Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-24


The last number of Temple Bar has an
article entitled "CuriOus Cases." which gives
interesting accounts Of criminal trials in
England. The writer shows the perils OF
accepting eircumstantial evidence, and mar
rates the following story: IlH a-
Here 10 a curious story, told by London
police detective officer TO relation of mine.
l vary no important fact, and merely alter
names. Henry RanthofPe was q literary
man. he had made some slight success as a
provincial journalist and political phamph-
leteer, He had atragedy in his trunk, a plot
comedy In bis head, and one five-pound note
In his pocket; aud he must needs come up,
in the naughtiness of heart stirred by
''That last inarmi.y of noble mind.'' '
to win golden opinions and earn golden SOW
ereigns in the great world of London. He
had, moreover, made what Is called an Inn
provident marriage, that is, he had married
q pretty girl without farthinR, who never
theless was very good wife. They were as
happy as the res dngttstd would permit them
70 be. They took cheap lodgings in "the
wilds of Pimlico." The tragedy had not
been accepted tragedies never are); at least
the manager had not vouchsafed = reply.
Nevertheless, he worked at the comedy la-
boriously and hopefully. AS be had, how
ever, not been fer years in London thester,
he thought, wisely enough, that it would
considerably assist him If he saw a play acted
at the house where he intended his Eve acts
TO be brought out. He had no special inter-
est with actors or critics by which to secure
an "order;" and bis wife agreed with him
that the expenditure of half a crown, low as
their finances were, would nevertheless be q
wise outlay. Meanwhile pair Of boots, the
only shoe-lesther which he had brought
with him from the country, had become so
heelless, dilapidated aud shabby, that he
made an investment In a pair Of cheap Shoes
and discarded the ruined Bluchers. How to
dispose of them was now his difficulty.
he was ashamed to give them away at his
lodgings; and they were not after grave
consultation on the subject, deemed worthy
of repair. he proposed taking them into
the street at night, and wilfnlly making
away with them, when the uror pLdcens des-
cried dusty-looking cupboard high up in
threw his once. serviceable boots. The cup
board door would not close; but the cup
beard being high up and in a corner, the
Butchers did not show.
THE ARREST.
BE started on his trip to the Temple OF
Thespis, leaving his fond and self denying
| little wife to her tea, her needlework, and
| her anticipations Of his report Of the even
iBg's entertainment. He entered the Dit
entrance of the - Theater, just after the
first rush of half.pas six, punctual folk had
gone in; deposited his solitary half-crown.
the only money which, with the exception
| OF few pence, he bad about him, and re-
ceived his check, ticket, and was about to
pass on, full of disappointment at not hav.
ing been earlier, and of excitement at the
prospect of a little novel amusement. To
bis intense astonishment, be had scarcely
proceeded a yard when the money. .takel
called out to him, and a policeman who wa
standing by simultaneously. The man il
the little box had twisted the half crown
which was bad one; was gesticulatine
wildly, and declaiming incoherently; anC
Henry Ranthorpe, in a few moments, was IL
the custody of the officer in blue.
It was in vain that he protested his limo
cence, produced his card, gave his address
mentioned the names Of two or three friend
he knew in London. The money-take
winked knowingly TO the officer, who smilet
TRANQUILITY; and TO the station-house they
went. The inspector took the charge, hear
the evidence, and he was placed in wretcheS
dark cell, where q 1ioteus drunkard wa
singing and crying in turns. Afraid 7,
alarm his wife by sending to her to state th,
misfortune that had befaiien him, he secured
by the good Offices Of the inspector, who wa
struck by his respectable appearance and hi
manner, messenger whom he sent with
note to his landlord, and to afriend in Picca
dilly, who was respectable householder
They arrived and gave so satisfactory an &C
count of him, that the inspector, overstep
Ping his duty, think permitted him to 20
and he reached home rather earlier than hi
wife expected him, with very little to say
aHnY, Ahaa 4 II, I., -
joyed, but with full and impassioned mar
rative of the calamity that had befallan him
They sat together over their crust of breaC
and cheese and glass of beer, vowinI
vengeance against the manager of the thea
ter and his employees, and discussing the ex
pediency of bringing an action for false im
prisonment.
THE MARROW ESCAPE.
They little knew how really narrow th
escape had been. A few days afterwar,
RanthOrpe observed the ugly old boots pro
tIudiDg little at the cupboard door. T.
get rid of this eye-sore, he took a chair
placed his trunk upon it, and opened tn
dusty cupboard, in order to effectually Sc
crete the boots. You may endeavor t.
imagine his astonishment when, in movinI
them, he deserted two large bags. The,
were very heavy; and what do you suppos
crowns each. There could be no doubt abou
their quality. he showed them 10 bis wife
whose astonishment was as great as his own
They began to entertain strange suspicion
about the landlord, and next began to rehec
that after what had happened at the theater
he would probably suspect them. They
however, rang the bell, summoned the wor
thy householder, and showed him the uss
less and dangerous booty.
tawu l. :
his broad countenance, at first filled will
amsEement and distraction, illuminated will
glance of profound penetration, and
smile of selfsatisfed sagacity. 81 quit
understand it now, maam," said their host
addressing Mrs. RanthOrpe. "Some month
ago two young men came one day and tool
these rooms. They gave me no reference
but offered TO pay In advance, which, as
always like TO be on the safe side, alloWet
them to do, Their hours were very strange
but they came in and went out very quiet
and gave but very little trouble. Indeed
my missus said they were the best lodger
d we had had for this many day. The none,
was regular, and, what seems odd now, non
of it bad. One day they went out together
after they had been in this house eigh
weeks; and from that day to this hav
never seen or heard of them. They certainl
were very mysterious, and never told whs
their occupation was. few clothes the
left are up stairs in chest of drawers now
and q carpet bag and portmanteau. di
have my Suspicious, which mentioned I
the old woman, when saw that two youn
men answering to their description had bee
tried at the Old Bailey, and sentenced I
transportation" 5..,..
ssA '- The CHANCES.
here ends this curious case. But suppo'
upon his arrest at the theatre, officers ha
been sent to search his lodgings, and thl
two bags, as they would have certainly beel
found. Hiswife could not have been wi
ness, the possession of "a bad half crown, an
the finding of two bags of bad half crowE
!, fIiendlessness in London-myulst not the,
. facts have Inevitably caused his conviction
OF what avail, against all this, Witnesses
eharacterY OF what avail the ingenuity an
. eloquence of counsel. The landlord of Il
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