Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-10-18
The Mystery Of a Hanson Cab
By FERGUS w. HUME. @se
CHAPTER Xxx.

CHAPTER Xxx
THE ARGUS GIVES RS OPINION.
The morning after the trial was concluded
the following article in reference TO the mat
ter appeared in The Argus:
"During tho past three months we have
frequently in our columns commented on the
extraordinary case which is now so widely
known as The Hanson Cab Tragedy We
can safely say that it is the most remarkable
case which has ever come under the notice of
our criminal court, and the verdict given by
the Jury yesterday has enveloped the matter
in a still deeper mystery. By a train of
strange condolences, Mr.. Brian Fitzgerald, a
young squatter, was suspected Of having
murdered Whyte, and had it not been for the
timely appearance Of the woman Rawlins,
who turned up at the eleventh hour, we feel
sure that verdict of guilty would have been
given, and an innocent man would have suf-
fered punishment for the crime Of another.
Fortunately for the prisoner, and for the in
terests of justice, his counsel, Mr.. Calton, by
unwearied diligence, was able to discover the
last witness and prove all alibi. Had it not
been for this, In spite of the remarks made
by the learned counsel in his brilliant speech
Yesterday, which resulted i'm the acquittal of
the prisoner, we question very much if the
rest of the evidence in favor Of the accused
would have been sufficient to persuade the
Jury that he was an innocent man. The only
points in favor of Mr. Fitzgerald were the
inability Of the cabman Royston to swear to
him as the man who had got into the cab
with Whyte, the wearing of diamond ring
on the forefinger Of the right hand whereas
Mr.. Fitzgerald wears no rings, and the diff
ference in time sworn to by the cabman
Rankin and the landlady Against these
points, however, the prosecution placed
mass of evidence, which seemed to conclu-
sively prove the guilt of the prisoner; but
the appearance of Sal Rawlins in the witness
box put an end to all doubt. In language
that could not be mistaken for anything else
than the truth, she positively swore that Mr..
Fitzgerald was in one of the slums off Bourke
street between the hours of l and on Friday
morning, at which time the murder was
committed Under these circumstances, the
jury unanimously agreed in the verdict,
"Not guilty." and the prisoner was forth
with acquitted We have to congratulate
his counsel, Mr.. Cation, for the able speech
he made for the defense, and also Mr.. Fit2-
gerald, for his providential escape from
dishonorable and undeserved punishment.
He leaves the court without stain on his
character, and with the respect and sym.
pathy of all Australians, for the courage and
dignity with which he comported himself
throughout, while resting under the shadow
of such a serious charge.
"But now that it has been conclusively
proved that he is innocent, the question arises
in every ones mind, Who is the murderer of
Oliver Whytep The man who committed
this dastardly crime is still at large, and, for
all we know, may be in our midst
"There seems to be no possible clew discov
cradle at present which can lead to the dis
covery of the real murderer. The man IN
the light coat who got out of Rankin's cab at
Powlstt street, East Melbourne (designedly
as 1t now appears, in order to throw suspicion
ON Fitzgerald), has vanished as completely as
the witches in Macbeth and left no trace
behind. 1t was 2 o'clock in the morning
when he left the cab, and, in quiet suburb
like East Melbourne, no one would be about,
so that he could easily escape unseen. There
seems to be only one chance of ever tracing
him, and that is to be found in the papers
which were stolen from the pocket Of the
dead man. What they were, only two per-
sons knew, and one knows now. The first
two wera Wbvta and the woman who was
called sThe Oneen and both of them are now
lead The other who Knows now il the man
who committed the crime There can he no
doubt in tha minds of opr readers that these
naners were tbe motive NJ the crime. as no
money WINS taken from the pockets of the de-
ceased The fact, also, that the papers were
corr;ed In n noctet made ;nsiie the waist
coat of the deceased shows that thew were of
value
ttNow the reason we think that the dead
woman knew of the existence of those papers
is s1mplv this. II appears that she came out
from England with Wbyte as his mistress
and after stavipp some time in SYDNEY came
on to Melbourne How she came into such
foul and soualid den as that she died in, we
are unable to saw. unless. seeing that she was
given to drink. She was taken up drunk by
some Samaritan of the slums and carried to
Mrs Rawlins' humble abode. WHITE visited
her there freouentlv. but appears to have
made no atten1pt to remove her to a better
place. alleging. as his reason, that the doctor
said she would die If taken into the air Our
reporter learned from one ., she ue'ec.lses ",
onaI 'iie ueau "oui.n was Ia 'ne uaD,' y. Saih.
4s s .,ns;o,, ,,as a,,orl,oord r. sa,y e. h;n,.
.r,a,,,,I ,s,., ,o,,, fo,t,,r - wo,, ,',ov vow,
oanJs ,raI,, Th;s ,vos told to tha detoct;u.