but it has not been ascertained on what particular facts within his knowledge the conviction was based.

Dalziel (The Times Special)

Melbourne, March 28.
If a verdict of murder is returned against Deeming at the inquest on the body of his wife, known here as Emily Williams, the prisoner will be at once committed for trial at the Supreme Court, without being first brought before the City Court.

Reuter

Melbourne, March 29.
All the arrangements connected with the prisoner's arrival here are being kept profoundly secret. Indeed it is given out that they have not yet been definitely completed. The police authorities declare that they do not apprehend any attempt on the part of the people to lynch or otherwise molest the prisoner, but it is nevertheless considered necessary to take every possible precaution to guard against scenes of popular excitement such as those which occurred at York during the railway journey from Perth.

With regard to the arrangements for the trial, Mr. Henry H. Budd, solicitor, has consented to take up the case on Deeming's behalf, and Mr. James L. Purves, Q.C., has been asked to accept the prisoner's brief. In all probability the defence will be a plea of insanity, but Mr. Webster, who was Governor of Hull Gaol during Deeming's incarceration there in 1890-91, is of opinion that such a plea is the least likely to succeed, as he is able to state from constant experience and observation of the prisoner during the nine months that he was under his care that he was perfectly sane. Should the coroner's inquest on the murdered woman's remains found at Windsor result in a verdict against Deeming, the case will go at once to the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile some important new evidence is forthcoming with regard to the commission of the Windsor crime. It serves to indicate with some degree of certainty the actual date of the murder. A young lady who lives in a house adjoining that in which the body was found says she distinctly remembers hearing about Christmas a continuous noise in the next house resembling that of a bricklayer working upon mortar with a trowel, while another neighbour speaks of having heard about the same time a sound like that of a trowel knocking and scraping against bricks.

Additional documentary evidence has been received by the Melbourne police in the form of two letters in the prisoner's handwriting, addressed to Mr. Thomas Rounsevell, of Sydney, whose sister Deeming, or "Swanston" as he called himself, was about to marry. In one of these, dated February 8, the writer announces his formal engagement to the young lady who had so narrow an escape; and in the other, which was written on the 4th inst., "Swanston" solemnly assures Mr. Rounsevell that he will leave nothing undone to promote the happiness of his sister.

Reuter's Special Service.