The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-06-04
MONDAY MORNING, JUNE 4.
lTinsley's Magszine.l
Running for Life.
A Munster Story.

south of Irela1d, on my way TO visit some
friends. At the time / write of no railway
had penetrated the district through which /
should travel; the conveyance was one OF
Bianconi's cars. The particular machine in
use this evening was made to accommodate
eight passengers--four GU each side--and the
driver; and as the travellers generally We're a
miscellaneous collection, it required some
care to secure suitable place for the jour
ney. looked around at my fellow-travell-
ers, and decided to get, if possible, next to
one who had already taken his seat. He
was man advanced in years, but well pre-
served, with clearly cut features, and a
sharp, searching expression in his eyes. /
sat by his side, and as we moved into the
country we exchanged some commonplaces
about the weather, the crops, and the state
of affairs generally. After a little while he
lapsed into silence, and then suddenly turn
ing TO me, he said: do you know the count
ry around here, Sir?''
81 canfot say that / know the country
very we'll, replied, though | have fire.
quently travelled along this road. Do you
live in this localitys' | asked
ssNo.n be answered, ''but there is not an
inch of it / do not know. There was time
when every peace for miles around was fa-
miliar to me. So well did know it that
there was scarcely stone in the district the
position of which could not accurately de-
SCRIBE"
/ was beginning to ask myself what was
the occupation which called for such lnowl-
edge of merf and things, when my compan-
ion continued: Il was principal actor in
scenes here which made the name of the
town we have just left familiar wherever q
newspaper could penetrate or postman
reach. Have you any idea of the circum-
stances to which / refer?"
mot the remotest," | answered.
swell, as it may help to pass away the
time, if you have no objection, can tell YOU
of occurrences in this place which startled
the kingdom, and ended in scene of horror,
as far as / know, unparalleled in this count
ry."
said he was very kind, aud that | had no
doubt should listen to him with great in-
terest.
Well, then, (he said, to commence, may
as well say that l at one time was Police
constable, and that / am now a pensioner
from that force. During my boyhood my
father was in easy circumstances, and gave
me fair education; but misfortune over
took us, and at his death want OF money
forced me to give up any idea l may have
had of an ambitious career. A shor. time
after joining the Police, having made some
little reputation as detective, / was sent to
this district, which was then in state of
great disturbance. ] was here but short
time when the authorities received tidings
of terrible murder. There is no necessity
for going into the details, but the real cause
of the great excitement and alarm produced
bg ii was that the deed was done with scarce
ly any attempt at concealment. The perpe-
traitors of the crime were known, and not
arrested. They were two brothers named
Condor and the crime, as nearly all these
-. L l.nl &c
dispute.
As / have said, the murderers were
known. They were men of most powerful
frames and believed to be very daring char
acters. When full particulars reached the
town the usual energy was shown by the au-
thorities. Police and military were placed
under requisition, the country was mapped
off for search, and such arrangements made
as should, in a short time, secure the cap
ture of the accused men. For some days
and nights the whole countryside was in a
state of expectancy and turmoil. People
were knocked ont of their beds more than
once in night and their houses examined
from floor to roof in search for the men said
to be murderers. Police and soldiers were
to be found everywhere, and YET, though
there was no question as to the identity of
the parties sought, or no doubt as to the
fact of their being in the loeality,s no trace
could the authorities find of them. The
magistrates believed that many of the Deo-
pie could give valuable information. No in
formation, however, was given, and the SOL
diers and Police were searching after these
two men, and all their searches were fruit
less. After time change seemed to come
over the tactics of those who guided our
movements, and the first intimation we had
of it was the discontinuance, in a great
measure, of the patrolling and searching
Our efforts in the open pursuit were COM
pletely relaxed, and it appeared as if all hope
of making capture had been given up.
During these few days of quietness. how
ever, people behind the scenes knew that
there were constant and anxious meetings of
those responsible for carrying out the law in
the district. Police officers. magistrates
and some of the local gentry were evidently
trying to devise some effective means of
bringing the men wanted to justice. We
awaited with some curiosity the result of
their deliberations. 1t came to me in a
rather surprising manner. ! was one day
summoned to the office, and my inspector
informed me that had been specially Sc
lected for the management of this case. He
told me that was selected because of two
instances in which had attracted attention
by following up Slight clues, and completing
difficult cases out of very poor materials.
Another reason for selecting me was that
was not known, being a stranger in the
place. Any assistance / wanted | was to
get, and, beyond the intimation that was
to proceed merely as a detective, all arrange
ments were left to my own judgement.
do not exaggerate when | say that / was al
most stunned at this unexpected and extra
ordinary mark of confidence [ simply said
that hoped | would prove myself worthy OF
it.
1 went to an unfrequented part of the
building and sat down TO study in solitrde
all the bearings of the situation. had new
er seen either of TIE men, but from descrip-
tons / had heard and read | had no doubt
could easily recognize them. 1t was almost
certain that they were within known area
Of country; the scene of my operations was,
Therefore, determined. 1 should 90 where
they were likely to be found This part OF
the business was not by any means pleasant,
tie duty being dangerous. even to the abso-
lutte risking of life. However, | was in for
it, and should go on. had no hope of get
ting information from the country people.
whose sympathies and prejudices, In cases
of this kind led them to look upon these
men rather in the light of soldiers in the war
which RACES here, from generation to gener-
alton, between the owners aud occupiers of
land. In their eyes the two men were sim
ply champions of the tenants side of the
question, and, ii they were not to be active
ly supported and protected, most certainly
no assistance should be given to those who
were trying to hunt them down. Therefore
I lat once discarded any notion of help from
the people. l should trust to my own skill,
and determined to commence at once, and
bring the question of success or failure TO a
speedy issue. / laid my plans, and, the night
after / got my commission, / was in the
heart of the country where the murdereIs
were believed to be concealed.
found myself in the house of aretired po-
lice constable, who farmed small plot Of
ground and drew pension from the Gov
eminent. He was much respected by his
neighbors, but his intercourse with them
was not of very intimate character His
house stood some miles from us in that d.
rection, just there in front (said my COM
panion, pointing to the country, This house
was In valley; but up fiom it, on the side
of what / may almost call a mountain,
stood another house in which felt a deep
interest-it was the residence of one of the
men for whom | was looking. In LAYING
my plans decided to make this house the
centre and startingpoint Of all my obserya-
lions. / knew that the criminals we're COM
paratively poor; that their sympathizers
could not be wealthy, and that, for these
and many other reasons, it was more than
likely that communications should pass be-
tween the men''on the run'an their people
at home The hill on which the house res
ted sloped down gently to the valley. II was
4 IL 4