William Mcnamara (Jail)

William Mcnamara was convicted of the manslaughter of Ernest Nixey Smith, who he killed four years earlier on 28 October 1908.

It was heard that Ernest Smith had remonstrated with a man, alleged to have been William Mcnamara, outside Shepherd's Bush Tube Station, for using objectional language to a woman. He complained to a policeman about the insulting expression towards the woman and they had words during which William Mcnamara threatened to gouge Ernest Smith's eye out with an umbrella.

It was said that when the policeman spoke to William Mcnamara, who had been drinking, but was not drunk, he denied it and the policeman told him to go away.

Ernest Smith then took a tram to Chiswick, however, he was followed by William Mcnamara who waited until William Mcnamara alighted and they had more words and Ernest Smith then thrust the ferrule of an umbrella into Ernest Smith's temple, and then ran off.

Ernest Smith was later found lying in High Road with a hole in his temple. The umbrella had penetrated two and three-eight inches into his brain.

Ernest Smith died and then William Mcnamara disappeared, first going to Canada, and then going to Australia.

However, it was later heard that William Mcnamara was in Perth in Western Australia after he was recognised by someone from England and he was arrested. British police then proceeded to Australia and brought William Mcnamara back to the United Kingdom on the SS Otway, leaving on 26 March 1912.

When he was arrested, he said, 'Very well. I shall give you no trouble'.

When the SS Otway was lying off Colombo, Ceylon, on 14 April 1912, William Mcnamara made a long statement, and when he returned to England he was taken to Chiswick where he was charged with murder.

At his trial, William Mcnamara admitted that he had taken more drink than was good for him and said that he had become incensed when Ernest Smith had accused him without foundation of insulting behaviour to a woman. He admitted, with regret, striking Ernest Smith with his umbrella and said that when he read the following morning that Ernest Smith had died in the newspapers, he became frightened and left the country.

He said that when he was arrested in Australia, he was relieved as it had been on his mind all the time and said that he was relieved to get it off his conscience.

It was noted that whilst in Brixton Prison, he helped to protect a warder who was being attacked by another prisoner.

William Mcnamara was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to nine months hard labour.

William Mcnamara was a labourer. He was also known as William Ward.