Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-07-02
AMATEUR BALCH.
The Boston Newspaper Man Who Cap
tured the Hull M%urderer---His
Account Of the Affair.
Boston Cor. New York Herald.l

Boston Cor. New York Herald.l
This evening l dropped into room
No. 4 of the new Herald building,
where | found Mr.. w. H. Balch,
who hunted Cox down unaided and
alone.
Il congratulate you on your success
as a detective, | said. 81 suppose
you are going to give us all the shake
now and join the guardians of the
peace 2"
Not by any means, my boy" he
cheerily replied. Il think we need
detectives in the ranks of journalism
as much as in the police force
Well, you will accept my congrat-
Nations, won't you"
Yes, certainly; but | am beginning
to fear hat the profession wants to
get up a big guy on me. | have re-
ceived seven kilograms of c%ongratula-
ton froA different parts of the cOun-
try; an invitation to join a detective
force a request for my photograph /;
sh offer from a newspaper Office and
I an invitation to dine at DelmonieO's."
Which do you think you'll ac-
acept2'
Il think I'll take in that dinner ?
SKETCH OF THE AMATEUR DETEC-
TIVE.
Mr.. Balch is a very intelligent,
keen looking young man of twenty
seven years. He wears glasses aud a
full, black beard. rather artistically
trimmed, and gives you the impress
sion that he is a Frenchman. lie is
what the ladies would call a good
looking and very modest man. He
was born in 1852, in Leetown, Jeffer-
son county, w. Va. His father was
an Episcopal clergyman, who has been
well-known for a quarter Of a century.
He was settled over st. Bartholomew
Church. New York, for some years,
and thence went to Montreal Will
liam was educated in Canada. He
came to New England in 1871, and be-
gan to set type in the Office of the
Concord On. H. Monitor. In 1872 he
was offered the position Of Office boy
on the Daily Advertiser, which he
accepted. He was ambitious and in
dustriOus and wanted to rise, so he did
odd jobs of reporting and type stick
ing. When the big fire of November,
1872, was raging, his services were
called into requisitiOn quite frequent
ly, and it was here that his talents for
rapid work and correct judgment first
became recognized. He was placed
on the local staff OF the Advertiser
and did some excellent work. In
1873 he left and started on a European
tour. He stayed some time in London
and then visited the chief cities OF
Great Britain and the continent. His
object was study, and he spent the
larger portion Of his time in Germany.
his friend and companion being Syl-
Yester Baxter, the adapter Of Fat.
initza." He never lost his news
paper connection. While abroad
he wrote letters for the Boston Her.
aid on general and political subjects
PREVIOUS DETECTIVE EFFORTS.
When Ezra j. Winslow, the faller
minister who ran away from the Post
with its money aud securities in hii
pocket, reached Europe, Mr.. Balci
was watching for him. He tracked
him from Holland to London anC
Swallowed him there until he had hin
arrested. He also discovered Cald.
we'll, of the Little Rock and For
Smith railroad, aud eabled his state
ment over in time to help Blaine on.
OF a tight place and break Proctor
knotts hold on his throat. He re
ported the great Wagner festival a
Bayreuth and the Paris Exhibition
for the Boston Herald and one or two
Western papers. He wrote some YER,
clever sketches for the Mancheste.
Guardian and about half a dozel
American journals. He came baeI
last November, and since then hai
devoted his time largely to specia
writing, ehieayfo the Boston Herald
A series Of Celebrities at Home writ
ten by him has attracted q good dea
OF attention.
DETAILS OF THE MURDEREB's Ar
REST.
How did you get hold Of this feI
low ] asked.
Well, it's a long story and a funn
n in some respects. OF course
came into possession Of the facts i
the usual way. | got the description
from New York and went to work.
said TO Mr.. Wood that very day that
would know hat man in any place.
followed two or three colored nae
during that day, but abandoned tn
chase because they did not answer tn