The railway journey was in every respect remarkable. At every country station the platform was crowded with men, women, and children, who struggled to get a view of the prisoner, and assailed him with loud cries of 'Murderer', 'Jack the Ripper' and so on. At first the prisoner met these attacks with unmoved composure, but their constant repetition soon told on his nerves.

[H]e 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 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'.

Deeming looked pale and haggard, and the unshaven growth of reddish hair on his face added to his sinister appearance. He smoked a cigar incessantly. When put on board the launch he was placed in the stern, and a quick run was made to the St Kilda Pier, where already the watchers had begun to congregate. Here he was met by a detachment of plain-clothes police and was hurried off almost before the bystanders had time to effect a hostile demonstration, even if any active measures had been contemplated. Deeming was hustled through a shouting, jeering crowd, which was increasing with wonderful rapidity every moment and was safely lodged in the vehicle.