New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-19
AN UNDERGROUND TRAGEDY.

I'm. .ustv night 10 the autumn OF the year
,aa Short sharp showers OF rain occais suac o.
Intervals when the nti" Iw ws1 70 collect in heavy
msss overhead. Tue streets OF Lon ,,aunrv nth
slushy. and the pavements colo ana o"Pp.y the
nah from city to suburb had died ITS usua
rsinrsi death. Tho bcarish scramble ioi vac
s s,1s ~ human rso on the Railway
M brain toilers IN the city only those VINO naa uoeh
detained by unusual causes or oy s'reSS "a WIN
Among the straeglers who hurried into the
Farrlngdon Street station about tne nuui
mentioned. tall man WIN rams sIJ There was
nothing particularly striking about his appearaned
ave his beard, which was unusually tnlcN mnu
"f en-, ami preservation such as to suggest tne
poescss,on by their wearer OF average means; .,o
wore an ordinary felt hat rather wi"e IN tG or'"
and an overcoat OF dark material, the cvi1i Va "a
which wae turned mp and IN MS gov9iesS n" ; d
goyss are out of place in such weather. ne carrieu
~ nwer Street" said the person have briefly
described, on STOPPING 70 present his lace ~ 'n'
window of the ticket Office
.X hat class ~
aFirst.p Then while the clerk was stamping the
ticket, the bearded man. with some deilberatloh
laid his umbrella on the ledge OF the window aua
proceeded TO draw some honey from MS PocKetd
Having paid for aud recei ed his ticket, no huiiiou
~IEy; W sbouted the clerk you're leaving your
umhrellan The man came back, took his umbrella,
muttered Thank you lin his beard, and again
hurried away. -, A., o,.rL
aDoesnt use his umbrella and doesn't remember
It, good CAMP wasted on an idiot -and IN sucn
weather as this too" ,.,
Mean while the sent-mindea stranger had had
his ticket clipped, passed through the gates ana
reached the platform. Here lie stood motionie es
upder The board w ait here for hrst-class. lie
had not long to wait. In a few moments train
drew up at the platform. 81 was fairly peopIea III
,ae third class, and sparsely IN the second, whiie
.ut.to in no
train were all unOccupied with the exception Oh
one. That one con aimed solitary man, an1 lnto
that compartment the BEARDED traveller. aiter
hurried glance at the Other carriages cntereu NO
one else entered the carriage after the man whose
movements are following. 49,
few moments and the train moved on to Kings
Cross very short run from Farrugdon one OF
tho shortest. in fact on the line, The bearded
man had taken the corner next the door he had
turned toward his felow-passeuger; bus its
expression could not have been seen through DIS
beard. and even his eyes were concealed ny nie hA.
which he had pulled forward The other occupant
OF tho compaI tnent sat at the far end, with DIS
back toward the engine He was mlddleaged,
very slight in figure and weii,dIessed. hs FACE S;e
was thin, delicate and extremely agreeable; Nils
HAIR both Of head and face was somewhat grey
abort. and carefully trimmed Altogether TINS
passenger had an air of neatness and rehnemsnt
shout him. You would have said at once that he
The train stopped at Kings Cross, aud then
started on its longer run to Cover Street and still
fhesa two men we're alone Perhaps the foul
sulphurous atmosphere peculiar to the Underground
Railway was moro Pronounced here Tor as the
train moved from the station the bearded man
calculated Bah P and shifted from tue window
half way along the seat. His fellUw-pa.ssnger
who, with his nat pushed pack from his high white
forehead was smiling over one of the comic papers,
looked up for moment and returned to h's
diversion. IA moment An innocent, haf-suIprised
glance at the man who sat wit dOwn-turned lace
almost exactly opposite him. That was ell No
instinct of peril No prompting to vigilance and
defence.
For the bearded mans hand had crept to his
pocket. and his eyes blazing with greed for crime
had risen from the hQor and fastened upon his
neighbours breast from which the OvercOat had
been drawn aside. And still there was no instinct
OF danger no thought Of ILL., as the small man read
his last wittcIsm and smiled his last smile aud 80
smiling received to its hlt in his breast the sharp
ferce-driven knife. short strange, horrible gasp,
the victims last effort at respiration, and moving
of startled, death filled ewes, which, staring Tor
moment, with recognition, but wondering horror
at the murderer. asked, What have done to
theeT and then the stricken mans he ad fell upon
his breast and his life went out
One minute only had passed since the train left
Kings Cross, and time was still with the murderer.
Many moments would pass before Cover Street
was reached. precious moments He had done the
MURDER lie had still to himself. He had
stood while his victim died. bent forward aud
mo,Ionless-eyes hidden by the muscular contrac-
tIon of forehead and cheeks and glittrriUg white
teeth showing through the thick beard and mus
tache. he recovered himself 10y spasmodic move
nent His first care to throw the comic paper
Out of the window. Then lie selLel the warm dead
body which had slipped down along the seat. and
prOppod III SITTING anu upright III tuo Colnel "Hno
the still limp fingers of the right hand be arranged
round the handle of the knife. /" SuIcideP be NUT
tered glanciug quickly at the effect. - clear
easel Temporary insanity! Muruer Impossible on
the Underground Rsilwayw
Then ne stood at the door. As the train emerged
from the darkness into the light of the Cover
Street Station he noticed blood his right hand.
Bat he put the hand to his mouth, and when lie
withdrew IT the stain gone. Before the train
stopped the murderer loo ked back once, without a
shudder at the still body of the murdered man,
and then he jumped TO the laIform, shutting The
carriuge- door upon his work. and the next moment
was lost IN the crowd
And the people who elbowed their way to the
gates were shoulder to shoulder with a worse than
CAIN hot from his crime