Western appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1885-18??, 1888-12-29
sin had come and gone Ikea shadow,
hut he had done his work AZ we'll al in

been Sufficient, and the right ear had
been cut off. was one Of the first
called In when the alarm was raised.
| tooka torch and examined the wall,
and at the rear of the garden found
where a pole had been slanted up
against the wall to assist a climber
The man had lifted the pole over to
help him down, and found the prints OF
his sandals in the soft earth. 1t was
settled, to my satisfaction, at least,
that the assassin was a native, although
| at this point the police brought for
ward the theory that the person was n
European, probably disguised as q ma.
/ tive. The arrest of dozen sailors and
vagabonds followed, while all the ma
| tives in Jail were turned loose. /
never knew whether the police believ-
ed in the new theory, or whether it
was advised by the government, but
| circumstances wentsto prove that the
latter was the.case. The arrest and
abuse of innocent natives was causing
much excitement in the city, and it
was doubtless deemed safer to take an
other theory. At the same time the
authorities offered a reward of FL, 600
for the arrest of the real assassin, and
a private circular was sent to every
European in Bombay warming him to
be on his guard.
On the evening of the tenth day
after the third murder / was in a read
ing room much frequented by Euro
peans- When I left I had to cross a
plat of ground about forty feet wide.
1t was well shaded by trees, but also
well lighted by gas-light, and a brick
sidewalk six feet wide ran straight to
the street. Near the gate leading to
the street was the only dark spot, and
a bench was here placed beneath a
tree. AS / came along / noticed a
native seated on the bench as if wait
| ing for his master inside I noticed
him as one might glance at d passing
carriage, and was going on, when he
called:
"Sahib, for Gods sake stop Il mo-
ment! 1 am very ILL I have been
poisoned
"Do you think you have been poi
soned?" asked, as I left the path and
i approached him.
| II am sure of it. Let me take your
hand"
He seized my left hand in his left,
and his fingers had the grip of a wise.
He half rose from the bench, and
something forced me to say:
II am sorry for you. will 60 and
find some Englishman who can render
you aid
''But are you no Englishp''
mo, am an American
He seemed to gasp, and l. heard him
mutter under his breath as he relaxed
his grasp on my fingers. Then he
said:
''Never mind, Sahib-never mind.
We are all dogs to the English. They
would be glad to see me die. will
find DOCTOR !"
He staggered away through the gate
and was out of sight in a moment.
while l found myself so weak that I
was obliged to sit down on the bench
he vacated. I had caught sight of {,
naked knife in his right hand as he
half rose from the bench. Here was
the assassin! He was powerful fellow.
with muscles of steel. He got my left
hand, intending to lift my arm and
give me the fatal blow, but when / gave
my nationality he desisted. TWAS the
English he was after I had seen him
in the shadow, where all dark faces
look alike. had heard his voice, but
all natives of India seem to have the
same intonations. Had he been led be-
fore me two minutes later in company
with others I could not have picked
him out. But what assurance the as
sassin must have! There was not a
minute in which some one was not
passing. Indeed, as | stood before
him two men entered from the street
and two left the reading rooms. He
hadn't one chance in fifty of commit.
ting murder and escaping observation
and pursuit. but he took the risks.
It is a, fact conceded by the average
Englishman that a British official who
is willing to take advice is rarity.
The Indian mutiny was years coming.
The signs were as plain as the sun at
MONDAY, but British pigheadedness
and official egotism refused to see Or
believe. verify believe that if
a New York detective should pro-
ceed to London and secure q
straight pointer as to the identity of.
the Whitechapel tiend he would not
only be scoffed at, but distractions
would be thrown in his way. felt it my
duty to go to the English chief of po-
lice of Bombay and lay the facts be-
fore him as | have before the reader.
He began to smile as soon as I began
to talk, and presently waved me away,
and said:
Thanks for your kindness, sir, but
your story is all nonsense. You don't
know these natives as we do. You
were a bit scared, you know. and you
saw a knife and a plot where nothing
of the sort existed. Thanks, sir, but
am very busy to-day!''
| went away feeling mortified and
indignant, but revenge was at hand.
That very evening, between ten and
eleven o'clock, member of the civil
government of the Bombay presidency
he was q tax receiver, believe
was found weltering in his blood as
the assassin's fourth victim He was
| 1UiOr in a hpan in front IF ba,,oL -, .