The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-02-29 00:00:00

DISCOVERY OF MR. SPEKE.

The following communication was motto the London
papers at noon on Monday from Scotland yard:
"Metropolitan l'obco office, Feb 21.

"i3ir Richard Mayne pr-sents his compliments to
the editor and requests he will make it publicly known
that information was received this morning of the lice.
Mr. Speke's safety.
" Mr. Charles F. Murdoch on receiving this int. 11!
genre communicated it immediately to Sir Richard
Mayne, in order that the public mind might he relieved
an early an ros-ible (mm the painful state of suspense
that the cane Lae produced.

• --
The following was communicated by the editor of
the TV,stern jllrr,icflg 1Vr0,4 :—" A man dressed as n
bullock drover Waa arrested on Friday at Podstow
with a large sum id money in his possession, and was
remanded three days or suspicion of being a man
who lately absconded from Hull. Ile was proved,
however, not to be the person "wanted." Among his
higgam various disguises were found. Being a man
of superior deportment, further suspicion was aroused,
and it was thought that his description corresponded
with that of the Rev. Mr. Speke. After great hesi-
tation he admitted that he was that gentleman, lie
is now in the custody of the police at Bodmin. Nis
conversation was perfectly ratilmal."

Int mination was receivel at Plymouth on Monday after-
-111.1 that the /ter. Mr. Speke bad been found by the 5 rinsh
police. It seems that Ws Wednesday Mat Sergeant 6 lady,
of Padstow, Cornwall, received a photograph mill description
of amass who hail absconded front Hull with a large sum of
money. to the billowing Friday he saw a man at Padstow
dressed as is bullock drover, who, he believed, answered the

description of the man he wanted. fie conversed with him
iat his lodgings and left. Soady then sent for lmpector
of Wadebridge, who went to Padstow, and, with the sergeant,
on Saturday took the person into custody, and found a large
sum of money in his possession. The officer took him before
H. P. Rawlins, teit JusLice of the reticent Padatow, who re-
mand,d him ft threeliST. Meantime the police Feet a letter
to Sergeant Barnes, of Bochum, who, on receiving it, went,
aocompanied by Mr. Vincent, deputy-chiet constable, to
Padstow, and after examining the prisoner, those officers
were satisfied he did not cm-respond with the descript• of
the man" wanted." They then waited on the magistrate, who
considerately remanded the prisoner to Bodmin. On the
W 5 y the police-officers were struck with the gentlemanly
bearing and depertnient of the prisoner, and were convinced
they had no ordinary man. Ott arriving at their destination
a more strict search was made of the prisoner and his
luggage, among which were several boots with the name of
•• Dick Max well" written in them, besides articles of clothing
to enable him to assume any disguise. 'rho police, however,
were not to be deceived, for having seen a description of the
Rev. Mr. Speke in the newspapers they turned their atten-
tion In that direction, and alter a most careful observation
and unmet loon they were strongly satisfied that their pris-
oner was no other than the Rev. It. Spoke. Tney charged
him with it, and :dun considerable hesitation he admitted
he was the Rev. Mr. Speke. They communicated at once
with London.

MR BPEKE.B ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF.

The rumour that appeared last week to the effect that the
friends of Mr. Spoke knew id his whereabouts, led, it is
assumed, to Mr. Speke himself nicking a clean breast of it
In fact, there really was no foundation for the assertion, but
It was suggested as a ruse, arid, as it turns out, has answered
most effectually. A letter addressed to Mr. Murdoch, and
dated from the Crown Hotel, Padstow, delivered by Monday
morning's post, was, how ever, the lint information the
friends of Mr. Speke have had regarding their relative since
his mysterious disappearance. This epistle, which is rather
lengthy, to written by Mr. Spoke himself. It is a narrative
of his doings from his arrival in London down to Sunday,
and its general tone implies that he had conceived the idea
of mysteriously disappearing from the time he left his
home. The epistle commenced—" Here I am, I am ashamed
to write." He says he has been "guilty of many sins, but
that he is now brought to a state of contrition, and,
although he trusted that his friends would forgive hint,
he could not possibly return to london after what had
appeared about him in the newspapers." lie also
says, "It was impossible for bins to go to the
wedding," and that his sudden disappearance would
be the "best excuse for hie non-attendance." It will
be remembered that he left the Chard station, on the
South-Western Railway, on the sth of January, taking •
return ticket for the metropolis, and was coming to Lomion
professedly to act as the bridegroom's hest friend, at the
marriage of a most Intimate acqiusintance. The letter shows
that the report as to his taking a fowr.wheeled cab and
driving to a house in Eccleston-square, where he stayed'
talking to the footman, who had been his parishioner and
pupil, to his subsequently going out and saying that be was
" going to buy a hat, and afterwards transact a little liminess
In Westminster," is quite true: hut it did not refer nor in
any way account for his hat being found In Birdcage-walk.
Ile says that he returned that same night down the South.
Western line, and went on to Southampton, from which
place lie travelled short stages to Cornwall By digrees
Ire got rid of the money be had in his posseestun, and. nutting
himself penniless, sonvised thi 5, assistance of Mr. Mur-
doch, to enable him to get onto Liverpool, thence to embark
for merle."

There is nothing In theletter to 3110 l• that the writer ever
assumed a disguise of any kind.
Sir. Murdoch mud Mr. Inspector Williamson left London,
on Monday night, for Yadstow.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.
BoDYIN, Tuesday.
Mr. W. Swage, brother of the long-missed clergyman,
Mr. Murdoch, his brotheyin-law, and lleteetive-Sergeant
Williamson arrived at liodmin this morning by the London
mail. They had an interview with the Chief Constable,
Colonel Gilbert, and subsequently left with Mr. Spoke for
Lowboy. .

Mr. Speke gives a full account of his proceedings since
leaving London. On the night of his departure he went to
Basingstoke, and next day walked to Winchester, a distance
of ls miles. the day following he proceeded to Bishop.
stoke, and theece to Southampton, Gosport, and Ports-
mouth, and remained in the neighbourhood of Prtsmouth
till the 20111 of January, occupying himself by visiting
various places in the locality, lie arrived at Plymouth by
steamboat on the 30th, and stayed there till February 16,
during which time he visited Saltash, Cotehele, Lug-
Buckland, St. Germans, Tamerton, Roborough, hybridize,
and other places in the neighbourhood. On Sunday, the
I6th of Februaty, he attended church at St. Germans the
next day he proceeded to Fowey , a small port on the South
coast, and thence to Lostwithiel on the 20th. Ile then went
to &Minna, and put up at a secontl-rate inn, the Queen's
Head. On the 21st he went to Padstow, where he was or.
rested, having left his luggage at Boilmin. Ills luggage
was in several small bags enclosed in ?tie largebag. The

_ .
money found ilk his posseasion amounted to ZOO 113 notcc
and gold. He was somewhat excited when brought to
Bowlmln, but talked quite rationally to the Chief Con-
stali!e. Ile appears, however, to entertain peculiar
eel gious views, and said his great object in leaving
home was to get to some country shere nobody knew any-
thing about hint, so that he might work for his living and
preach the Gospel to his fellow-labourers. He had ob-
tained, he said, much greater insight than heretofore Into
the principles of the Bible by his lonely study of it on
the rocks by the seashore. When asked why he
did not go abroad at once, instead of roaming
about the country, he said he knew it would have
been of no use to attempt it, for the telegraph would have
been set to work and detectives placed on the watch to atm
him. He hoped by moving about the country from place to
place to keep them off the scent, and that alter a time he
would be able to embark from a seaport without being
suspecteil. His plans for the future were to return to
Bodmin and attend church there on Sunday, and
then to visit various places of interest on the Cornish
coast; after which he proposed to proceed to Ilfra-
combe, and cross by steamboat thence to Swansea. With
that view he had ascertained the times of sailing of the
steamers. on getting to Swansea he intended to walk
through Wales to Liverpool, awl there embark for
America Ile admitted hating read the newspapers
daily, but said the excitement eaweil in the country
by his disappearance hail no effect in altering his de-
termination to carry out his scheme. He acknowledged,
however, to his brother that he was now ashamed of what
he hail gone, and seemed affected by his position. in leav-
ing ilodmtu for town he waa calm and composed, but ap-
peared dejected.