ROSS INTERVIEWED.
The detectives first saw Ross on the morning of the 31st. He said that he had seen a child answering to the description of the murdered girl, but in reply to a direct question by Detective Piggott, “Ross, how much do you know?” he replied: “I do not know anything.” On January 5th they again saw Ross at his home, and brought him to the Detective Office, where he was detained for eight hours, and made a statement, which was taken down in writing. To show how consistent Ross was throughout as to his movements on the fatal day, it is well that this statement should be given in full. It is as follows:—
COLIN CAMPBELL ROSS states:—
“I am at present out of business. I was the holder of the Australian Wine Shop license in the Eastern Arcade for about nine months past. The license expired on the 31st December, 1921. I reside at ‘Glenross,’ Ballarat Road, Footscray. On Friday, the 30th December, I came into the shop about 2 p.m. It was a very quiet day. Between 2 and 3 p.m. I was standing in front of my shop, and looking about I saw a girl about 14 or 15 years of age in the Arcade. She was walking towards Bourke Street, and stopped and looked in a fancy dress costume window. I later saw her walking back, and she appeared to have nothing to do. She wore a dark blue dress, pleated, the pleats were large, light blouse, white straw hat with a colour on it (looked like a college hat), wore dark stockings and boots—she may have had shoes on. I went back into the cafe. I cannot say where she went. I was about the cafe all the afternoon.
“About 4 o’clock, a friend of mine, Miss Gladys Linderman, came to the saloon front. I spoke to her for about an hour. She came into the private room, and we had a talk in the room off the bar, the one in which the cellar is which is unused. She and I went into the Arcade at 4.45; remained talking for about 10 minutes. I then saw her out into Little Collins Street. I made an appointment to meet her again at 9 p.m. at the place I left her. I went back into the cafe, and remained until 6 p.m., when I left for home, got home about 7 p.m., had tea, left home at 8 p.m., came into the city, waited at the corner of the Arcade in Little Collins Street. Miss Linderman came to me at 9 p.m., and we went straight into the cafe. We remained in there till 10.45, then left, locked the place up, went to King Street. She went to her home, 276 King Street. After leaving her I went to Spencer Street Station, took a train, arrived home at 11.50 p.m., and remained there all night.
“I know the shop opposite, No. 33. It is occupied by a man named McKenzie. Several men visit there. I have seen a stout, foreign man go there. I don’t know his name—I never spoke to him in my life. I am sure he has not visited the saloon. He has come to my door and spoken to me. On one occasion, about four months ago, I went over to that shop by his invitation. He desired to explain a certain signalling patent. He unlocked the door, and I went inside with him. I saw a box affair, a couch, and nine or twelve chairs. I did not see the patent—it was locked. I have never possessed a key of that shop, and no person has ever loaned me one. I have two keys of my wine saloon. I had one, and my brother Stan had the other. On Friday I possessed one, and my brother had the other. These keys are Yale keys. No person could enter that wine shop unless let in by my brother or myself. I think my brother was in the city that night with his friends. I can’t say where he was.
“On the Saturday I was again in the saloon. It was the last day of the license. I saw Mr. Clark, manager of the Arcade, about 11 a.m., and arranged with him to get me a key of the back gate of the Arcade, which is locked by means of a chain and padlock. He gave me a key about noon, and I left there about 6.15 p.m. I came back to the Arcade at 6.50 a.m., Monday, and a van came at 7 a.m., and then took my effects from the saloon, which consisted of 26 chairs, 6 tables, a small couch, a counter, 2 wooden partitions, shelves, and linoleum off the floor, about 20 bottles of wine, and 9 flagons of wine. There were two dozen glasses, and about 18 pictures. My brothers Stanley and Tom were with me. I left there at 8.30 a.m., and went home. I handed the keys to the caretaker.
“I cannot say what goes on inside No. 33 in the Arcade, but I have seen several women going in and out, and in company of McKenzie. I have never seen the other man, who looks like an engineer, take women in there. The ages of the women would range from about 20 years and upwards. I cannot say if any person saw me with Gladys Linderman while at the Arcade. I was not in the company of any other woman that afternoon or evening at the saloon. Close to the saloon, and about 36 feet distant, is a man’s lavatory, the door of which is generally locked. At night time it is occasionally left open. I had a key of that lavatory. The water used in my saloon was obtained from a tap in a recess adjoining the cafe.”
“COLIN CAMPBELL ROSS.”
Witness: FREDERICK J. PIGGOTT.
This statement was obtained largely, as all police statements are, by question and answer, and committed to paper in narrative form. When it was concluded, further questions, more disjointed, were put to Ross, and his answers being given, the question and answer were committed to writing, and were signed by Ross. The supplementary statement thus obtained is as follows:—
“I admit I did walk up and down Little Collins Street in front of the Arcade from about 8.45 until 9 p.m. I say there was not a light in my saloon after 10.45 p.m., unless my brother was in there. My brother was first to enter my saloon on the Saturday morning. I came while the detectives were talking to my brother. He did not make any complaint about the condition of the shop when I arrived. I did have two blankets in the saloon. They were used as a rug or cover for the couch to lie down on in the afternoons. I was home all day Thursday. I was not well. I did not leave the shop on Friday and say that I was ill. I was not away from the saloon during the afternoon of Friday. I can give no reason why my brother should say I was away ill. I have not been engaged in a telephone conversation with a man named Williams. I have not spoken on a telephone since Thursday, 29th. I remember, before Miss G. Linderman came to the cafe, there were two young women in the bar. They would be 19 or 20 years of age, and they left the saloon in company with two men. That was on Friday, 30th. In my opinion No. 33 is a brothel. Several men have keys of the room.”
“COLIN CAMPBELL ROSS.”
Witness: FREDERICK J. PIGGOTT.
Ross was still further interrogated, but this part of his statement was not taken down in writing. Piggott said: “Where did you have lunch on Friday, December 30th?” and he replied: “At home,” and question and answer proceeded as follow:—
What time did you get into your wine bar?—About 2 o’clock.
Who was in the bar?—A man named Allen and a woman.
Who was the woman?—I do not know, but Detective Lee ordered her out.
What time did you see Gladys Linderman?—About 4.45, and I remained talking with her about three-quarters of an hour.[2]
What time did you leave her?—About 6 o’clock, but I had to meet her again.
Did you meet her?—Yes, I met her at 9 o’clock, as arranged.
What time did she leave?—About half-past 10.
Where did she go?—I saw her home. I got the train, and got home about midnight.
This was the material that the police had to work on up to that time, but about Tuesday, January 10, they received an important addition to their stock of knowledge from a girl named Olive Maddox. This girl, an admitted prostitute, said that, being a bit “potty” on Monday, January 9, she had a conversation with Ivy Matthews, who advised her to go and tell the police what she knew. What she told the police will appear from her evidence to be given later. It is important to remember that at this time, according to the police, Ivy Matthews had herself given no information to them. In fact, she had been interrogated by the detectives on January 5, and had told them that she knew nothing. More than that, she met certain members of the Ross family outside the Detective Office on that night, and indignantly protested against being brought there to be catechised, saying that she knew nothing about the matter. On the day of Ross’s arrest she was again at the Detective Office, and seems to have hinted at something, because, while declining to make any statement, she said: “Bring me face to face with Colin, and I will ask him some questions.” She was never brought “face to face” with Colin Ross. There is ample reason for believing that though the police knew that when she came to give her evidence Matthews would advance their case, they did not know exactly what she was going to say. The position, therefore, is that, on January 23, the police had practically no evidence against Ross. On that day Harding disclosed his “confession,” and by January 26 Matthews had given to the world her account of what she alleged she had seen and what she alleged Ross had told her.