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County Police Office
Widnes 12th March 1892

From
The Superintendent
Lancashire Constabulary, Widnes.
To The Assistant Commissioner of Police
Criminal Investigation Departments
London

Sir
I have received your letter of 10th inst 76896, & enclosure
and beg to inform you that enquiries have been made at Rain-
hill with the following result.

A man answering description went to reside at
Rainhill about June 1891, giving his name as Albert Oliver
Williams; he took a house saying it was for a Mr Brooks,
who was an officer in India; he resided in the house a
few weeks, and was married to Miss Emily Lydia Mather
of Rainhill, on 22nd Sept 91, and left Rainhill on 12th Oct. 91,
is supposed to have sailed from Southampton on 2nd Nov. 91.
on the "Kaiser Wilhelm II" and Mrs Mather, William's mother-
in-law states she received letters from her daughter, which
were posted at each Port the vessel called at on the voyage
out, the last one being from Columb[crossed out: i]a. The next letter she
received was from Williams, dated, Melbourne 28th Dec 1891
posted 29th Dec, saying his wife was enjoying herself and
that they intended to sail on the 4th Jan 92 for Hong
Kong, in the steamer "Catherine", as he had got an engage-
ment with Gibbs Bright & Co of Hong Kong. Mrs Mather has
not heard from her daughter since the letter from Columbia
Mrs Mather says Williams represented himself as the son of
Colonel Williams who was killed in the Crimean war, and
that he was well known to Mr Jack Brunskill who is
employed in the war office, he also represented himself as
an Inspector of Stores in the Indian Army or Bengal Cavalry
and has been wounded in war, he appeared to always have
plenty of

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Copy

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Urgent.

Let the
attd photo:
be shown to
some of the
fellow passengers of
Deeming, and
let them be
asked whether
they recognise
it [illegible]

Z4444

H M [illegible]
Chief Commissioner of Police
22/4/92
Supt Kennedy
CID

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plenty of money. Mrs Mather further stated that a man who
gave the name of Samuel Lowe of 80 Fleet St London, Press
agent &c for "Melbourne Argus", called on her on the 10th inst
and showed her a cablegram respecting the murder, and
got her to let him have the letters she has received from
her daughter and the one Williams had sent, and he took
them away; he also got a photograph of Mrs Williams
recently taken

Mrs Mather gives the following description of her
daughter, 26 years of age, 5 feet 1 or 2 in height, fresh
complexion, dark brown hair, brown eyes, and had a
small cut mark on left cheek bone, and Williams was
36 years of age last July.

Mrs Mather is anxious to know if it is her daughter who
has been murdered, and for the purpose of identification
she has lent the enclosed picture which was taken about
8 years ago.

A strict lookout will be kept at Rainhill in case
Williams should return. Please return photograph
when done with.

Williams was a perfect stranger to Rainhill
when he appeared there.

I am,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
signed J Keighley
Superintendent.

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