Statement of Max Hirschfeldt

Max Hirschfeldt, states;
I am a Draper residing at
19 Williams St Balaclava.

I arrived in Victoria on the
15th of last December. I came by
the s.s. "Kaiser Wilhelm". We
sailed from the port of Bremen.
We called at Southampton about the
1st November. Among the passengers
taken on board at Southampton
were a Mr. and Mrs. Williams.
They left the vessel at Pt. Melbourne.
Williams made very many various
remarks about where he was going.
He said he had £6000 or £7000
which he was going to invest in
Victoria. I saw Williams on
several occasions after we landed
but not Mrs Williams. On the 5th
March I came to the Melbourne
Morgue with Sergt. Cawsey. I saw
the body of a woman there which
I identified as that of Mrs. Williams.
The same lady as came out in the
"Kaiser Wilhelm II" as the wife Williams. I am quite
certain as to the identification. Mrs.
Williams had on the voyage out
a Cage and Canary produced,
this is the same Cage and same
Canary.

I identify the boat shaped
diamond ring produced as being
exactly

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Re examined:

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exactly
similar to the one deceased woman
out. The wicker chair is similar
in every respect possessed by
Williams and used by him on the
voyage out. The portions of the
brown figured dress produced, also
the portion of the light grey tweed
dress produced, the black and brown
leather figured belts are exactly
similar to the clothing possessed
and worn by the deceased woman
whilst on the Kaiser Whelilm (sic) II.
The tiger claw, silver mounted
ornament produced used to be
worn by the deceased woman
whilst on the voyage. The
photograph produced is
exactly like the deceased woman.
It was found amongst the
effects of accused.

I proceeded to Perth
(W.A.) with Det Cawsey and
arrived there 21st. March. The
same day I went to the Gaol
there with Cawsey. I saw a
number of men (6) there. I
was asked by Cawsey if I
recognised any person there. I
pointed out the accused, with
my umbrella, saying this is
the man. Cawsey said go
and put your hand on him
I

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was Witness present
when it was found?

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3

I
did so. At this time the prisoner
wore spectacles. He also had a
fair moustache, similar to the
one he used to wear on board.
I never knew him to wear
spectacles before. I left with
accused, Det. Cawsey and
Police escort on 25th March
for Albany en route for Melbne..
I saw the accused on the
27th March when he was
taken on board the "Ballarat".
There was a great alteration
in his appearance. He had
either cut or shaved off his
moustache. I was continually
in accuseds company from
Albany to Melbourne and
on the 27th March he said to
me, "have you seen the body
and who else was present at
the identification ?" I said:
"Captain Firth and myself and
afterwards Mr. Oakes." He
said: "No one of you can swear
that that was the body of my
dear little Emily. Nobody could
hurt that poor little thing and
he added, "when I found out that
gone wrong it nearly
broke my heart". I said:
"Did you suspect a fellow
passenger

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passenger
named Eick". He said: "It was
not Eick at all". I said: "Any
one could identify the body she
had such beautiful hair it
was fully 2 foot 6 long." He
said: "It was 3 foot 6 long. she
could sit on it;" I said: "I
could also judge by the general
appearance of the body etc." He
said: "You never saw her stripped."
I said: "She also had remarkable
ears, the lobes were very large".
He said: "I never noticed them."
I said: "If you can produce
your wife alive, you are all
right, if not you will have
the rope round your neck."
He said: "I do not think I can
produce her. Many innocent
people have been hung, but if
I am convicted, I will write
the history of my life and it
will startle the world."

On the morning we landed
1st April, he sent for me to
have a talk, and after some
unimportant conversation he said
to me, Mr. Hirschfeldt, no one
can prove that the moustache
I was wearing was not a
false one". I said: "Yes, I can
and so can every body else
and

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and
in cutting off your moustache
you have merely influenced the
public mind against you." &
I added, "there is no doubt you
will be convicted and hung".
He said: "I cant help that.
Never mind I will keep my
promise to you and give you
the history of my life.

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