1. Cold-blooded murder
2. Body found buried under the fireplace
3. A man of many disguises
4. Deeming chooses his next victim
5. Capture at Southern Cross
6. Journey back to Melbourne
7. Was Deeming Jack the Ripper?
8. Detecting the signs of insanity
9. Preparing Deeming's defence
10. Crime of the Century?

1. Cold-blooded murder

Frederick Bailey Deeming, alias Albert Williams, arrived in Melbourne with his wife Emily aboard the Kaiser Wilhelm II on 15 December 1891 and found lodgings at the Federal Coffee Palace (located on the corner of King and Collins Streets). Two days later, the couple rented a house in Andrew Street, Windsor. A carrier was hired to take their possessions to their new home. Deeming, who had given his name as Williams, travelled with his canary on the cart, while Emily was told to make her own way to Windsor by tram. On the very same day Deeming also purchased cement, tools and a pan from an ironmonger in nearby High Street.

Kaiser Willhelm II passenger list
PROV, VPRS 947/P0 Inward Overseas Passenger List, unit 45, December 1891
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Emily was last seen alive by a passer-by, Louisa Atkinson. She heard the couple arguing as she walked past their Windsor home on Christmas Eve. As Atkinson stopped to listen, she saw Emily come out a side door and pace up and down the path. Atkinson later recalled saying to Emily 'If I were you I would leave this place for a while', but Emily smiled and assured her she would be all right. Emily was murdered by her husband soon after, most likely the next day ... which was Christmas Day.

Emily's body was discovered on 3 March 1892. The very next day an autopsy was conducted into the cause of death. An inquest began on 8 March 1892 but was suspended to await the capture of the prime murder suspect, Emily's husband. It resumed on 5 April once Deeming was captured and brought back from Western Australia. The inquest jury found that Deeming had been responsible for Emily's death, and he was then committed to face trial in the Supreme Court on 22 April. The trial did not commence until 28 April, and lasted only three days. Deeming was found guilty by the trial jury on 2 May and was sentenced to hang. He was executed on 24 May 1892.

MMBW plan of Windsor neighbourhood including Deeming's house in Andrew Street Windsor
PROV, VPRS 8601/P1 Detailed Base Plans [DP] 40'=1" Numeric, unit 20, detail plan no. 963
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Months later, a friend of Emily's, with the unlikely name of Mr Edward Thunderbolt, wrote to the Chief Secretary of the Colony of Victoria, seeking permission to have Emily's body exhumed from its pauper's grave in the Melbourne General Cemetery and buried in the Church of England section. Thunderbolt was given permission as a special case, and raised money by public subscription for the construction of a large memorial stone. He himself composed a poem of warning entitled 'Advice' to adorn the stone.

Further illustrations

  

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